Explore Photos

Sgt. Geoffrey P. Mann, an Orlando, Florida, native, prepares to bullae so students can safely rappel down from an MV-22B Osprey during the Helicopter Rope Suspension Techniques course Aug. 20 at the Central Training Area. Throughout the course the instructors ensure the safety procedures are followed, and the students are capable of safely sending other Marines down the rope. Mann is a HRST instructor with Special Operations Training Group, III Marine Expeditionary Force Headquarters Group, III MEF. The Osprey is with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 265, Marine Aircraft Group 36, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, III MEF.

Photo by Lance Cpl. Isaac Ibarra

Lt. Col. Wes Spaid, left, assists Capt. Derek Mills during an inspection of an AV-8B Harrier at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C., Aug. 26, 2014. Spaid is the Aviation Combat Element commander with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit and visited the air station to get a better understanding of the different aircraft within the ACE. Mills is a Harrier instructor pilot with Marine Attack Training Squadron 203.

Photo by Cpl. J. R. Heins

Col. Scott Benedict straps into an AV-8B Harrier at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C., Aug. 26, 2014. Benedict flew with Capt. Chris Tchinski, a Harrier instructor pilot with Marine Attack Training Squadron 203, to better understand the capabilities of the different aircraft within the Aviation Combat Element of the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit. Benedict is the commanding officer of the 24th MEU.

Photo by Cpl. J. R. Heins

Lance Cpl. Jacob Adams, a machine gunner with Echo Company, Battalion Landing Team 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines, 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, and an Ozark, Missouri native, scans the area during a small craft action team (SCAT) drill during Certification Exercise (CERTEX) off the coast of Southern California, June 14. CERTEX is comprised of a specific series of missions intended to evaluate and certify the 11th MEU for their upcoming deployment with the Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group scheduled for later this summer. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Melissa Wenger/Released)

Photo by Sgt. Melissa Wenger

An AH-1Z Super Cobra with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 163 (Reinforced), 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, performs “touch-and-go” drills during Malaysia-United States Amphibious Exercise 2014 Aug. 31. MALUS AMPHEX 14 is a bilateral exercise between the 11th MEU and Malaysian Armed Forces designed to foster and sustain cooperative and international relationships with emphasis on amphibious and humanitarian operations within the context of a stability and security operation. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Melissa Wenger/Released)

Photo by Sgt. Melissa Wenger

The U.S. Marine Corps Silent Drill Platoon performs during a Friday Evening Parade at the Barracks, Aug. 29, 2014. (Official Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Dan Hosack/Released)

Photo by Cpl. Dan Hosack

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Photo by Mr Jimmerson

quartermaster-school-distinguished-instructor-awards

Photo by Mr. Jimmerson

U.S. Marine Pfc. Jose Gutierrez makes a bow drill fire starter during Mountain Exercise 2014 aboard Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center in Bridgeport, Calif., Aug. 28, 2014. Gutierrez is an infantry rifleman assigned to 2nd Platoon, India Company, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment. Marines with 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment will become the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit’s ground combat element in October. Mountain Exercise 2014 develops critical skills the battalion will need during deployment. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Emmanuel Ramos/Released)

Photo by Sgt. Emmanuel Ramos

Unexploded ordnance is detonated during range clearance operations at the Chocolate Mountain Aerial Gunnery Range, Calif., Monday, Aug. 25, 2014. Explosive Ordnance Disposal technicians with both Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Ariz., and Marine Wing Support Squadron 372 from Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., conducted a surface sweep to clear target areas of ordnance in preparation for the next Weapons and Tactics Instructor course.

Photo by Cpl. Reba James

Marines with Company F, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, fire a spotting round with a Shoulder-Launched Multipurpose Assault Weapon aboard Camp Pendleton, Calif., Aug. 21, 2014. Spotting rounds allow the gunner to engage targets effectively before following up with a rocket and hitting the objective. The Marines performed rocket drills to retain operational abilities.

