Stories

U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Leah Deignan, left, an aviation maintenance officer with Aviation Logistics Division, Marine Wing Headquarters Squadron 3, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, and Maj. Connor Deignan, CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter pilot with Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron (HMH) 361, Marine Aircraft Group 16, 3rd MAW, pose for a photo with their children after a ceremony promoting the two to the rank of major at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California, Jan. 6, 2025. - U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Leah Deignan, left, an aviation maintenance officer with Aviation Logistics Division, Marine Wing Headquarters Squadron 3, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, and Maj. Connor Deignan, CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter pilot with Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron (HMH) 361, Marine Aircraft Group 16, 3rd MAW, pose for a photo with their children after a ceremony promoting the two to the rank of major at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California, Jan. 6, 2025. The Deignans are married to each other and celebrated their concurrent promotions alongside fellow Marines, family, and friends (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Jennifer Sanchez)

U.S. Marines with Combat Logistics Battalion 1, Combat Logistic Regiment 1, 1st Marine Logistics Group, ground guide Joint Light Tactical Vehicles up a hill on Red Beach as part of Steel Knight 24 at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, Dec. 7, 2024. Steel Knight is an annual exercise that takes place in multiple locations across the Southwest that allows I Marine Expeditionary Force to train as a full Marine Air-Ground Task Force and better integrate with joint and naval forces. The exercise also certifies 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, and CLB-1 to be forward-postured in Australia as part of Marine Rotational Force - Darwin, a six-month deployment during which Marines train with Australian allies and facilitate rapid response to crises and contingencies. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Keegan Jones) - U.S. Marines with Combat Logistics Battalion 1, Combat Logistic Regiment 1, 1st Marine Logistics Group, ground guide Joint Light Tactical Vehicles up a hill on Red Beach as part of Steel Knight 24 at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, Dec. 7, 2024. Steel Knight is an annual exercise that takes place in multiple locations across the Southwest that allows I Marine Expeditionary Force to train as a full Marine Air-Ground Task Force and better integrate with joint and naval forces. The exercise also certifies 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, and CLB-1 to be forward-postured in Australia as part of Marine Rotational Force - Darwin, a six-month deployment during which Marines train with Australian allies and facilitate rapid response to crises and contingencies. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Keegan Jones)

U.S. Marine leaders with 11th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, salute as the Marines of Fire Support Battalion, 11th Marines, pass in review during the battalion’s activation ceremony at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, Dec. 19, 2024. The activation of the battalion, which is the first of its kind, is a major step in providing ground commanders with the fire support capabilities to plan, coordinate, and synchronize fires to accomplish missions. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Adeola Adetimehin) - U.S. Marine leaders with 11th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, salute as the Marines of Fire Support Battalion, 11th Marines, pass in review during the battalion’s activation ceremony at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, Dec. 19, 2024. The activation of the battalion, which is the first of its kind, is a major step in providing ground commanders with the fire support capabilities to plan, coordinate, and synchronize fires to accomplish missions. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Adeola Adetimehin)

From left to right, Australian Army Maj. Jack Jones, the assistant logistics officer assigned to the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit; Maj. Rhys Davies, an AH-1Z Viper pilot assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 165 (Reinforced), 15th MEU; and Maj. George Lynn, the assistant operations officer assigned to the 15th MEU, pose for a photo aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Boxer (LHD 4) while underway in the Pacific Ocean Nov. 21, 2024. Jones, Davies, and Lynn served as foreign exchange officers with the 15th MEU through the Marine Corps Personnel Exchange Program, and recently completed a deployment with the 15th MEU to the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Luis Agostini) - From left to right, Australian Army Maj. Jack Jones, the assistant logistics officer assigned to the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit; Maj. Rhys Davies, an AH-1Z Viper pilot assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 165 (Reinforced), 15th MEU; and Maj. George Lynn, the assistant operations officer assigned to the 15th MEU, pose for a photo aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Boxer (LHD 4) while underway in the Pacific Ocean Nov. 21, 2024. Jones, Davies, and Lynn served as foreign exchange officers with the 15th MEU through the Marine Corps Personnel Exchange Program, and recently completed a deployment with the 15th MEU to the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Luis Agostini)

U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. Jasmin Moghbeli, a New York native and NASA astronaut, grins after landing an AH-1Z Viper assigned to Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron (HMLA) 367, Marine Aircraft Group 39, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Dec. 12, 2024. - U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. Jasmin Moghbeli, a New York native and NASA astronaut, grins after landing an AH-1Z Viper assigned to Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron (HMLA) 367, Marine Aircraft Group 39, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Dec. 12, 2024. A former AH-1W Super Cobra pilot with HMLA-367 and Marine Corps test pilot, Moghbeli flew more than 150 combat missions before joining NASA’s Astronaut Corps. She commanded SpaceX Crew-7, spending 199 days in orbit and aboard the International Space Station contributing to experiments and technology demonstrations. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Samantha Devine)

U.S. Marines with 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, attached to Marine Rotational Force-Southeast Asia, alongside Singapore Guardsmen with 7th Singapore Infantry Brigade, conduct a weapons exchange subject matter expert exchange during Valiant Mark 24 on Pasir Laba Camp, Singapore, Dec. 10, 2024. Valiant Mark is an annual, bilateral training exercise conducted between the Singapore Armed Forces and I MEF, designed to enhance interoperability, improve combined arms and amphibious warfighting skills, and strengthen military-to-military relationships. MRF-SEA is a rotational unit derived from elements of I MEF executing a U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific operational model that involves training events and exchanges with partner military subject matter experts, promotes security goals with Allied and partner nations, and ensures a persistent I MEF stand-in presence west of the International Date Line. (Courtesy asset of the Singapore Armed Forces) - U.S. Marines with 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, attached to Marine Rotational Force-Southeast Asia, alongside Singapore Guardsmen with 7th Singapore Infantry Brigade, conduct a weapons exchange subject matter expert exchange during Valiant Mark 24 on Pasir Laba Camp, Singapore, Dec. 10, 2024. Valiant Mark is an annual, bilateral training exercise conducted between the Singapore Armed Forces and I MEF, designed to enhance interoperability, improve combined arms and amphibious warfighting skills, and strengthen military-to-military relationships. MRF-SEA is a rotational unit derived from elements of I MEF executing a U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific operational model that involves training events and exchanges with partner military subject matter experts, promotes security goals with Allied and partner nations, and ensures a persistent I MEF stand-in presence west of the International Date Line. (Courtesy asset of the Singapore Armed Forces)

U.S. Marine Corps F-35C Lightning II aircraft assigned to Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 314, Marine Aircraft Group 11, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, fly over Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California, Dec. 14, 2024. - U.S. Marine Corps F-35C Lightning II aircraft assigned to Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 314, Marine Aircraft Group 11, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, fly over Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California, Dec. 14, 2024. VMFA-314 completed a five-month deployment aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72), to the U.S. Fifth and Seventh Fleet areas of operation conducting combat and joint operations in support of U.S. Central Command objectives and enhancing interoperability with allied nations. VMFA-314’s deployment marked the first combat employment of the F-35C Lightning II, setting a new standard for future naval aviation operations. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Daniel Childs)

U.S. Marine Corps Col. Stuart Glenn, the commanding officer for Marine Rotational Force - Southeast Asia, I Marine Expeditionary Force, shakes hands with Singapore Guardsman Senior Lt. Col. Michael Enriquez, the commanding officer for 7th Singapore Infantry Brigade, during the opening ceremony for Valiant Mark 24 on Bedok Camp, Singapore, Dec. 9, 2024. Valiant Mark is an annual, bilateral training exercise conducted between the Singapore Armed Forces and I MEF, designed to enhance interoperability, improve combined arms and amphibious warfighting skills, and strengthen military-to-military relationships. MRF-SEA is a rotational unit derived from elements of I MEF executing a U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific operational model that involves training events and exchanges with partner military subject matter experts, promotes security goals with Allied and partner nations, and ensures a persistent I MEF stand-in presence west of the International Date Line. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Shaina Jupiter) - U.S. Marine Corps Col. Stuart Glenn, the commanding officer for Marine Rotational Force - Southeast Asia, I Marine Expeditionary Force, shakes hands with Singapore Guardsman Senior Lt. Col. Michael Enriquez, the commanding officer for 7th Singapore Infantry Brigade, during the opening ceremony for Valiant Mark 24 on Bedok Camp, Singapore, Dec. 9, 2024. Valiant Mark is an annual, bilateral training exercise conducted between the Singapore Armed Forces and I MEF, designed to enhance interoperability, improve combined arms and amphibious warfighting skills, and strengthen military-to-military relationships. MRF-SEA is a rotational unit derived from elements of I MEF executing a U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific operational model that involves training events and exchanges with partner military subject matter experts, promotes security goals with Allied and partner nations, and ensures a persistent I MEF stand-in presence west of the International Date Line. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Shaina Jupiter)

Service members with the Royal Brunei Armed Forces and U.S. Marines with Marine Rotational Force - Southeast Asia, participate in a non-lethal subject matter expert exchange for exercise Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training Brunei 2024 on Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei, Nov. 20, 2024. CARAT Brunei is conducted annually by the Royal Brunei Armed Forces, the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Marine Corps in order to build relations and maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific. MRF-SEA is a rotational unit derived from elements of I Marine Expeditionary Force executing a U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific operational model that involves training events and exchanges with partner military subject matter experts, promotes security goals with Allied and partner nations, and ensures a persistent I MEF presence west of the International Date Line. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Tyler Wilson) - Service members with the Royal Brunei Armed Forces and U.S. Marines with Marine Rotational Force - Southeast Asia, participate in a non-lethal subject matter expert exchange for exercise Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training Brunei 2024 on Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei, Nov. 20, 2024. CARAT Brunei is conducted annually by the Royal Brunei Armed Forces, the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Marine Corps in order to build relations and maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific. MRF-SEA is a rotational unit derived from elements of I Marine Expeditionary Force executing a U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific operational model that involves training events and exchanges with partner military subject matter experts, promotes security goals with Allied and partner nations, and ensures a persistent I MEF presence west of the International Date Line. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Tyler Wilson)

Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro poses for a group photo with Marines after presenting them with challenge coins in recognition of their exemplary performance and outstanding contributions to their units at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California, Dec. 4, 2024. Secretary Del Toro toured the installation to engage with servicemembers and assess ongoing efforts to improve quality of life, operational readiness, and infrastructure at MCAS Miramar. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Santicia Ambriez-Stippey) - Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro poses for a group photo with Marines after presenting them with challenge coins in recognition of their exemplary performance and outstanding contributions to their units at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California, Dec. 4, 2024. Secretary Del Toro toured the installation to engage with servicemembers and assess ongoing efforts to improve quality of life, operational readiness, and infrastructure at MCAS Miramar. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Santicia Ambriez-Stippey)