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By Elaine Sanchez
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Jan. 30, 2012 – First Lady Michelle Obama today announced a series of measures intended to increase the nation’s support for caregivers of wounded, ill and injured service members.
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Filed Mon, Jan 30, 2012 by Scott Engle
As scheduled the private jet carrying Cpl. Joseph Logan arrived at Bush International Airport at 10 a.m. Monday morning. As the family sat on the tarmac facing the aircraft as it taxied in Houston Police, Patriot Guard, Montgomery County Sheriff’s deputies, Precinct 2 and Precinct 3 deputies stood at attention. Houston Fire Department with their airport crash trucks positioned themselves and created an arch of water as the aircraft passed under it.
To continue reading about Fallen Hero,Cpl. Joseph D. Logan, of the HMH-363:
By Robert Burns - The Associated Press
Posted : Saturday Jan 28, 2012 10:39:59 EST
WASHINGTON — The lineup of weapons the Pentagon has picked to fit President Obama’s new forward-looking defense strategy, called “Priorities for 21st Century Defense,” features relics of the past.
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Courtesy Story | III Marine Expeditionary Force / Marine Corps Installations Pacific | Date: 01.27.2012
Sporadic bursts of rifle fire cut through the still air, drawing an immediate response from the Marines staged on the opposite end of the clearing. Calls for maneuvers were made as groups of Marines took up defensive positions, returning fire in the direction of the enemy contact. Minutes later, three hostiles were either killed or captured, and a security perimeter was established around the cleared area.
For more on the 31st MEU:
http://www.dvidshub.net/news/82900/31st-meu-secures-beach-with-amphibious-assault#.TyIiooGAqso
1/27/2012 By Cpl. Jonathan G. Wright , 31st MEU
OKINAWA, Japan — The 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit has kicked off the new year by departing for the multi-lateral training exercise Cobra Gold 2012.
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Courtesy Story | III Marine Expeditionary Force / Marine Corps Installations Pacific | Date: 01.27.2012
Marine combat engineers are known for being the first called when something needs to be repaired, improvised, built or even destroyed. These capabilities often earn them accolades from their fellow Marines.
For more on the 9th ESB:
http://www.dvidshub.net/news/82898/9th-esb-completes-road-construction-helmand#.TyIhVYGAqso
1/27/2012 By Lance Cpl. Rubin J. Tan , Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort
MCAS Beaufort, S.C. — Engineers, aircraft mechanics, data network specialists and other jobs in the Marine Corps can be turned into careers and with experience in the military, Marines may be qualified for college credit.
To continue reading:
http://www.marines.mil/unit/mcasbeaufort/Pages/College.aspx#.TyNyWIGAqso
Story by Cpl. Tommy Bellegarde | 2nd Marine Division | Date: 01.27.2012
ATROL BASE 7171, Helmand province, Afghanistan – Armored trucks provide unique capabilities in a combat environment and mobile sections are often among the most utilized assets for a line company during an Afghanistan deployment. Missions tasked out to mobile sections can be highly variable – flexibility is a must for its Marines, especially during formal operations. The high-stress, sometimes tedious life of a mobile Marine in Afghanistan takes some getting used to as personal comfort gives way to mission accomplishment.
For more on the 2/4:
1/27/2012 By Capt. Jill Wolf , Wounded Warrior Regiment
MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va. (Jan. 27, 2012) — Marines, sailors and family members gathered here to honor a Wounded Warrior Regiment staff member during an award ceremony at the regimental headquarters today.
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http://www.marines.mil/unit/hqmc/mnra/wwr/Pages/Marinere.aspx#.TyNw-YGAqso
Story by Cpl. Johnny Merkley | Regimental Combat Team-5, 1st Marine Division | Date: 01.25.2012
Date Posted:01.27.2012 13:37
FORWARD OPERATING BASE GERONIMO, Helmand province, Afghanistan – Afghan National Army soldiers with 1st Kandak, 1st Brigade, 215th Corps participated in a designated marksman course here, Jan. 21-25.
For more on the 2/6:
By Leo Shane III
Stars and Stripes
Published: January 27, 2012
WASHINGTON — Voting experts anticipate fewer problems for military and overseas absentee voters in this November’s presidential election, thanks to more online tools and more accommodating deadlines from states.
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http://www.stripes.com/news/absentee-voting-should-be-easier-for-servicemembers-in-2012-1.166966
Story by Cpl. Tommy Bellegarde | 2nd Marine Division | Date: 01.26.2012
PATROL BASE 7171, Helmand province, Afghanistan – Marines from 2nd Platoon, Bravo Company, 3rd Combat Engineer Battalion, spent the opening days of Operation Double Check building elevated security posts for Afghan National Security Force and Afghan National Police personnel. The posts, now complete, were placed in areas of southern Musa Qal’eh district, Helmand province, that lacked a coalition presence prior to the operation’s start, Jan. 3 – areas that have been plagued by an active insurgency in recent years.
For more on the 3rd CEB:
1/26/2012 By Lance Cpl. Cory D. Polom , Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point
MARINE CORPS AIR STATION CHERRY POINT, N.C. — Marines with 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing's Military Police Company stood in formation for the last time today before their company first sergeant dismissed them, following the unit's de-activation during a ceremony at their headquarters building aboard Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point.
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Date: 1/26/2012 Album ID: 1402827
Photos by Chris Dillmann
This is the second installment of the series, "Making Marines." These photos try and give a glimpse of what some of the training exercises the recruits do.
To view photos:
http://mnsun.mycapture.com/mycapture/folder.asp?event=1402827&CategoryID;=25245&ListSubAlbums;=0
Thursday, 26 January 2012
Story and photo by Amy Newcomb
GUIDON staff
The Fort Leonard Wood Tax Center held a ribbon cutting ceremony in order to kick off the 2012 tax season Jan. 19 in Bldg. 315.
