Marine Corps News Room

The commander of Marine Corps Logistics Command says Marines’ focus has changed after eight years of fighting as a land force.

Terry Lewis, staff writer
Posted: 12:00 AM Sep 1, 2010

ALBANY, Ga. — Marine Corps Logistics Command Commander Maj. Gen. Jim Kessler told the Dougherty County Rotary Club Tuesday that the Marines are changing focus after eight years and two wars in Iraq and Afghanistan

Continue reading "Kessler: Marines will adapt to changing environment" »

Posted by sr at 10:31 PM | Permalink

1st Marine Division
Story by Sgt. Dean Davis
Date08.31.2010

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan – When Cpl. Jeff Van Cleave left the Marine Corps in 1990 in hopes of becoming an officer, he wasn’t sure he would ever come back to the Marine Corps. Now, the U.S. Army major, who proudly wears the 1st Marine Division patch on his uniform, has returned and is responsible for all artillery in Helmand province, but the journey back to the “Blue Diamond” has taken him farther than he ever expected.

Continue reading "Army officer comes home to the Marines" »

Posted by sr at 11:08 PM | Permalink

Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms
Story by Lance Cpl. Andrew Thorburn
Date 08.27.2010

Starting in fiscal year 2012, Corporals Course will be mandatory for promotion to sergeant, according to All Marine Message 026/10.

Continue reading "Corporals Course to be mandatory, digital" »

Posted by sr at 11:11 PM | Permalink

8/26/2010
By Gunnery Sgt. Bill Lisbon, Marine Corps Air Station Yuma

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION YUMA, Ariz. — Department of the Navy personnel are directed not to access the WikiLeaks website, which recently made headlines for posting classified military reports, because even viewing the information would be considered the willful commission of a security violation.

Continue reading "Troops prohibited from visiting WikiLeaks website to view leaked classified material" »

Posted by sr at 4:13 PM | Permalink

By the CNN Wire Staff
August 24, 2010 6:59 p.m. EDT

(CNN) -- WikiLeaks, a whistle-blower website, posted on the group's Twitter page on Tuesday: "WikiLeaks to release CIA paper tomorrow."

Continue reading "WikiLeaks says it will release CIA paper on Wednesday" »

Posted by sr at 10:26 PM | Permalink

U.S. Marine Corps Forces Europe Public Affairs
Story by Master Sgt. Grady Fontana
Date08.17.2010

HOHENFELS, Germany — The Republic of Georgia’s 32nd Light Infantry Battalion recently arrived from Georgia and began a month long training evolution here at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center that will culminate in a Mission Rehearsal Exercise, which will serve as a final mission evaluation before their upcoming deployment to Afghanistan in support of International Security Assistance Forces there.

Continue reading "Georgian Bn begins mission rehearsal exercise, preps for Afghanistan deployment" »

Posted by SP at 10:37 PM | Permalink

By Tanya Mannes, UNION-TRIBUNE
Tuesday, August 17, 2010 at 5:36 p.m.

A Marine Corps official said Tuesday that there are military contracts available for companies that produce lightweight gear that saves energy and water on the battlefield.

Continue reading "Marines need lighter gear and IED detection, official says" »

Posted by SP at 1:48 AM | Permalink

K Kaufmann
The Desert Sun
August 12, 2010

TWENTYNINE PALMS — Solar-powered generators and water-cooling systems that already are helping to save civilian lives in Haiti will be put to use by local Marines fighting in Afghanistan.

Continue reading "Marines enlist green energy in the Afghanistan war effort" »

Posted by sr at 1:36 PM | Permalink

8/12/2010 By Lance Cpl. Daniel Boothe , Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. — Names such as Tarawa and Lejeune are seen on street signs or in housing areas throughout Marine Corps’ Installations, but some may wonder where Camp Pendleton’s unfamiliar camp names originated.

Continue reading "The history of Pendleton stretches centuries before World War II" »

Posted by sr at 1:12 PM | Permalink

New one-piece system consolidates gear

By early 2011, Marines deploying to Afghanistan will likely be outfitted with new chest rigs that will allow them to quickly and easily transfer equipment from one body armor system to another.

Continue reading "Deploying Marines to receive new chest rigs" »

Posted by sr at 2:39 PM | Permalink

With an Oct. 21 deadline approaching to apply for a $500 monthly stop-loss allowance, the Defense Department appears to have exhausted most conventional means of trying to contact eligible veterans and is now asking current service members to get involved by calling any buddies who may be eligible.

Continue reading "DoD to troops: Tell buddies about stop-loss pay" »

Posted by sr at 4:11 PM | Permalink

Marines will now get more in-depth training on treating battlefield casualties with an update to the Tactical Combat Casualty Course.