Photo by Lance Cpl. William Perkins

Lance Cpl. Scott Wern, an assaultman with Company E, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, and fellow Marines prepare to fire a volley of rockets aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., Aug. 22, 2014. The Marines performed the rocket drills to sustain of the Marine’s operational abilities.

Photo by Lance Cpl. William Perkins

Marines from Combat Logistics Battalion 2, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, listen as counter-IED instructor Travis Hillertalks about a mock IED made from a pressure cooker, planted by instructors on an IED training path in Holly Ridge, North Carolina, August 19, 2014. Instructors hid several mock IED's to test the group's ability to spot the fake bombs while on a foot-patrol. Earlier that day, the Marines received classroom instruction about various visual indicators in identifying IED's.

Photo by Lance Cpl. Kirstin Merrimarahajara

Service members participating in Partnership of the Americas 2014 practice on/off drills on a MI-17 HIP helicopter, flown by Mexican pilots. Representatives from Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Paraguay, and the United States are participating in POA 2014 from August 11-22, 2014. This exercise is designed to enhance joint and combined interoperability, increase the combined capability to execute Amphibious Operations, Peace Support Operations, and Humanitarian Assistance/Disaster Relief missions, and further develop strong and lasting relationships the U.S. Marine Corps has established with partner nation’s naval infantries/Marine Corps.

Photo by Capt. Naomi Dorren

A CH-53E with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 262, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, hovers during insertion and extraction drills as Marines from the 5th Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company post security at the parade deck at Camp Hansen, Okinawa, Japan, Aug. 20, 2014. The Marines practiced the fast rope skill for missions such as a visit, board, search, and seizure operations, in which they would descend from the aircraft onto the deck of a ship. The 31st MEU is the force of choice in the Asia-Pacific region and the only continuously forward-deployed MEU.

Photo by Lance Cpl. August Light

Marines and Sailors from Weapons Company, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division participated in several live-fire exercises July 21-22 at Camp Lejeune, N.C. The service members were part of the Scout Sniper platoon, and were broken into two 4-man teams. The teams consisted of a team leader, an assistant team leader, a light machine gunner and a rifleman. Each team completed drills ranging from observation and photography to elimination of enemy targets. Many scenarios ended with the teams providing suppressive fire, and doing a shoot, move, communicate style of withdrawal. (U.S. Marine Corps photos by Lance Cpl. Ryan Young/ released)

Photo by Lance Cpl. Ryan Young

CHESAPEAKE, Va – Staff Sgt. James Adams, a career planner for Headquarters and Service Battalion, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Command carries an M-249B Medium Machine Gun during a 5-mile hike aboard the Naval Support Activity Hampton Roads Northwest Annex Aug. 8, 2014. After the hike, the Marines of MARFORCOM completed weapons handling drills, combat pistol program shoot (along with a optional pistol qualification course of fire) barbeque and an MV-22 Osprey extract (U.S. Marine Corps photos by Staff Sgt. Christina Champion)

Photo by Staff Sgt. Christina Champion

The Marine Corps Silent Drill Platoon performs during a Friday Evening Parade at Marine Barracks Washington, August 8, 2014.

Photo by Cpl. Larry Babilya

Students of the Martial Arts Instructor Course, practice techniques from the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program green belt syllabus at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, Aug. 1, 2014. After each class, the Marines conduct guided discussions featuring past warriors and Marines who have paid the ultimate sacrifice.

Photo by Cpl. Tyler Viglione

Marines with the Force Reconnaissance Detachment, 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, fire their Marine Corps Close Quarters Battle Pistols as they advance toward their targets during live-fire sustainment training aboard the USS San Diego, Pacific Ocean, Aug. 1, 2014. The Marines of the Force Reconnaissance Detachment keep their skills current through practice and familiarization drills while deployed in support of WESTPAC 14-2. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Gunnery Sgt. Rome M. Lazarus/Released)

Photo by Gunnery Sgt. Rome M. Lazarus