To continue reading:
http://www.myguidon.com/index.php?option=com_content&task;=view&id;=14402&Itemid;=39
By Dan Lamothe - Staff writer
Posted : Thursday Jan 26, 2012 13:45:08 EST
The Marine Corps will slash 20,000 Marines as part of Defense Department-wide budget cuts, reducing its end strength to about 182,000, top Pentagon officials announced Thursday.
To continue reading:
http://marinecorpstimes.com/news/2012/01/marine-20000-marines-to-be-cut-012612/
1/26/2012 By Staff Sgt. Danielle M. Bacon , 26th MEU
MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. — Armed with a spray can, most walls were considered fair game. Graffiti was his medium and more often than not, it was not appreciated by the public. Kicked out of the New York school system, most would have considered the ‘skater boy’ from Queens a lost cause – a hoodlum, nothing more, and nothing less.
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http://www.marines.mil/unit/26thmeu/Pages/NYhoodlumturnedcombatcameramanoftheyear.aspx#.TyHgL4GAqso
Story by Cpl. Johnny Merkley | Regimental Combat Team-5, 1st Marine Division | Date: 01.24.2012
Date Posted: 01:26:2012
FORWARD OPERATING BASE GERONIMO, Helmand province, Afghanistan – When Cpl. Ross T. Gundlach enlisted in the Marine Corps in 2008, the last thing he expected to do was rely on a dog for survival while patrolling the rugged terrain of southern Helmand province.
For more on the 2/6:
http://www.dvidshub.net/news/82847/marines-best-friend-insurgents-worst-enemy#.TyF5e4GAqso
Story by Cpl. Ed Galo | Regimental Combat Team 6 | Date: 01.25.2012
FORWARD OPERATING BASE JACKSON, Afghanistan — The Female Engagement Team and 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment has been conducting shuras which are community gatherings or consultations in order to help the local population outside of Forward Operating Base Jackson, Afghanistan.
For more on the 3/7:
http://www.dvidshub.net/news/82806/3-7-and-fet-help-educate-local-children#.TyDccYGAqso
BY Daniel Callahan - SUN NEWSPAPERS
Published: Wednesday, January 25, 2012 2:12 PM CST
Looking around the USO at the San Diego International Airport, you might think the numerous Marine Corps recruits were getting ready for camp. They lounge on easy chairs, grab snacks and drinks from the kitchen, watch television and relax.
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http://www.mnsun.com/articles/2012/01/25/golden_valley/news/fw26thearrival.txt
By Keith Rogers
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL
Posted: Jan. 25, 2012 | 8:43 p.m.
Updated: Jan. 26, 2012 | 8:40 a.m.
Forty-five minutes before President Barack Obama landed at McCarran International Airport, the remains of fallen Marine Cpl. Jon-Luke Bateman arrived at Nellis Air Force Base, where his grief-struck family waited.
To continue reading about Fallen Hero, Cpl. Jon-Luke Bateman, of the 2/4:
http://www.lvrj.com/news/nevada-marines-remains-returned-home-138098753.html
CALEB HUTTON; THE BELLINGHAM HERALD
Published: 01/25/12 5:01 pm | Updated: 01/26/12 9:18 am
A public motorcade is tentatively scheduled for Saturday afternoon, Jan. 28, in honor of a U.S. Marine from Ferndale who died last week in Afghanistan.
To continue reading about Fallen Hero, Capt. Daniel B. Bartle, of the HMH-363:
http://www.thenewstribune.com/2012/01/25/1998953/motorcade-public-memorial-this.html
Story by Sgt. Earnest J. Barnes | 2nd Marine Division | Date: 01.25.2012
MUSA QAL’EH DISTRICT, Helmand province, Afghanistan – Marines with Echo Company and members of the Afghan National Security Forces are participating in Operation Double Check, an operation to promote legitimate governance within the Musa Qal’eh district. This operation further spread the influence of the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan to untouched areas and provided an opportunity for Afghan forces to take on a greater role in security efforts.
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1/25/2012 By Lance Cpl. Brianna Turner , Marine Corps Bases Japan
Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, Okinawa, Japan — A vacation in Japan, visiting with his son and grandchildren, reminiscing about the past that is what Ron Maines, a Rogers, Ark. native, had planned when he came to Okinawa. What he found while taking a stroll down memory lane, however, was not what he expected.
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http://www.marines.mil/unit/mcbjapan/Pages/maines.aspx#.TyBNrYGAqso
By Karen Jowers - Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday Jan 25, 2012 15:16:12 EST
Federal officials have begun tracking companies and individuals who repeatedly target service members with scams, officials announced Wednesday.
To continue reading:
http://marinecorpstimes.com/news/2012/01/military-scam-database-will-protect-troops-012512w/
Story by Cpl. Brian Adam Jones | 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward) | Date: 01.24.2012
CAMP BASTIAN, Afghanistan -- The Marines of Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 363 filled the pews of a small chapel at Camp Bastion, Afghanistan, to bid farewell to six fallen brothers, Jan. 24.
For more on the memorial service for the Fallen Heroes of HMH-363:
Story by Cpl. Tommy Bellegarde | 2nd Marine Division | Date: 01.24.2012
PATROL BASE 7171, Helmand province, Afghanistan – Afghan National Security Force and Afghan National Police personnel are working with Marines and sailors from Fox Company, 2nd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, to secure areas of southern Musa Qal’eh district, Helmand province, during Operation Double Check, which kicked off Jan. 3 when the Marines helicopter-inserted into the area.
