Stories

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. Marine Corps Maj. Gen. Thomas B. Savage, left, the commanding general of 1st Marine Division, gifts a 1st MARDIV coin and patch to Republic of Korea Marine Corps Maj. Gen. Lee Ho Jong, the commanding general of 1st Marine Division, ROK Marine Corps, during a meeting in Pohang, South Korea, March 7, 2025. - U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Gen. Thomas B. Savage, left, the commanding general of 1st Marine Division, gifts a 1st MARDIV coin and patch to Republic of Korea Marine Corps Maj. Gen. Lee Ho Jong, the commanding general of 1st Marine Division, ROK Marine Corps, during a meeting in Pohang, South Korea, March 7, 2025. Freedom Shield is an exercise that provides iterative opportunities for Republic of Korea Marine Corps and U.S. Marine Corps units to train together, improving their combined capabilities to deter threats and maintain peace on the Korean Peninsula. (Courtesy photo from Republic of Korea Marine Corps)

U.S. Marine Corps Col. Jason C. Armas, center, the commanding officer of Marine Rotational Force – Darwin 25.3, and Sgt. Maj. Michael T. Escobar, right, the sergeant major of MRF – D 25.3, pose for a photo with Group Captain Melissa Neilson, the commander of Northern Command, at Royal Australian Air Force Base Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia, March 17, 2025. - U.S. Marine Corps Col. Jason C. Armas, center, the commanding officer of Marine Rotational Force – Darwin 25.3, and Sgt. Maj. Michael T. Escobar, right, the sergeant major of MRF – D 25.3, pose for a photo with Group Captain Melissa Neilson, the commander of Northern Command, at Royal Australian Air Force Base Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia, March 17, 2025. 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. Navy Capt. Henry F. Holcombe Jr., chaplain of I Marine Expeditionary Force, welcomes guests to a spouse brunch hosted by I MEF Religious Ministries at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, Nov. 23, 2024. I MEF Religious Ministries’ spouse brunch brought together spouses of I MEF Marines and Sailors, aligning with the Marine Corps' focus on spiritual fitness as part of overall well-being. Spiritual fitness encompasses personal faith, foundational values, and moral living, fostered through participation in a supportive community, shared sacrifices for a greater cause, and a commitment to honor and character. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Erica S. Padgett) - U.S. Navy Capt. Henry F. Holcombe Jr., chaplain of I Marine Expeditionary Force, welcomes guests to a spouse brunch hosted by I MEF Religious Ministries at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, Nov. 23, 2024. I MEF Religious Ministries’ spouse brunch brought together spouses of I MEF Marines and Sailors, aligning with the Marine Corps' focus on spiritual fitness as part of overall well-being. Spiritual fitness encompasses personal faith, foundational values, and moral living, fostered through participation in a supportive community, shared sacrifices for a greater cause, and a commitment to honor and character. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Erica S. Padgett)

U.S. Marine Corps 2nd Lt. Adam T. Taitano, 1st Combat Engineer Battalion logistics officer along with U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Jared R. Wilbanks, 1st CEB combat engineer, fix a door lock during Operation Clean Sweep at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., Oct. 29, 2024. Operation Clean Sweep is a joint initiative between Marine Corps Installations West and I Marine Expeditionary Force at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton to improve living conditions for Marines and Sailors. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Jeslianne A. Torres). - U.S. Marine Corps 2nd Lt. Adam T. Taitano, 1st Combat Engineer Battalion logistics officer along with U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Jared R. Wilbanks, 1st CEB combat engineer, fix a door lock during Operation Clean Sweep at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., Oct. 29, 2024. Operation Clean Sweep is a joint initiative between Marine Corps Installations West and I Marine Expeditionary Force at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton to improve living conditions for Marines and Sailors. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Jeslianne A. Torres).