Continue reading "Corps adopts new casualty care guidelines" »

Posted by sr at 4:08 PM | Permalink

Even as combat operations are causing the highest casualty rates of the war in Afghanistan, the Marine Corps has begun to examine the size and shape of a post-war force, a top service official said Tuesday.

Continue reading "Marine review focuses on life after Afghan war" »

Posted by sr at 10:19 AM | Permalink

By Gina Cavallaro - Staff writer
Posted : Sunday Aug 1, 2010 11:40:34 EDT

JACKSONVILLE, N.C. — A U.S. Marine was nearly stripped of his title and deported to his native country — Afghanistan — after making an off-color comment last Spring that prompted the beating of a suspected insurgent.

Continue reading "Afghan-born Marine threatened with deportation" »

Posted by sr at 1:23 PM | Permalink

By Dan Lamothe - Staff writer
Posted : Sunday Aug 1, 2010 11:47:01 EDT

With no air or artillery support, the Marines of Embedded Training Team 2-8 were trapped deep in a kill zone in eastern Afghanistan. Their radios worked only sporadically, and dozens of insurgents fired on them repeatedly from three sides.

Continue reading "Heroism in ambush may yield top valor awards" »

Posted by sr at 1:07 PM | Permalink

By William H. McMichael - Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday Jul 28, 2010 17:18:55 EDT

Time is running out for current and former troops involuntarily held on active duty beyond their service commitments to apply for retroactive $500 monthly payments.

Continue reading "Oct. 21 is deadline to apply for stop-loss pay" »

Posted by sr at 5:05 PM | Permalink

New power system could turn vehicles into mobile generators

By Amy McCullough - Staff writer
Posted : Sunday Jul 25, 2010 11:26:07 EDT

With the ever-present threat of devastating improvised explosive devices in Afghanistan, humvees have been all but sidelined outside the wire and replaced by heavier armored vehicles.

Continue reading "Humvees to electrify Afghanistan" »

Posted by SP at 8:41 PM | Permalink

Battle zone Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES - War is hell and death always comes along for the ride.

Continue reading "Marines learn special skills from Coroner's Office" »

Posted by SP at 4:44 PM | Permalink

By Amy McCullough - Staff wruter
Posted : Monday Jul 19, 2010 13:57:45 EDT

An unmanned, tactical golf cart is among gear undergoing tests this month that could reduce the load Marines have to carry while downrange.

Continue reading "New gear could lighten your load downrange" »

Posted by sr at 11:13 PM | Permalink

One of the Marine Corps' biggest bases is Camp Lejeune (luh-JUNE) in North Carolina. But for years, many people have been mispronouncing the base's name. The family of Lt. Gen. John Lejeune, whom the base was named for, says luh-JERN. Now there's quiet move in the military to correct the pronunciation.

Continue reading "Pronouncing The 'R' In Camp Lejeune" »

Posted by sr at 10:53 PM | Permalink

7/15/2010 By Pfc. Michelle Mattei, Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. — As the second half of 2010 approaches, Marines everywhere prepare for the Corp’s annual Combat Fitness Test.

Continue reading "Pendleton Marines prepare for annual combat fitness test" »

Posted by SP at 1:41 PM | Permalink

CAMP PENDLETON ---- A wildfire at Camp Pendleton that has burned about 3,000 acres was about 80 percent contained, Marine Corps officials said Wednesday morning.

Continue reading "CAMP PENDLETON: Fire on base 80 percent contained" »

Posted by sr at 5:40 PM | Permalink

The Associated Press
Posted : Sunday Jul 11, 2010 15:31:50 EDT

YUMA, Ariz. — The aircraft hangars at the Marine Corps Air Station Yuma are going high tech.

Continue reading "Yuma hangars get $3.5 million upgrade" »

Posted by sr at 4:48 PM | Permalink

By Dan Lamothe and Matthew Cox - Staff writers
Posted : Sunday Jul 11, 2010 13:16:56 EDT

The Marine Corps intends to purchase 1.8 million rounds of the Army’s new green bullet in addition to the millions of U.S. Special Operations Command cartridges already downrange as the service looks to find the best replacement for its Cold War-era ammo.

Continue reading "Corps takes a new look at green bullet" »

Posted by sr at 4:45 PM | Permalink

LOS ANGELES — A tough-talking, muscular Los Angeles police sergeant steadily rattled off tips to a young Marine riding shotgun as they raced in a patrol car to a drug bust: Be aware of your surroundings. Watch people's body language. Build rapport.

Continue reading "LA police teach Marines how to train Afghan police" »

Posted by sr at 4:39 PM | Permalink

LOS ANGELES, July 9 (UPI) -- The U.S. Marine Corps has contracted Alelo TLT to build an Afghanistan-focused Virtual Cultural Awareness Trainer course for deploying troops.

