A state of nervousness enthralled Maj. Toby Patterson throughout his two-and-half hour flight July 2011 in anticipation of meeting his son for the first time.
The last 12 United States Marines safely departed Umm Qasr, Iraq to Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, Oct. 14, ending the branches’ presence in Iraq which began March 2003 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Now Operation New Dawn, the 13 members o...
Thirteen years ago, Maj. Jesse Sjoberg made a promise to spend the rest of his life with a woman named Jacquelyn “for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health,” as the famous wedding vow reads.
In sickness and ...
U.S. Marines assigned to the Fleet Anti-Terrorism Security Team (FAST), U.S. Central Command, recently headed to Lebanon to participate in a familiarization and i...
A delegation of Afghan national army officers visited Marine Corps installations recently to observe combat and transition team training programs.
"The officers in this ...
A Marine Corps "floating warehouse" recently made a stop in the Arabian Gulf to showcase the capabilities of the Marine Corps Maritime Prepositioning Force.
The USNS Sgt. Matej Kocak, one of the 3...
A delegation of military officers from Yemen arrived in the United States recently for an orientation of Marine Corps enlisted and officer training programs and education systems at several Marine Corps installations on the East Coast.
Th...
They are not the first Marines in Afghanistan, nor are they the first Marines in Helmand province. Combined Task Force-58, the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, Task Force ...
The MARCENT Consolidated Personnel Administration Center (CPAC) passed the Marine Corps Administrative Analysis Team (MCAAT) inspection conducted here June 23-24 with a 99.6 percent mission capable score.<...
Marines’ bats heat up in fifth inning of championship play against JCSE
Marine Corps Forces Central Command (MARCENT) was crowned champions of the 2009 Intramural Softball season aft...
Through binoculars, a Marine spotted suspicious men in the distance. Over the radio, he passed the word. The security convoy circled around and pushed up to investigate. As they moved in closer, shots rang out from the ridge ahead, May 4.
Sometimes it's the simple pleasures in life that can make a difference when deployed.
Service members carrying out their duties in support of counterinsurgency operations aboard Camp Barber, Helmand province, Afghanistan, can now enjoy th...
From dawn until dusk, a unit of Marines works diligently preparing an aircraft parking expansion to support the scheduled increase of U.S. Marines and service members in the southern region of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, May 1.
&...
Afghanistan's top enlisted leader personally delivered a message to Marines on Camp Leatherneck in the Islamic republic of Afghanistan, May 1 -"we couldn't have selected a better outfit to come down here."
Command Sgt. Maj. Iuni...
Expansion efforts are well under way as the majority of the 21,000 troops deploying to Afghanistan this summer will be concentrated in the southern region.
Leaders at every level are working around the clock to ensure basi...
On April 15, 1962, a squadron of Marines launched from the USS Princeton to Soc Trang, Vietnam, becoming the first Marine helicopter squadron in-country. Those Marines began a proud tradition of combat deployments that day. Today the same unit co...
Camp Leatherneck, soon to be the largest Marine Corps camp in the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is making an impression in the soils of southern Afghanistan, April 27.
A sign of the U.S. Marine Corps' commitment to counterinsurgency op...
"Once a Marine, always a Marine" is a phrase often heard around the Marine Corps, but several dedicated Marine veterans, coined "The Moss Creek Marines," have taken the phrase to a new level.
The Moss Creek Marines are...
Country music star Toby Keith rocked the sands of southern Afghanistan while performing for service members at Forward Operating Bases Bakwa and Delaram, and Camp Leatherneck, in the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, April 23.
At Camp Lea...
International Security Assistance Force commander U.S. Army Gen. David D. McKiernan and other ISAF leaders met with Afghan officials and community leaders from Farah province at Forward Operating Base Delaram, Afghanistan, April 17, 2009.
Lance Cpl. Dustin C. Spicer wanted to call it quits while attending South Cobb High School from 2004-2007. He figured he would work for his father selling automobiles and eventually take over his father's business. As he looks back, he's glad to ...
Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force – Afghanistan conducted a major combat operation against insurgent forces in Now Zad, Helmand province, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, April 3.
The Marines of Company L, 3rd Battalion, 8th Ma...
With a loud and thunderous "ooh-rah,"
Marines and Sailors of Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force –
Afghanistan greeted Gen. James T. Conway, the 34th commandant of the Marine
Corps, during his visit t...
A medical officer sits at her desk awaiting any of her hundreds of Marines to walk through her door. She's trained and ready to tackle any medical concern they may have. The door opens, a tall Marine walks into her tent and says, "Doc... you...
Expeditionary food service Marines are dedicated to improving the quality of food served to Marines in the southern region of Afghanistan.
The Marines of 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment (Reinforced), the ground combat element of Speci...
After completing an important logistics mission, a group of Marines braved insurgent attacks while transiting through one of the most challenging regions of southern Afghanistan March 6, 2009.
The second platoon of Motor Transportation C...
Despite having zero experience with fixed-wing aircraft, a team of helicopter mechanics diffused what could have been a potentially deadly situation involving an F/A-18E Super Hornet on Kandahar Air Field, Afghanistan, March 18, 2009.
Acc...
U.S. Marines are diligently working to create conditions for host nation security forces to take over while building the locals’ faith in their country’s government in Golestan, Farah province, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.
Marines wi...
Marines of 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment are employing the 120 mm mortar system to combat insurgents in southern Afghanistan.
The 81 mm mortar platoon of 3/8’s Weapons Company is formally trained to operate and has successfully impl...
Steeped in tradition, the Marine Corps prides itself on maintaining high standards and upholding its core values of “Honor, Courage and Commitment.”
This esprit de corps was displayed on St. Patrick’s Day when Marines here joined in form...
The term “man hunt” would only come close to describing the dedication Combat Logistics Battalion 3 put forth recently to ensure Sgt. Patrick D. Allan had the opportunity to re-enlist in the U.S. Marine Corps.
Currently forward deployed ...
A detachment of Marines from 7th Engineer Support Battalion has constructed success in Afghanistan for the past seven months and is scheduled to depart from Camp Barber, Helmand province, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, in March 2009.
Th...
The Afghan national police joined forces with the U.S. Marines of 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment (Reinforced), to execute Operation Pathfinder, Jan. 28, through March 7, in Farah province, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.
As the g...
Marines of 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, the ground combat element of Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force – Afghanistan, now have a special group of individuals to help them complete their mission in the Islamic Republic of Afghani...
Members of the Afghan national police and U.S. Marines with 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, successfully completed their first major mission in support of Operation Pathfinder, Feb. 9, in Farah province, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.
...
Their country has been torn by war for decades. Many remember years of lawlessness and Taliban control. But despite the harsh conditions they have endured, they have chosen to serve and protect their people.
More than 150 Afghan national ...
Friend or foe? This is sure to be a question many Afghan people think of as they witness U.S. forces operating in the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. One group of U.S. Marines helps ensure U.S. forces and Afghan security forces aren’t seen as an...
The first platoon of Battery D, 2nd Battalion, 14th Marine Regiment, test-fired its first rocket in-country from a High Mobility Artillery Rocket System at Camp Barber, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, Feb. 15.
The El Paso, Texas-based M...
He sat and pondered the question, “What is the best part of your job?”
Displaying a big grin he responded, “knowing that we’ve ruined the enemies’ plans as they’re observing.”
Sgt. Mario L. Spencer, a combat engineer with 2nd Com...
Five U.S. Marine non-commissioned officers are making a difference in the lives of Afghans through their personal interaction with Afghan national police recruits at the Shouz Police Training Center in Herat Province, Islamic Republic of Afghanis...
Swapping the sandy beaches of Oahu for the sands of Afghanistan, Marines and sailors of the Hawaii-based Combat Logistics Battalion 3 are leaving their footprints while forward-deployed to the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.
The Corps’ newest ...
