U.S. Marines and Sailors from Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, take part in the 244th Marine Corps birthday uniform pageant at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, Nov. 4, 2019. The annual ceremony was held in honor of the 244th Marine Corps birthday. It included a historical uniform pageant to honor Marines of the past, present and future while signifying the passing of traditions from one generation to the next. - U.S. Marines and Sailors from Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, take part in the 244th Marine Corps birthday uniform pageant at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, Nov. 4, 2019. The annual ceremony was held in honor of the 244th Marine Corps birthday. It included a historical uniform pageant to honor Marines of the past, present and future while signifying the passing of traditions from one generation to the next.

Four enlisted Marines, part of the newest cadre of NCOs attending the Naval Postgraduate School, join Marine Corps officers on the front steps of Herrmann Hall, Nov. 11. - Four enlisted Marines, part of the newest cadre of NCOs attending the Naval Postgraduate School, join Marine Corps officers on the front steps of Herrmann Hall, Nov. 11.

Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. David H. Berger speaks to Marines and Sailors during a visit to Marine Corps Air Station, Miramar, Calif., Aug. 27, 2019. Gen. Berger and Sgt. Maj. Black met with Marines and leaders in the Pacific to discuss partnership, readiness and core values. - Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. David H. Berger speaks to Marines and Sailors during a visit to Marine Corps Air Station, Miramar, Calif., Aug. 27, 2019. Gen. Berger and Sgt. Maj. Black met with Marines and leaders in the Pacific to discuss partnership, readiness and core values.

A Force Reconnaissance Marine with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit clears the flight deck of the amphibious dock landing ship USS Ashland during a visit, board, search and seizure training exercise with the amphibious transport dock ship USS Green Bay. Ashland, part of the Wasp Amphibious Ready Group, with embarked 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, is operating in the Indo-Pacific region to enhance interoperability with partners and serve as a ready-response force for any type of contingency, while simultaneously providing a flexible and lethal crisis response force ready to perform a wide range of military operations. - A Force Reconnaissance Marine with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit clears the flight deck of the amphibious dock landing ship USS Ashland during a visit, board, search and seizure training exercise with the amphibious transport dock ship USS Green Bay. Ashland, part of the Wasp Amphibious Ready Group, with embarked 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, is operating in the Indo-Pacific region to enhance interoperability with partners and serve as a ready-response force for any type of contingency, while simultaneously providing a flexible and lethal crisis response force ready to perform a wide range of military operations.

U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Dannie Barnes, a mortarman with 2nd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, checks the location of an RQ-20 Puma unmanned aircraft system during Operation Buck Rogers on Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, Dec. 3, 2019. Operation Buck Rogers is used to count the mule deer population on Camp Pendleton and the use of Pumas is a cheaper and more effective alternative to complete the task. The survey of Camp Pendleton’s deer population is done once a year. Barnes is a native of Wataga, Illinois. - U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Dannie Barnes, a mortarman with 2nd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, checks the location of an RQ-20 Puma unmanned aircraft system during Operation Buck Rogers on Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, Dec. 3, 2019. Operation Buck Rogers is used to count the mule deer population on Camp Pendleton and the use of Pumas is a cheaper and more effective alternative to complete the task. The survey of Camp Pendleton’s deer population is done once a year. Barnes is a native of Wataga, Illinois.

U.S. Marines Corps Lance Cpl. William Anderson with Headquarters and Support Battalion, Provost Marshal Office, Operations, participates in an active shooter, training Camp Foster, Okinawa, Japan, Nov. 26, 2019. Marines with PMO conducted the training to ensure readiness and reliability in the event of an active shooter. - U.S. Marines Corps Lance Cpl. William Anderson with Headquarters and Support Battalion, Provost Marshal Office, Operations, participates in an active shooter, training Camp Foster, Okinawa, Japan, Nov. 26, 2019. Marines with PMO conducted the training to ensure readiness and reliability in the event of an active shooter.

Approximately 275 U.S. Marines from 1st Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, Marine Forces Reserve, currently assigned to 3d Marine Division as part of the Unit Deployment Program, and Marines from 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, will join their Japan Ground Self-Defense Force counterparts from the 8th Regiment, 13th Brigade, Middle Army. Their deployment validates the readiness and skill of the reserves to augment their active duty counterparts. - The forces will conduct a bilateral, combined arms exercise and live fire training in conjunction with ground and aviation units. During this iteration, the combined force will focus on helicopter-borne operations, with a comprehensive final training event that will begin with an aerial insert from MV-22B Ospreys, and consist of multiple days of complex bilateral movements against an opposing force.

U.S. Marines and Sailors with 2nd Reconnaissance Battalion, 2nd Marine Division participate in charity ruck march in Jacksonville, North Carolina, Nov. 27, 2019. The Marines hiked from the Camp Lejeune main gate to the United Way's Children Healthy Eating on the Weekend house. The march supports CHEW! program which provides underprivileged children with donated food every weekend. - U.S. Marines and Sailors with 2nd Reconnaissance Battalion, 2nd Marine Division participate in charity ruck march in Jacksonville, North Carolina, Nov. 27, 2019. The Marines hiked from the Camp Lejeune main gate to the United Way's Children Healthy Eating on the Weekend house. The march supports CHEW! program which provides underprivileged children with donated food every weekend.

