Stories

Philippine and U.S. government and military representatives conduct the “crossing of hands” during the opening ceremony to commence Exercise Balikatan 25 at Camp Aguinaldo, Manila, Philippines, April 21, 2025 - Philippine and U.S. government and military representatives conduct the “crossing of hands” during the opening ceremony to commence Exercise Balikatan 25 at Camp Aguinaldo, Manila, Philippines, April 21, 2025. Balikatan is a longstanding annual exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the U.S. military designed to strengthen our ironclad alliance, improve our capable combined force and demonstrate our commitment to regional security and stability. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Erica Padgett)

Marines from the 1st Marine Logistics Group remove the skid plate from the bottom of a fire-damaged electric vehicle to gain access to the vehicle’s battery unit so they can safely dispose of it, Altadena, California, Feb. 19, 2025. - Marines from the 1st Marine Logistics Group remove the skid plate from the bottom of a fire-damaged electric vehicle to gain access to the vehicle’s battery unit so they can safely dispose of it, Altadena, California, Feb. 19, 2025. At the request of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, U.S. Northern Command deployed approximately 170 active-duty personnel to assist Environmental Protection Agency-led teams with cleanup of wildfire hazardous waste from the Eaton and Palisades fires in California. U.S. Army North, NORTHCOM’s Joint Force Land Component Command, is overseeing the military’s support to federal and state efforts, while Joint Task Force Civil Support is providing on-the-ground command and control of active-duty personnel. Work to remove the hazardous materials is phase 1 of the federal cleanup response to ensure the safety of the residents by preventing these materials from being released into the environment. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Maj. Casey Nelsen)

U.S. Marines with Headquarters Battalion, 1st Marine Division, unload air conditioning units during Operation Clean Sweep II at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, March 28, 2025. - U.S. Marines with Headquarters Battalion, 1st Marine Division, unload air conditioning units during Operation Clean Sweep II at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, March 28, 2025. Part of the larger Barracks 360 Reset initiative, OCS II builds upon the success of the first iteration by sustaining improved barracks conditions and further transforming I Marine Expeditionary Force’s organizational culture by reinvesting time, resources, training and efforts into the barracks. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Migel A. Reynosa)

. 1st Reconnaissance Battalion conducted the training to enhance rapid insertion capabilities in littoral zones as preparation for integrating with 3d Marine Littoral Regiment and its subordinate battalions while forward in the Philippines for Exercise Balikatan 25 and Kamandag 9 this summer. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Malia Sparks) - U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Stefan Mueller, a native of Colorado and a reconnaissance Marine with 1st Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st Marine Division, tests gear prior to conducting dive operations on Marine Corps Base Hawaii Feb. 24, 2025

U.S. Marines and Sailors with Marine Rotational Force — Darwin 25.3 and Armed Forces of the Philippines service members practice fireman carries during tactical field care training as part of Marine Exercise 2025 near Cotabato City, Mindanao, Philippines, April 1, 2025. - U.S. Marines and Sailors with Marine Rotational Force — Darwin 25.3 and Armed Forces of the Philippines service members practice fireman carries during tactical field care training as part of Marine Exercise 2025 near Cotabato City, Mindanao, Philippines, April 1, 2025. MAREX 2025 is a bilateral exercise between the U.S. Marine Corps and the Philippine Marine Corps designed to further enhance relationships, interoperability, and combined arms capabilities in a realistic training environment. MRF-D 25.3 is part of an annual six-month rotational deployment to enhance interoperability with the Australian Defence Force and Allies and partners and provide a forward-postured crisis response force in the Indo-Pacific. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Ezekieljay Correa)

U.S. Marines with Marine Wing Support Squadron 174, Marine Aircraft Group 24, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing and Philippine Engineers with the 357th Air Engineering Squadron members pose for a team photo during Exercise Balikatan 25 at the Barangay Dagupan Multipurpose Gymnasium, Lal-lo, Cagayan, Philippines, April 8, 2025. - U.S. Marines with Marine Wing Support Squadron 174, Marine Aircraft Group 24, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing and Philippine Engineers with the 357th Air Engineering Squadron members pose for a team photo during Exercise Balikatan 25 at the Barangay Dagupan Multipurpose Gymnasium, Lal-lo, Cagayan, Philippines, April 8, 2025. Balikatan is a longstanding annual exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the U.S. military designed to strengthen our ironclad alliance, improve our capable combined force and demonstrate our commitment to regional security and stability (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Roger- Junior Annoh)

U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Geronimo Vela Jr., an intelligence specialist with the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit, I Marine Expeditionary Force, poses for a portrait with his mother after an award ceremony at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, March 31, 2025. - U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Geronimo Vela Jr., an intelligence specialist with the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit, I Marine Expeditionary Force, poses for a portrait with his mother after an award ceremony at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, March 31, 2025. Vela was named Marine of the Year for his superior performance of duties, positive attitude and dedication to mission accomplishment. The ceremony acknowledges the hard work, accomplishments and sacrifices made over the last year by recognized service members and their families in support of I MEF mission success. Vela is a native of Uvalde, Texas. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Staff Sgt. Jennifer Andrade)

U.S. Marines and Sailors with 1st Marine Logistics Group and volunteers from the Home Depot Foundation pose for a group photo after completing a maintenance project during Operation Clean Sweep II at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, April 2, 2025. - U.S. Marines and Sailors with 1st Marine Logistics Group and volunteers from the Home Depot Foundation pose for a group photo after completing a maintenance project during Operation Clean Sweep II at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, April 2, 2025. Part of the larger Barracks 360 Reset initiative, Operation Clean Sweep II builds upon the success of the first iteration by sustaining improved barracks conditions and further transforming I MEF’s organizational culture by reinvesting our time, resources, training and efforts into the barracks. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Erica Padgett)

Singapore Guardsman Lt. Col. Mohamad Fahrul Bin Saaid, left, the commanding officer for 3rd Battalion Singapore Guards and U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Louis Collins, a company commander with 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, attached to Marine Rotational Force-Southeast Asia, pose for a photo during the closing ceremony for Valiant Mark 25 at SAFTI City training facility, Singapore, March 27, 2025. - Singapore Guardsman Lt. Col. Mohamad Fahrul Bin Saaid, left, the commanding officer for 3rd Battalion Singapore Guards and U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Louis Collins, a company commander with 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, attached to Marine Rotational Force-Southeast Asia, pose for a photo during the closing ceremony for Valiant Mark 25 at SAFTI City training facility, Singapore, March 27, 2025. SAFTI City, the premier urban training facility in Southeast Asia, is one of the largest and most technologically advanced facilities of its kind in the world. U.S. Marines with MRF-SEA were the first foreign partner force to train at the facility during Valiant Mark 25. Valiant Mark is an annual, bilateral training exercise designed to enhance interoperability, build mutual defense capabilities, and strengthen military-to-military relationships between the U.S. Marine Corps and Singapore Armed Forces. 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 photo by 2nd Lt. Brianna Tribou - A U.S. Marine Corps UH-1Y Venom assigned to Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron (HMLA) 269, Marine Aircraft Group 29, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, prepares to depart with an Intrepid Tiger II (IT-II) electronic warfare system externally attached during the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing Service Level Training Exercise 2-25 at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, California, Feb. 20, 2025. Marines with 4th SSCT led the IT-II training to enhance electronic warfare integration across the Marine Corps, preparing forces for future missions in complex and contested environments. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by 2nd Lt. Brianna Tribou)