Afghan National Policemen and U.S. Marines patrolled together through the marketplace of the district center of Delaram, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, in search of illegal activity and contraband Jan. 24, 2009.
The Marines of ...
Afghan National Army soldiers provided humanitarian assistance to locals of the southern Afghan village of Qambaran, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, Jan. 26, 2009, with the assistance of alliance forces.
The ANA took the lead during the...
Lt. Col. Michael E. Watkins, the Marine Wing Headquarters Squadron 2 detachment commander, assumed command of Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force – Afghanistan’s air combat element from Lt. Col. Richard T. Ostermeyer, the MWHS-3 detachment ...
Astronauts with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration visited deployed service members, Jan. 31, on Kandahar Air Field, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.
According to Air Force Col. Eric Boe, NASA astronaut, he and his colleagu...
Marines attached to Marine aircraft wings spend the majority of their time flying and maintaining their equipment, but every so often, those Marines are given the opportunity to serve in another manner.
The Marines of Special Purpose Mari...
Marines are employing a unique piece of equipment that’s helping lower the threat of improvised explosive devices in the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.
Operation Gateway III, which involved the clearing of southern Afghanistan’s IED-laden Rou...
Marines with 2nd Platoon, Motor Transportation Company, Combat Logistics Battalion 3, conducted multiple combat logistics patrols in support of Operation Gateway III in Farah Province, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Dec. 28, 2008, through Jan. 25, ...
The once deadly, improvised explosive device-laden path of southern Afghanistan’s Route 515 is now safer for everyday vehicle traffic due to the efforts of 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment (Reinforced) and Combat Logistics Battalion 3.
...
Marines and sailors of 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment (Reinforced), and Combat Logistics Battalion 3 successfully completed Operation Gateway III, which lasted Dec. 28, 2008, through Jan. 25, 2009, in Farah Province, Islamic Rep...
Not even a series of potentially deadly events was enough to stop a Marine combat logistics patrol from meeting its objective recently in southern Afghanistan.
The 1st Platoon of Combat Logistics Battalion 3’s Motor Transportation Company...
The shriek of the air horn breaks the silence of the day, the peaceful calm of the flight line violently interrupted. In seconds, papers fly, chairs are knocked out of the way, and shouts fill the air as maintainers and aircrew sprint to the airc...
Combat operations are what every Marine has trained for, and are some of the most arduous times as well. Long hours, poor living conditions, and knowing that the Marine next to you is counting on you are all components of the life we live. These ...
Spirit of America, a nonprofit organization supported solely by private contributions, is offering their generosity to Marines and Afghan national security forces in their fight against the ongoing insurgency in the Helmand and Farah provinces of...
Key leaders of the Farah province of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan met with senior leaders of Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force – Afghanistan Jan. 3, 2009, to discuss the alliance’s progress and security advancements in the southwes...
CH-53E Super Stallion helicopters from Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 466 delivered more than 95 thousand pounds of building materials to Marines operating in southern Afghanistan Jan. 2.
The delivery was part of a Special Purpose Marin...
How special would you feel if you received a phone call from U.S. President and Commander in Chief George W. Bush on Christmas Eve, while serving in Afghanistan?
Just three days before her 21st birthday, Cpl. Louise M. Nowak, a combat engineer ...
Third Battalion, Eighth Marine Regiment (Reinforced), and Combat Logistics Battalion 3 successfully conducted Operation Santa early Christmas morning, delivering mail and gifts to Marines and sailors throughout Southern Afghanistan.
Marines from III Marine Expeditionary Force serving in Afghanistan received a surprise visit from their top leader Dec. 23 on Kandahar Air Field, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.
Lt. Gen. Richard C. Zilmer, commanding general of III ...
General James T. Conway, the 34th commandant of the Marine Corps, paid a special holiday visit to his deployed troops Dec. 24, 2008, in the Helmand province of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.
Conway and Sgt. Maj. Carlton W. Kent...
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Mike Mullen visited Marines and sailors deployed to Helmand Province, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan Dec. 21.