Continue reading "Alelo tapped for Afghan VCAT course" »

Posted by sr at 7:56 PM | Permalink

By Gina Cavallaro - Staff writer
Posted : Monday Jul 5, 2010 10:21:44 EDT

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. — Marine Corps officials are expanding land navigation training after finding that too many young Marines, not long out of boot camp or Officer Candidates School, are forgetting land navigation skills.

Continue reading "Infantry schools bolster land nav training" »

Posted by sr at 11:29 AM | Permalink

WASHINGTON – It’s an iconic scene: Six men stand together halfway around the world from home and raise a flag on top of Mount Suribachi. When the men returned home, their story of valor on Iwo Jima lifted a nation to its feet in the midst of the turning point of World War II.

Continue reading " Marine Corps Body Bearers" »

Posted by sr at 10:26 PM | Permalink

DUMFRIES, Va. - The Marine Corps Heritage Foundation launched the National Museum of the Marine Corps Virtual Experience June 23, allowing Marines and civilians worldwide to experience a cutting-edge Web version of the real National Museum of the Marine Corps located in Quantico, Va.

Continue reading "Foundation Creates Interactive Marine Web Museum" »

Posted by sr at 10:04 PM | Permalink

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. — Ten Marines graduated from the second class of the U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Special Operations Command Advanced Linguist Course, inside the MARSOC headquarters building, June 17.

Continue reading "MARSOC ALC gradates first Dari, Pashtu, Urdu speaking Marines" »

Posted by sr at 8:07 AM | Permalink

WASHINGTON -- Defense Secretary Robert Gates announced his choices for new leadership of the Marine Corps on Monday, passing over a maverick candidate in favor of the service's No. 2 official.

Continue reading "Gates announces choice for Marine Corps chief" »

Posted by SP at 10:51 PM | Permalink

An enlisted Marine from the base at Twentynine Palms has been busted in rank, sentenced to 30 days' hard labor and fined $964 for allegedly putting offensive comments about Afghans on his Facebook page, according to the Marine Corps Times.

Continue reading "Marine lowered in rank, fined for slurs on Facebook" »

Posted by SP at 8:49 PM | Permalink

In a major break with tradition, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates is planning to recommend that the president select a career aviator as the next commandant of the Marine Corps, a military official said Monday night.

Continue reading "Gen. James Amos, Marine aviator, in line to become next Corps commandant" »

Posted by SP at 12:31 AM | Permalink

By Gina Cavallaro - Staff writer
Posted : Sunday Jun 13, 2010 11:10:23 EDT

The Marine Corps is following the Army’s example by including two new items in the individual first aid kit carried by every Marine downrange: A CAT II tourniquet and a blood-clotting bandage.

Continue reading "Standardized tourniquet, new bandages for IFAK" »

Posted by SP at 8:47 PM | Permalink

Navy researchers to investigate preventative measures

By Gidget Fuentes - Staff writer
Posted : Sunday Jun 6, 2010 9:13:06 EDT

SAN DIEGO — Navy researchers are preparing to launch a study aimed at preventing injuries suffered by Marines who carry heavy rucksacks into combat.

Continue reading "Heavy packs cause injuries among Marines" »

Posted by sr at 9:01 AM | Permalink

Navy researchers to investigate preventative measures

By Gidget Fuentes - Staff writer
Posted : Sunday Jun 6, 2010 9:13:06 EDT

SAN DIEGO — Navy researchers are preparing to launch a study aimed at preventing injuries suffered by Marines who carry heavy rucksacks into combat.

Continue reading "Heavy packs cause injuries among Marines" »

Posted by sr at 9:01 AM | Permalink

Marine and Stafford resident Harry Clark was among the 'Devil Dogs' who fought in an iconic battle with the Germans in June 1918

The date June 6 is usually remembered for the start of the Allied invasion of Normandy in 1944.

Continue reading " Honoring the heroes of Belleau Wood fight" »

Posted by sr at 3:13 PM | Permalink

Marines hold massive beach assault even as defense secretary questions need for amphibious capability

They were sent to storm the beaches of Camp Pendleton from amphibious assault ships floating offshore in the morning fog. But most of the Marines who hustled into position early Friday inside the hull of the Bonhomme Richard had never been to sea.

Continue reading "Getting their boots wet" »

Posted by sr at 3:01 PM | Permalink

By Julie Watson - The Associated Press
Posted : Thursday Jun 3, 2010 17:18:24 EDT

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. — Thousands of Marines and sailors set out to sea Thursday for an exercise to storm a picturesque beach in Southern California in a training mission that comes amid a debate in the military about whether D-Day-style amphibious landings are becoming obsolete in modern-day warfare.

