Stories

A Marine escorts an ambulatory HMMWV to a Shock Trauma Platoon during Exercise Steel Night’s mass casualty drill at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, Calif., Dec. 12, 2015. The drill tested the 1st Marine Division’s ability to react to a large influx of injuries and wounds from battling the enemy. Steel Knight provides tough, realistic training for the Marines and sailors of 1st Marine Division. - A Marine escorts an ambulatory HMMWV to a Shock Trauma Platoon during Exercise Steel Night’s mass casualty drill at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, Calif., Dec. 12, 2015. The drill tested the 1st Marine Division’s ability to react to a large influx of injuries and wounds from battling the enemy. Steel Knight provides tough, realistic training for the Marines and sailors of 1st Marine Division.

Sgt. Peter Jacobson performs a weapons functional test on an F-35B Lightning II aircraft during Exercise Steel Knight at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, California, Dec. 10, 2015. Jacobson is an avionics technician with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 121. The F-35B is a single seat, single engine stealth multi-role fighter bringing the Marine Corps into a whole new generation of aircraft. Exercise Steel Knight allowed for VMFA-121 and Marine Operational and Test Evaluation Squadron 22 to train on integrating the F-35B and find its place in the Marine Air Ground Task Force, while giving the ground forces of 1st Marine Division the ability to become familiar with it. - Sgt. Peter Jacobson performs a weapons functional test on an F-35B Lightning II aircraft during Exercise Steel Knight at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, California, Dec. 10, 2015. Jacobson is an avionics technician with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 121. The F-35B is a single seat, single engine stealth multi-role fighter bringing the Marine Corps into a whole new generation of aircraft. Exercise Steel Knight allowed for VMFA-121 and Marine Operational and Test Evaluation Squadron 22 to train on integrating the F-35B and find its place in the Marine Air Ground Task Force, while giving the ground forces of 1st Marine Division the ability to become familiar with it.

Marine Corps Capt. Paul Keller, a pilot with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 165, Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force-Crisis Response-Central Command, assesses the firmness of the expeditionary safety equipment that he flawlessly landed an MV-22 Osprey on after the aircraft experienced a technical malfunction with its landing gear, Oct. 9, 2015 in Southwest Asia. - Marine Corps Capt. Paul Keller, a pilot with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 165, Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force-Crisis Response-Central Command, assesses the firmness of the expeditionary safety equipment that he flawlessly landed an MV-22 Osprey on after the aircraft experienced a technical malfunction with its landing gear, Oct. 9, 2015 in Southwest Asia.

Gen. Robert B. Neller - Gen. Robert B. Neller

Mexican Navy sailors stand in formation on the deck of Mexican ship ARM Usumacinta during a media visit held in conjunction with Exercise Dawn Blitz 2015, Sept. 6. Mexican Naval Forces are participating as observers in Exercise Dawn Blitz for the first time in 2015, with the hope of developing a stronger and more effective amphibious presence. - Mexican Navy sailors stand in formation on the deck of Mexican ship ARM Usumacinta during a media visit held in conjunction with Exercise Dawn Blitz 2015, Sept. 6. Mexican Naval Forces are participating as observers in Exercise Dawn Blitz for the first time in 2015, with the hope of developing a stronger and more effective amphibious presence.

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.

A Marine with 3rd Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company and a Japanese soldier shake hands prior to the start of a live-fire shoot together during Exercise Dawn Blitz 2015 at San Clemente Island, California, Sept. 1, 2015. ANGLICO Marines and Japanese soldiers conducted a combined arms shoot with naval gunfire, attack rotary aircraft and 120mm mortars. Dawn Blitz is a multinational training exercise designed to enhance Expeditionary Strike Group Three and 1st Marine Expeditionary Brigade’s ability to conduct sea-basing operations, amphibious landings, and command and control capabilities alongside Japan, Mexico and New Zealand. - A Marine with 3rd Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company and a Japan Ground Self-Defense Force soldier shake hands prior to the start of a live-fire shoot together during Exercise Dawn Blitz 2015 at San Clemente Island, California, Sept. 1, 2015. ANGLICO Marines and the JGSDF conducted a combined arms shoot with naval gunfire, attack rotary aircraft and 120mm mortars. Dawn Blitz is a multinational training exercise designed to enhance Expeditionary Strike Group Three and 1st Marine Expeditionary Brigade’s ability to conduct sea-basing operations, amphibious landings, and command and control capabilities alongside Japan, Mexico and New Zealand.

Marines with 1st Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, and 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, practice handling a simulated enraged enemy during the culminating event of 1st Marine Division Schools’ Urban Leaders Course at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., Aug. 12, 2015. The course is a 15-day period of instruction that includes classwork, combat marksmanship and physical training in a simulated urban combat environment. - Marines with 1st Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, and 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, practice handling a simulated enraged enemy during the culminating event of 1st Marine Division Schools’ Urban Leaders Course at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., Aug. 12, 2015. The course is a 15-day period of instruction that includes classwork, combat marksmanship and physical training in a simulated urban combat environment.

Marines with Truck Company, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, standby for explosive ordnance disposal to arrive while keeping vigilant for possible enemy combatants during a motorized operations course aboard Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, Calif., July 30. The Marines performed the exercise to better themselves in the event of a real-life scenario. - Marines with Truck Company, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, standby for explosive ordnance disposal to arrive while keeping vigilant for possible enemy combatants during a motorized operations course aboard Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, Calif., July 30. The Marines performed the exercise to better themselves in the event of a real-life scenario.