Appearing in authentic 1945-1948 Marine Corps dress blues with original regalia, 96-year-old World War II veteran and Marine Raider Cpl. Leonard B. Turner, oldest Marine present, stands next to 19-year-old Pfc. Ivan K. Lopez, the youngest Marine present, during the Marine Forces Special Operations Command’s 244th Marine Corps Birthday Ball in Wilmington, N.C., Nov. 2, 2019. Every year, each Marine Corps unit comes together and hosts a Marine Corps Birthday cake cutting to celebrate one more year since the birth of their Corps. This celebration is an event that brings together Marines, old and young - enlisted and retired, and allows them to celebrate their commitment and dedication to the Marine Corps and strengthen their camaraderie and organizational esprit de corps. This connection between the past and present can be seen throughout many traditions during the Marine Corps ball and is the foundation of this event each year. One such tradition is the passing of birthday cake from the oldest Marine to the youngest Marine, which represents the passing of experience and knowledge from older generations to the newest generation of Marines. The birthday cake is traditionally cut with the Mameluke sword, to honor Lieutenant Presley O’Bannon’s assault of Derna, Tripoli in 1805, as a reminder that Marines are a band of warriors, committed to carrying the sword, so that the nation may live in peace. - Appearing in authentic 1945-1948 Marine Corps dress blues with original regalia, 96-year-old World War II veteran and Marine Raider Cpl. Leonard B. Turner, oldest Marine present, stands next to 19-year-old Pfc. Ivan K. Lopez, the youngest Marine present, during the Marine Forces Special Operations Command’s 244th Marine Corps Birthday Ball in Wilmington, N.C., Nov. 2, 2019. Every year, each Marine Corps unit comes together and hosts a Marine Corps Birthday cake cutting to celebrate one more year since the birth of their Corps. This celebration is an event that brings together Marines, old and young - enlisted and retired, and allows them to celebrate their commitment and dedication to the Marine Corps and strengthen their camaraderie and organizational esprit de corps. This connection between the past and present can be seen throughout many traditions during the Marine Corps ball and is the foundation of this event each year. One such tradition is the passing of birthday cake from the oldest Marine to the youngest Marine, which represents the passing of experience and knowledge from older generations to the newest generation of Marines. The birthday cake is traditionally cut with the Mameluke sword, to honor Lieutenant Presley O’Bannon’s assault of Derna, Tripoli in 1805, as a reminder that Marines are a band of warriors, committed to carrying the sword, so that the nation may live in peace.

U.S. Marines with Kilo Company, Battalion Landing Team 3/5, 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, depart from an MV-22 Osprey with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 163 (Reinforced), 11th MEU, after returning to Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, from a seven-month deployment. The 11th MEU is returning home after being deployed aboard the Boxer Amphibious Ready Group, having completed operations and exercises in the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command and U.S. Central Command areas of responsibility. - U.S. Marines with Kilo Company, Battalion Landing Team 3/5, 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, depart from an MV-22 Osprey with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 163 (Reinforced), 11th MEU, after returning to Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, from a seven-month deployment. The 11th MEU is returning home after being deployed aboard the Boxer Amphibious Ready Group, having completed operations and exercises in the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command and U.S. Central Command areas of responsibility.

U.S. Marines and JMSDF Soldiers conduct MWD detection training exercises - U.S. Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Adam Cook, left, the kennel master for the Provost Marshal Office with Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron, conducts military working dog detection training at Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Iwakuni, Nov. 20, 2019. The training was part of a joint force detection exercise with Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) soldiers. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Triton Lai)

President Donald J. Trump participates in the National Medal of Arts and National Humanities Medal presentations in the East Room of the White House, Nov. 21, 2019. - President Donald J. Trump participates in the National Medal of Arts and National Humanities Medal presentations in the East Room of the White House, Nov. 21, 2019.

Marines with 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion from 1st Marine Division participated in Marine Forces Special Operations Command's unit readiness exercise, RAVEN. The training conducted provides exposure to small unit tactics they might not otherwise receive, particularly units like 3rd AABN, whose day-to-day responsibilities are focused on amphibious assault vehicle readiness, basic formations and water ops, and terrain driving. The exercise serves as the certification exercise for a soon-to-be deploying Marine Special Operations Company. It has evolved into a multilevel venue to integrate the various command structures and capabilities deployed by MARSOC. Each level of command, down to the team, is challenged in planning and executing, and command and controlling activities in urban environments. It is also an opportunity to enhance collaboration and strengthen our operational relationships between members of the SOF community, conventional Marine Corps units and other partners with whom Marine Raiders work closely, ensuring MARSOC provides the nation with an agile, adaptive force to meet the complex demands of the future operating environment. - Marines with 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion from 1st Marine Division participated in Marine Forces Special Operations Command's unit readiness exercise, RAVEN. The training conducted provides exposure to small unit tactics they might not otherwise receive, particularly units like 3rd AABN, whose day-to-day responsibilities are focused on amphibious assault vehicle readiness, basic formations and water ops, and terrain driving. The exercise serves as the certification exercise for a soon-to-be deploying Marine Special Operations Company. It has evolved into a multilevel venue to integrate the various command structures and capabilities deployed by MARSOC. Each level of command, down to the team, is challenged in planning and executing, and command and controlling activities in urban environments. It is also an opportunity to enhance collaboration and strengthen our operational relationships between members of the SOF community, conventional Marine Corps units and other partners with whom Marine Raiders work closely, ensuring MARSOC provides the nation with an agile, adaptive force to meet the complex demands of the future operating environment.