Continue reading "Beach-storming drill returns Marines to roots" »

Posted by sr at 9:56 AM | Permalink

June 2nd, 2010 | Battle Rattle | Posted by Daniel Lamothe

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan – Two weeks ago, this base went up like the Fourth of July, with 14 acres of supplies and trailer-sized shipping containers essentially burning to the ground in a spectacular fire.

Continue reading "Lots of questions unanswered with Camp Leatherneck fire" »

Posted by sr at 9:47 AM | Permalink

By James K. Sanborn - Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday Jun 2, 2010 6:01:37 EDT

The Marine Corps is in the midst of fielding a new gas mask that will replace the 1980s-era M40 Field Protective Mask. Designated the M50 Joint Service General Purpose Mask, it has a similar fit and feel to the M40, but offers more protection and capabilities, according to Marine Corps Systems Command.

Continue reading "Marine Corps fielding new gas mask" »

Posted by sr at 7:23 AM | Permalink

By Dan Lamothe - Staff writer
Posted : Tuesday Jun 1, 2010 7:08:57 EDT

MARJAH, Afghanistan — Problems persist with the Corps’ new mine-resistant vehicle involving its engine wiring and door latches.

Continue reading "Engine, door-handle problems plague M-ATVs" »

Posted by sr at 7:38 AM | Permalink

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. — U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Special Operations Command’s Marine Special Operations Intelligence Battalion (MIB) officially activated during a ceremony on May 18, at the MARSOC headquarters building.

Continue reading "MARSOC stands up MIB" »

Posted by sr at 10:39 PM | Permalink

Deadlier open-tip round slow to be fielded

By Dan Lamothe - Staff writer
Posted : Monday May 24, 2010 8:15:06 EDT

CAMP HANSON, Afghanistan — The Marine Corps has fielded its new, enhanced 5.56mm rifle round in Afghanistan, and it’s just beginning to reach thousands of grunts here.

Continue reading "New 5.56 ammo used sparingly in combat" »

Posted by sr at 7:43 AM | Permalink

By Slobodan Lekic - The Associated Press
Posted : Friday May 21, 2010 10:46:04 EDT

KABUL, Afghanistan — The U.S. military’s workhorse rifle is proving less effective in Afghanistan against the Taliban’s more primitive but longer range weapons.

Continue reading "M4 not suited to warfare in Afghan hills" »

Posted by sr at 7:14 PM | Permalink

KANDAHAR, Afghanistan -- By air, land, and sea, Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles are moving into Iraq and Afghanistan through a network of DOD partners.

Continue reading "Supplying the MRAP Pipeline: a Constant Reconciliation" »

Posted by sr at 7:57 AM | Permalink

For young Marines at Camp Lejeune, green isn't just the color of uniforms anymore.

Continue reading "Marine base to house largest solar-powered residential community in U.S." »

Posted by sr at 6:25 PM | Permalink

Corps to test autonomous targets

By James K. Sanborn - Staff writer
Posted : Tuesday May 18, 2010 11:51:42 EDT

The Marine Corps will begin testing a humanoid target in July that can zip through ranges and mimic the behavior of insurgents, foreign fighters and civilians in a combat zone.

Continue reading "Robots to rove Marine firing ranges" »

Posted by sr at 11:02 PM | Permalink

A stretch of U.S. 70 between Havelock and New Bern has been designated the U.S. Marine Corps Highway.

Continue reading "U.S. 70 gets Marine designation" »

Posted by sr at 6:55 PM | Permalink

As the bus pulls through the gates aboard Camp Foster, a faint sound of music plays over the speakers. Conversations echo throughout the bus as the Marines of the Silent Drill Platoon stand, swaying back and forth from the motion of the vehicle.

Continue reading " Drill Is Life" »

Posted by sr at 9:55 PM | Permalink

The Marine Corps and Army have changed their explosives and demolitions manuals after instructors at Camp Lejeune, N.C., discovered directions in them that put troops at unnecessary risk.

Continue reading "Flawed formula leads to changes in buffer zones" »

Posted by sr at 8:42 AM | Permalink

Under a blazing North African sun, U.S. Marines and Soldiers worked to offload 276 vehicles and pieces of equipment from the USS Arc in preparation for AFRICAN LION 2010 here. AFRICAN LION, a U.S. Africa Command-sponsored exercise which commences May 15, will include various types of military training to include a command post exercise, intelligence capacity building, a field training exercise with live-fire, peace operations training, aviation training, medical exchange training, as well as humanitarian civic assistance programs.

Continue reading "Equipment offload kicks off Exercise African Lion ‘10" »

Posted by sr at 10:00 PM | Permalink

Missile tests next stage in development process

The first Marine KC-130J tanker armed with Hellfire missiles and sophisticated intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance gear should be ready to deploy this summer, officials said.

