Stories

U.S. Marine Corps Col. George J. Flynn, left, commanding officer of Marine Rotational Force – Darwin, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Philippine Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Bob R. Apostol, director of Exercise Directorate Headquarters, and PMC Col. Edwin Jospeh H. Olaer, assistant director of EDH, salute during the playing of the American national anthem as part of the KAMANDAG 10 opening ceremony on Fort Bonifacio, Philippines, June 15, 2026. - U.S. Marine Corps Col. George J. Flynn, left, commanding officer of Marine Rotational Force – Darwin, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Philippine Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Bob R. Apostol, director of Exercise Directorate Headquarters, and PMC Col. Edwin Jospeh H. Olaer, assistant director of EDH, salute during the playing of the American national anthem as part of the KAMANDAG 10 opening ceremony on Fort Bonifacio, Philippines, June 15, 2026. KD10 is a multi-domain, joint, and combined exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and United States military focused on enhancing maritime security, interoperability, contested logistics, and combined readiness throughout the Philippine archipelago. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Ryan Ramsammy)

U.S. Marine Corps Col. Stuart Glenn, left, commanding officer for Marine Rotational Force-Southeast Asia, poses for a photo with an Indonesian marine with 10th Marine Infantry Battalion, Indonesian Korps Marinir, after a coastal defense exercise during Keris Marine Exercise (MAREX) 2024 on Kabupaten Lingga, Singkep, Indonesia, Nov. 15, 2024. Keris MAREX is a bilateral exercise conducted by the U.S. Marine Corps and Korps Marinir Republik Indonesia, or Indonesian Marine Corps, to strengthen relationships as military partners and increase interoperability among participating forces in the advancement of a Free and Open Indo-Pacific. MRF-SEA is a rotational unit derived from elements of I Marine Expeditionary Force executing a U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific operational model that involves training events and exchanges with partner military subject matter experts, promotes security goals with Allied and partner nations, and ensures a persistent I MEF presence west of the International Date Line. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Shaina Jupiter) - U.S. Marine Corps Col. Stuart Glenn, left, commanding officer for Marine Rotational Force-Southeast Asia, poses for a photo with an Indonesian marine with 10th Marine Infantry Battalion, Indonesian Korps Marinir, after a coastal defense exercise during Keris Marine Exercise (MAREX) 2024 on Kabupaten Lingga, Singkep, Indonesia, Nov. 15, 2024. Keris MAREX is a bilateral exercise conducted by the U.S. Marine Corps and Korps Marinir Republik Indonesia, or Indonesian Marine Corps, to strengthen relationships as military partners and increase interoperability among participating forces in the advancement of a Free and Open Indo-Pacific. MRF-SEA is a rotational unit derived from elements of I Marine Expeditionary Force executing a U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific operational model that involves training events and exchanges with partner military subject matter experts, promotes security goals with Allied and partner nations, and ensures a persistent I MEF presence west of the International Date Line. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Shaina Jupiter)

U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Will Thomas, a joint terminal attack controller with Marine Rotational Force-Southeast Asia, conducts a flight rehearsal for a humanitarian and disaster relief training event during KAMANDAG 8 at Camp Cape Bojeador, Burgos, Philippines, Oct. 19, 2024. KAMANDAG is an annual Philippine and U.S. Marine Corps-led exercise aimed at enhancing the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ defense and humanitarian capabilities by providing valuable training in combined operations with foreign militaries in the advancement of a Free and Open Indo-Pacific. This year marks the eighth iteration of this exercise and includes participants from the French Armed Forces, Royal Thai Marine Corps, and Indonesian Marine Corps; including continued participation from the Australian Defense Force, British Armed Forces, Japan Ground Self-Defense Force, and Republic of Korea Marine Corps. MRF-SEA is a rotational unit derived from elements of I Marine Expeditionary Force executing a U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific operational model that involves training events and exchanges with partner military subject matter experts, promotes security goals with Allied and partner nations, and ensures a persistent I MEF presence west of the International Date Line. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Shaina Jupiter) - U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Will Thomas, a joint terminal attack controller with Marine Rotational Force-Southeast Asia, conducts a flight rehearsal for a humanitarian and disaster relief training event during KAMANDAG 8 at Camp Cape Bojeador, Burgos, Philippines, Oct. 19, 2024. KAMANDAG is an annual Philippine and U.S. Marine Corps-led exercise aimed at enhancing the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ defense and humanitarian capabilities by providing valuable training in combined operations with foreign militaries in the advancement of a Free and Open Indo-Pacific. This year marks the eighth iteration of this exercise and includes participants from the French Armed Forces, Royal Thai Marine Corps, and Indonesian Marine Corps; including continued participation from the Australian Defense Force, British Armed Forces, Japan Ground Self-Defense Force, and Republic of Korea Marine Corps. MRF-SEA is a rotational unit derived from elements of I Marine Expeditionary Force executing a U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific operational model that involves training events and exchanges with partner military subject matter experts, promotes security goals with Allied and partner nations, and ensures a persistent I MEF presence west of the International Date Line. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Shaina Jupiter)

A Philippine Marine with 4th Marine Brigade conducts a humanitarian aid and disaster relief demonstration during KAMANDAG 8 at Camp Cape Bojeador, Burgos, Philippines, Oct. 20, 2024. KAMANDAG is an annual Philippine and U.S. Marine Corps-led exercise aimed at enhancing the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ defense and humanitarian capabilities by providing valuable training in combined operations with foreign militaries in the advancement of a Free and Open Indo-Pacific. This year marks the eighth iteration of this exercise and includes participants from the French Armed Forces, Royal Thai Marine Corps, and Indonesian Marine Corps; including continued participation from the Australian Defense Force, British Armed Forces, Japan Ground Self-Defense Force, and Republic of Korea Marine Corps. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Shaina Jupiter) - A Philippine Marine with 4th Marine Brigade conducts a humanitarian aid and disaster relief demonstration during KAMANDAG 8 at Camp Cape Bojeador, Burgos, Philippines, Oct. 20, 2024. KAMANDAG is an annual Philippine and U.S. Marine Corps-led exercise aimed at enhancing the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ defense and humanitarian capabilities by providing valuable training in combined operations with foreign militaries in the advancement of a Free and Open Indo-Pacific. This year marks the eighth iteration of this exercise and includes participants from the French Armed Forces, Royal Thai Marine Corps, and Indonesian Marine Corps; including continued participation from the Australian Defense Force, British Armed Forces, Japan Ground Self-Defense Force, and Republic of Korea Marine Corps. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Shaina Jupiter)