News Stories Archive

U.S. Marines with 2nd Platoon, Charlie Company, 1st Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st Marine Division, and members of the 2nd Intai Amfibi Battalion, Indonesian Korps Marinir, paddle back to shore on a combat rubber raiding craft during a reconnaissance exercise at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, April 15, 2023. The Marines of 1st Recon Bn. host the bilateral training exercise annually to foster a spirit of cooperation and mutual respect between Indonesian service members and 1st MARDIV Marines and promote cultural exchange and understanding. - U.S. Marines with 2nd Platoon, Charlie Company, 1st Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st Marine Division, and members of the 2nd Intai Amfibi Battalion, Indonesian Korps Marinir, paddle back to shore on a combat rubber raiding craft during a reconnaissance exercise at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, April 15, 2023. The Marines of 1st Recon Bn. host the bilateral training exercise annually to foster a spirit of cooperation and mutual respect between Indonesian service members and 1st MARDIV Marines and promote cultural exchange and understanding.

A U.S. Army High Mobility Artillery Rocket System fires during a littoral live fire event during Balikatan 23 at the Naval Education, Training and Doctrine Command, Philippines, April 26, 2023. Balikatan 2023 is the 38th iteration of the annual bilateral exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the U.S. military. The exercise includes three weeks of training focused on amphibious operations, command and control, humanitarian assistance, urban operations and counterterrorism skills throughout northern and western Luzon. Coastal defense training figures prominently in the Balikatan 23 training schedule. - A U.S. Army High Mobility Artillery Rocket System fires during a littoral live fire event during Balikatan 23 at the Naval Education, Training and Doctrine Command, Philippines, April 26, 2023. Balikatan 2023 is the 38th iteration of the annual bilateral exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the U.S. military. The exercise includes three weeks of training focused on amphibious operations, command and control, humanitarian assistance, urban operations and counterterrorism skills throughout northern and western Luzon. Coastal defense training figures prominently in the Balikatan 23 training schedule.

U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Francisco Hernandez, a surveillance sensor operator with the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit, sets up software for a SIMRAD Halo-24 radar during Exercise Balikatan 23 in Antique, Philippines, April 14, 2023. Balikatan is an annual exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and U.S. Military designed to strengthen bilateral interoperability, capabilities, trust, and cooperation built over decades of shared experiences. - U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Francisco Hernandez, a surveillance sensor operator with the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit, sets up software for a SIMRAD Halo-24 radar during Exercise Balikatan 23 in Antique, Philippines, April 14, 2023. Balikatan is an annual exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and U.S. Military designed to strengthen bilateral interoperability, capabilities, trust, and cooperation built over decades of shared experiences.

Soldiers assigned to Task Force Spartan, U.S. Army Central Command’s Crisis Response Task Force and Marines and Sailors assigned to Naval Amphibious Task Force 51/5th Marine Expeditionary Brigade conduct deck landing qualifications aboard the Expeditionary Sea Base USS Lewis B. Puller (ESB-3), April 20. Joint training between Task Force 51/5 and Task Force Spartan creates flexibility for crisis response in the U.S. CENTCOM area of operations. TF 51/5 is a Joint Task Force-capable headquarters that responds to crises and contingencies; coordinates, plans, and executes operations; conducts theater security cooperation; and advances emerging Naval concepts at sea, from the sea, and ashore. - Soldiers assigned to Task Force Spartan, U.S. Army Central Command’s Crisis Response Task Force and Marines and Sailors assigned to Naval Amphibious Task Force 51/5th Marine Expeditionary Brigade conduct deck landing qualifications aboard the Expeditionary Sea Base USS Lewis B. Puller (ESB-3), April 20. Joint training between Task Force 51/5 and Task Force Spartan creates flexibility for crisis response in the U.S. CENTCOM area of operations. TF 51/5 is a Joint Task Force-capable headquarters that responds to crises and contingencies; coordinates, plans, and executes operations; conducts theater security cooperation; and advances emerging Naval concepts at sea, from the sea, and ashore.

U.S. Marines stationed on Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, pose for a group photo to commemorate 29 Marines becoming certified wildland firefighters on MCAS Miramar, March 24, 2023. These Marines have trained to become wildland firefighters to form the first hand crew composed primarily of U.S. Marines. - U.S. Marines stationed on Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, pose for a group photo to commemorate 29 Marines becoming certified wildland firefighters on MCAS Miramar, March 24, 2023. These Marines have trained to become wildland firefighters to form the first hand crew composed primarily of U.S. Marines.

