Stories

Service members with 4 Wing, Royal Canadian Air Force, conduct exercise PUMA STRIKE with 24 CF-188 Hornet fighter aircraft board Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Calif., Oct. 31. Twice a year, 410 Tactical Fighter (Operational Training) Squadron deploys to locations in the southern United States to conduct fighter training operations. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Jacob Pruitt/Released) - Service members with 4 Wing, Royal Canadian Air Force, conduct exercise PUMA STRIKE with 24 CF-188 Hornet fighter aircraft board Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Calif., Oct. 31. Twice a year, 410 Tactical Fighter (Operational Training) Squadron deploys to locations in the southern United States to conduct fighter training operations. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Jacob Pruitt/Released)

Gunnery Sgt. Christopher Slaven, a crew chief with Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron (HMLA) 267 mans the M134 Minigun on the UH-1Y Huey while waiting to engage simulated targets during exercise Scorpion Fire 1-16 near Navy Air Facility El Centro, Calif. Jan. 25. HMLA-267 supported the exercise with close air support with live-fire capabilities, Jan. 25 to Feb. 5. - Gunnery Sgt. Christopher Slaven, a crew chief with Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron (HMLA) 267 mans the M134 Minigun on the UH-1Y Huey while waiting to engage simulated targets during exercise Scorpion Fire 1-16 near Navy Air Facility El Centro, Calif. Jan. 25. HMLA-267 supported the exercise with close air support with live-fire capabilities, Jan. 25 to Feb. 5.

Yoshihiko Fukuda, left, mayor of Iwakuni, Japan, meets with Lt. Gen. Jon Davis, deputy commandant of aviation, Headquarters Marine Corps, aboard Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Ariz., Oct. 24. Fukuda visited the air station to speak with Marine Corps aviation officials, observe the capabilities of the F-35B Lightning II and expand his knowledge of the aircraft before Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 121 relocates to MCAS Iwakuni next year. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Harley Robinson/Released) - Yoshihiko Fukuda, left, mayor of Iwakuni, Japan, meets with Lt. Gen. Jon Davis, deputy commandant of aviation, Headquarters Marine Corps, aboard Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Ariz., Oct. 24. Fukuda visited the air station to speak with Marine Corps aviation officials, observe the capabilities of the F-35B Lightning II and expand his knowledge of the aircraft before Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 121 relocates to MCAS Iwakuni next year. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Harley Robinson/Released)

Col. Michael Borgschulte, left center, commanding officer of Marine Aircraft Group (MAG) 39; Sgt.Maj. Michael Pritchard, right center, sergeant major of MAG-39; along with the leadership of Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron (MALS) 39, display the MAG-39 Warrior Games trophy at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., Oct. 15. The Warrior Games consisted of a five-month competition between squadrons within MAG-39, culminating in a field meet, where each squadron competed to win points toward a trophy and grand prize of a 72-hour liberty period. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Jacob Pruitt/Released) - Col. Michael Borgschulte, left center, commanding officer of Marine Aircraft Group (MAG) 39; Sgt.Maj. Michael Pritchard, right center, sergeant major of MAG-39; along with the leadership of Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron (MALS) 39, display the MAG-39 Warrior Games trophy at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., Oct. 15. The Warrior Games consisted of a five-month competition between squadrons within MAG-39, culminating in a field meet, where each squadron competed to win points toward a trophy and grand prize of a 72-hour liberty period. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Jacob Pruitt/Released)

Lt. Col. Paul Kopacz, left, former commanding officer of Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 364, hugs Lt. Col. Stephen Conley, commanding officer for VMM-364, during their change of command aboard Marine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton, Calif., Oct. 6. Kopacz and Conley have been friends since their sophomore year of high school and now, 26 years later, Conley has taken command of VMM-364 from Kopacz. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Jake M.T. McClung/Released) - Lt. Col. Paul Kopacz, left, former commanding officer of Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 364, hugs Lt. Col. Stephen Conley, commanding officer for VMM-364, during their change of command aboard Marine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton, Calif., Oct. 6. Kopacz and Conley have been friends since their sophomore year of high school and now, 26 years later, Conley has taken command of VMM-364 from Kopacz. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Jake M.T. McClung/Released)

Briella, 2, awaits the arrival of Gunnery Sgt. Travis Borkowski, a crew chief with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 166, during a homecoming ceremony for the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit aboard Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Calif., Sept. 10. During his deployment, Borkowski and his wife Megan officially adopted Briella after fostering her for almost two years. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Harley Robinson/Released) - Briella, 2, awaits the arrival of Gunnery Sgt. Travis Borkowski, a crew chief with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 166, during a homecoming ceremony for the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit aboard Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Calif., Sept. 10. During his deployment, Borkowski and his wife Megan officially adopted Briella after fostering her for almost two years. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Harley Robinson/Released)

Two UH-1Y Hueys with Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron (HMLA) 369 hover above the ground while Marines with 1st Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st Marine Division, conduct fast-rope training aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., Oct. 3. Fast roping was part of a larger event called a Marine Air-Ground Task Force integration exercise, which enabled air and ground units to come together and cooperate in various training missions prior to their deployment with the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Lillian Stephens/Released) - Two UH-1Y Hueys with Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron (HMLA) 369 hover above the ground while Marines with 1st Reconnaissance Battalion, 1st Marine Division, conduct fast-rope training aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., Oct. 3. Fast roping was part of a larger event called a Marine Air-Ground Task Force integration exercise, which enabled air and ground units to come together and cooperate in various training missions prior to their deployment with the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Lillian Stephens/Released)

MV-22 Ospreys with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 166 (Reinforced) carrying the returning service members taxi down the flight line aboard Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Calif., Sept. 10. VMM-166 (Rein) and other units from 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing returned from a seven-month deployment with the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit after conducting operations from the Western Pacific to the Arabian Gulf to include strikes against ISIL targets in Iraq. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Jake McClung/Released) - MV-22 Ospreys with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 166 (Reinforced) carrying the returning service members taxi down the flight line aboard Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Calif., Sept. 10. VMM-166 (Rein) and other units from 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing returned from a seven-month deployment with the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit after conducting operations from the Western Pacific to the Arabian Gulf to include strikes against ISIL targets in Iraq. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Jake McClung/Released)

A CH-53E Super Stallion with Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron (HMH) 462 “Heavy Haulers” prepares to drop off an 8,000-pound beam in a landing zone during external lift training in El Centro, Calif., Aug. 24. The squadron conducts this training regularly to maintain mission readiness. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Pfc. Liah Kitchen/Released) - A CH-53E Super Stallion with Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron (HMH) 462 “Heavy Haulers” prepares to drop off an 8,000-pound beam in a landing zone during external lift training in El Centro, Calif., Aug. 24. The squadron conducts this training regularly to maintain mission readiness. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Pfc. Liah Kitchen/Released)

Maj. Gen. Mark Wise, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing commanding general, speaks to Marines with Marine Aircraft Group 11 during a one-day “reset” aboard Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Calif., Aug. 9. During the reset, units across 3rd MAW suspended nearly all air field and shop operations to develop plans and improve their section’s operational readiness. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Lillian Stephens/Released) - Maj. Gen. Mark Wise, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing commanding general, speaks to Marines with Marine Aircraft Group 11 during a one-day “reset” aboard Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Calif., Aug. 9. During the reset, units across 3rd MAW suspended nearly all air field and shop operations to develop plans and improve their section’s operational readiness. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Lillian Stephens/Released)