Stories

Sgt. DeMonte R. Cheeley stands for a photo after receiving the Purple Heart medal Jan. 26, 2016, at a ceremony in Chattanooga, Tenn. Cheeley received the Purple Heart for injuries he sustained during a July 16, 2015 attack in Chattanooga at the Armed Forces Career Center where he works. An investigation conducted by the FBI and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service determined the attack had been inspired by a foreign terrorist group making Cheeley eligible for the Purple Heart. Cheeley is a Marine recruiter with Recruiting Substation Chattanooga, Recruiting Station Nashville, Tenn. (Official Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Diamond N. Peden/Released) - Sgt. DeMonte R. Cheeley stands for a photo after receiving the Purple Heart medal Jan. 26, 2016, at a ceremony in Chattanooga, Tenn. Cheeley received the Purple Heart for injuries he sustained during a July 16, 2015 attack in Chattanooga at the Armed Forces Career Center where he works. An investigation conducted by the FBI and the Naval Criminal Investigative Service determined the attack had been inspired by a foreign terrorist group making Cheeley eligible for the Purple Heart. Cheeley is a Marine recruiter with Recruiting Substation Chattanooga, Recruiting Station Nashville, Tenn. (Official Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Diamond N. Peden/Released)

Petty Officer 3rd Class Thomas McCarthy prepares to place an IV for Cpl. Walter Kowalski Jan. 5 at the U.S. Naval Hospital Yokosuka Branch Health Annex on Combined Arms Training Center Camp Fuji, Japan. The annex provides medical evaluation and care to units training on the installation and is typically staffed by less than six permanent personnel. The facility provides an area for service members in training to seek medical evaluation and care. McCarthy is a corpsman with 3rd Battalion 5th Marine Regiment; currently assigned to 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force under the unit deployment program, and a Visalia, Calif., native. Kowalski is a field radio operator with the battalion and an Amsterdam, N.Y., native. - Petty Officer 3rd Class Thomas McCarthy prepares to place an IV for Cpl. Walter Kowalski Jan. 5 at the U.S. Naval Hospital Yokosuka Branch Health Annex on Combined Arms Training Center Camp Fuji, Japan. The annex provides medical evaluation and care to units training on the installation and is typically staffed by less than six permanent personnel. The facility provides an area for service members in training to seek medical evaluation and care. McCarthy is a corpsman with 3rd Battalion 5th Marine Regiment; currently assigned to 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force under the unit deployment program, and a Visalia, Calif., native. Kowalski is a field radio operator with the battalion and an Amsterdam, N.Y., native.

Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps, Sgt. Maj. Ronald L. Green, addresses Marines with Marine Forces Reserve at Marine Corps Support Facility New Orleans, Jan. 20, 2015. Green’s visit entailed getting to know his Marines better and discussing the 'Protect What You've Earned' campaign by urging Marines to continue to uphold the standards of the Corps on and off duty. - Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps, Sgt. Maj. Ronald L. Green, addresses Marines with Marine Forces Reserve at Marine Corps Support Facility New Orleans, Jan. 20, 2015. Green’s visit entailed getting to know his Marines better and discussing the 'Protect What You've Earned' campaign by urging Marines to continue to uphold the standards of the Corps on and off duty.

Marine Wing Support Squadron 272 assembled the M31 Marine Corps Expeditionary Arresting Gear during a field operation at Marine Corps Outlying Field, Camp Davis, N.C., Jan. 13, 2016. The M31 Marine Corps Expeditionary Arresting Gear is a hydrodynamic braking system used for tail hook aircraft, such as a F/A-18 Hornet, allowing planes to make aborted take-offs or emergency landings. (U.S. Marine Corps photo-illistration by Lance Cpl. Aaron Fiala/Released.) - Marine Wing Support Squadron 272 assembled the M31 Marine Corps Expeditionary Arresting Gear during a field operation at Marine Corps Outlying Field, Camp Davis, N.C., Jan. 13, 2016. The M31 Marine Corps Expeditionary Arresting Gear is a hydrodynamic braking system used for tail hook aircraft, such as a F/A-18 Hornet, allowing planes to make aborted take-offs or emergency landings. (U.S. Marine Corps photo-illistration by Lance Cpl. Aaron Fiala/Released.)

