Stories

Cpl. Nathaniel Asoau, Light Armored Vehicle crewman with Company D., 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion and student with the Urban Leaders Course, provides covering fire from behind a barricade while his partner, Lance Cpl. Leonardo Perez, drops to a prone position during a combat marksmanship program range at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, March 31, 2016. This range is the first live-fire range of the three-week course and is designed to hone Marines’ combat marksmanship skills including how to shoot, move and communicate with a buddy. - Cpl. Nathaniel Asoau, Light Armored Vehicle crewman with Company D., 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion and student with the Urban Leaders Course, provides covering fire from behind a barricade while his partner, Lance Cpl. Leonardo Perez, drops to a prone position during a combat marksmanship program range at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, March 31, 2016. This range is the first live-fire range of the three-week course and is designed to hone Marines’ combat marksmanship skills including how to shoot, move and communicate with a buddy.

First Sgt. Shonor Burton runs through a non-lethal weapons course while blinded by the effects of oleoresin capsicum (OC) spray, Jan. 26, 2016. Burton is the company first sergeant for Company B, 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California. - First Sgt. Shonor Burton runs through a non-lethal weapons course while blinded by the effects of oleoresin capsicum (OC) spray, Jan. 26, 2016. Burton is the company first sergeant for Company B, 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California.

Lance Cpl. Roderick Jacquote, a combat photographer with Headquarters Company, Headquarters Battalion, 1st Marine Division, edits photos during a chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear drill aboard Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, California, Dec. 13, 2015. The Marines and Sailors with 5th Marine Regiment conducted the gas drill as part of Steel Knight 2016, a division-led exercise which prepares Marines and Sailors with the 1st Marine Division and adjacent I Marine Expeditionary Force units with the skill sets necessary to operate as a fully capable Marine Air Ground Task Force. - Lance Cpl. Roderick Jacquote, a combat photographer with Headquarters Company, Headquarters Battalion, 1st Marine Division, edits photos during a chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear drill aboard Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, California, Dec. 13, 2015. The Marines and Sailors with 5th Marine Regiment conducted the gas drill as part of Steel Knight 2016, a division-led exercise which prepares Marines and Sailors with the 1st Marine Division and adjacent I Marine Expeditionary Force units with the skill sets necessary to operate as a fully capable Marine Air Ground Task Force.

An F-35B Lightning II with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 121 takes off from Red Beach on Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., Dec. 10. This is the first time that the F-35 conducted close air support missions in support of exercise Steel Knight. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Brian Marion/Released) - An F-35B Lightning II with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 121 takes off from Red Beach on Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., Dec. 10. This is the first time that the F-35 conducted close air support missions in support of exercise Steel Knight. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Brian Marion/Released)

Navy surgeons operate on a simulated casualty 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. - Navy surgeons operate on a simulated casualty 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.

Two F-35B Lightning II aircrafts stand ready for flight operations during Exercise Steel Knight at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, California, Dec. 10, 2015. 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 Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 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. - Two F-35B Lightning II aircrafts stand ready for flight operations during Exercise Steel Knight at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, California, Dec. 10, 2015. 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 Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 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.

Brig. Gen. David W. Coffman, the deputy commanding general of I Marine Expeditionary Force, speaks at the senior leadership seminar as part of San Francisco Fleet Week 2015, Oct. 7. The seminars brought together leaders from local, regional, and federal agencies, as well as political and diplomatic leaders to broaden working relationships and encourage cooperative emergency planning in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief efforts. SFFW 15’ is a weeklong event that blends a unique training and education program, bringing together key civilian emergency responders and Naval crisis-response forces to exchange best practices on humanitarian assistance disaster relief with particular emphasis on defense support to civil authorities. - Brig. Gen. David W. Coffman, the deputy commanding general of I Marine Expeditionary Force, speaks at the senior leadership seminar as part of San Francisco Fleet Week 2015, Oct. 7. The seminars brought together leaders from local, regional, and federal agencies, as well as political and diplomatic leaders to broaden working relationships and encourage cooperative emergency planning in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief efforts. SFFW 15’ is a weeklong event that blends a unique training and education program, bringing together key civilian emergency responders and Naval crisis-response forces to exchange best practices on humanitarian assistance disaster relief with particular emphasis on defense support to civil authorities.

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 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.