U.S. Marine Corps Col. Matthew K. Mulvey, commanding officer of Combat Logistics Regiment 17, answers questions from 1st Marine Logistic Group Marines and Sailors about the Barracks 360 Reset initiative during a town hall event at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, Oct. 3, 2024. The Barracks 360 Reset initiative aims to improve the living conditions and operational readiness of Marines and Sailors through increased oversight by command teams, a dedicated effort to reduce the maintenance backlog and shared ownership of the barracks. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Bryant Rodriguez) - U.S. Marine Corps Col. Matthew K. Mulvey, commanding officer of Combat Logistics Regiment 17, answers questions from 1st Marine Logistic Group Marines and Sailors about the Barracks 360 Reset initiative during a town hall event at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, Oct. 3, 2024. The Barracks 360 Reset initiative aims to improve the living conditions and operational readiness of Marines and Sailors through increased oversight by command teams, a dedicated effort to reduce the maintenance backlog and shared ownership of the barracks. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Bryant Rodriguez)

U.S. Navy Senior Chief Petty Officer Kevin Jurek, the Navy senior enlisted leader of Marine Rotational Force – Darwin 24.3, uses the Joint Operational Medicine Information Systems Medical Common Operating Picture as part of a mass casualty training event during Exercise Predator’s Run 24 at Mount Bundey Training Area, July 24, 2024. - U.S. Navy Senior Chief Petty Officer Kevin Jurek, the Navy senior enlisted leader of Marine Rotational Force – Darwin 24.3, uses the Joint Operational Medicine Information Systems Medical Common Operating Picture as part of a mass casualty training event during Exercise Predator’s Run 24 at Mount Bundey Training Area, July 24, 2024. Exercise Predator’s Run 24 is a littoral-focused, multilateral training exercise led by the Australian’s Army 1st Brigade, involving the Australian Defence Force, the United Kingdom Commando Force, the Republic of the Philippines Army, the U.S. Marine Corps and the U.S. Navy. MedCOP is an interactive decision-support platform arming command surgeons and medical commanders with near real-time health surveillance and medical operations visibility to enable well-informed decisions. Jurek is a native of Oklahoma. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Gunnery Sgt. Kassie McDole)

Service members from the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, United Kingdom, Republic of Korea, Japan, and Royal Solomon Islands Police Force, pose for a photo in front of a U.S. Marine Corps MV-22B Osprey assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 268 (Reinforced), Marine Rotational Force – Darwin 24.3, during Operation Render Safe 2024-2 at Munda International Airport, New Georgia, Solomon Islands, Sept. 13, 2024. - Service members from the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, United Kingdom, Republic of Korea, Japan, and Royal Solomon Islands Police Force, pose for a photo in front of a U.S. Marine Corps MV-22B Osprey assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 268 (Reinforced), Marine Rotational Force – Darwin 24.3, during Operation Render Safe 2024-2 at Munda International Airport, New Georgia, Solomon Islands, Sept. 13, 2024. Operation Render Safe 2024-2 is an Australian-led operation to exchange explosive ordnance tactics, techniques and procedures and reduce the risk of explosive remnants of war. From Aug. 30 to Sept. 13, the MRF-D 24.3 Marine Air-Ground Task Force deploys select explosive ordnance disposal teams, role 2 medical, Ospreys and force protection elements to the Solomon Islands for participation in Australian Defence Force’s execution of Operation Render Safe 2024-2 in order to enhance relationships with partner nations in the South Pacific. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Gunnery Sgt. Kassie McDole)

U.S. Marine Corps MV-22B Ospreys assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 268 (Reinforced), Marine Rotational Force – Darwin 24.3, take off for the first flight of the MRF-D 24.3 rotation at Port Darwin, Darwin, NT, Australia, May 11, 2024. The Ospreys were flown from Port Darwin to Royal Australian Air Force Base Darwin, where they will be hosted for the duration of the rotation. VMM-268 (Rein.) makes up the Aviation Combat Element, out of Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, completing the structure of the MAGTF with the arrival of 10 MV-22B Ospreys. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by 1st Lt. Colton Martin) - U.S. Marine Corps MV-22B Ospreys assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 268 (Reinforced), Marine Rotational Force – Darwin 24.3, take off for the first flight of the MRF-D 24.3 rotation at Port Darwin, Darwin, NT, Australia, May 11, 2024. The Ospreys were flown from Port Darwin to Royal Australian Air Force Base Darwin, where they will be hosted for the duration of the rotation. VMM-268 (Rein.) makes up the Aviation Combat Element, out of Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, completing the structure of the MAGTF with the arrival of 10 MV-22B Ospreys. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by 1st Lt. Colton Martin)

NA - After the Memorial Ruck March, service members who are forward deployed in the Middle East held a moment of silence Sept. 11, 2017. Service members gathered to remember the 2,977 people who lost their lives Sept. 11, 2001.