Continue reading "Armed tankers about ready to deploy" »

Posted by sr at 9:50 AM | Permalink

WASHINGTON — Rep. Walter Jones never expected changing the Department of Navy’s name would be a decade-long fight.

Continue reading "Still playing the name game with Navy and Marine Corps" »

Posted by sr at 12:54 PM | Permalink

WASHINGTON — The House by voice vote Tuesday agreed to rename the Department of the Navy as the Department of the Navy and Marine Corps.

Continue reading "House again OKs Navy Department name change" »

Posted by sr at 11:41 PM | Permalink

Happy Tuesday! The House is scheduled to vote Tuesday on a bill that has more cosponsors than any other in Congressional history -- but will likely die once again in the Senate.

Continue reading "Will Department of Navy get a name change?" »

Posted by sr at 1:44 PM | Permalink

Corps’ version of Fleet Week involves more than 900 leathernecks

There are lots of good reasons to visit Boston in the spring. But this year it’s all about being a Marine, as the denizens of Beantown roll out the red carpet for Marine Week.

Continue reading "Marines invade Beantown" »

Posted by sr at 10:39 PM | Permalink

Marine officials are weighing options for a new, powerful sniper rifle that could kill enemies 1,500 meters away, and are closely watching a contract competition launched by U.S. Special Operations Command last month for a similar weapon, a top Marine acquisitions official said.

Continue reading "More lethal sniper rifle eyed by Corps" »

Posted by sr at 5:49 PM | Permalink

The Marine Corps could be ready to order large quantities of the front-runner in its infantry automatic rifle competition this fall, but only if the commandant is convinced it’s a good idea.

Continue reading "Corps may field infantry auto-rifle this fall" »

Posted by sr at 11:33 PM | Permalink

The Marine Corps Active Reserve program is looking for qualified applicants for their upcoming officer accession board, which is scheduled to convene May 17.

Continue reading " Marine Corps Active Reserve program seeks applicants for upcoming board" »

Posted by sr at 5:59 PM | Permalink

With shifts toward community service and greater Marine participation, the station’s Single Marine Program recently reported a more than 500 percent increase in participation over the past eight months.

Continue reading "Single Marine Program use in Yuma up 500%" »

Posted by sr at 5:53 PM | Permalink

Mortars and rockets fired at forward operating bases in war zones are rarely aimed with precision, but the Marine Corps’ top combat development officer is concerned they could become a bigger threat in the future.

Continue reading "More-accurate artillery concerns general" »

Posted by sr at 10:13 AM | Permalink

Marine Corps Times is accepting nominations through May 20 for our 10th annual Marine of the Year Award.

Continue reading "Looking for the ‘Marine of the Year’" »

Posted by sr at 10:36 AM | Permalink

(Reuters) - With heavy fighting in the former Taliban stronghold of Marjah now largely reduced to sporadic gunfights, U.S. Marines in the area have turned their focus toward eliminating the insurgents' cash source: opium.

Continue reading "Marines pay Afghan farmers to destroy opium" »

Posted by sr at 11:37 AM | Permalink

HELMAND PROVINCE, Afghanistan – The Afghan uniform police bolstered its force by 84 new officers following graduation from the Joint Security Academy Shorabak at Camp Leatherneck. This graduation illustrates the progress that Afghanistan is making toward gradually taking full responsibility for its own security.

Continue reading "Afghanistan Uniform Police Graduate 84 New Recruits" »

Posted by sr at 5:24 PM | Permalink

Mills wants to keep Taliban ‘on their heels’

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. — As thousands of Marines continue flowing into Afghanistan, their eventual commander, Maj. Gen. Richard Mills, is busy organizing a new Marine-led command to oversee coalition forces operating in the southwestern part of the country.

Continue reading "Commander looks to maintain momentum" »

Posted by sr at 9:58 AM | Permalink

If knowledge is power, than gathering information about enemy forces is crucial. Observing the movement or posture of the enemy greatly aids in battle planning.

Continue reading "Eyes in Sky Give Advance Notice to Ground Troops" »

Posted by sr at 10:45 PM | Permalink

The most advanced combat simulator within the Department of Defense no longer resembles the streets of Iraq.

Continue reading "Afghan conflict prompts change to combat simulator" »

Posted by sr at 7:29 AM | Permalink

MARJAH, Afghanistan (AFP) – Corporal Jones Kendall twists around to read the tattoo in gothic script on his bicep: "Father please forgive me if I have to send them to you Lord".

Continue reading "Tattoos of love and war for US Marines" »

Posted by sr at 8:31 AM | Permalink

In northern Afghanistan, where U.S. and allied forces are in short supply, you don’t have to go far to find the bad guys. So the members of Marine Special Operations Team 5 were on high alert as they walked along the muddy Afghan roads in Bagdhis province on Oct. 28, 2008.

