Stories

2nd Lt. James Whitcher, a student at the Marine Military Police Officer Basic Course, goes through incident reports during the Watch Officer Exercise at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, March 28, 2016. The Watch Officer Exercise was the culminating event for all the training the students have gone through during the course. - 2nd Lt. James Whitcher, a student at the Marine Military Police Officer Basic Course, goes through incident reports during the Watch Officer Exercise at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, March 28, 2016. The Watch Officer Exercise was the culminating event for all the training the students have gone through during the course.

A U.S. Marine provides security and overwatch for Marines conducting urban operations during Forest Light 16-2 in Yausubetsu Training Area, Hokkaido, Japan, Jan. 28, 2016. The Japan and U.S. forces demonstrated each other’s tactics for securing the area around an enemy urban zone and breaching the urban area. The exercise strengthens military partnership, solidifies regional security agreements and improves individual and unit-level skills. The JGSDF soldiers are with the 27th Infantry Regiment, 5th Brigade, Northern Army. The Marines are with Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment currently assigned to 4th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force. - A U.S. Marine provides security and overwatch for Marines conducting urban operations during Forest Light 16-2 in Yausubetsu Training Area, Hokkaido, Japan, Jan. 28, 2016. The Japan and U.S. forces demonstrated each other’s tactics for securing the area around an enemy urban zone and breaching the urban area. The exercise strengthens military partnership, solidifies regional security agreements and improves individual and unit-level skills. The JGSDF soldiers are with the 27th Infantry Regiment, 5th Brigade, Northern Army. The Marines are with Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment currently assigned to 4th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force.

Marines with 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion post security during the assault breacher’s portion of the Sapper leader’s course at Camp Lejeune, N.C., Jan. 28, 2016. The three-week long course trains the Marines to be more proficient at patrolling, demolitions and demolition breaching. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Joey Mendez) - Marines with 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion post security during the assault breacher’s portion of the Sapper leader’s course at Camp Lejeune, N.C., Jan. 28, 2016. The three-week long course trains the Marines to be more proficient at patrolling, demolitions and demolition breaching. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Joey Mendez)

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.)

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.

Lance Cpl. Jonathan Gilbert looks through the scope of his M240 medium machine gun while providing security for his platoon Jan. 7, 2016, on Camp Hansen in Okinawa, Japan. Marines with Alpha Company, Battalion Landing Team 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, navigated the jungles of Okinawa in search of a simulated enemy platoon. Gilbert, a machine gunner with Alpha Co., BLT 1/5, 31st MEU, is a native of Frederick, Maryland. - Lance Cpl. Jonathan Gilbert looks through the scope of his M240 medium machine gun while providing security for his platoon Jan. 7, 2016, on Camp Hansen in Okinawa, Japan. Marines with Alpha Company, Battalion Landing Team 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, navigated the jungles of Okinawa in search of a simulated enemy platoon. Gilbert, a machine gunner with Alpha Co., BLT 1/5, 31st MEU, is a native of Frederick, Maryland.

A Marine All-Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 224, F/A-18D Hornet descends to Chitose Air Base in Hokkaido, Japan, after traveling from Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Jan. 12, 2016. VMFA (AW)-224, homebased at MCAS Beaufort, S.C., is temporarily based in Iwakuni on a unit deployment program and deployed to Northern Japan to participate in the Chitose Aviation Training Relocation Exercise, Jan. 12-22. During the exercise, the squadron conducted dissimilar air combat training with and against the Japan Air Self-Defense Force to further support combined interoperability and Pacific theater security cooperation. - A Marine All-Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 224, F/A-18D Hornet descends to Chitose Air Base in Hokkaido, Japan, after traveling from Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Jan. 12, 2016. VMFA (AW)-224, homebased at MCAS Beaufort, S.C., is temporarily based in Iwakuni on a unit deployment program and deployed to Northern Japan to participate in the Chitose Aviation Training Relocation Exercise, Jan. 12-22. During the exercise, the squadron conducted dissimilar air combat training with and against the Japan Air Self-Defense Force to further support combined interoperability and Pacific theater security cooperation.

A Marine student undergoing the 2nd Marine Division Combat Skills Center Pre-Scout Sniper Course sights in on a target with a M40A5 sniper rifle at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, Jan. 12, 2016. The 2nd Marine Division Combat Skills Center offers several infantry-based courses to enhance the combat readiness of its Marines. - A Marine student undergoing the 2nd Marine Division Combat Skills Center Pre-Scout Sniper Course sights in on a target with a M40A5 sniper rifle at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, Jan. 12, 2016. The 2nd Marine Division Combat Skills Center offers several infantry-based courses to enhance the combat readiness of its Marines.

Sgt. Caleb Renner, the chief chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear instructor with II Marine Headquarters Group, gives an hour-long class on how to properly wear and function in a M50 gas mask at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C., Jan. 8, 2016. The chamber is a routine exercise to ensure the durability of each Marines gear while exposed to chlorobenzylidene malononitrile, or CS gas, which is a bi-annual qualification requirement for Marines. - Sgt. Caleb Renner, the chief chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear instructor with II Marine Headquarters Group, gives an hour-long class on how to properly wear and function in a M50 gas mask at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C., Jan. 8, 2016. The chamber is a routine exercise to ensure the durability of each Marines gear while exposed to chlorobenzylidene malononitrile, or CS gas, which is a bi-annual qualification requirement for Marines.