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Lance Cpl. Trevian Mortorff, a field artilleryman with 3rd Battalion, 14th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, rotates the degree of fire on an M777A2 Lightweight Howitzer before firing rounds down range at Fort Indiantown Gap, Pa., during exercise Twisted Sister, a battalion fire exercise, Oct. 25, 2014. The M777A2 is an indirect field artillery cannon designed to be easily maneuverable for effective support maneuver warfare tactics.

Photo by Cpl. Joseph Karwick

An M777A2 Lightweight Howitzer fires rounds down range as smoke from the barrel, commonly referred to as the dragon’s breath, clears from the area at Fort Indiantown Gap, Pa., during exercise Twisted Sister, a live-fire exercise conducted by 3rd Battalion, 14 the Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, Oct. 25, 2014. The howitzer is capable of providing accurate indirect fire at a distance of approximately 18 miles, with some variations reaching 25 miles.

Photo by Cpl. Joseph Karwick

Lance Cpl. James Whearry, a field artilleryman with 3rd Battalion, 14th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, fires the M777A2 Lightweight Howitzer at Fort Indiantown Gap, Pa., during exercise Twisted Sister, a battalion fire exercise at Fort Indiantown Gap, Pa., Oct. 25, 2014. Field artillerymen receive various call for fire scenarios, some requiring them to fire a certain number of rounds in a given time, others require precision shooting involving each gun in the battery as well as other batteries combined.

Photo by Cpl. Joseph Karwick

A CH-53E Super Stallion lowers a M777 Howitzer and its ammunition onto a landing zone aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C., as part of a reactionary combat training exercise Sept. 30, 2014. The purpose of the exercise was to build cohesion between and the aircraft’s crew and the Marines on the ground handling the equipment. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Olivia C. McDonald/Released)

Photo by Lance Cpl. Olivia C. McDonald

Marines disembark a CH-53E Super Stallion to prepare a M777 Howitzer for firing during a reactionary combat training exercise aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C., Sept. 30, 2014. The combined air-ground team used the training to build cohesion and improve their ability to rapidly deploy the weapon system in a combat environment. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Olivia C. McDonald/Released)

Photo by Lance Cpl. Olivia C. McDonald

U.S. Marines observe explosives detonate from a safe distance on a demolitions range at Crow Valley, the Philippines, during Amphibious Landing Exercise 15, Oct. 8. PHIBLEX is an annual, bilateral training exercise conducted by members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines alongside U.S. Marine and Navy forces focused on strengthening the partnership and relationships between the two nations across a range of military operations including disaster relief and complex expeditionary operations. The Marines are with Battalion Landing Team 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit.

Photo by Staff Sgt. Joseph Digirolamo

Lance Cpl. Dylan Johnson, a cannon crewman with Charlie Battery, 1st Battalion, 12th Marine Regiment, preps a 120 mm high explosive round prior to it being fired from a M327 Expeditionary Fire Support System Oct. 7 during a training and readiness evaluation. The artillerymen from 1st Bn., 12th Marines, spent two days out on the range for their final evaluation prior to leaving to Okinawa.

Photo by Cpl. Erik Estrada

Philippine and U.S. Marines aboard a U.S. Marine Amphibious Assault Vehicle take part in a mechanized assault during Amphibious Landing Exercise 15 at Naval Education and Training Command, Zambales, Luzon, Philippines, Oct. 5. PHIBLEX is an annual, bilateral training exercise conducted by members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines alongside U.S Marine and Navy forces focused on strengthening the partnership and relationships between the two nations across a range of military operations including disaster relief and complex expeditionary operations. The U.S. Marines are with Company I, Battalion Landing Team 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade. The Philippine Marines are with 4th Marine Company, Battalion Landing Team - 9.

Photo by Staff Sgt. Joseph Digirolamo

A tank with Alpha Company, 2nd Tank Battalion, 2nd Marine Division cruises through the muddy field of Landing Zone Flacon aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C., during a breaching exercise Oct. 1, 2014. The tanks moved past an obstacle in order to assault a simulated enemy on the other side of that obstacle. The purpose of the three-day field exercise was for the Marines to work on tank fundamentals in the offense and defense.

