HEADQUARTERS MARINE CORPS - Gen. Eric M. Smith, assistant commandant of the Marine Corps, has directed Marine Corps aviation units to conduct an aviation safety stand down to focus on the fundamentals of safe flight operations, standardization, and combat readiness.

Headquarters Marine Corps made the announcement via a Marine Administrative Message, noting units will take time to "review best practices and focus on areas where we can improve in order to ensure our units remain capable, safe, and ready."

All Marine Aircraft Wing units will conduct a one-day stand down, during which time they will review selected incidents, which occurred Department of Defense-wide, and study historical examples of completed investigations. 

Stand downs are not uncommon and are viewed as a responsible step to refresh and review best practices and procedures so our units remain capable, safe, and ready.

The MARADMIN announcing the stand down is here: https://www.marines.mil/News/Messages/Messages-Display/Article/3061609/marine-aviation-safety-stand-down/. The MARADMIN released today is to be considered a warning order for the Fleet Marine Forces.

Further guidance will be disseminated via a subsequent MARADMIN.