Stories

Marines assigned to the Urban Leaders Course at 1st Marine Division Schools, I Marine Expeditionary Force, clear a hallway during a live-fire training exercise aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., Sept. 25, 2015. The class teaches fire team and squad leaders skills and tactics to be successful in urban environments, which they can share with the Marines they lead and the leadership of their entire unit. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Caitlin Bevel) - Marines assigned to the Urban Leaders Course at 1st Marine Division Schools, I Marine Expeditionary Force, clear a hallway during a live-fire training exercise aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., Sept. 25, 2015. The class teaches fire team and squad leaders skills and tactics to be successful in urban environments, which they can share with the Marines they lead and the leadership of their entire unit. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Caitlin Bevel)

Marines with Company B, 1st Combat Engineers Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, detonate an explosive charge to perform a breach and clear of a structure aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Oct. 7, 2015. Breaching and clearing involves setting and detonating an explosive charge at the entrance of a structure to engage any hostile forces that may be inside. - Marines with Company B, 1st Combat Engineers Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, detonate an explosive charge to perform a breach and clear of a structure aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Oct. 7, 2015. Breaching and clearing involves setting and detonating an explosive charge at the entrance of a structure to engage any hostile forces that may be inside.

Pfc. Jonathan Linares, a gunner with Battery F, 2nd Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, stands ready for the next fire mission of his team’s M777 howitzer aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., Sept. 23, 2015. Processing fire missions is one of the most important forms of training for an artillery team. (U.S. Marine photo by Pvt. Robert Bliss/Released) - Pfc. Jonathan Linares, a gunner with Battery F, 2nd Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, stands ready for the next fire mission of his team’s M777 howitzer aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., Sept. 23, 2015. Processing fire missions is one of the most important forms of training for an artillery team. (U.S. Marine photo by Pvt. Robert Bliss/Released)

Marines with Company B, 1st Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, conduct a patrol at Fort Hunter Liggett, Calif., Aug. 25, 2015. The patrol was conducted as part of an experimental exercise designed to test Internally Transported Vehicle (ITVs) capabilities and discuss areas for improvement. The Marine Corps Warfighting Lab established the exercise to aid in the process of getting reliable information for future vehicle designs. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Joshua Murray) - Marines with Company B, 1st Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, conduct a patrol at Fort Hunter Liggett, Calif., Aug. 25, 2015. The patrol was conducted as part of an experimental exercise designed to test Internally Transported Vehicle (ITVs) capabilities and discuss areas for improvement. The Marine Corps Warfighting Lab established the exercise to aid in the process of getting reliable information for future vehicle designs. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Joshua Murray)

Marines with Force Reconnaissance Company and Reconnaissance Training Company, 1st Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st Marine Division, jump from a C-130J Super Hercules aircraft during High Altitude – High Opening parachute insertion training over Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., Sept. 17, 2015. The goal of the training was to sharpen a skill set that is of great advantage to expeditionary forces, allowing the jumpers to infiltrate locations where access would be too difficult for vehicles. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Pfc. Devan Gowans/Released) - Marines with Force Reconnaissance Company and Reconnaissance Training Company, 1st Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st Marine Division, jump from a C-130J Super Hercules aircraft during High Altitude – High Opening parachute insertion training over Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., Sept. 17, 2015. The goal of the training was to sharpen a skill set that is of great advantage to expeditionary forces, allowing the jumpers to infiltrate locations where access would be too difficult for vehicles. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Pfc. Devan Gowans/Released)

Marines with Company A, 1st Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st Marine Division, lay down suppressive fire, allowing a breacher in their team to plant an improvised bangalore torpedo by concertina wire during a rocket shoot and fire team assault training exercise aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., Sept. 16, 2015. The overall goal of the training was to expose the Marines to multiple weapons systems and provide them with the experience needed to employ them in deployed environments. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Pfc. Devan Gowans/Released) - Marines with Company A, 1st Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st Marine Division, lay down suppressive fire, allowing a breacher in their team to plant an improvised bangalore torpedo by concertina wire during a rocket shoot and fire team assault training exercise aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., Sept. 16, 2015. The overall goal of the training was to expose the Marines to multiple weapons systems and provide them with the experience needed to employ them in deployed environments. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Pfc. Devan Gowans/Released)

Marines with 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, fire antipersonnel obstacle breaching systems during Exercise Pioneer Express at Camp Roberts, Calif., Sept. 8, 2015. The exercise prepares Marines to successfully execute expeditionary operations by refining command and control methods, reconnaissance, mobility, counter-mobility and survivability operations. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Caitlin Bevel) - Marines with 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, fire antipersonnel obstacle breaching systems during Exercise Pioneer Express at Camp Roberts, Calif., Sept. 8, 2015. The exercise prepares Marines to successfully execute expeditionary operations by refining command and control methods, reconnaissance, mobility, counter-mobility and survivability operations. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Caitlin Bevel)

Marines with 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division use a compass to determine their left and right lateral limits on the beaches of Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., during Exercise Dawn Blitz 2015, Sept. 5, 2015. Dawn Blitz is a multinational training exercise designed to enhance Expeditionary Strike Group Three and 1st Marine Expeditionary Brigade’s ability to conduct sea-based operations, amphibious landings, and command and control capabilities alongside Japan, Mexico and New Zealand. - Marines with 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division use a compass to determine their left and right lateral limits on the beaches of Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., during Exercise Dawn Blitz 2015, Sept. 5, 2015. Dawn Blitz is a multinational training exercise designed to enhance Expeditionary Strike Group Three and 1st Marine Expeditionary Brigade’s ability to conduct sea-based operations, amphibious landings, and command and control capabilities alongside Japan, Mexico and New Zealand.

Marines with Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment provide security on the beach following an amphibious landing as part of Exercise Dawn Blitz 2015 at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., Sept. 5, 2015. Dawn Blitz is a multinational, amphibious training exercise designed to hone the amphibious landing skills of I Marine Expeditionary Brigade, Expeditionary Strike Group Three and allies of the United States. - Marines with Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment provide security on the beach following an amphibious landing as part of Exercise Dawn Blitz 2015 at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., Sept. 5, 2015. Dawn Blitz is a multinational, amphibious training exercise designed to hone the amphibious landing skills of I Marine Expeditionary Brigade, Expeditionary Strike Group Three and allies of the United States.

Marines with 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, deploy an assault vehicle launched bridge during Exercise Pioneer Express aboard Camp Roberts, Calif., Sept. 1, 2015. The exercise will ensure that the Marines and Sailors of the battalion will remain effective through complex training evolutions and detailed evaluations. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Caitlin Bevel) - Marines with 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force, deploy an assault vehicle launched bridge during Exercise Pioneer Express aboard Camp Roberts, Calif., Sept. 1, 2015. The exercise will ensure that the Marines and Sailors of the battalion will remain effective through complex training evolutions and detailed evaluations. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Caitlin Bevel)