Private James N. Gathondu, Charlie Company, 1st Recruit Training Battalion, high crawls with his rifle during an event of the Crucible at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., Jan. 13. Gathondu graduated recruit training as the Company Ironman, the most physically fit Marine in his company. Following recruit training, he will move on to Marine Combat Training in Camp Pendleton, Calif., and then on to his military occupational specialty school for his job as a motor transportation operator. He plans on making a career out of Marine Corps. Gathondu is a native of Kikuyu, Kenya, and was recruited out of Recruiting Station Fort Worth, Texas. - Private James N. Gathondu, Charlie Company, 1st Recruit Training Battalion, high crawls with his rifle during an event of the Crucible at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., Jan. 13. Gathondu graduated recruit training as the Company Ironman, the most physically fit Marine in his company. Following recruit training, he will move on to Marine Combat Training in Camp Pendleton, Calif., and then on to his military occupational specialty school for his job as a motor transportation operator. He plans on making a career out of Marine Corps. Gathondu is a native of Kikuyu, Kenya, and was recruited out of Recruiting Station Fort Worth, Texas.

Marines and Sailors practice clearing rooms and detaining non-combatants as a part of the Raid Leaders Course at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., Jan. 12, 2016. While the course emphasizes combat marksmanship fundamentals, Marines must be able to identify and properly handle non-combatants in urban military operations. The Marines participating in the training course are with Fox Company, 2nd Battalion, 4th Marine Corps Regiment. The Raid Leaders Course is run by Expeditionary Operations Training Group, I Marine Headquarters Group, I Marine Expeditionary Force. - Marines and Sailors practice clearing rooms and detaining non-combatants as a part of the Raid Leaders Course at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., Jan. 12, 2016. While the course emphasizes combat marksmanship fundamentals, Marines must be able to identify and properly handle non-combatants in urban military operations. The Marines participating in the training course are with Fox Company, 2nd Battalion, 4th Marine Corps Regiment. The Raid Leaders Course is run by Expeditionary Operations Training Group, I Marine Headquarters Group, I Marine Expeditionary Force.

Lance Cpl. Sawyer Day, a combat engineer with Alpha Company, 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion, reloads his weapon during a Combat Marksmanship Program qualification. Marines conduct these qualifications yearly in order to remain combat ready in case they are called upon at a moment's notice. - Lance Cpl. Sawyer Day, a combat engineer with Alpha Company, 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion, reloads his weapon during a Combat Marksmanship Program qualification. Marines conduct these qualifications yearly in order to remain combat ready in case they are called upon at a moment's notice.

Sgt. Raheem Boyd, a heavy equipment operator with Special-Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force Crisis Response-Africa received an American Hero Award aboard Morón Air Base, Spain, Dec. 23, 2015. Boyd, a Birmingham, Alabama native, was recognized for his courageous actions saving another Marine’s life, May, 2015 aboard Camp Lejeune, N.C. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Staff Sgt. Vitaliy Rusavskiy/Released) - Sgt. Raheem Boyd, a heavy equipment operator with Special-Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force Crisis Response-Africa received an American Hero Award aboard Morón Air Base, Spain, Dec. 23, 2015. Boyd, a Birmingham, Alabama native, was recognized for his courageous actions saving another Marine’s life, May, 2015 aboard Camp Lejeune, N.C. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Staff Sgt. Vitaliy Rusavskiy/Released)

Lance Cpl. Joshua B. Gilmore sets his azimuth to the next point during a land navigation course at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C., Jan. 13, 2016. During the 19-point course, 20 Marines with Marine Wing Support Squadron 274’s Engineer Company, Heavy Equipment Platoon headed to the field to re-experience the basic land navigation process. The course was a refresher for most of the Marines, who have not used land navigation since Marine Combat Training. Gilmore is an engineer equipment operator with MWSS-274. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Pfc. Nicholas P. Baird/Released) - Lance Cpl. Joshua B. Gilmore sets his azimuth to the next point during a land navigation course at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C., Jan. 13, 2016. During the 19-point course, 20 Marines with Marine Wing Support Squadron 274’s Engineer Company, Heavy Equipment Platoon headed to the field to re-experience the basic land navigation process. The course was a refresher for most of the Marines, who have not used land navigation since Marine Combat Training. Gilmore is an engineer equipment operator with MWSS-274. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Pfc. Nicholas P. Baird/Released)

The crew of a Coast Guard MH-65 Dolphin helicopter (CG 6608) from Air Station Barbers Point conducts a search for 12 Marine aviators off the North Shore of Oahu Jan. 17, 2016. The Dolphin crew relieved the night crew to conduct daytime searches. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Air Station Barbers Point/Released) - The crew of a Coast Guard MH-65 Dolphin helicopter (CG 6608) from Air Station Barbers Point conducts a search for 12 Marine aviators off the North Shore of Oahu Jan. 17, 2016. The Dolphin crew relieved the night crew to conduct daytime searches. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Air Station Barbers Point/Released)