U.S. Marine Corps Forces Command

I'm Corporal Savannah Mosby with your Marine Minute....

Hey Marines, Cpl. Mosby here. U.S. Marines with 1st Marine Regiment kicked off Exercise Iron Fist 2019, Jan. 15. at Camp Pendleton, California. This month long annual training exercise will take place in various training facilities throughout Southern California. This training allows Marines to hone their skills in combined amphibious operations, planning, and strengthen relations between the United States and the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force. Also in the news, Every year the third Monday of January is designated as a national holiday. Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is honored by designating this day as a "day on, not a day off." Instead of being just another three day weekend, this national day of selfless service and volunteering is meant to empower individuals, strengthen bonds between communities and work towards a future Dr. King would be proud of. And that's your Marine Minute.

Ret. 1st Sgt John Lord served with Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines in the Republic of Vietnam and was awarded the Navy Cross for extraordinary heroism on the day of July 28, 1968. Here is his story.

Marines with Marine Forces Reserve participate in the MARFORRES Relay Race Competition at Marine Corps Support Facility New Orleans, Jan. 17, 2019. The quarterly event tests the physical fitness of the Marines and builds camaraderie within the units. (U.S. Marine Corps video by Sgt. Andy O. Martinez and Cpl. Niles Lee)

U.S. Marines and Sailors and Japan Ground Self-Defense Force Soldiers practice combat medical training during Iron Fist, Jan. 22, 2019 on U.S. Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, CA. Exercise Iron Fist is an annual, multilateral training exercise where U.S. and Japanese service members train together and share techniques, tactics and procedures to improve their combined operational capabilities. (U.S. Marine Corps video by Cpl. Cutler Brice)

U.S. Marines with Animal Company, 1st Battalion 7th Marine Regiment,1st Marine Division prepare for force on force training during Integrated Training Exercise (ITX) 2-19 at Range 220 on Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, Calif., Jan. 19, 2019. The purpose of ITX is to create a challenging, realistic training environment that produces combat-ready forces capable of operating as an integrated Marine Air Ground Task Force. (U.S. Marine Corps video by LCpl. Corey Mathews)

U.S. Marines with Animal Company, 1st Battalion 7th Marine Regiment,1st Marine Division prepare for force on force training during Integrated Training Exercise (ITX) 2-19 at Range 220 on Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, Calif., Jan. 19, 2019. The purpose of ITX is to create a challenging, realistic training environment that produces combat-ready forces capable of operating as an integrated Marine Air Ground Task Force. (U.S. Marine Corps video by Cpl. Jennessa Davey)

Marines with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit's Maritime Raid Force host a community engagement event at Naval Air Museum Barbers Point, Kapolei, Hawaii, Jan. 19, 2019. The event gave the Marines of the MRF the opportunity to build a relationship with the community. There were static displays of the Marines and their gear, a breaching display and a tactical demonstration of a high value target interdiction. The 31st MEU, the Marine Corps’ only continuously forward-deployed MEU, provides a flexible force ready to perform a wide range of military operations as the premier crisis response force in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Isaac Cantrell/Released)

U.S Marines with 1st Marine Division and soldiers with the Japan Ground Self Defense Force (JGSDF) conduct urban breach training as part of Iron Fist 2019 (IF19) aboard Camp Pendleton, California, Jan. 18, 2019. Iron Fist is an annual multilateral training exercise where U.S. and Japanese service members train together and share techniques, tactics and procedures to improve their combined operational capabilities. IF19 marks the 14th year of the exercise. (U.S. Marine Corps motion imagery by Sgt. Antonio R. Campbell)

U.S. Marines with Animal Company, 1st Battalion 7th Marine Regiment,1st Marine Division prepare for force on force training during Integrated Training Exercise (ITX) 2-19 at Range 220 on Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, Calif., Jan. 19, 2019. The purpose of ITX is to create a challenging, realistic training environment that produces combat-ready forces capable of operating as an integrated Marine Air Ground Task Force. (U.S. Marine Corps video by Pfc. Cedar Barnes)

U.S Marines with 1st Marine Division and soldiers with the Japan Ground Self Defense Force (JGSDF) conduct urban breach training as part of Iron Fist 2019 (IF19) aboard Camp Pendleton, California, Jan. 18, 2019. Iron Fist is an annual, multilateral training exercise where U.S. and Japanese service members train together and share techniques, tactics and procedures to improve their combined operational capabilities. IF19 marks the 14th year of the exercise. (U.S. Marine Corps motion imagery by Sgt. Antonio R. Campbell)

I'm Corporal Savannah Mosby with your Marine Minute. ...

Marines with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit's Maritime Raid Force board a simulated vessel during Visit, Board, Search and Seizure training at Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, Jan. 18, 2019. Reconnaissance Marines with MRF train for quick, tactical raids of moving vessels, launched from both land and sea. The 31st MEU, the Marine Corps’ only continuously forward-deployed MEU, provides a flexible and lethal force ready to perform a wide range of military operations as the premier crisis response force in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Isaac Cantrell/Released)

U.S. Marines with Combat Logistics Battalion 24 conduct an Evacuee Control Center evaluation, at Camp Davis South training area, North Carolina, Jan. 18, 2019. CLB-24 conducted the ECC as part of a Marine Corps Combat Readiness Evaluation in preparation for their upcoming deployment. (U.S. Marine Corps video by Cpl. Jared Siniscalchi)

I'm Corporal Savannah Mosby with your Marine Minute. ...

2nd Law Enforcement (LE) Battalion provides specialized capabilities to the MIG and MIG COC supporting two of the seven IE Operations and Functions - Provide IE Battlespace Awareness, and Attack and Exploit Networks, Systems and Information. (U.S. Marine Corps video by Lance Cpl. Nello W. Miele)

U.S. Marines with Company A, 3rd Law Enforcement Battalion, III Marine Expeditionary Force Information Group practice crowd control techniques during non-lethal weapons training event at Landing Zone Wren, Camp Hansen, Okinawa, Japan, Jan. 15, 2019. During the three-day training event, military policemen further crowd-control training with additional equipment and combine those techniques with non-lethal weapons including batons, Mossberg 500 shotguns, M32 Multiple Grenade Launchers, M203 grenade launchers, and Sting Ball Grenades. (U.S. Marine Corps video by Cpl. Alexis B. Betances)

U.S Marines with 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion, 2nd Marine Division fire a Mine-Clearing Lane Charge during Integrated Training Exercise (ITX) 2-19 at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, Calif., Jan. 16, 2019. The purpose of ITX is to create a challenging, realistic training environment that produces combat-ready forces capable of operating as an integrated Marine Air Ground Task Force. (U.S. Marine Corps video by LCpl. Corey Mathews)

I'm Corporal Savannah Mosby with your Marine Minute. ...