A U.S. Marine waves to families while dressed as Santa Claus on Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., Dec. 5. - A U.S. Marine waves to families while dressed as Santa Claus on Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., Dec. 5.

Retired U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Richard Cropley celebrates his 99th birthday with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 164, Marine Aircraft Group 39, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, at Marine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton, Calif., May 31, 2019. Cropley served his country for more than 20 years as a fighter/bomber pilot during World War II and flew multiple combat missions over the Pacific. Cropley’s birthday wish was to spend time with his Marine Corps aviation family and to see an MV-22B Osprey up close. - Retired U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Richard Cropley celebrates his 99th birthday with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 164, Marine Aircraft Group 39, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, at Marine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton, Calif., May 31, 2019. Cropley served his country for more than 20 years as a fighter/bomber pilot during World War II and flew multiple combat missions over the Pacific. Cropley’s birthday wish was to spend time with his Marine Corps aviation family and to see an MV-22B Osprey up close.

U.S. Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft assigned to the 442nd Fighter Wing, Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, escort MV-22B Osprey aircraft assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 268 over Hawaii, Feb. 26, 2019. U.S. Marines with Weapons Company, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment and VMM-268 along with A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft conducted training including a simulated tactical recovery of aircraft personnel scenario and a combat search and rescue scenario. - U.S. Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft assigned to the 442nd Fighter Wing, Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, escort MV-22B Osprey aircraft assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 268 over Hawaii, Feb. 26, 2019. U.S. Marines with Weapons Company, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment and VMM-268 along with A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft conducted training including a simulated tactical recovery of aircraft personnel scenario and a combat search and rescue scenario.

Sgt. Jeffrey L. Allen scopes out the terrain from his seat in a UH-1Y Huey at Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, Okinawa, Japan, April 8, 2016,. Allen, along with other crew chiefs and aircraft maintainers, may work up to 16 hours a day performing maintenance and checks on aircraft to ensure safe missions. Allen, from Ennis, Texas, is with Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 167, currently supporting Marine Aircraft Group 36, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, III Marine Expeditionary Force, under the unit deployment program. - Sgt. Jeffrey L. Allen scopes out the terrain from his seat in a UH-1Y Huey at Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, Okinawa, Japan, April 8, 2016,. Allen, along with other crew chiefs and aircraft maintainers, may work up to 16 hours a day performing maintenance and checks on aircraft to ensure safe missions. Allen, from Ennis, Texas, is with Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 167, currently supporting Marine Aircraft Group 36, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, III Marine Expeditionary Force, under the unit deployment program.

U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Sean M. Stephenson poses for a photo in front of his AV-8B Harrier on the flight deck of the USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) March 17, 2015. Stephenson started out his career as an enlisted band member and then persued his dream of becoming a pilot. Stehenson is a Harrier pilot with Marine Attack Squadron 231, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit. - U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Sean M. Stephenson poses for a photo in front of his AV-8B Harrier on the flight deck of the USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) March 17, 2015. Stephenson started out his career as an enlisted band member and then persued his dream of becoming a pilot. Stehenson is a Harrier pilot with Marine Attack Squadron 231, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit.