Explore Photos

U.S. Marine Sgt. Sean Bernstein, left, shows Lance Cpl. Chevon Ferrel a video of a speed reload aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2). Bernstein is a member of the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit’s Maritime Raid Force and Ferrel is an ammunition technician with Combat Logistics Battalion 15, 15th MEU. The Marines watch videos of themselves practicing drills to correct deficiencies they may not otherwise notice. The 15th MEU is embarked on the Essex Amphibious Ready Group and deployed to maintain regional security in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations.

Photo by Cpl. Anna Albrecht

U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Chevon Ferrel practices dry-fire drills with an M9 Beretta pistol aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2). Ferrel is an ammunition technician with Combat Logistics Battalion 15, 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit. Dry-fire drills help the Marines focus on the fundamentals of marksmanship. The 15th MEU is embarked on the Essex Amphibious Ready Group and deployed to maintain regional security in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations.

Photo by Cpl. Anna Albrecht

U.S. Marine Cpl Justine Woodend practices dry-fire drills with an M9 Beretta pistol aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2). Woodend is a motor transportation operator with Combat Logistics Battalion 15, 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit. Dry-fire drills help the Marines focus on the fundamentals of marksmanship. The 15th MEU is embarked on the Essex Amphibious Ready Group and deployed to maintain regional security in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations.

Photo by Cpl. Anna Albrecht

U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Brianna Mikus practices dry-fire drills with an M9 Beretta pistol aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2). Mikus is a radio operator with Combat Logistics Battalion 15, 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit. Dry-fire drills help the Marines focus on the fundamentals of marksmanship. The 15th MEU is embarked on the Essex Amphibious Ready Group and deployed to maintain regional security in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations.

Photo by Cpl. Anna Albrecht

Cpl. Chris R. Dalessandro, a low-altitude air defense gunner with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 365, 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, provides security while the amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima steams through the Suez Canal, June 21, 2015. The 24th MEU and Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group transited through the canal, a 120-mile-long waterway connecting the Red Sea to the Mediterranean, and entered the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations. The 24th MEU is deployed on the ships of the Iwo Jima ARG in support of U.S. national security interests in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations.

Photo by Lance Cpl. Austin A. Lewis

Marines with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, watch the sunset as the amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima sails through the Suez Canal, June 21, 2015. The 24th MEU and Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group transited through the canal, a 120-mile long waterway connecting the Red Sea to the Mediterranean, and entered the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations. The 24th MEU is deployed on the ships of the Iwo Jima ARG in support of U.S. national security interests in the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations.

Photo by Lance Cpl. Austin A. Lewis

U.S. Marine Cpl. Jakob Stark practices aerial sniping from a CH-53E Super Stallion. Stark is with Weapons Company, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, The Marines practiced shooting at floating targets in order to improve their marksmanship and become comfortable firing from the air. The 15th MEU is embarked on the Essex Amphibious Ready Group and deployed to maintain regional security in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations.

Photo by Cpl. Anna Albrecht

U.S. Marines with Weapons Company, Battalion Landing Team 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, practice aerial sniping from a CH-53E Super Stallion. The Marines practiced shooting at floating targets in order to improve their marksmanship and become comfortable firing from the air. The 15th MEU is embarked on the Essex Amphibious Ready Group and deployed to maintain regional security in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations.

Photo by Cpl. Anna Albrecht

U.S. Marines with the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit’s Maritime Raid Force practice aerial sniping from a CH-53E Super Stallion. The Marines practiced shooting at floating targets in order to improve their marksmanship and become comfortable firing from the air. The 15th MEU is embarked on the Essex Amphibious Ready Group and deployed to maintain regional security in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations.

Photo by Cpl. Anna Albrecht

U.S. Marine Sgt. Jesse Kimble shoots at a floating target from a CH-53E Super stallion. Kimble is a member of the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit’s Maritime Raid Force. The Marines practiced aerial sniper techniques to become more comfortable and proficient shooting from an aircraft. The 15th MEU is embarked on the Essex Amphibious Ready Group and deployed to maintain regional security in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations.

Photo by Cpl. Anna Albrecht

A U.S. Marine with the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit’s Maritime Raid Force practices aerial sniping from a CH-53E Super Stallion. The Marines practiced shooting at floating targets in order to improve their marksmanship and become comfortable firing from the air. The 15th MEU is embarked on the Essex Amphibious Ready Group and deployed to maintain regional security in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations.

Photo by Cpl. Anna Albrecht

Marines with the Maritime Raid Force, 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, participate in a live-fire training exercise on the flight deck of the amphibious transport dock ship USS New York (LPD 21) in the Gulf of Aden, June 14, 2015. The 24th MEU is embarked on the ships of the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group and is deployed to maintain regional security in the U.S. 5th Fleet Area of operations.

Photo by Cpl. Todd Michalek

Marines with the Maritime Raid Force, 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, participate in a live-fire training exercise on the flight deck of the amphibious transport dock ship USS New York (LPD 21) in the Gulf of Aden, June 14, 2015. The 24th MEU is embarked on the ships of the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group and is deployed to maintain regional security in the U.S. 5th Fleet Area of operations.

Photo by Cpl. Todd Michalek

A Marine with the Maritime Raid Force, 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, participates in a live-fire training exercise on the flight deck of the amphibious transport dock ship USS New York (LPD 21) in the Gulf of Aden, June 14, 2015. The 24th MEU is embarked on the ships of the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group and is deployed to maintain regional security in the U.S. 5th Fleet Area of operations.

Photo by Cpl. Todd Michalek

A Marine with the Maritime Raid Force, 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, participates in a live-fire training exercise on the flight deck of the amphibious transport dock ship USS New York (LPD 21) in the Gulf of Aden, June 14, 2015. The 24th MEU is embarked on the ships of the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group and is deployed to maintain regional security in the U.S. 5th Fleet Area of operations.

Photo by Cpl. Todd Michalek

A Marine with the Maritime Raid Force, 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, participates in a live-fire training exercise on the flight deck of the amphibious transport dock ship USS New York (LPD 21) in the Gulf of Aden, June 14, 2015. The 24th MEU is embarked on the ships of the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group and is deployed to maintain regional security in the U.S. 5th Fleet Area of operations.

Photo by Cpl. Todd Michalek

U.S. Marines with Force Reconnaissance Platoon, Maritime Raid Force, 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), fast rope from a SH-60 Seahawk with Amphibious Squadron (PHIBRON) 4 while conducting visit, board, search and seizure training during an Amphibious Ready Group/Marine Expeditionary Unit Exercise (ARG/MEU-Ex) aboard the USNS Robert E. Peary June 19, 2015. Marines and sailors with the 26th MEU and PHIBRON 4 are conducting an ARG/MEU-Ex in preparation for their deployment to the 5th and 6th Fleet areas of responsibility later this year.

Photo by Cpl. Joshua Brown

A U.S. Navy Corpsman with Expeditionary Operations Training Group, II Marine Expeditionary Force, observes a special amphibious reconnaissance corpsman with Force Reconnaissance Platoon, Maritime Raid Force, 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), providing aid to a simulated casualty while conducting visit, board, search and seizure training during an Amphibious Ready Group/Marine Expeditionary Unit Exercise (ARG/MEU-Ex) aboard the USNS Robert E. Peary June 19, 2015. Marines and sailors with the 26th MEU and Amphibious Squadron 4 are conducting an ARG/MEU-Ex in preparation for their deployment to the 5th and 6th Fleet areas of responsibility later this year.

Photo by Cpl. Joshua Brown

U.S. Marines with Force Reconnaissance Platoon, Maritime Raid Force, 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), clear a stairwell while conducting visit, board, search and seizure training during an Amphibious Ready Group/Marine Expeditionary Unit Exercise (ARG/MEU-Ex) aboard the USNS Robert E. Peary June 19, 2016. Marines and sailors with the 26th MEU and Amphibious Squadron 4 are conducting an ARG/MEU-Ex in preparation for their deployment to the 5th and 6th Fleet areas of responsibility later this year.

Photo by Cpl. Joshua Brown

U.S. Marine with Force Reconnaissance Platoon, Maritime Raid Force, 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) clear a passageway while conducting visit, board, search and seizure training during an Amphibious Ready Group/Marine Expeditionary Unit Exercise (ARG/MEU-Ex) aboard the USNS Robert E. Peary June 19, 2015. Marines and sailors with the 26th MEU and Amphibious Squadron 4 are conducting an ARG/MEU-Ex in preparation for their deployment to the 5th and 6th Fleet areas of responsibility later this year.

Photo by Cpl. Joshua Brown