For more on the 2/4:
By AARON CLAVERIE [email protected] | Posted: Monday, January 23, 2012 3:15 pm
U.S. Marine Cpl. Christopher G. Singer, 23, a Chaparral High School graduate, died Saturday after he was shot while serving in Afghanistan, a family member said Monday.
To continue reading about Fallen Hero, Cpl. Christopher G. Singer, of the 3rd CEB:
Story by Cpl. Johnny Merkley | Regimental Combat Team-5, 1st Marine Division | Date: 01.18.2012
Date posted: 01:23:2012
SHORSHORAK, Helmand province, Afghanistan – Afghan National Army soldiers with 1st Brigade, 215th Corps conducted a clearing operation as part of the ongoing Operation Tageer Shamal (Shifting Winds) here Jan. 12-14.
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Story by Lance Cpl. John Suleski | Marine Corps Air Station New River | Date: 01.23.2012
MARINE CORPS AIR STATION NEW RIVER, N.C. - The parking lot in front of Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 365’s hangar was full of families posing for one last photo, children reaching for their parents, and lovers embracing each other and not wanting to let go.
For more on the VMM-365:
http://www.dvidshub.net/news/82705/blue-knights-deploy-afghanistan#.Tx2Ha4GAqso
By Gina Cavallaro - Staff writer
Posted : Monday Jan 23, 2012 8:56:10 EST
Mandatory annual hearing tests for all Marines start now under a new policy aimed at putting some muscle behind the Corps’ hearing conservation program.
To continue reading:
http://marinecorpstimes.com/news/2012/01/marine-hearing-test-mandatory-for-all-marines-012312w/
McHone was inspiration to work hard, "always wanted to be the best he could"
By KATIE ANDERSON - [email protected]
Created: Sunday, January 22, 2012 5:30 a.m. CST
CRYSTAL LAKE – To his classmates and former coaches at Crystal Lake South High School, “Nate” McHone always will be an inspiration to work hard at whatever task sits before you.
To continue reading about Fallen Hero, Capt. Nathan R. McHone, of the HMH-363:
Defense Imagery Management Operations Center
Date Taken:01.10.2012
Date Posted:01.22.2012
Location:MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT, SAN DIEGO, CA, US
Produced by Sergeant William J. Faffler.
U.S. Marine Recruits, 1st Recruit Training Battalion, Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego (MCRD) conduct a confidence course aboard MCRD San Diego, Calif. on January 10, 2012. This event is training day 19 in Marine Corps Recruit Training.
To view video:
http://www.dvidshub.net/video/135636/confidence-course-2#.Tyiv4sVPtmg
Story by Cpl. Jeff Drew | 2nd Marine Division | Date: 01.22.2012
CAMP LEATHERNECK, Helmand province, Afghanistan – Musa Qal’eh, once terrorized by insurgents, now shines as a symbol of progress in the province, thanks to the hard work and dedication of Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan officials, Afghan security forces, Marines and sailors of the 2nd Marine Division (Forward), and other coalition partners.
To continue reading:
http://www.dvidshub.net/news/82672/musa-qaleh-walking-path-progress#.TxxaZoGAqso
By Gidget Fuentes - Staff writer
Posted : Sunday Jan 22, 2012 9:03:43 EST
With at least 50 percent of the Corps composed of unmarried men and women, top leaders have moved to give single Marines a voice within their command that is equal to their married colleagues on matters of family readiness.
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January 21, 2012 4:29 AM
HOPE HODGE - DAILY NEWS STAFF
It has been eight-and-a-half years since Jary and Sheryl Kleiboeker received word that their son, 19-year-old Lance Cpl. Nicholas Kleiboeker, of 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion, was killed by an exploding munitions bunker near Al Hillah, Iraq on May 13, 2003, becoming the first unit casualty from the Wars on Terror. For other families who joined the Kleiboekers at the battalion’s headquarters on Friday, only a year had passed since the dreaded knock of a casualty assistance officer.
For more on the 2nd CEB:
http://www.jdnews.com/articles/kleiboeker-99699-2nd-battalion.html
Published: Saturday, January 21, 2012, 4:00 AM
WASHINGTON TWP. — Standing in front of his family’s home in 30-degree weather, Corporal Andrew Levin was a far cry from his 135-degree days in Afghanistan.
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http://www.nj.com/gloucester-county/index.ssf/2012/01/washington_township_marine_rec.html
By Gina Cavallaro - Staff writer
Posted : Saturday Jan 21, 2012 12:57:09 EST
It was the hottest landing zone they’d seen. On June 12, when the MV-22 Osprey touched down in Sangin, Afghanistan, its four-man crew faced multiple enemy fighting positions less than 100 yards away. It was a hellish three minutes scrambling to unload food, water and ammunition to infantrymen who’d been pinned down all day, and marked the first time in Afghanistan or Iraq that a Marine Osprey crew engaged the enemy with the aircraft’s ramp-mounted machine gun.
To continue reading:
http://marinecorpstimes.com/news/2012/01/marine-afghanistan-air-medal-osprey-012112w/
Photos by Sgt. Pete Thibodeau | Marine Forces Pacific Combat Camera | Date: 01.20.2012
Date Posted:01.21.2012 04:52
Lava Viper is a battalion-level combined-arms training exercise to better prepare Marines for upcoming deployments.
For more photos of the 2/3:
http://www.dvidshub.net/image/512633/lava-viper-2012#.TyQXCoGAqso
Story by Sgt. Whitney N. Frasier | Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego | Date: 01.20.2012
SAN DIEGO - Leaving for recruit training can be an exciting time for many, but arriving at the depot may not be what they expected.
