Stories

A U.S. Marine Corps UH-1Y Venom, left, and AH-1Z Viper conduct a fly-over during the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit’s change of command ceremony at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, Jan. 16, 2025. - A U.S. Marine Corps UH-1Y Venom, left, and AH-1Z Viper conduct a fly-over during the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit’s change of command ceremony at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, Jan. 16, 2025. During the ceremony, Col. Sean Dynan relinquished command of the 15th MEU to Col. Robb McDonald. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Patrick Katz)

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)

U.S. Marines, families of the fallen, and members of the Australian Defence Force participate in a Pukumani ceremony hosted by the Tiwi Island-Mantiyupwi clan, in collaboration with the Larrakia Nation Aboriginal Corporation, at Melville Island, Tiwi Islands, Australia, Sept. 27, 2024. The Pukumani Ceremony is a traditional Tiwi people ritual that honors the deceased and helps guide their spirits to the afterlife, marking the official end of mourning. For the first time, U.S. Marines and family members of the fallen were honored by the Tiwi and Larrakia people during the week leading up to two culturally significant ceremonies: a healing ceremony and a Pukumani ceremony. These ceremonies commemorated the three U.S. Marines who tragically lost their lives in a U.S. Marine Corps MV-22B Osprey crash on Melville Island on Aug. 27, 2023. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Gunnery Sgt. Kassie McDole) - U.S. Marines, families of the fallen, and members of the Australian Defence Force participate in a Pukumani ceremony hosted by the Tiwi Island-Mantiyupwi clan, in collaboration with the Larrakia Nation Aboriginal Corporation, at Melville Island, Tiwi Islands, Australia, Sept. 27, 2024. The Pukumani Ceremony is a traditional Tiwi people ritual that honors the deceased and helps guide their spirits to the afterlife, marking the official end of mourning. For the first time, U.S. Marines and family members of the fallen were honored by the Tiwi and Larrakia people during the week leading up to two culturally significant ceremonies: a healing ceremony and a Pukumani ceremony. These ceremonies commemorated the three U.S. Marines who tragically lost their lives in a U.S. Marine Corps MV-22B Osprey crash on Melville Island on Aug. 27, 2023. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Gunnery Sgt. Kassie McDole)

U.S. Marines and Sailors with Combat Logistics Battalion 13, Combat Logistics Regiment 17, 1st Marine Logistics Group and students of Meyuns Elementary School pose for a group photo during a sports community relations event at Koror, Palau, July 19, 2024. - U.S. Marines and Sailors with Combat Logistics Battalion 13, Combat Logistics Regiment 17, 1st Marine Logistics Group and students of Meyuns Elementary School pose for a group photo during a sports community relations event at Koror, Palau, July 19, 2024. During Koa Moana’s deployment throughout the Indo-Pacific region, U.S. Marines and Sailors from I Marine Expeditionary Force work to strengthen alliances and partnerships with development of interoperable capabilities, combined operations, theater security cooperation, and capacity-building efforts. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Nello Miele)

U.S. Sailors with Marine Rotational Force – Darwin 24.3 and Royal Australian Navy Sailors participate in an OPRES Resilience and BattleSMART brief at Larrakeyah Defence Precinct, NT, Australia, Sep. 2, 2024. The OPRES Resilience and BattleSMART brief serves to bring awareness to mental health in the military and ways to cope or get help for problems that occur. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Manuel Rivera) - U.S. Sailors with Marine Rotational Force – Darwin 24.3 and Royal Australian Navy Sailors participate in an OPRES Resilience and BattleSMART brief at Larrakeyah Defence Precinct, NT, Australia, Sep. 2, 2024. The OPRES Resilience and BattleSMART brief serves to bring awareness to mental health in the military and ways to cope or get help for problems that occur. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Manuel Rivera)