Mullen visited Marines with 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, and Combat Log...
Forward-deployed service members in Afghanistan are staying in touch with family, friends and children through a simple yet effective program dubbed United Through Reading.
The program is offered through the chaplains of Combat Logistics ...
To help curb the mortality rate of Afghan women and infants, a U.S. medical officer provided medical treatment to several Afghan women and their children Dec. 17 at a women’s clinic on Camp Hero, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.
The t...
Marines and sailors with I Company, 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, the ground combat element of Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force – Afghanistan, successfully completed the first phase of Operation Backstop in Helmand...
Second Platoon, Motor Transportation Company, successfully conducted its first tactical supply convoy to forward operating base Delaram, returning safely to Camp Barber Dec. 12.
Like most forward deployed units, the Marines and sailors of 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, and Combat Logistics Battalion-3 find themselves separated from relatives and friends this holiday season by thousands of miles of oceans, mountains ...
CH-53E Super Stallions are the most widely used aircraft in a Marine aircraft wing. They are used for everything from re-supply to troop transport, but none it would be possible without the Marines who maintain them on a day-to-day basis.
Behind the cockpit of a KC-130J cargo transport aircraft there is a crew of Marines tasked with ensuring the operation of the aircraft, safety of its passengers and the overall success of its mission in Afghanistan.
The men and women...
Marines and sailors of the Camp Lejeune, N.C. based 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, assumed authority as the ground combat element of Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force - Afghanistan Nov. 26.
The infantrymen of 3/8 join Mari...
In a country torn by violence, drugs and civil unrest, a unit of Marines has brought dozens of reasons for the people of Afghanistan to hope for a brighter future.
Marines and sailors with Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force ...
Col. Duffy W. White, Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force – Afghanistan commander, and his staff met with commanders from Regional Command-West and the Afghan national army’s 207th Corps, Nov. 25, in the Herat province of the Islamic Repu...
Marines and sailors with Combat Logistics Battalion 3 conducted suppressive fire drills and maneuvers with crew-served weapons at Tarnak Farm Range, Afghanistan, Nov. 25.
The mission essential training is important in ensuring CLB-3 ...
In the city of Shewan, approximately 250 insurgents ambushed 30 Marines and paid a heavy price for it.
Shewan has historically been a safe haven for insurgents, who used to plan and stage attacks against coalition forces in the Bala Baluk...
Marines and sailors with Combat Logistics Battalion-3 conducted their first convoy, providing security during a medical support mission to Camp Hero, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, Nov.19.
A Navy medical team with CLB-3, and a medi...
Nov. 16 began much like any other day for Sgt. Jose Garza as he woke up at about 6:30 a.m., shaved his face and put on his uniform. However, Garza, a corporal at the time, went to work early to fix an aircraft. Little did he know that his good wo...
Colonel Duffy W. White, 3rd Marine Regiment commander, assumed command of Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force – Afghanistan from Col. Peter Petronzio, 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit commander, during a transfer of authority ceremony here...
Most young lance corporals live their lives day by day, just waiting to see what tomorrow may bring. Most take orders as directed while waiting for the weekend. Being a young lance corporal stationed in Okinawa, Japan, I was the exact same way un...
Through the dust and roar of jet engines, Combat Logistics Battalion-3, Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force-Afghanistan, upheld the tradition of celebrating the Marine Corps birthday at Kandahar Air Field, while supporting Operation Endu...
Navy Lt. Karen Rector, chaplain for Combat Logistics Battalion-3, Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force-Afghanistan, conducts the battalion’s first religious service at Kandahar Air Field, while in support of Operation Enduring Freedom Nov...
Marines and sailors from Combat Logistics Battalion 3, 3rd Marine Regiment and the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit celebrated the 233rd Marine Corps birthday at Kandahar Air Field in the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, Nov. 10.
The Marine...
Effective Oct. 1, 2008, Marine Corps Forces Central Command transferred operational control of Marine Corps forces in the Horn of Africa region to the recently established Marine Corps Forces Africa based in Stuttgart, Germany.