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Updated: Friday, 20 Jan 2012, 9:26 PM MST
Published : Friday, 20 Jan 2012, 9:26 PM MST
PHOENIX - When you are out and about this weekend, you'll noticed that flags around town and across the state are lowered to half staff.
To continue reading about Fallen Hero, Cpl. Phillip D. McGeath, of the 1/6:
http://www.myfoxphoenix.com/dpp/news/war_room/mcgeath-half-staff-flags-01202012
Military unveils new eyeglass style
Written by
Jeanette Steele
2:55 p.m., Jan. 20, 2012
The U.S. military said Thursday that weak-sighted recruits will no longer be forced to wear the infamous eyeglass frames long known affectionately as “birth control glasses
To continue reading:
http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2012/jan/20/goodbye-birth-control-glasses/
Story by Cpl. James Clark | Regimental Combat Team 6 | Date: 01.20.2012
KAJAKI SOFLA, Afghanistan - With three deployments in three years, the men of 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment were called upon to serve as the tip of the spear for large scale offensive operations across Afghanistan’s contentions Helmand Province
For more on the 1/6:
Photos by Cpl. Reece Lodder | Regimental Combat Team-5, 1st Marine Division | Date: 01.19.2012
Twelve permanent schools are currently under construction by local contractors in Garmsir district. U.S. Marines with the civil affairs team in support of 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, visited several sites to inspect the structures and ensure compliance with the quality assurance standards of the Afghan government. The buildings are projected for mid-year completion.
To view photos:
Video by Cpl. Reece Lodder | Regimental Combat Team-5, 1st Marine Division | Date: 01.13.2012
Date posted: 01:19:2012
Afghan National Police patrolmen and U.S. Marines with 2nd Platoon, Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, stand post at Patrol Base Amir Agha and conduct a partnered vehicle checkpoint here, Jan. 13. Produced by Cpl. Reece Lodder
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Story by Cpl. Ed Galo | Regimental Combat Team 6 | Date: 01.19.2012
SANGIN, Afghanistan - The Marines of I Company, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment maintain a great relationship with the locals in the village outside their patrol base near Sangin.
For more on the 3/7:
http://www.dvidshub.net/news/82557/3-7-co-marines-maintain-local-relationships#.TxhJzoGAqso
By Julie Watson - The Associated Press
Posted : Thursday Jan 19, 2012 7:18:12 EST
CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. — When the Marine unit that suffered the greatest casualties in the 10-year Afghan war returned home last spring, they didn’t rush back to their everyday lives.
To continue reading:
http://marinecorpstimes.com/news/2012/01/ap-wars-lessons-applied-to-ease-combat-stress-011912/
1/19/2012 By Cpl. Meredith Brown , 2nd Marine Division
FORWARD OPERATING BASE GERONIMO, Afghanistan — It is Saturday night. The moon is visible through the sandy haze. The sounds of Guitar Hero are heard outside a small tent. A group of Marines are gathered inside rocking out to the various bands. Lt. Bryan Davenport, the chaplain for 3rd Combat Engineer Battalion, 2nd Marine Division (Forward), watches the Marines give their best shot before piping up from the back row and asking to get the next turn.
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1/19/2012 By Cpl. Bruno J. Bego , 2nd Marine Logistics Group
CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. — Improvised explosive device laden terrain presents an imminent threat to mission accomplishment but more importantly to the lives of service members serving throughout Afghanistan.
For more on the 8th ESB:
http://www.marines.mil/unit/2ndmlg/Pages/EngineersLearnConvoyLeadership.aspx#.TxhA-YGAqso
Date: 1/18/2012 Album ID: 1397806
Photos by Chris Dillmann
This is the first in a series of photos that tries to capture a glimpse of what Marine Corps boot camp is like. These photos take place over a five-day period A group of educators from the Midwest were invited down to see what boot camp was like.
To continue reading and to view photos:
http://mnsun.mycapture.com/mycapture/folder.asp?event=1397806&CategoryID;=25245&ListSubAlbums;=0at
Story by Cpl. Alfred V. Lopez | Regimental Combat Team-5, 1st Marine Division | Date: 01.18.2012
CAMP DWYER, Helmand province, Afghanistan – Each Marine has a unique reason for joining the Corps: some enlist out of pride, some want to see a foreign land, and some do it simply to serve their country.
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Story by Master Gunnery Sgt. Phil Mehringer | 2nd Marine Logistics Group | Date: 01.18.2012
HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan -- Nearly 150 Marines from 2nd Marine Logistics Group (Forward)’s 9th Engineer Support Battalion converged in the open Helmand desert on a dry river bed known as a wadi. They needed to quickly build a land bridge through the wadi, rushing to complete the project before the seasonal, heavy monsoon rains began.
For more on the 9th ESB:
http://www.dvidshub.net/news/82513/combat-engineers-improve-old-silk-road#.TxdHX4GAqso
By Gina Cavallaro - Staff report
Posted : Wednesday Jan 18, 2012 5:42:43 EST
Sgt. Maj. Mike Barrett, the man once known to his friends in upstate New York as a scrawny, soccer-playing hell-raiser, has become an inspirational leader of sorts for them, and he has even moved some to change their ways.
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By Associated Press, Published: January 17
WASHINGTON — The Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum is marking the 100th anniversary of U.S. Marine Corps aviation with an art exhibit retracing the history of military aviators.
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Video by Cpl. Reece Lodder | Regimental Combat Team-5, 1st Marine Division | Date: 01.17.2012
U.S Marine Cpl. Karl Winar, a 20-year-old motor transport operator with Trucks Platoon, Headquarters and Service Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, and a native of Flemington, N.J., sends a shout out to his family. Produced by Cpl. Reece Lodder. Also available in high definition.
