Marine Air Support Squadron 3

Engineers from the Naval Information Center and U.S. Marines analyze the Wave Glider at Marine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton, California, March 9, 2022. The Wave Glider is an unmanned surface vehicle with persistent autonomous sensors that receive and send data providing increased maritime dominance in support of Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations. Air deployment of Wave Gliders drastically reduces transit time to deployment location. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Rachaelanne Woodward)

Marines, Civilians Evaluate Wave Glider System

U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. Mohammad Arzola, left, outgoing sergeant major of Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 362, Marine Aircraft Group 16, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, Sgt. Maj. Christopher L. Myers, center, incoming sergeant major of VMM-362, and Lt. Col. Ricky D. Buria, commanding officer of VMM-362, salute the colors during pass in review as part of a relief and appointment ceremony on Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California, March 3, 2022. The relief and appointment ceremony is a time honored tradition which formally signifies the transfer of responsibility and entails the total accountability and authority from one individual to another. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Rachaelanne Woodward)

Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 362 Relief and Appointment Ceremony

U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. William Ton, a crew chief assigned to Marine Attack Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 469, Marine Aircraft Group 39, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (MAW), notifies the pilots of their distance from a Range Support Craft during a Helicopter Visit, Board, Search, and Seizure training exercise on a UH-1Y Venom off the coast of San Clemente Island, California, Feb. 17, 2022. Winter Fury 22 provides the Marines of 3rd MAW with realistic, relevant training opportunities necessary to respond to any crisis across the globe and win decisively in a highly contested, maritime conflict. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Samuel Ruiz)

Winter Fury 22 - HMLA-469 trains on San Clemente Island

U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Brian Holloway, an MV-22B Osprey pilot with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 163, Marine Aircraft Group 16, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (MAW), uses a signal mirror to show his location to overhead aircraft during a tactical recovery of aircraft personnel during Winter Fury 22 outside of Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Arizona, Feb. 12, 2022. The 6-day culminating event of Winter Fury 22 stresses the increased flow of information and information exchange requirements through existing capabilities and previously untested processes. Winter Fury 22 provides the Marines of 3rd MAW with realistic, relevant training opportunities necessary to respond to any crisis across the globe and win decisively in a highly contested, maritime conflict. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Austin Fraley)

Winter Fury 22 - Tactical Recovery of Aircraft and Personnel

U.S. Marines from 1st Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, arrive in MV-22B Ospreys from Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 163, Marine Aircraft Group 16, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, to post security during Winter Fury 22 at Grant County Municipal Airport, Moses Lake, Washington, Jan. 31, 2022. Setting a security perimeter is a key component of expeditionary advanced base operations as it allows the Marine Corps to conduct ground, fueling, arming, and landing operations in a secured environment. Winter Fury 22 trains the Marines of 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing for a highly contested environment, assess the training and equipment as a naval expeditionary force-in-readiness, and ability to operate inside actively contested maritime spaces in support of fleet operations. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Rachaelanne Woodward)

Winter Fury 22: Marines Arrive in Moses Lake

PACIFIC OCEAN (Jan. 21, 2022) Marines of Marine Wing Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 314 and sailors of Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 133 link up with Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 147 and Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 136 to conduct integrated training missions to include suppression of enemy air defense. Abraham Lincoln Strike Group is on a scheduled deployment in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations to enhance interoperability through alliances and partnerships while serving as a ready-response force in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific region. (Navy photo by LT Francis Alvare /Released)

Birds view of the F35

MISSION STATEMENT UNDER 3RD MAW

The mission of Marine Air Support Squadron 3 is to provide Direct Air Support Center (DASC) capabilities for control and coordination of aircraft operating in direct support of the Marine Air Ground Task Force.

MASS-3 Leaders

Lieutenant Colonel Nicholas J. Cruz

Commanding Officer, Marine Air Support Squadron 3

Lieutenant Colonel Cruz was promoted to his current rank in October 2020. He was most recently assigned as the Operations Officer, Marine Air Control Group 48, 4th Marine Aircraft Wing, Naval Station Great Lakes, Illinois. Lieutenant Colonel Cruz graduated from North Carolina Central University in May 2002 and was later commissioned as a Second

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Major Timothy J. Hooten

Executive Officer, Marine Air Support Squadron 3

Major Hooten was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the Marine Corps in December 2008, having completed his undergraduate and graduate education at the University of Memphis. Following The Basic School and the Air Support Control Officer Course, he was assigned to Marine Air Support Squadron 2, Okinawa, Japan, in November 2009. During

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Sergeant Major Ruben Soto Jr.

Sergeant Major, Marine Air Support Squadron 3

After graduating from Steinmetz High School, Class of '96 in Chicago, Illinois Ruben Soto Jr enlisted into the Marine Corps on 23 September 1996 and attended recruit training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego, California. Upon completion of recruit training and MCT, Private Soto reported to Motor Transport School Marine Corps Detachment

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Marine Air Support Squadron 3 Change of Command Video Message

Unit News

Team O'Brien: Husband and Wife Assume Squadron Command on the Same Day The effortless three-pointers left him in awe.Then-midshipman Michael O’Brien watched the ball sail...

First USMC F-35C squadron deploys Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 314 of 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (MAW) has marked a key...

‘Jack of all trades’: Aces stack the deck in Afghanistan Earlier this year, the Marine Wing Support Squadron (MWSS) 373 “Aces” returned from a six-month...

Yuma F-35B pilots go off-roading (April 12, 2021) Third Marine Aircraft Wing’s Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 122 (VMFA-122)...

3rd Marine Aircraft Wing’s “Death Rattlers” return from historic deployment The Death Rattlers of Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 323 return from a 10-month deployment,...

3rd MAW grows as an integrated all-domain naval power Marines with 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (MAW) prepare for the commencement of phase two of Winter...