Many Marines enlist in order to use the Corps as a stepping stone and only intend on doing their four years and getting out, but it’s when you decide to take it to the next level and reenlist that you have to think which path is best for your career...
The deputy commanding general (DCG) for Marine Corps Forces Central Command (MARCENT) wasted no time in getting down to business when he came to visit the Marines.
Although his overall demeanor seemed jovial, Brig. Gen. David C. Garza made it c...
About 65 members of the U.S. Marine Corps Forces Central Command staff based here recently returned from a month-long deployment to Bahrain. The MARCENT staff, comprised of Marines, Sailors and civilian contractors, departed in mid-February and ret...
Save the Children. Its namesake is usually characterized as lending aid to unfortunate or impoverished children across the globe. From April 22 - 26, this organization offered help to far more than just children - they helped an entire community. ...
"This is all about the children - the future of Iraq," said Sara Al-Awadhi, a British-turned-Kuwaiti who helped raise school supplies to give to the children of Umm Qasr April 26.
Al-Awadhi, along with several other Kuwaiti women,...
In a landmark day for the Iraqi people, citizens in Umm Qasr, Iraq, received their first "paycheck" from the Office of Reconstruction and Humanitarian Assitrance, Southern Region, April 23.
The gesture, which is considered by top ...
The Yankees of Marine Aerial Refueler Squadron 452 have been flying missions throughout the Persian Gulf and into Iraq since February. For one of the squadron's KC-130 crews, the day of April 13 started like any other day, with a mission that inclu...
Twelve Marines rescued seven prisoners of war April 13. The seven soldiers rescued were Chief Warrant Officers David Williams and Ronald Young, Army Sgt. James Riley, Specialists Shoshana Johnson, Joseph Hudson and Edgar Hernandez, and Pfc. Patrick...
More than one year ago, Capt. David O. Singley reported to duty with the 2nd Force Service Support Group, Camp Lejeune, N.C. It was a brisk November evening and the Singley family was staying in the hosting house (their first night aboard the base)...
It's just after 2 a.m. in the Middle East and Marines and Sailors are on constant guard; some still working; some trying to catch a few hours of sleep before daylight breaks over the desert plain.
Mere hours ago, Chief Weapons Ins...
The 33rd Commandant of the Marine Corps toured the Middle East and parts of Afghanistan in his early February visit. Gen. Michael W. Hagee took the opportunity to visit Marines and Sailors in the region to say thanks for their untiring support to th...
To many Marines, receiving a unit coin is an honor. Most Marines who have been "coined" carry the medallions with them everywhere they go, some leaving their wallets forever deformed. History tells us that if you have a coin, it goe...
The Marines of Marine Attack Squadron 513, from Yuma, Ariz., arrived in Bagram, Afghanistan, in early October 2002. More than 150 Marines, and an undisclosed number of AV-8B Harrier aircraft, deployed to the region in support of Operation Enduring...
Staff Sgt. Matthew J. McGee, 32, from Philadelphia, Pa., visited Bagram, Afghanistan, to deliver equipment, serving on a security detail. The young boy pictured here ran to the vehicle as it was pulling away and asked the Marine for water. Speakin...
Commanders and Marines continually train as they fight. Some commanders have said that the key to winning battles is command and control, and to use it effectively they train daily to exercise their ability to fight and win wars.
Ju...
KUWAIT CITY - Training, honing and performing realistic combat scenarios is the key to success on the battlefield. Today's military must constantly prepare so that it may respond with the proper measure of force to defeat the enemy and save li...
Sgt. Eric P. Roby knew he wanted to join the military, so he did. He knew he wanted a job in the military that would challenge his mind as well as his body, so he got it. Now Roby is heading toward his goal of being a Marine Corps officer.
When Marine Corps Capt. Steve Hahn applied for entrance into the 2003 Boston Marathon, he had no idea that he would be miles away, deployed to a small town in the southern desert of Iraq, working to help rebuild a country. Indeed, when April 21 cam...