To view video:
http://www.dvidshub.net/video/135229/cpl-karl-winar#.TxxfhoGAqsp
Story by Cpl. Justin Boling | 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward) | Date: 01.17.2012
CAMP BASTION, Afghanistan - A Marine Corps MV-22B Osprey squadron flew its final combat mission, Jan. 17, to complete its deployment to Afghanistan.
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Story by Cpl. Brian Jones | 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward) | Date: 01.17.2012
CAMP BASTION, Afghanistan - A Marine Corps sergeant in Afghanistan who unearthed a never-before-seen maintenance issue in a UH-1Y Huey was recently awarded by the Marine Corps for his potentially lifesaving find.
For more about the HMLA-369:
AP Newswire
Jan 17, 3:05 AM EST
CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. (AP) -- The U.S. Navy is expected to present its highest honor to the California family of a 20-year-old Marine killed by a roadside bomb in Afghanistan after helping his fellow Marines get out of harm's way.
To continue reading about Fallen Hero, Lance Cpl. Donald J. Hogan:
Iron Fist amphibious exercise expands during shift toward Asia Pacific
Written by
Gretel C. Kovach
6:39 p.m., Jan. 16, 2012
Camp Pendleton troops will be storming the beaches with Japanese defense forces over the next month, building on long-standing military ties with an important strategic ally in the Asia Pacific amid rising tensions in the region.
For more on the 15th MEU:
http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2012/jan/16/japanese-forces-secure-beachhead-camp-pendleton-ma/
Mark Johnston - Daily Herald | Posted: Monday, January 16, 2012 12:25 am
Any reassignment to a new location while serving in the Marine Corps can come as quite a shock, even when it's to Provo, Utah, to join the 12th recruiting district.
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Story by Cpl. Reece Lodder | Regimental Combat Team-5, 1st Marine Division | Date: 01.13.2012
Date posted: 01:16:2012
GARMSIR DISTRICT, Helmand province, Afghanistan — When U.S. Marines with Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, arrived here in early November, they met an Afghan National Police force primed for development.
For more on the 3/3:
By Lindsay Wise
Houston Chronicle
Published: January 16, 2012
The president of the American Psychiatric Association says he is "very open" to a request from the Army to come up with an alternative name for post-traumatic stress disorder so that troops returning from combat will feel less stigmatized and more encouraged to seek treatment.
To continue reading:
By Dan Lamothe - Staff writer
Posted : Sunday Jan 15, 2012 9:19:28 EST
MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va. — Additional weapons have been cleared for use during annual marksmanship qualifications, to include the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle, M4A1 Close Quarters Battle Weapon and the M45 Close Quarters Battle Pistol.
To continue reading:
http://marinecorpstimes.com/news/2012/01/marine-combat-marksmanship-symposium-policy-change-011512w/
Marine's dog tag found on Saipan, returned to its owner in Massachusetts after over 60 years
By Ferdie de la Torre
Reporter
Sunday, January 15, 2012
A U.S. Marine Corps identification tag, which was lost during Word War II and found in a yam field on Saipan in 1981, was flown from the island to Massachusetts where it was finally returned to its owner, veteran Richard Caldwell Urie, now 86, over the weekend.
To continue reading:
http://www.saipantribune.com/newsstory.aspx?newsID=115634&cat;=1
Story by Cpl. Meredith Brown | Regional Command Southwest | Date: 01.14.2012
NOW ZAD DISTRICT, Afghanistan - The Now Zad District Women’s Center in Helmand province, Afghanistan officially opened for business during a ceremony at the facility, Jan. 11. More than 100 local women and children attended. The center offers a safe place for the local women to congregate and work.
To continue reading:
Published January 13, 2012 | FoxNews.com
Iranian ships recently taunted two U.S. Navy vessels as part of escalating tensions in and around the Persian Gulf's Strait of Hormuz.
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By BILL LEUKHARDT, [email protected] The Hartford Courant
12:24 a.m. EST, January 13, 2012
CHICOPEE, Mass.—
— The sight of a young man with a USMC tattoo on his right forearm, standing with the help of two canes next to a wheelchair, was the big treat Thursday night for a group of Connecticut-based Marines returning from Afghanistan.
For more on the 1/25:
http://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-caron-marine-0113-20120112,0,6410929.story
Courtesy Story | III Marine Expeditionary Force / Marine Corps Installations Pacific | Date: 01.13.2012
By Cpl. Bryan Nygaard
2ND MARINE LOGISTICS GROUP (FWD)
FIREBASE SAENZ, Afghanistan Firebase Saenz has been destroyed. Its defenses have been torn down, and its walls have been completely leveled. This destruction was not caused by insurgents – it was the handiwork of Marines with 9th Engineer Support Battalion.
For more on the 9th ESB:
Video by Lance Cpl. Robert Bush | Marine Forces Pacific Combat Camera | Date: 01.13.2012
U.S. Marines with 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment are conducting a live hand grenade range during Lava Viper in Pohakuloa Training Area, Jan. 13, 2012.
To view video:
http://www.dvidshub.net/video/134982/ex-lava-viper-b-roll#.TxNkq4GAqsr
Photos by Cpl. Demetrius Munnerlyn | Marine Forces Pacific Combat Camera | Date: 01.13.2012
Lava Viper is a battalion level combined arms training exercise to better prepare Marines for upcoming deployment.
To view photos:
http://www.dvidshub.net/image/510674/lava-viper#.TxdCY4GAqso
1:37 PM, Jan 13, 2012 • By DANIEL HALPER
Rep. Allen West (R-Fla.), a former Army lieutenant colonel, sends THE WEEKLY STANDARD an email commenting on the Marines' video, and has given us permission to publish it.