Continue reading "5 valor medals to spec ops team" »

Posted by sr at 11:14 PM | Permalink

Northern Helmand Province – U.S. Marines stationed in Now Zad only have one link to home – a small wooden shack in the middle of their base. Inside, they crowd around five or six telephones and around eight computer stations. This is where troops connect with their families and friends, and find out what’s happening in the world beyond Camp Cafferetta.

Continue reading "You won't find 'River City' on a map in Afghanistan" »

Posted by sr at 10:15 PM | Permalink

LADSON, S.C., April 6 (UPI) -- The U.S. Marine Corps has modified a contract with Force Protection to provide Cougar armored vehicles with next-generation suspension technologies.

Continue reading "Marines contract for Cougar suspensions" »

Posted by sr at 5:16 PM | Permalink

The U.S. Marine Corps is on the lookout for off-the-shelf technologies to support its warfighters’ operational needs as they deploy around the world. Because the service is called on to perform both combat and humanitarian missions—often simultaneously in the same region—readily available equipment capable of being applied to a variety of situations is on many commanders’ checklists. Some commercial gear that currently is being used by the Marines and the other U.S. military services includes portable geolocation systems, handheld translators and tents equipped with photovoltaic cells.

Continue reading "Off-The-Shelf Gear Strengthens Marine Operations" »

Posted by sr at 5:08 PM | Permalink

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. — A new $13 million training range opened here March 25 that will give Marines much-needed experience in countering improvised explosive devices, which remain the most significant threat to troops in the war zones.

Continue reading "Range offers training in combating IED threat" »

Posted by sr at 10:31 AM | Permalink

Marine Corps Times is looking for heroes. Not the types who make headlines for combat exploits, but rather the quiet, everyday heroes whose dedication, professionalism and concern for their fellow Marines and community set a standard for us all.

Continue reading "Nominate your Marine of the year" »

Posted by sr at 5:28 PM | Permalink

Camp Pendleton service members and civilian employees now have the ability to surf the net more freely with the Marine Corps’ lowered restrictions on access to some of the world’s most popular social networking Web sites.

Continue reading "Marine Corps opens up social networking on government computers" »

Posted by sr at 7:31 AM | Permalink

Slots expected to fill soon, though

MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va. — Marine Forces Reserve is in the midst of a major recruiting drive, targeting active-duty lieutenants, captains, sergeants and staff sergeants in select career fields and offering $5,000 bonuses to some who make at least a three-year commitment.

Continue reading "MarForRes seeks select junior officers, NCOs" »

Posted by sr at 4:15 PM | Permalink

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan - Becoming a noncommissioned officer in the United States Marine Corps consists of more than an additional stripe above the cross rifles and an increased paycheck. Corporals make up approximately 20 percent of the Marine Corps and are an essential link in the chain of command as small unit leaders.

Continue reading "First Corporals Course Kicks Off at Camp Leatherneck" »

Posted by sr at 9:52 AM | Permalink

MARSTON, N.C. — Panting heavily on an open field, Staff Sgt. Boomer doesn’t look like your typical Marine. With floppy ears and a shiny yellow coat, he enjoys horseplay, chasing plastic batons and getting scratched behind the ears.

Continue reading "Dogs becoming essential in fight against IEDs" »

Posted by sr at 11:27 PM | Permalink

LAUREL, Md. -- Going green and renewable doesn't just save money, it may save lives of U.S. soldiers, according to military leaders who argue that a push for energy efficiency and a move away from fossil-based fuels could strengthen America's military.

Continue reading "Navy and Marines Aim for a Leaner, Greener Fighting Machine" »

Posted by sr at 8:52 AM | Permalink

Documentary of footage shot by troops will screen in Dallas

The subject of a documentary made entirely of video footage shot by Marines says he hopes the award-winning film will show what war is really like.

Continue reading " Marines Film "Real" War Movie" »

Posted by sr at 11:01 PM | Permalink

Wars: Change meant to address stresses such as divorce, violence, suicide

The U.S. military is taking steps to keep service members home longer to rest, re-train and be with their families – a sign that the stress caused by years-long engagements and extended combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan may begin to ease.

Continue reading "Military plans to give troops longer rest time" »

Posted by sr at 8:09 AM | Permalink

A new nonchargeable rest and recuperation leave policy for troops serving in Iraq and Afghanistan announced by the Pentagon on Monday gives those deployed for 270 days or more 15 days of administrative absence on top of their regular annual leave.

Continue reading "Combat troops get 15 extra days of leave" »

Posted by sr at 10:20 PM | Permalink

The Defense Department has loosened guidelines on the use of social-networking Web sites such as Facebook and Twitter, but Marine officials say a servicewide ban on them remains in place with limited exceptions.