Service members from the Royal Thai Marine Corps, Republic of Korea Navy and Marine Corps, and the U.S. Marine Corps finish the reconstruction of a new roof for Miss Bunnam Inprom’s home during Exercise Cobra Gold 23 at Chanthaburi, Kingdom of Thailand, March 2, 2023. U.S. Marines and partner nations teamed up to build a new roof for Inprom’s home, which was destroyed by termites. Marine Wing Support Squadron 171 and MWSS-172 participated in the 42nd iteration of the Cobra Gold series of exercises, where they lended their engineering expertise to multilateral humanitarian efforts. - Service members from the Royal Thai Marine Corps, Republic of Korea Navy and Marine Corps, and the U.S. Marine Corps finish the reconstruction of a new roof for Miss Bunnam Inprom’s home during Exercise Cobra Gold 23 at Chanthaburi, Kingdom of Thailand, March 2, 2023. U.S. Marines and partner nations teamed up to build a new roof for Inprom’s home, which was destroyed by termites. Marine Wing Support Squadron 171 and MWSS-172 participated in the 42nd iteration of the Cobra Gold series of exercises, where they lended their engineering expertise to multilateral humanitarian efforts.

An explosive charge detonates during ordnance training in preparation for Friendship Day 2023, at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, March 26, 2023. The MCAS Iwakuni Explosive Ordnance Disposal team has been conducting various controlled explosions since December 2022 in preparation for Friendship Day 2023. - An explosive charge detonates during ordnance training in preparation for Friendship Day 2023, at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, March 26, 2023. The MCAS Iwakuni Explosive Ordnance Disposal team has been conducting various controlled explosions since December 2022 in preparation for Friendship Day 2023.

U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Ethan Jarn, a native of East Bethel, Minnesota and an ammunition technician with III Marine Expeditionary Force Support Battalion, III Marine Expeditionary Force Information Group, maneuvers his fire team on an Infantry Battle Platoon Course during a live fire range on U.S. Army Garrison Casey, Gyeonggi, South Korea, Feb. 10, 2023. III MSB is conducting Bushido Strike 23, which comprises training events including a Marine Corps Combat Readiness Evaluation in South Korea to validate its mission essential tasks of providing combat service, security and administrative services to III Marine Expeditionary Force. - U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Ethan Jarn, a native of East Bethel, Minnesota and an ammunition technician with III Marine Expeditionary Force Support Battalion, III Marine Expeditionary Force Information Group, maneuvers his fire team on an Infantry Battle Platoon Course during a live fire range on U.S. Army Garrison Casey, Gyeonggi, South Korea, Feb. 10, 2023. III MSB is conducting Bushido Strike 23, which comprises training events including a Marine Corps Combat Readiness Evaluation in South Korea to validate its mission essential tasks of providing combat service, security and administrative services to III Marine Expeditionary Force.

U.S. Marines with II Marine Expeditionary Force conduct a training press conference with Communication Strategy and Operations Marines during Marine Expeditionary Force Exercise-23, Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, Feb. 16, 2023. MEFEX is an exercise that develops command and control capabilities and warfighting functions of the MEF staff as an operational command in preparation for crisis across the spectrum of conflict. In the scenario, MEF staff developed the ability to coordinate with non-governmental organizations, U. S. Agency for International Development, and other agencies in response to a foreign humanitarian crisis. - U.S. Marines with II Marine Expeditionary Force conduct a training press conference with Communication Strategy and Operations Marines during Marine Expeditionary Force Exercise-23, Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, Feb. 16, 2023. MEFEX is an exercise that develops command and control capabilities and warfighting functions of the MEF staff as an operational command in preparation for crisis across the spectrum of conflict. In the scenario, MEF staff developed the ability to coordinate with non-governmental organizations, U. S. Agency for International Development, and other agencies in response to a foreign humanitarian crisis.

U.S. Marines with 3rd Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Reserve, hang up their unit flag during exercise Intrepid Maven 23.2, Feb. 19, 2023. Intrepid Maven is a bilateral exercise between USMARCENT and the IDF designed to improve interoperability, strengthen partner-nation relationships in the U.S. Central Command area of operations and improve both individual and bilateral unit readiness. - U.S. Marines with 3rd Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Reserve, hang up their unit flag during exercise Intrepid Maven 23.2, Feb. 19, 2023. Intrepid Maven is a bilateral exercise between USMARCENT and the IDF designed to improve interoperability, strengthen partner-nation relationships in the U.S. Central Command area of operations and improve both individual and bilateral unit readiness.