“I have sat back and assessed the incident with the video of our Marines urinating on Taliban corpses. I do not recall any self-righteous indignation when our Delta snipers Shugart and Gordon had their bodies dragged through Mogadishu. Neither do I recall media outrage and condemnation of our Blackwater security contractors being killed, their bodies burned, and hung from a bridge in Fallujah.
To continue reading:
http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/allen-west-marines-incident-shut-your-mouth-war-hell_616699.html
1/13/2012 By Lance Cpl. Alyssa N. Hoffacker , Marine Corps Bases Japan
CHATAN, OKINAWA, Japan — Cpl. Eric J. Hansen put his training to work recently, saving an elderly woman’s life in Mihama.
To continue reading:
http://www.marines.mil/unit/mcbjapan/Pages/2012/0113-lifesaver.aspx#.TxBWC4GAqso
1/13/2012 By Cpl. Meredith Brown , 2nd Marine Division
SANGIN, Afghanistan — When Kimberly Ryan stepped into the Navy recruiter’s office at age 18, she had no idea what she wanted to do. All she knew was she wanted to get out of Connecticut and broaden her horizon.
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By Pauline Jelinek and Robert Burns/ Associated Press
Posted: 01/13/2012 01:01:50 AM PST
WASHINGTON -- Pentagon leaders scrambled Thursday to contain damage from an Internet video purporting to show four Marines urinating on Taliban corpses -- an act that appears to violate international laws of warfare and further strains U.S.-Afghan relations.
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01/12/2012 4:30 PM
By Bryan Bender, Globe Staff
WASHINGTON -- About 550 Marines based at Fort Devens will be returning three months early from Afghanistan tonight as part of the gradual drawdown of American forces.
For more on the 1/25:
Story by Sgt. Earnest J. Barnes | 2nd Marine Division | Date: 01.12.2012
CAMP LEATHERNECK, Helmand province, Afghanistan – Modern cinema often portrays human life in a manner that seems too surreal, with large explosions and quick timelines that turn hours into a matter of minutes. Sergeant Mamadee Toure recalled growing up in Monrovia, Liberia, seemed like an over-dramatized movie in slow motion, but it was a childhood that led him to what he is doing today.
To continue reading:
http://www.dvidshub.net/news/82302/atlanta-marine-sees-truth-through-war#.Tw8XIoGAqso
Story by Sgt. Matthew Lyman | U.S. Marine Corps Forces Europe | Date: 01.06.2012
Date Posted:01.12.2012 02:15
“Speed and prepositioning are the primary means of overcoming the tyranny of distance.” - U.S. Transportation Command Headquarter
OSLO, Norway - Recently a contingent of logistics officers from Marine Forces Europe led a group of Army, Navy, Air Force and United States Embassy officials traveled to Trondheim, Norway, for briefs and a site survey of the Marine Corps Prepositioning Program-Norway facility.
To continue reading:
http://www.dvidshub.net/news/82297/us-ambassador-mfe-marines-tour-supply-caves-norway#.Tw8VGYGAqsq
Web video shows apparent Marines urinating on bodies of dead Taliban
By James K. Sanborn - Staff writer
Posted : Thursday Jan 12, 2012 10:58:33 EST
Commandant Gen. Jim Amos condemned a web video that surfaced Wednesday that appears to show Marines in Afghanistan urinating on dead Taliban fighters, and the Corps’ top officer has requested an investigation into the matter by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service.
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1/11/2012 By Cpl. Isis M. Ramirez , Marine Forces Pacific
CAMP H.M. SMITH, Hawaii — Just like everyone else in the United States, Marines and Department of Defense civilians have opinions. As citizens, they have the freedom to generate and express their beliefs. However, as the 2012 presidential elections draw near, it is a good time to be reminded of the do’s and don’ts in regard to service members and civilian government employees participating in the election process, as well as how opinions can be appropriately expressed in a public forum.
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Story by Cpl. Reece Lodder | Regimental Combat Team-5, 1st Marine Division | Date: 01.10.2012
GARMSIR DISTRICT, Helmand province, Afghanistan — The heart of Garmsir district is safe.
For more on the 3/3:
January 10th, 2012 | Battle Rattle | Posted by James Sanborn
Third Battalion, 3rd Marines, is shifting the fight in Helmand province to the countryside in pursuit of fighters who have been driven to the region’s remote outer reaches over the past two years.
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The carrier, along with the Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group, reaches the region as tensions are rising with Iran.
January 10, 2012
Deployed San Diego-based ships in the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson and Makin Island groups are now in the Middle East, the U.S. Fifth Fleet and Central Command has announced.
To continue reading:
http://coronado.patch.com/articles/uss-carl-vinson-reaches-middle-east
Story by Sgt. Justin Shemanski | 2nd Marine Logistics Group | Date: 01.10.2012
CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan – Marine engineers with 2nd Marine Logistics Group (Forward) have nearly completed two major route construction and improvement projects in Helmand province.
For more on the 8th ESB:
Story by 2nd Lt. Chris Harper | Regimental Combat Team-5Afghan, Marine forces clear remnants of insurgency in southern Helmand, 1st Marine Division | Date: 01.08.2012
Date Posted:01.09.2012 15:02
CAMP DWYER, Helmand province, Afghanistan – Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces with Regimental Combat Team 5 have launched Operation Tageer Shamal (Shifting Winds), a clearing operation focused on removing the final strains of the insurgency in southern Helmand province.
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By William H. McMichael - Staff writer
Posted : Monday Jan 9, 2012 15:39:46 EST
The Bataan Amphibious Ready Group and the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit are slowly headed home. The Navy announced Saturday that the units were relieved of their 5th Fleet duties Jan. 5, paving the way for a February return to their respective East Coast ports after an extraordinarily long deployment.