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 Sgt. Amelia Kang, a combat graphics specialist assigned to the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, and a native of Portland, Oregon, is promoted to sergeant aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Boxer (LHD 4) at Busan Naval Base, South Korea, Sept. 8, 2024. The 15th MEU was in South Korea conducting Exercise Ssang Yong 24 to strengthen the Republic of Korea-U.S. Alliance through bilateral, joint training, contributing toward combined amphibious capability in defense of the Korean Peninsula. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Joseph Helms) - U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Amelia Kang, a combat graphics specialist assigned to the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, and a native of Portland, Oregon, is promoted to sergeant aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Boxer (LHD 4) at Busan Naval Base, South Korea, Sept. 8, 2024. The 15th MEU was in South Korea conducting Exercise Ssang Yong 24 to strengthen the Republic of Korea-U.S. Alliance through bilateral, joint training, contributing toward combined amphibious capability in defense of the Korean Peninsula. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Joseph Helms)

U.S. Marines with Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, and Indonesian National Armed Forces service members, board an MV-22B Osprey assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 268 (Reinforced), Marine Rotational Force – Darwin 24.3, during on and off drills as part of Super Garuda Shield 2024 at Juanda International Airport, East Java, Indonesia, Aug. 30, 2024. Super Garuda Shield is an annual exercise that has significantly grown in scope and size since 2009. Super Garuda Shield 2024 is the third consecutive time this exercise has grown into a combined and joint event, focused on commitment to partnership and a free and open Indo-Pacific. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Migel A. Reynosa) - U.S. Marines with Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, and Indonesian National Armed Forces service members, board an MV-22B Osprey assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 268 (Reinforced), Marine Rotational Force – Darwin 24.3, during on and off drills as part of Super Garuda Shield 2024 at Juanda International Airport, East Java, Indonesia, Aug. 30, 2024. Super Garuda Shield is an annual exercise that has significantly grown in scope and size since 2009. Super Garuda Shield 2024 is the third consecutive time this exercise has grown into a combined and joint event, focused on commitment to partnership and a free and open Indo-Pacific. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Migel A. Reynosa)

U.S. Sailors with Combat Logistics Battalion 5 (Reinforced), Marine Rotational Force – Darwin 24.3, Australian Defence Force Soldiers, and Indonesian National Armed Forces, prepare a simulated casualty for treatment as part of a mass casualty exercise during Exercise Bhakti Kanyini AUSINDO 24 at Robertson Barracks, NT, Australia, Aug. 20, 2024. - U.S. Sailors with Combat Logistics Battalion 5 (Reinforced), Marine Rotational Force – Darwin 24.3, Australian Defence Force Soldiers, and Indonesian National Armed Forces, prepare a simulated casualty for treatment as part of a mass casualty exercise during Exercise Bhakti Kanyini AUSINDO 24 at Robertson Barracks, NT, Australia, Aug. 20, 2024. BKA 24, previously named Crocodile Response, is a humanitarian assistance and disaster relief exercise focused on strengthening the cooperation and readiness of the U.S. Marine Corps, TNI, ADF, and other government agencies. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Cristian Bestul)

U.S. Marine Corps 1st Lt. Erik LeMoine, center, a supply officer with Combat Logistics Battalion 5 (Reinforced), Marine Rotational Force – Darwin 24.3, gives a speech after an award ceremony at Robertson Barracks, NT, Australia, Aug. 21, 2024. On May 17, 2024, LeMoine was swimming at Robertson Barracks when he noticed a Marine was motionless at the bottom of the pool. Without hesitation, Lemoine pulled him out of the water and performed five minutes of cardiopulmonary resuscitation before paramedics took over care. LeMoine is a native of Nebraska. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Juan Torres) - U.S. Marine Corps 1st Lt. Erik LeMoine, center, a supply officer with Combat Logistics Battalion 5 (Reinforced), Marine Rotational Force – Darwin 24.3, gives a speech after an award ceremony at Robertson Barracks, NT, Australia, Aug. 21, 2024. On May 17, 2024, LeMoine was swimming at Robertson Barracks when he noticed a Marine was motionless at the bottom of the pool. Without hesitation, Lemoine pulled him out of the water and performed five minutes of cardiopulmonary resuscitation before paramedics took over care. LeMoine is a native of Nebraska. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Juan Torres)