Continue reading "Corps pushes tighter Internet ban than Pentagon" »

Posted by sr at 10:05 AM | Permalink

Program review could result in streamlined training, new martial arts standard

MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va. — If you had hoped to skate by with a tan belt for the rest of your enlistment, think again.

Continue reading "Marines would be required to make green belt" »

Posted by sr at 5:21 PM | Permalink

Military eligible to register at discount before public

If you want a leg up on fellow runners, active-duty and reserve service members can register now for the 35th Marine Corps Marathon at a 15 percent discount.

Continue reading "Early Marine Marathon registration begins" »

Posted by sr at 8:34 AM | Permalink

SAN DIEGO -- Many local military leaders, members of the military community and veterans attended the San Diego premiere of "The Pacific" aboard the USS Midway, Feb. 25.

Continue reading "HBO Brings Marines' History to Life" »

Posted by sr at 9:06 AM | Permalink

NEW YORK — For a civilian it's a source of inspiration. For a photographer it's a dynamic study of composition and structure. For a historian it inspires debates on amphibious tactics and whether an island a third the size of Manhattan should have been bypassed in favor of other objectives.

Continue reading "The picture of Marines: past and present" »

Posted by sr at 11:23 PM | Permalink

WASHINGTON — Troops caught near a roadside blast will be pulled out of combat for 24 hours and checked for a mild traumatic brain injury, even if they appear unhurt or say they are fine, according to a new treatment policy the Pentagon is planning to release.

Continue reading "New rules for troops hit by IED blasts" »

Posted by sr at 10:29 AM | Permalink

Retired Gunnery Sgt. R. Lee Ermey, widely known for his performance as the sadistic drill instructor in the 1987 film “Full Metal Jacket,” headlined a Thursday news conference in Washington, D.C., calling to rename the Department of the Navy the Department of the Navy and Marine Corps.

Continue reading "Ermey throws weight behind name change" »

Posted by sr at 11:45 PM | Permalink

WILMINGTON – Chaplains deployed to Afghanistan have provided support for Marines dealing with the loss of their own in recent battles. After two weeks of intense fighting in Afghanistan, an Afghan flag now flies over Marjah, a former Taliban stronghold.

Continue reading "Chaplains help Marines cope with offensive in Afghanistan" »

Posted by sr at 11:11 PM | Permalink

Senators say it’s a missed opportunity for soldiers

OCEANSIDE, Calif. – Marines and Navy SEALs are using an Army facility to train for Afghanistan, and soldiers are missing out, two U.S. senators report.

Continue reading "Marines and SEALs train at Army depot" »

Posted by sr at 9:26 AM | Permalink

SATTAHIP, Thailand — Right now, there’s probably no place on earth with a greater collection of people qualified to critique disaster response than at the annual Cobra Gold exercise — with the exception of Haiti.

Continue reading "Troops train for humanitarian response at Cobra Gold" »

Posted by sr at 7:31 PM | Permalink

Rayong - Cobra Gold, the 2010 version of the annual joint exercise among US and regional armed forces, began in Rayong province on Monday.

Continue reading "Cobra Gold war games begin" »

Posted by sr at 7:27 PM | Permalink

UTAPAO, Thailand – The 29th annual Cobra Gold exercise presented the perfect picture of unity among nations as the exercise kicked off with an opening ceremony, Feb.1.

Continue reading "29th annual Cobra Gold opening ceremony kicks off exercise, promotes unity" »

Posted by sr at 11:49 PM | Permalink

AL-ASAD, Iraq — The base loudspeaker no longer wakes them up with calls for blood donors; armored trucks sit idle in neat rows. The Marines who stood at some of the bloodiest turning points of the Iraq war are packing up and leaving.

Continue reading "Marines exit Iraq in first wave of forces out" »

Posted by BR at 8:44 PM | Permalink

At 5 feet 6 inches and 140 pounds, Damacio Page may not look intimidating to a burly, battle-hardened Marine.

Continue reading "MMA fighters teach Marines skills for combat" »

Posted by BR at 7:38 PM | Permalink

DELARAM, Afghanistan (Reuters) - A U.S. Marine commander in south Afghanistan blamed provocateurs for using religion to stir up a violent demonstration that has raised the political temperature in the country's most volatile region.

Continue reading "Marines defend troops after shots at Afghan protest" »

Posted by BR at 7:49 PM | Permalink

Call it a year of renewed focus. The Marine Corps’ primary combat mission and deployments in 2010 all appear to be clear. A surge of 30,000 U.S. troops to Afghanistan, including 8,500 Marines, is underway, and the Corps expects to stand up an expanded command structure led by a two-star general based in Helmand province in the spring.