To continue reading:
http://marinecorpstimes.com/news/2012/01/nt-22nd-meu-heading-home-long-deployment-010912w/
Story by Cpl. Ryan Carpenter | 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit | Date: 01.09.2012
ARABIAN SEA – Approximately 30 Marines with the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit learned emergency ship repair and firefighting skills aboard the amphibious transport dock ship USS New Orleans Jan. 5 during a firefighting exercise.
For more on the 11th MEU:
http://www.dvidshub.net/news/82180/11th-meu-marines-learn-shipboard-damage-control#.TwzDmoGAqso
Lance Cpl. Lisa Zychowski was treated like a rock star with a motorcade and cheers for her service.
By Claudia Lenart
January 9, 2012
For Lance Cpl. Lisa Zychowski, the welcome home festivities staged by Warriors Watch Riders were a total surprise.
To continue reading:
http://barrington-il.patch.com/articles/marine-welcome-home#photo-8856601
By Tony Lombardo - Staff writer
Posted : Monday Jan 9, 2012 7:46:46 EST
A select group of Marines is quietly battling terrorism across a wide swath of Africa as part of the first wave of what could become a long-term mission for the Corps.
To continue reading:
http://marinecorpstimes.com/news/2012/01/marine-special-purpose-magtf-africa-010912w/
Story by Cpl. Jonathan Merkley | Regimental Combat Team-5, 1st Marine Division | Date: 01.08.2012
Date Posted:01.09.2012 13:10
FORWARD OPERATING BASE GERONIMO, Helmand province, Afghanistan – A person would be hard pressed to find an organization with the history and traditions as rich as those of the United States Marine Corps.
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North County Times wire services | Posted: Monday, January 9, 2012 3:30 pm
SAN DIEGO - Deployed San Diego-based ships in the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson and Makin Island groups are now stationed in the Middle East, the U.S. Fifth Fleet and Central Command announced today.
For more on the 11th MEU:
By Chris Harper, Regimental Combat Team 5
CAMP DWYER, Afghanistan, (January 9th, 2012) — Afghan National Security Forces and coalition forces with Regimental Combat Team 5 have launched Operation Tageer Shamal (Shifting Winds), a clearing operation focused on removing the final strains of the insurgency in southern Helmand province.
http://www.centcom.mil/news/afghan-marine-forces-clear-remnants-of-insurgency-in-southern-helmand
By Ashley Cullins - Medill News Service
Posted : Saturday Jan 7, 2012 8:19:27 EST
They have four legs, cold wet noses and tails that often wag furiously. Yet the Defense Department classifies its working dogs as equipment. Advocates for the four-footed troops want this to change.
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Story by Cpl. Meredith Brown | 2nd Marine Logistics Group | Date: 01.07.2012
CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan – Nicholas Marchioni enlisted in the Marine Corps in 2000 as an infantryman and like many, he completed his four-year contract and headed back home to start a new chapter in his life.
To continue reading:
http://www.dvidshub.net/news/82146/detroit-native-draws-experience-lead-marines#.TwjIDoGAqso
By Jessica Goodman
Times-News Staff Writer
Published: Friday, January 6, 2012 at 4:30 a.m.
During her tour of duty in Afghanistan from October 2010 to May 2011, Maj. Rose Griffith was the only female Marine in a 58-person post in an area of Helmand, Southern Afghanistan.
To continue reading:
http://www.blueridgenow.com/article/20120106/ARTICLES/120109889
By Rick Maze - Staff writer
Posted : Friday Jan 6, 2012 17:20:34 EST
A Colorado lawmaker wants the Defense Department to remind active-duty and reserve service members about the rules limiting participation in partisan political events.
To continue reading:
http://marinecorpstimes.com/news/2012/01/military-coffman-rules-troops-political-events-010612w/
January 06, 2012|By Mike Newall, Inquirer Staff Writer
Neal Auricchio Jr. fought two tours in Iraq, returning to war even after a sniper blew apart one of his calf muscles.
To continue reading:
http://articles.philly.com/2012-01-06/news/30598229_1_flyers-fans-winter-classic-punch
January 06, 2012|By Mike Newall, Inquirer Staff Writer
Neal Auricchio Jr. fought two tours in Iraq, returning to war even after a sniper blew apart one of his calf muscles.
To continue reading:
http://articles.philly.com/2012-01-06/news/30598229_1_flyers-fans-winter-classic-punch
Story by Cpl. Meredith Brown | 2nd Marine Logistics Group | Date: 01.06.2012
SHIR GHAZAY, Afghanistan - Two Marines carefully stepped out of the Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle and extended their metal detectors to full length during a route reconnaissance mission on Route Red, Jan. 1-3. The quick checks were conducted to calibrate the detectors and the Marines began the meticulous sweeping process, ensuring that the area was clear of improvised explosive devices.
For more on the 9th ESB:
Story by Cpl. Marco Mancha | 2nd Marine Division | Date: 01.05.2012
FORWARD OPERATING BASE PAYNE, Helmand province, Afghanistan - Puerto Rico, Spanish for “rich port,” is truly rich in its culture. Much of the island’s culture is centered on the influence of music, a blended, multicultural sound derived from many Latin genres, to include salsa, bachata and reggaeton.
To continue reading:
http://www.dvidshub.net/news/82035/puerto-rican-marine-keeps-steady-beat-afghanistan#.TweWhIGAqso
Story by Cpl. Justin Boling | 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward) | Date: 01.05.2012
CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan - Fewer than 100 Marines control nearly 100,000 square miles of airspace in southwestern Afghanistan.
