News Stories Archive

Marines with 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion and 1st Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, measure detonation cord and create breaching charges during the urban breaching portion of a demolition package at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, July 10, 2015. The demolition package was conducted in preparation for an upcoming deployment, where the two units will be working together in support of Special-Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force Crisis Response- Africa. - Marines with 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion and 1st Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, measure detonation cord and create breaching charges during the urban breaching portion of a demolition package at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, July 10, 2015. The demolition package was conducted in preparation for an upcoming deployment, where the two units will be working together in support of Special-Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force Crisis Response- Africa.

Marines with 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment fire a 60mm mortar during a live-fire exercise at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, June 25, 2015. The unit conducted the training to better prepare the Marines for the use of the direct lay method of fire. The direct lay method requires the Marines to make all their adjustments themselves and not rely on a Fire Direction Center. - Marines with 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment fire a 60mm mortar during a live-fire exercise at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, June 25, 2015. The unit conducted the training to better prepare the Marines for the use of the direct lay method of fire. The direct lay method requires the Marines to make all their adjustments themselves and not rely on a Fire Direction Center.

Marines with Bravo Company, 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion, simulate returning fire during the Infantry Immersion Trainer at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, June 17, 2015. Marines were able to practice tactics, communication within the unit and combat readiness in a realistic training scenario, which better prepared them for a deployed environment. - Marines with Bravo Company, 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion, simulate returning fire during the Infantry Immersion Trainer at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, June 17, 2015. Marines were able to practice tactics, communication within the unit and combat readiness in a realistic training scenario, which better prepared them for a deployed environment.

Marines with the Fire Support Team for Kilo Company, Battalion Landing Team 3rd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), observe ordnance from U.S. Air Force B-52 Stratofortress bombers during a combined arms live-fire event as part of exercise Eager Lion 2015 in Jordan, May 18, 2015. Eager Lion is a recurring multi-national exercise designed to strengthen military-to-military relationships, increase interoperability between partner nations and enhance regional security and stability. The 24th MEU is embarked on the ships of the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group and is deployed to maintain regional security in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations. - Marines with the Fire Support Team for Kilo Company, Battalion Landing Team 3rd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), observe ordnance from U.S. Air Force B-52 Stratofortress bombers during a combined arms live-fire event as part of exercise Eager Lion 2015 in Jordan, May 18, 2015. Eager Lion is a recurring multi-national exercise designed to strengthen military-to-military relationships, increase interoperability between partner nations and enhance regional security and stability. The 24th MEU is embarked on the ships of the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group and is deployed to maintain regional security in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations.

A Marine with Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, provides watch during a military operations on urban terrain exercise at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C., June 11, 2015. Safely practicing transitions in an urban combat environment increased Marines’ confidence and better prepared them for a combat situation. - A Marine with Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, provides watch during a military operations on urban terrain exercise at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C., June 11, 2015. Safely practicing transitions in an urban combat environment increased Marines’ confidence and better prepared them for a combat situation.

Marines with 2nd Reconnaissance Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, prepare to dive and perform underwater knot-tying in a Special Operation Command screener during a pre-dive course at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C., May 25 – June 5, 2015. The students had to tie five knots underwater; having only five separate breathing opportunities with only 30 seconds on the surface of the water between tying each knot. - Marines with 2nd Reconnaissance Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, prepare to dive and perform underwater knot-tying in a Special Operation Command screener during a pre-dive course at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C., May 25 – June 5, 2015. The students had to tie five knots underwater; having only five separate breathing opportunities with only 30 seconds on the surface of the water between tying each knot.

A crew operating the M1A1 Abrams tank fires at a target during the 13th annual TIGERCOMP at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C., June 5, 2015. The best tank gunner crews from 1st Tank Battalion, 2nd Tank Battalion and 4th Tank Battalion competed for top honors and the McCard trophy bringing the entire tank community, including tank battalion veterans, together for an entertaining display of the tanks force and powerful capabilities. - A crew operating the M1A1 Abrams tank fires at a target during the 13th annual TIGERCOMP at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C., June 5, 2015. The best tank gunner crews from 1st Tank Battalion, 2nd Tank Battalion and 4th Tank Battalion competed for top honors and the McCard trophy bringing the entire tank community, including tank battalion veterans, together for an entertaining display of the tanks force and powerful capabilities.

The photographs of 11 fallen service members line a theater stage, commemorating the individuals during their celebration of life ceremony, May 15, 2015, aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. The seven MARSOC Marines and four Louisiana Army National Guardsmen pictured were killed when a UH-60 Black Hawk Helicopter crashed during amphibious operations involving helicopter and boat insertion and extraction training near Eglin, Fla., March 10. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Steven Fox/Released) - The photographs of 11 fallen service members line a theater stage, commemorating the individuals during their celebration of life ceremony, May 15, 2015, aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. The seven MARSOC Marines and four Louisiana Army National Guardsmen pictured were killed when a UH-60 Black Hawk Helicopter crashed during amphibious operations involving helicopter and boat insertion and extraction training near Eglin, Fla., March 10. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Steven Fox/Released)

Explosive ordnance disposal technicians with 2nd EOD Company, 8th Engineer Support Battalion, prepare to conduct a chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear training operation during their pre-deployment training aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, May 6, 2015. During the scenario, the Marines had to conduct reconnaissance on an explosive device, identify the agent in the device, and defuse it before it detonated. - Explosive ordnance disposal technicians with 2nd EOD Company, 8th Engineer Support Battalion, prepare to conduct a chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear training operation during their pre-deployment training aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, May 6, 2015. During the scenario, the Marines had to conduct reconnaissance on an explosive device, identify the agent in the device, and defuse it before it detonated.

U.S. Marine Corps vehicles are lined up for inspection May 9, 2015, at the port of Agadir, Morocco, following a Maritime Prepositioning Force offload in preparation for Exercise African Lion 15. An MPF is a strategic capability that provides commanders with a forward presence and rapid crisis response by offloading combat equipment and supplies from U.S. Military Sealift Command ships to support various units, and will be used to sustain the Marines and service members operating throughout the mission rehearsal. For the offload, Marines with Combat Logistics Regiment 2, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, were joined with Marines with Combat Logistics Battalion 453, Combat Logistics Regiment 4, 4th Marine Logistics Group, as well as sailors with NMCB 11. Exercise African Lion 15 is a combined joint task force exercise conducted in accordance with UN-mandated peace operations with humanitarian assistance themes and emphasizes the strong military bond between U.S. and Moroccan Armed Forces. It creates a foundation for slated inter-military cooperation in the future and improves interoperability between nations, building relationships with this key strategic region within the AFRICOM area of responsibility. - U.S. Marine Corps vehicles are lined up for inspection May 9, 2015, at the port of Agadir, Morocco, following a Maritime Prepositioning Force offload in preparation for Exercise African Lion 15. An MPF is a strategic capability that provides commanders with a forward presence and rapid crisis response by offloading combat equipment and supplies from U.S. Military Sealift Command ships to support various units, and will be used to sustain the Marines and service members operating throughout the mission rehearsal. For the offload, Marines with Combat Logistics Regiment 2, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, were joined with Marines with Combat Logistics Battalion 453, Combat Logistics Regiment 4, 4th Marine Logistics Group, as well as sailors with NMCB 11. Exercise African Lion 15 is a combined joint task force exercise conducted in accordance with UN-mandated peace operations with humanitarian assistance themes and emphasizes the strong military bond between U.S. and Moroccan Armed Forces. It creates a foundation for slated inter-military cooperation in the future and improves interoperability between nations, building relationships with this key strategic region within the AFRICOM area of responsibility.