Stories

Petty Officer 3rd Class Donte Veals, a corpsman with the 1st Marine Division (Forward)'s Personal Security Detachment, provides security at helicopter landing zone Barton as a CH-53E Super Stallion from Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 361, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (Fwd), takes off, Aug. 16. HMH-361 transported Veals, 16 Marines and six geologists to the remote area in support of Operation Centrum so they could gather rock samples in search of rare valuable earth elements. The mountainous terrain made the area inaccessible by vehicle, and having a close HLZ and heavy-lifting helos allowed the group to remove almost 200 pounds of samples for further testing. - Petty Officer 3rd Class Donte Veals, a corpsman with the 1st Marine Division (Forward)'s Personal Security Detachment, provides security at helicopter landing zone Barton as a CH-53E Super Stallion from Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 361, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (Fwd), takes off, Aug. 16. HMH-361 transported Veals, 16 Marines and six geologists to the remote area in support of Operation Centrum so they could gather rock samples in search of rare valuable earth elements. The mountainous terrain made the area inaccessible by vehicle, and having a close HLZ and heavy-lifting helos allowed the group to remove almost 200 pounds of samples for further testing.

Cpl. Randy Rivera, an intelligence analyst with 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward), poses for a photo in the 3rd MAW (FWD) compound here, Aug. 13. Rivera was raised in the projects in Bronx, N.Y, which is arguably one of the roughest places to live in America. Rivera was involved with, and fell victim to, much of the gang-related violence in the area. However, he overcame his situation and joined the Marine Corps at 18. Rivera is currently serving on his second deployment. - Cpl. Randy Rivera, an intelligence analyst with 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward), poses for a photo in the 3rd MAW (FWD) compound here, Aug. 13. Rivera was raised in the projects in Bronx, N.Y, which is arguably one of the roughest places to live in America. Rivera was involved with, and fell victim to, much of the gang-related violence in the area. However, he overcame his situation and joined the Marine Corps at 18. Rivera is currently serving on his second deployment.

From left to right, Staff Sgt. Luke Gilliland, a platoon sergeant from Phoenix, Ariz., Seaman Markie Smith, a corpsman from Syracuse, N.Y., and Lance Cpl. Bradley Thornburg, a gunner from Dallas, Tex., all with 1st Platoon, Bravo Battery, 3rd Low Altitude Air Defense Battalion, were all part of a squad which came to the rescue for a 10-year-old Afghan boy who was suffering from third degree burns over his back and right arm. The boy was ultimately treated on scene, then transferred later to Camp Bastion Hospital where he ultimately received a skin graft. - From left to right, Staff Sgt. Luke Gilliland, a platoon sergeant from Phoenix, Ariz., Seaman Markie Smith, a corpsman from Syracuse, N.Y., and Lance Cpl. Bradley Thornburg, a gunner from Dallas, Tex., all with 1st Platoon, Bravo Battery, 3rd Low Altitude Air Defense Battalion, were all part of a squad which came to the rescue for a 10-year-old Afghan boy who was suffering from third degree burns over his back and right arm. The boy was ultimately treated on scene, then transferred later to Camp Bastion Hospital where he ultimately received a skin graft.

Cpl. Estanislao Alvarez, a UH-1Y Huey crew chief with Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 369, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward), checks his gun before responding to a call for help from a small Danish ground unit July 25. Alvarez was wounded about two months ago conducting an emergency resupply mission for special operations Marines. Alvarez was offered a chance to leave Afghanistan after he was wounded, but refused. Instead, he chose to remain with his unit and fellow Marines for the duration of HMLA-369's deployment. - Cpl. Estanislao Alvarez, a UH-1Y Huey crew chief with Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 369, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward), checks his gun before responding to a call for help from a small Danish ground unit July 25. Alvarez was wounded about two months ago conducting an emergency resupply mission for special operations Marines. Alvarez was offered a chance to leave Afghanistan after he was wounded, but refused. Instead, he chose to remain with his unit and fellow Marines for the duration of HMLA-369's deployment.

Service members with the U.K.’s Royal Air Force Crash, Fire and Rescue, and Critical Care Air Support Team move an Afghan child from an ambulance to a U.S. Air Force HC-130 with 79th Expeditionary Rescue Squadron. This child is one of two injured children the ISAF members moved on this flight, and just one of many civilians, young and old, who are taken care of initially at the Camp Bastion Hospital, then transported to follow-on care at various hospitals throughout southern Afghanistan. ISAF doctors say they are proud of the work they have done caring for the Afghan civilians and ensuring they are moved on to the proper facilities for further medical attention. - Service members with the U.K.’s Royal Air Force Crash, Fire and Rescue, and Critical Care Air Support Team move an Afghan child from an ambulance to a U.S. Air Force HC-130 with 79th Expeditionary Rescue Squadron. This child is one of two injured children the ISAF members moved on this flight, and just one of many civilians, young and old, who are taken care of initially at the Camp Bastion Hospital, then transported to follow-on care at various hospitals throughout southern Afghanistan. ISAF doctors say they are proud of the work they have done caring for the Afghan civilians and ensuring they are moved on to the proper facilities for further medical attention.

Lance Cpl. Jinming Lam, a member of the Marine Wing Headquarters Squadron 3 (Forward) Sector Response Team, examines the tire well of a truck during a vehicle check point exercise here July 15. The SRT recieved training from military policemen with Marine Wing Support Squadron 274 on running VCPs and conducting personnel searches. - Lance Cpl. Jinming Lam, a member of the Marine Wing Headquarters Squadron 3 (Forward) Sector Response Team, examines the tire well of a truck during a vehicle check point exercise here July 15. The SRT recieved training from military policemen with Marine Wing Support Squadron 274 on running VCPs and conducting personnel searches.

Staff Sgt. Jonathan Lee, a crew chief with Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 369, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward), explains what he's seeing to the pilots over radio communications during a combat assault support mission in southern Afghanistan July 16. - Staff Sgt. Jonathan Lee, a crew chief with Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 369, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward), explains what he's seeing to the pilots over radio communications during a combat assault support mission in southern Afghanistan July 16.

F/A-18 "Hornets" line up on the runway in preparation for take off from Marine Corps Air Station Miramar's flight line June 25. More than 20 aircraft from MCAS Yuma, Ariz., Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho and Nellis AFB, Nev., participated in the Marine Division Tactics Course and exercise Trident Warrior here. - F/A-18 "Hornets" line up on the runway in preparation for take off from Marine Corps Air Station Miramar's flight line June 25. More than 20 aircraft from MCAS Yuma, Ariz., Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho and Nellis AFB, Nev., participated in the Marine Division Tactics Course and exercise Trident Warrior here.

Lance Cpl. Jeremy Gates, a dynamic component mechanic with Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 16, smooths an adhesive onto a CH-53E “Super Stallion” blade. - Lance Cpl. Jeremy Gates, a dynamic component mechanic with Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 16, smooths an adhesive onto a CH-53E “Super Stallion” blade.