For more on MACS-2:
http://www.dvidshub.net/news/82037/marines-control-air-southwestern-afghanistan#.TwXSmoGAqso
Local man had spoken to family hour before
By George L. Winship Anderson Valley Post
Posted January 3, 2012 at 11 p.m.
A 24-year-old Navy petty officer from Anderson has died in a bomb explosion in Afghanistan.
To continue reading about Fallen Hero, Petty Officer 1st Class Chad R. Regelin, EOD Tech for MARSOC:
http://www.redding.com/news/2012/jan/03/local-sailor-killed-in-afghan-blast/
Written by
Gary Robbins
5:38 p.m., Jan. 4, 2012
The three Mobile Landing Platform ships that General Dynamics NASSCO will build in San Diego have been given names that honor Marines and a historic Marine Corps training facility.
To continue reading:
http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2012/jan/04/3-warships-named-honor-marines/
By Gregg Zoroya
USA Today
Published: January 4, 2012
COLLINSVILLE, Okla. - Jane Horton wears a small Gold Star pin honoring her husband, Christopher, who was killed by Taliban gunfire four months ago.
To continue reading:
http://www.stripes.com/news/us/military-s-gold-star-families-often-feel-disconnected-1.165087
By James K. Sanborn - Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday Jan 4, 2012 10:05:39 EST
When an earthquake and tsunami ravaged Japan in 2011, civil affairs Marines expedited aid delivery with a powerful new tool — hand-held smart devices.
To continue reading:
http://marinecorpstimes.com/news/2012/01/marine-smartphone-humanitarian-assistance-mission-010412/
4:01 AM, Jan. 4, 2012
Written by
KIMBALL BENNION
If the people at the Cascade County Sheriff's Office know they work alongside a veteran decorated with one of the nation's highest military honors, it isn't because Deputy Jack Hinchman told them.
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By Rick Maze - Staff writer
Posted : Tuesday Jan 3, 2012 17:21:36 EST
President Obama has signed a law that within six months could make it easier for service members and their families to get through security checkpoints at major airports.
To continue reading:
http://marinecorpstimes.com/news/2012/01/military-faster-airport-security-law-010312w/
Posted: Jan 03, 2012 8:43 PM CST Updated: Jan 03, 2012 8:43 PM CST
SANTA MARIA - Fellow Marines are reaching out to the family of a Marine drill instructor who was killed over the weekend in a car crash in Santa Maria.
To continue reading:
http://www.kcoy.com/story/16439885/guadalupe-mourns-marine-killed-in-car-crash
Story by Maj. Bradley Gordon | 2nd Marine Division | Date: 01.02.2012
HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan - “This is what it’s all about,” said Cmdr. Christopher Fronk, chaplain for 2nd Marine Division (Forward). “There’s nothing better than getting out to the Marines, to share their time and their devotion.”
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By James K. Sanborn - Staff writer
Posted : Monday Jan 2, 2012 10:26:48 EST
A routine Afghan-Marine foot patrol was thrown into chaos Dec. 2 when a car traveling more than 40 mph struck the point man, plunging both car and soldier violently into a nearby canal.
For more on the 3/3:
http://marinecorpstimes.com/news/2012/01/MONDAY-marine-rescue-afghanistan-canal-010212/
By Jim Warren — [email protected] Posted: 12:00am on Jan 2, 2012; Modified: 2:34pm on Jan 2, 2012
When 21-year Army veteran Floyd E. Douglas was laid to rest at Mill Springs National Cemetery in Pulaski County last month, 17 men and women, all veterans wearing the uniforms of the various military services, were there to render full military honors.
To continue reading:
http://www.kentucky.com/2012/01/02/2013089/volunteer-honor-guard-makes-sure.html
By JANE HUH - [email protected]
Created: Monday, January 2, 2012 5:30 a.m. CST
MARENGO – Kevin Shear, a U.S. Marine veteran, nearly fell over and needed his friend to hold him up when he received the keys to a three-bedroom ranch.
To continue reading:
http://www.nwherald.com/2012/01/02/marine-vet-family-gets-new-home/a7bcq8z/?page=1
Story by Sgt. Justin Shemanski | 2nd Marine Logistics Group | Date: 01.01.2011
CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan - When skimming through the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal citations for Lance Cpls. Caitlin E. Johnson and Markevis J. Seth, it was evident as to why they were standing tall and proud before a general officer, Dec. 30, 2011.
For more on the 2nd MLG(fwd):
http://www.dvidshub.net/news/81952/postal-marines-awarded-holiday-season-work-ethic#.TwDnXIGAqsq
Story by Cpl. Daniel Wulz | Regional Command Southwest | Date: 01.01.2012
FORWARD OPERATING BASE PAYNE, Afghanistan – Throughout the history of the Marine Corps, the navy corpsman has played a vital role alongside Marines, cauterizing wounds on ships as far back as the Revolutionary War and the days of the Continental Navy. Even in the iconic photo for the flag-raising on Iwo Jima, Petty Officer 2nd Class John Bradley, a pharmacist's mate (a previous hospital corpsman rate), can be seen alongside Marines on Mt. Suribachi.
To continue reading:
http://www.dvidshub.net/news/81957/doc-west-corpsman-dedicated-his-marines#.TwCKSIGAqso
Story by 2nd Lt. James Stenger | 2nd Marine Logistics Group | Date: 01.01.2012
CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan - Over the last three months, Marine and sailors of the 2nd Marine Logistics Group (Forward) have accounted for, sorted, cleaned and processed several millions of dollars worth of gear and equipment in support of Operation Clean Sweep aboard Camp Leatherneck and Camp Dwyer.
To continue reading: