Thunderstruck: Marines compete in first-ever service-wide communications team competition

U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. John Burkheimer, a transmission systems operator with 11th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, conducts a radio call during the inaugural Thunderstruck Communications Competition hosted by Marine Wing Communications Squadron 38, Marine Air Control Group 38, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California, Sept. 10, 2025.

Thunderstruck: Marines co...

U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Renee Gray/Released 250910-M-WW713-1090.JPG

Sep 11, 2025

U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. John Burkheimer, a transmission systems operator with 11th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, conducts a radio call during the inaugural Thunderstruck Communications Competition hosted by Marine Wing Communications Squadron 38, Marine Air Control Group 38, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California, Sept. 10, 2025. Thunderstruck is a service-wide competition dedicated to communications Marines, showcasing the increasing importance of resilient command and control in distributed operations. The six-mile course integrated high frequency radio, Mobile User Objective System satellite communications, and data networking tasks under expeditionary conditions, testing the tactical, technical, and physical proficiency of Marine Corps communicators. Burkheimer is a native of California. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Renee Gray)

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CAMERA

Canon EOS R5

LENS

RF24-240mm F4-6.3 IS USM

APERTURE

71/10

SHUTTERSPEED

1/80

ISO

200

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