News Stories Archive

From left, Armed Forces of the Philippines Lt. Gen. Gilbert Gapay, commander, Southern Luzon Command, and Philippine Exercise Co-Director; Undersecretary Cardozo M. Luna, Undersecretary of the Department of National Defense; Sung Y. Kim, U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines; Armed Forces of the Philippines Gen. Benjamin Madrigal, Jr., AFP Chief of Staff; and U.S. Marine Brig. Gen. Christopher A. McPhillips, commanding general, 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade stand shoulder-to-shoulder at Tejeros Hall, Camp General Emilio Aguinaldo, Quezon City, Manila, Philippines, April 1, 2019. The ceremony represented the official commencement of Balikatan 2019 and the continued partnership between the United States and the Republic of the Philippines. Balikatan 19, in its 35th iteration, is an annual U.S.-Philippine military training focused on a variety of missions, including humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, counterterrorism, and other combined military operations held from April 1 to April 12. - From left, Armed Forces of the Philippines Lt. Gen. Gilbert Gapay, commander, Southern Luzon Command, and Philippine Exercise Co-Director; Undersecretary Cardozo M. Luna, Undersecretary of the Department of National Defense; Sung Y. Kim, U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines; Armed Forces of the Philippines Gen. Benjamin Madrigal, Jr., AFP Chief of Staff; and U.S. Marine Brig. Gen. Christopher A. McPhillips, commanding general, 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade stand shoulder-to-shoulder at Tejeros Hall, Camp General Emilio Aguinaldo, Quezon City, Manila, Philippines, April 1, 2019. The ceremony represented the official commencement of Balikatan 2019 and the continued partnership between the United States and the Republic of the Philippines. Balikatan 19, in its 35th iteration, is an annual U.S.-Philippine military training focused on a variety of missions, including humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, counterterrorism, and other combined military operations held from April 1 to April 12.

U.S. Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft assigned to the 442nd Fighter Wing, Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, escort MV-22B Osprey aircraft assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 268 over Hawaii, Feb. 26, 2019. U.S. Marines with Weapons Company, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment and VMM-268 along with A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft conducted training including a simulated tactical recovery of aircraft personnel scenario and a combat search and rescue scenario. - U.S. Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft assigned to the 442nd Fighter Wing, Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, escort MV-22B Osprey aircraft assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 268 over Hawaii, Feb. 26, 2019. U.S. Marines with Weapons Company, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment and VMM-268 along with A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft conducted training including a simulated tactical recovery of aircraft personnel scenario and a combat search and rescue scenario.

The Commandant General Royal Marines, Maj. Gen. Charlie R. Stickland (Right) visited the Commanding General of U.S. Marine Corps Forces Command, Lt. Gen. Mark A. Brilakis, Feb. 12, 2019, to discuss future bilateral training opportunities. The meeting allowed the two senior leaders to strengthen the long-standing rapport between the services while speaking about current and future operational advantages gained from training together. - The Commandant General Royal Marines, Maj. Gen. Charlie R. Stickland (Right) visited the Commanding General of U.S. Marine Corps Forces Command, Lt. Gen. Mark A. Brilakis, Feb. 12, 2019, to discuss future bilateral training opportunities. The meeting allowed the two senior leaders to strengthen the long-standing rapport between the services while speaking about current and future operational advantages gained from training together.

A landing craft air cushion lands on Alvund Beach, Norway during an amphibious landing in support of Trident Juncture 18, Oct. 30, 2018. Trident Juncture provides a unique and challenging environment for Marines and Sailors to rehearse their amphibious capabilities which will result in a more ready and proficient fighting force. The LCACs originated from USS New York and showcased the ability of the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group and the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit to rapidly project combat power ashore. - A landing craft air cushion lands on Alvund Beach, Norway during an amphibious landing in support of Trident Juncture 18, Oct. 30, 2018. Trident Juncture provides a unique and challenging environment for Marines and Sailors to rehearse their amphibious capabilities which will result in a more ready and proficient fighting force. The LCACs originated from USS New York and showcased the ability of the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group and the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit to rapidly project combat power ashore.

U.S. Army Staff Sgt.Tyrone Hamilton, left, the forward support noncommissioned officer in charge with Joint Task Force - Bravo's 1st Battalion, 228th Aviation Regiment, and U.S. Marine Cpl. Tyler Slaggert, a field radio operator with Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force - Southern Command, link their communications equipment together to secure reliable voice communication during a communications exercise aboard Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras, to prepare for future joint-level operations, June 19, 2018. The Marines and sailors of SPMAGTF-SC are conducting security cooperation training and engineering projects alongside partner nation military forces in Central and South America. The unit is also on standby to provide humanitarian assistance and disaster relief in the event of a hurricane or other emergency in the region. - U.S. Army Staff Sgt.Tyrone Hamilton, left, the forward support noncommissioned officer in charge with Joint Task Force - Bravo's 1st Battalion, 228th Aviation Regiment, and U.S. Marine Cpl. Tyler Slaggert, a field radio operator with Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force - Southern Command, link their communications equipment together to secure reliable voice communication during a communications exercise aboard Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras, to prepare for future joint-level operations, June 19, 2018. The Marines and sailors of SPMAGTF-SC are conducting security cooperation training and engineering projects alongside partner nation military forces in Central and South America. The unit is also on standby to provide humanitarian assistance and disaster relief in the event of a hurricane or other emergency in the region.

U.S. Africa Command will validate the Marine Corps' 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade Joint Task Force Headquarters capability during a command-post exercise for Exercise Judious Response 2015 from March 19-25, 2015. The MEB JTF HQ for the exercise includes representatives from across all the military services, the United Kingdom, U.S. Special Operations Command, Joint Enabling Capabilities Command and the Joint Training Section from the Joint Staff J7. - U.S. Africa Command will validate the Marine Corps' 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade Joint Task Force Headquarters capability during a command-post exercise for Exercise Judious Response 2015 from March 19-25, 2015. The MEB JTF HQ for the exercise includes representatives from across all the military services, the United Kingdom, U.S. Special Operations Command, Joint Enabling Capabilities Command and the Joint Training Section from the Joint Staff J7.

Marines with II Marine Expeditionary Force practice loading and unloading inert rounds into the Non-Lethal, Tube-Launched Munitions System during their practical application training at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, Aug. 14, 2014. Marine Corps Systems Command Optics and Non-Lethal Systems is fielding the system that sends non-lethal munitions out as far as 500 meters and uses an audible bang to deter a crowd or a person with mal-intent. Its intended use is for military checkpoints. - Marines with II Marine Expeditionary Force practice loading and unloading inert rounds into the Non-Lethal, Tube-Launched Munitions System during their practical application training at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, Aug. 14, 2014. Marine Corps Systems Command Optics and Non-Lethal Systems is fielding the system that sends non-lethal munitions out as far as 500 meters and uses an audible bang to deter a crowd or a person with mal-intent. Its intended use is for military checkpoints.