News Stories Archive

Archive: October, 2020

From Aloha to Hola, Hawaii-based squadron supports partners in Latin America

Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron Thirty-Seven Detachment One, the “Easyriders,” deployed earlier this year onboard the USS Preble (DD88) to the U.S. 4th Fleet area operations to conduct enhanced counter narcotics operations in support of U.S. Southern Command and Joint Interagency Task Force South’s missions in the Eastern Pacific and Caribbean Oceans.

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Archive: October, 2020

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Future Marine Tommy Lam catches his breath during physical training at Laguna Beach in Orange County, Calif, Oct. 10. - Future Marine Tommy Lam catches his breath during physical training at Laguna Beach in Orange County, Calif, Oct. 10.

Choose Your Own Path

Everyone wants to be able to choose their own destiny in life. They want to make the decisions and have control over what will take place in their lives. Tommy Lam, an Irvine, California native, wanted to choose his own path in life, but came into conflict with his family's expectations as he got older. Lam comes from a traditional Vietnamese family that has strong beliefs in having the customary career path of going straight into college, and maintaining a nine-to-five job. Growing up Tommy has always had an unease of continuously trying to live up to the expectations that he didn’t want for himself...

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A firefighter works as flames from the Creek Fire push toward homes in the Cascadel Woods area of Madera County. - A firefighter works as flames from the Creek Fire push toward homes in the Cascadel Woods area of Madera County.

MCLB Barstow firefighter joins battle during record California fire season

A firefighter from Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow’s Fire and Emergency Services has been working one of the largest fires currently burning in California this fire season. “Firefighter Kevin Crandell is currently assigned to work the Lake Napa Unit Lightning Complex,” Deputy Fire Chief Ryan Tworek said. “He has been there since August 22 and is due back this week.” When the term “complex” is added to a fire, that means that two or more fires in the same general area are under the same incident command, Tworek stated...

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New Marine Rotational Force Deploys to Norway for Winter Training alongside Norwegian Allies

The Marines and Sailors of the “Teufelhunden Battalion” are the next rotational deployment of Marine Rotational Force-Europe. After a quarantine period at their training location in Norway, to mitigate the risk of COVID exposure and transmission, the Marines will conduct bilateral arctic warfare training, improve interoperability, and strengthen defense capabilities alongside Norwegian allies. This is the first rotation of shorter MRF-E deployments, announced by the Marine Corps in August 2020...

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Building the Future, Respecting the Culture, Preserving the Past

The island of Guam has a rich cultural history, beginning with the early period of habitation by pre-contact Chamoru society to the present-day ethnically-diverse community that has grown into one of the most important economic hubs in the Western Pacific. Since the establishment of Marine Barracks Guam in 1899 and the liberation of the island during WWII, the U.S. Marine Corps is proud to be a part of Guam’s unique story and seeks to honor the island’s past, present and its future. As the Marine Corps continues to make progress with the building of Marine Corps Base Camp Blaz, Guam, numerous steps are taken to respectfully manage cultural and historical sites and artifacts encountered, and to care for them in line with modern preservation law and accepted practices...

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U.S. Marine Recruiters Tackle New Adversary - Online Classrooms

Each year as school begins, the race to get into classrooms and lunchrooms starts. Marine recruiters face a diverse set of challenges such as schools that are not military friendly, schedule conflicts and competition with the sister services. Marines always face those challenges head-on and accomplish the mission. This year is different though, one of the most difficult challenges presented itself to Marine recruiters across the nation. How do you perform a class talk when the students themselves aren’t physically in school...

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A U.S. Navy Sailor and Marine operate a M240B medium machine gun during a crew served weapons shoot Sep. 21. - A U.S. Navy Sailor and Marine operate a M240B medium machine gun during a crew served weapons shoot Sep. 21.

Fight and Deliver: 31st MEU, America ARG Build an Integrated Blue-Green Team

Over the course of a recent deployment, the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit and America Amphibious Ready Group enhanced interoperability between the Navy-Marine Corps team, challenging old patterns and finding new ways to integrate capabilities. MEUs regularly embark, train and deploy on Navy vessels in order to be prepared to respond to crisis anywhere in the world. Although Marine Corps Units regularly deploy with the Navy, there are challenges associated with bringing together personnel from multiple units across two military branches. The 31st MEU and America ARG are constantly striving to improve Navy-Marine Corps integration because this teamwork is critical to mission success....

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U.S. Marines present colors during the change of command and re-designation of VMFA(AW)-242 at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, Oct. 16. - U.S. Marines present colors during the change of command and re-designation of VMFA(AW)-242 at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, Oct. 16.

Second F-35B Squadron Officially Established In Indo-Pacific Region With The Redesignation Of VMFA-242

On October 16, Marine Aircraft Group 12 re-designated Marine All Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 242 to Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 242 as part of the Marine Corps’ ongoing transition process from legacy F/A-18 Hornet aircraft to the newer 5th generation F-35B Lightning II. This transition is in accordance with mutual agreements between the U.S. and the Government of Japan, and occurred on schedule per the annual Marine Corps aviation plan...

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U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Carlo Brancato welcomes El Salvador Navy Lt. j.g. Max Antonio Orantes at Jacksonville, N.C., Oct. 13. - U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Carlo Brancato welcomes El Salvador Navy Lt. j.g. Max Antonio Orantes at Jacksonville, N.C., Oct. 13.

Partner Nation service members arrive in North Carolina to integrate with task force

Service members from the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, and Honduras arrived at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, October 16, to integrate with Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force – Southern Command. The partner nations service members will join the SPMAGTF-SC for the next month to participate in exercise UNITAS, the longest-running, multi-national exercise in the world. UNITAS LXI will be conducted virtually in order to comply with COVID-19 precautions and safety measures...

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U.S. Marines prepare to deploy an oceanographic sensor at the Pacific Ocean, Calif., Oct. 13. - U.S. Marines prepare to deploy an oceanographic sensor at the Pacific Ocean, Calif., Oct. 13.

Making History with VMM-163: Squadron Deploys Oceanographic Sensors

The Marine Corps continuously works toward enhancing their operational capabilities while performing amphibious operations to save lives and ensure mission success. For the first time ever, Marines with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 163, Marine Aircraft Group 16, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, launched four oceanographic sensors from MV-22B Ospreys into the Pacific Ocean as part of Trident Warrior 20. By deploying these sensors, Marines were able to capture critical information about features that increase battlespace awareness...

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A U.S. Marine delivers donation boxes to the Guam Chamber of Commerce to commence the 2020 Toys for Tots Campaign on Oct. 14. - A U.S. Marine delivers donation boxes to the Guam Chamber of Commerce to commence the 2020 Toys for Tots Campaign on Oct. 14.

Toys for Tots Commences in Guam and CNMI

Marine Corps Base Camp Blaz officially began the Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots campaign in Guam and the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands. Now starting the campaign’s eleventh year on Guam and sixth year in the CNMI, this week Marines from MCB Camp Blaz delivered toy collection boxes to participating organizations and businesses. Last year over 8,100 toys were collected on Guam and more than 2,100 in the CNMI, all going to over 5,300 children in Guam, Saipan, Rota and Tinian...

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