Stories

U.S. Marine Corps 1st Lt. Jonathan Berklich, a ground intelligence officer with Weapons Company, 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, Marine Rotational Force – Darwin 25.3, conducts planning with members of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force during Exercise Southern Jackaroo at Townsville Field Training Area, Queensland, Australia, June 1, 2025. - U.S. Marine Corps 1st Lt. Jonathan Berklich, a ground intelligence officer with Weapons Company, 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, Marine Rotational Force – Darwin 25.3, conducts planning with members of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force during Exercise Southern Jackaroo at Townsville Field Training Area, Queensland, Australia, June 1, 2025. Southern Jackaroo is an annual exercise held between the U.S. Marine Corps, Australian Defence Force, and Japan Ground Self-Defense Force designed to enhance interoperability and combined readiness with Allies and partners. MRF-D is 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. Berklich is a native of Michigan. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Angelina Sara)

Members of the U.S. Air Force, Navy, Army, and Marine Corps conduct planning at the Joint Warfighting Center, Kuantan, Malaysia, June 23, 2025. Bersama Warrior is an annual, bilateral joint exercise sponsored by U.S. Indo-Pacific Command and hosted by the Malaysian Armed Forces. This year marks the 11th iteration of the exercise, and the first time MRF-D is participating, enhancing U.S. and Malaysian defense readiness and improving combined joint interoperability. MRF-D is 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 1st Lt. Samuel DeRobertis) - Members of the U.S. Air Force, Navy, Army, and Marine Corps conduct planning at the Joint Warfighting Center, Kuantan, Malaysia, June 23, 2025. Bersama Warrior is an annual, bilateral joint exercise sponsored by U.S. Indo-Pacific Command and hosted by the Malaysian Armed Forces. This year marks the 11th iteration of the exercise, and the first time MRF-D is participating, enhancing U.S. and Malaysian defense readiness and improving combined joint interoperability. MRF-D is 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 1st Lt. Samuel DeRobertis)

U.S. Marines with 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, Marine Rotational Force – Darwin 25.3, I Marine Expeditionary Force Forward, and Philippine Marines with 3rd Brigade set security during KAMANDAG 9 at Oyster Bay, Palawan, Philippines, June 11, 2025. KAMANDAG is an annual Philippine Marine Corps and U.S. Marine Corps-led exercise aimed at enhancing the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ defense and humanitarian capabilities by providing valuable training in combined operations with foreign militaries in the advancement of a Free and Open Indo-Pacific. MRF-D is 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 Cpl. Anita Ramos) - U.S. Marines with 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, Marine Rotational Force – Darwin 25.3, I Marine Expeditionary Force Forward, and Philippine Marines with 3rd Brigade set security during KAMANDAG 9 at Oyster Bay, Palawan, Philippines, June 11, 2025. KAMANDAG is an annual Philippine Marine Corps and U.S. Marine Corps-led exercise aimed at enhancing the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ defense and humanitarian capabilities by providing valuable training in combined operations with foreign militaries in the advancement of a Free and Open Indo-Pacific. MRF-D is 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 Cpl. Anita Ramos)

U.S. and Malaysian Armed Forces service members pose for a group photo during the Bersama Warrior 25 opening ceremony at the Joint Warfighting Center, Kuantan, Malaysia, June 17, 2025. - U.S. and Malaysian Armed Forces service members pose for a group photo during the Bersama Warrior 25 opening ceremony at the Joint Warfighting Center, Kuantan, Malaysia, June 17, 2025. Bersama Warrior is an annual, bilateral joint exercise sponsored by U.S. Indo-Pacific Command and hosted by the Malaysian Armed Forces. This year marks the 11th iteration of the exercise, and the first time MRF-D is participating, enhancing U.S. and Malaysian defense readiness and improving combined joint interoperability. MRF-D is 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. (Courtesy photo provided by the Malaysian Armed Forces)

U.S. Marine Corps 1st Lt. Jonathan Berklich, a ground intelligence officer with Weapons Company, 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, Marine Rotational Force – Darwin 25.3, conducts planning with members of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force during Exercise Southern Jackaroo at Townsville Field Training Area, Queensland, Australia, June 1, 2025. - U.S. Marine Corps 1st Lt. Jonathan Berklich, a ground intelligence officer with Weapons Company, 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, Marine Rotational Force – Darwin 25.3, conducts planning with members of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force during Exercise Southern Jackaroo at Townsville Field Training Area, Queensland, Australia, June 1, 2025. Southern Jackaroo is an annual exercise held between the U.S. Marine Corps, Australian Defence Force, and Japan Ground Self-Defense Force designed to enhance interoperability and combined readiness with Allies and partners. MRF-D is 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. Berklich is a native of Michigan. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Angelina Sara)

U.S. Marines with 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, Marine Rotational Force – Darwin 25.3, and Australian Army soldiers with 5th/7th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment, fire their weapons during a Maritime Key Terrain Security Operations event, in support of Exercise Balikatan 25 near Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Philippines May 5, 2025. Balikatan is a longstanding annual exercise between the U.S. and Philippine armed forces designed to strengthen the alliance, showcase the capable combined force, and demonstrate the commitment to regional security and stability. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Keegan Jones) - U.S. Marines with 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, Marine Rotational Force – Darwin 25.3, and Australian Army soldiers with 5th/7th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment, fire their weapons during a Maritime Key Terrain Security Operations event, in support of Exercise Balikatan 25 near Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Philippines May 5, 2025. Balikatan is a longstanding annual exercise between the U.S. and Philippine armed forces designed to strengthen the alliance, showcase the capable combined force, and demonstrate the commitment to regional security and stability. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Keegan Jones)

U.S. Marines with 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, Marine Rotational Force – Darwin 25.3 unload cargo from a U.S. Air Force C-130J. - U.S. Marines with 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, Marine Rotational Force – Darwin 25.3 unload cargo from a U.S. Air Force C-130J with 36th Airlift Squadron, 374th Airlift Wing after their arrival to Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Philippines, from Mindanao for Balikatan 2025, April 15, 2025. Balikatan is a longstanding annual exercise between U.S. and Philippine armed forces designed to strengthen the alliance, showcase the capable combined force, and demonstrate the commitment to regional security and stability. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Ezekieljay Correa)

U.S. Marines with 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, Marine Rotational Force – Darwin 25.3 unload cargo from a U.S. Air Force C-130J. - U.S. Marines with 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, Marine Rotational Force – Darwin 25.3 unload cargo from a U.S. Air Force C-130J with 36th Airlift Squadron, 374th Airlift Wing after their arrival to Puerto Princesa, Palawan, Philippines, from Mindanao for Balikatan 2025, April 15, 2025. Balikatan is a longstanding annual exercise between U.S. and Philippine armed forces designed to strengthen the alliance, showcase the capable combined force, and demonstrate the commitment to regional security and stability. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Ezekieljay Correa)

U.S. Marines with Echo Company, 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, Marine Rotational Force – Darwin 25.3 and Armed Forces of the Philippines service members disembark a Philippine Naval vessel during an amphibious assault demonstration as part of Marine Exercise 2025 near Cotabato City, Mindanao, Philippines, April 9, 2025. - U.S. Marines with Echo Company, 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, Marine Rotational Force – Darwin 25.3 and Armed Forces of the Philippines service members disembark a Philippine Naval vessel during an amphibious assault demonstration as part of Marine Exercise 2025 near Cotabato City, Mindanao, Philippines, April 9, 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. 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)