Stories

U.S. Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Jeremy Winters, left, the deputy commanding general of operations for Joint Task Force - Southern Border, and Maj. Gen. Thomas B. Savage, the commanding general of 1st Marine Division, bow their heads during the benediction at the memorial service of two fallen Marines at the chapel at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California, May 22, 2025. - U.S. Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Jeremy Winters, left, the deputy commanding general of operations for Joint Task Force - Southern Border, and Maj. Gen. Thomas B. Savage, the commanding general of 1st Marine Division, bow their heads during the benediction at the memorial service of two fallen Marines at the chapel at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California, May 22, 2025. The memorial service was held in honor of Lance Cpl. Albert A. Aguilera and Lance Cpl. Marcelino M. Gamino, who lost their lives in the line of duty April 15, 2025. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Nataly Espitia)

A graphic produced in Adobe InDesign 2021 to accompany a story about U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Jesse Ojeda, a squad leader with Alpha Company, 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division, on Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, July 17, 2024. - A graphic produced in Adobe InDesign 2021 to accompany a story about U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Jesse Ojeda, a squad leader with Alpha Company, 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division, on Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, July 17, 2024. Ojeda grew up in the Netherlands after his father retired from the U.S. Air Force until he joined the Marine Corps and moved to the United States. (U.S. Marine Corps graphic by Sgt. Alexandra Munoz)

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. - Midshipman Michelle Mathews is a 19-year-old Midshipmen striving to be a Marine Corps officer, is one of the many people whose passion for being in the armed services has put her in the path to becoming a future leader. Mathews lives in Houston and attends Villanova University as a political science major. Her ultimate goal is to lead Marines and become a combat engineer officer. (U.S. Marine Corps Photo by Cpl. Demetrius Morgan/RELEASED) - MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. - Midshipman Michelle Mathews is a 19-year-old Midshipmen striving to be a Marine Corps officer, is one of the many people whose passion for being in the armed services has put her in the path to becoming a future leader. Mathews lives in Houston and attends Villanova University as a political science major. Her ultimate goal is to lead Marines and become a combat engineer officer. (U.S. Marine Corps Photo by Cpl. Demetrius Morgan/RELEASED)

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. – Marines with 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division, present veterans with a current small-arms weaponry display during the unit’s 75th anniversary at Camp Pendleton May 26, 2016. During the event, veterans who served with 1st CEB gathered at the current headquarters building and toured the area, while speaking with current service members. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Demetrius Morgan/RELEASED) - MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. – Marines with 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division, present veterans with a current small-arms weaponry display during the unit’s 75th anniversary at Camp Pendleton May 26, 2016. During the event, veterans who served with 1st CEB gathered at the current headquarters building and toured the area, while speaking with current service members. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Demetrius Morgan/RELEASED)

Lance Cpl. Scott Bone sweeps for possible IEDs with a compact metal detector during counter-IED training at Camp Pendleton, Feb. 12, 2016. This training is a part of a new Counter-IED Training Class developed by the Marine Corps Engineer School, Defeat the Device Branch, to improve operational readiness. Bone is a combat engineer with Company A, 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division. - Lance Cpl. Scott Bone sweeps for possible IEDs with a compact metal detector during counter-IED training at Camp Pendleton, Feb. 12, 2016. This training is a part of a new Counter-IED Training Class developed by the Marine Corps Engineer School, Defeat the Device Branch, to improve operational readiness. Bone is a combat engineer with Company A, 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division.

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. – Marines shield themselves from a detonated explosive charge during an urban leaders course, Jan. 29, 2016. During the course, Marines learned four different types of charges used to make a safe entrance into an objective. This type of training allows Marines to practice for possible scenarios when they are deployed to combat zones anywhere on the globe. An instructor with 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division, taught this portion of the course to infantrymen of 1st MarDiv. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Emmanuel Ramos) - MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. – Marines shield themselves from a detonated explosive charge during an urban leaders course, Jan. 29, 2016. During the course, Marines learned four different types of charges used to make a safe entrance into an objective. This type of training allows Marines to practice for possible scenarios when they are deployed to combat zones anywhere on the globe. An instructor with 1st Combat Engineer Battalion, 1st Marine Division, taught this portion of the course to infantrymen of 1st MarDiv. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Emmanuel Ramos)

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.

A Marine holds security during a route clearance drill as a part of Exercise Steel Knight at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, California, Dec. 13, 2015. The Marine is with 1st Combat Engineer Battalion. During route clearance Marines use a variety of vehicles to search for improvised explosive devices, mines and other dangerous obstructions. Steel Knight is a 1st Marine Division led exercise, which enables the Marines and sailors to operate in a realistic environment to develop skill sets necessary to maintain a fully capable Marine Air Ground Task Force. - A Marine holds security during a route clearance drill as a part of Exercise Steel Knight at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, California, Dec. 13, 2015. The Marine is with 1st Combat Engineer Battalion. During route clearance Marines use a variety of vehicles to search for improvised explosive devices, mines and other dangerous obstructions. Steel Knight is a 1st Marine Division led exercise, which enables the Marines and sailors to operate in a realistic environment to develop skill sets necessary to maintain a fully capable Marine Air Ground Task Force.

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.

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)