Photo by Lance Cpl. Kirstin Merrimarahaja

Tanks from Alpha Co., 2nd Tank Battalion, 2nd Marine Division line up for a breach at Landing Zone Falcon, Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C., Oct. 1, 2014. The tanks moved past an obstacle in order to assault a simulated enemy on the other side of that obstacle. The purpose of the three-day field exercise was for the Marines to work on tank fundamentals in the offense and defense.

Photo by Lance Cpl. Kirstin Merrimarahaja

Cpl. Zachery Fowler (center) a gunner with 2nd Tank Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, and Estillfork, Ala., native, takes a short break with his team after they performed a patrol to look for simulated hostiles at Landing Zone Hawk aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C., Sept. 29, 2014. Fowler’s company performed maneuver exercises Sept. 28 through Oct. 2, 2014 to sharpen their basic skills and improve team camaraderie. “For mission readiness, it’s important that we have good cohesion inside the tank,” said Fowler.

Photo by Lance Cpl. Kirstin Merrimarahaja

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

Landing support Marines, with Combat Logistics Battalion 13, 1st Marine Division watch as an MV-22 conducts an external lift of a M777A2 lightweight howitzer in support of the summer firing exercise, August 21, 2014, aboard Camp Pendleton, California. The 11th Marines conducted an eight-day firing exercise where they maneuvered and fired upon multiple ranges. For two days, the Marines trained for internal embarkation of the 120 mm mortar and the external lift of the howitzer.

Photo by Lance Cpl. Ashton Buckingham

Body bearers fire ceremonial cannons during a Friday evening parade at Marine Barracks Washington, D.C., Aug. 22, 2014. (Official Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Dan Hosack/Released)

Photo by Cpl. Dan Hosack

Staff Sgt. Brandon Wood, the operations chief for Marine Wing Support Squadron 371 combat engineers based out of Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Ariz., verifies targets as Cpl. Benjamin Rodriguez fires a MK 19 automatic grenade launcher, July 29,2014, at Yuma Proving Grounds in Yuma, Ariz. Combat engineers from MWSS-371 practiced automatic weapons training by firing the M203 grenade launcher, the M32 multiple grenade launcher, and the MK 19 automatic grenade launcher in order to better prepare for future missions.

Photo by Cpl. Brendan King

Lance Cpl. Justin T. Goedert, a mortarman with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit’s Ground Combat Element, Battalion Landing Team 3rd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, and Queens, N.Y., fires an M-252 81mm high-explosive mortar during a live-fire exercise at Camp Lejeune, N.C., July 23, 2014. The 24th MEU is currently conducting a realistic urban training exercise, their first major pre-deployment training event in preparation for their deployment at the end of the year.

Photo by Lance Cpl. Austin A. Lewis

Body bearers fire the ceremonial cannons during a Friday evening parade at Marine Barracks Washington, D.C., Aug. 4, 2014. (Official Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Dan Hosack/Released)

Photo by Cpl. Dan Hosack

Lance Cpl. Andrew Crotts, a section leader with Company L, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, directs the placement of aiming stakes for his section of mortars aboard Camp Pendleton, Calif., July 29, 2014. The mortars were utilized in support of a live-fire range involving adjacent infantry and machine gun units.

Photo by Lance Cpl. William Perkins

Smoke clears after Marines deploy an MK-154 mine clearance launcher during a training exercise in Twentynine Palms, California. The MK-154 was deadlined in 2013 following a mishap at the recommendation of Marine Corps Systems Command engineers trained in mishap investigation. The Mishap Investigation Training and Support Implementation Team, or MITSIT, received a Secretary of the Navy safety award for their efforts in training acquisition engineers to be mishap investigators.

Photo by LCpl Kelsey J. Green

Aviation ordnance Marines with Marine All-Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 225 load a LAU-10 rocket on an F/A-18 Hornet during high-explosive ordnance loading training at the combat aircraft loading area aboard Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Calif., July 29. The ordnance Marines also loaded the aircraft with MK-82 low-drag bombs during the training.

Photo by Cpl. Raquel Barraza