Continue reading "12 things Marines can expect in 2010" »

Posted by sr at 9:32 AM | Permalink

Hundreds of Marines will descend on Boston this spring, as the Corps holds its second-ever “Marine Week” event in one of the nation’s oldest cities.

Continue reading "Corps to hold second Marine Week in Boston" »

Posted by sr at 10:38 PM | Permalink

You are going to have to get your own winter coat and hat to keep you warm off duty, because Marines are now prohibited from wearing the extreme cold weather gear and the associated accessories while in civilian attire.

Continue reading "Conway approves several uniform rules changes" »

Posted by sr at 10:35 PM | Permalink

The military’s surge of forces deploying to Afghanistan by this spring will include about 8,500 Marines commanded by the Camp Pendleton, Calif.-based I Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward).

Continue reading "New Afghanistan deployments announced" »

Posted by sr at 10:23 PM | Permalink

8,600 Marines to come from Okinawa
Navy officials have outlined their plans to build a Marine Corps base in Guam and expeditionary field training sites on the nearby island of Tinian, measures meant to support the relocation of 8,600 Marines from Okinawa beginning in 2014.

Continue reading "Navy outlines plans for base in Guam" »

Posted by BR at 8:49 PM | Permalink

Grunts in Afghanistan soon will have a smaller, lighter sleeping bag.

Continue reading "New sleeping bags lighter, more compact" »

Posted by sr at 8:41 AM | Permalink

The Pentagon announced Monday that 8,500 additional Marines will deploy to Afghanistan, including 1,500 by the end of the month as part of battalion task force headed by Camp Lejeune, N.C.-based 1st Battalion, 6th Marines.

Continue reading "Numerous Lejeune units to deploy in surge" »

Posted by sr at 5:39 PM | Permalink

In Oceanside, Near Camp Pendleton, Nearly Everyone Is Linked to the Military - and Feeling the Strain of Repeated Deployments

(CBS) The president announced this week an additional 30,000 U.S. troops will head to Afghanistan. Of course, in this country that means more changes on the home front, and not just at home, as CBS News correspondent Terry McCarthy reports from Camp Pendleton, Calif.

Continue reading "A Calif. Town Feels Afghan War's Impact" »

Posted by sr at 11:01 PM | Permalink

The Marine Corps will add a second regimental combat team to supplement U.S. forces in Afghanistan, and it apparently has at least three infantry battalions ready to deploy.

Continue reading "Corps to add second RCT in Afghanistan" »

Posted by sr at 10:21 AM | Permalink

Extra 30,000 U.S. Soldiers for 18 Months; Republicans Say Timetable Poses Risk

WEST POINT, N.Y. -- President Barack Obama announced Tuesday a surge of 30,000 troops to Afghanistan, along with plans to begin withdrawing the reinforcements in 18 months -- a potentially high-risk political and military strategy.

Continue reading "Obama Bets Big on Troop Surge" »

Posted by sr at 7:59 AM | Permalink

President Obama's Afghan surge of 30,000 additional U.S. troops will include an immediate infusion of California-based Marines, with the first elements set to be on the ground in southern Afghanistan around Christmas.

Continue reading "Marines to be First in Afghan Surge" »

Posted by sr at 10:16 AM | Permalink

At Quantico, fired-up Marine recruits struggle to meet expectations that seem impossibly high

Finally, it is here: Tyler Martin's first real step on the road to becoming a Marine. His debut comes in the form of a routine physical fitness test.

Continue reading "The measure of success" »

Posted by sr at 10:45 PM | Permalink

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. — The message on Gail Kroger’s cell phone said her son was home from Afghanistan.

Continue reading "New family systems improves link to Marines" »

Posted by sr at 10:46 PM | Permalink

Fighting two wars, Marines hold new leaders to higher standard

There is no yelling. No invective. No spittle-laced derision.

Continue reading "At Quantico, the ultimate test" »

Posted by sr at 10:27 PM | Permalink

AL ASAD AIR BASE, Iraq – After returning from a two-week mission in Iraq, a Marine makes a call to his wife, assuring her that he has returned safely. She is relieved, but panic creeks into her voice as she tells him that creditors have been calling their home asking about mortgage payments and threatening foreclosure. She anxiously asks her husband what went wrong and how to deal with it. The Marine is baffled, and he knows he needs legal assistance.

Continue reading "Legal Services Support Team Makes a Difference for Deployed Service Members" »

Posted by sr at 11:33 PM | Permalink

Grunts everywhere, prepare to face the Crips of Kabul.

The same techniques used by inner-city cops to fight street gangs in the U.S. are headed to Afghanistan — this time to root out insurgents, collect intelligence on improvised explosive device networks and build sources in Afghan villages.

Continue reading "Not everyone sold on combat policing training" »

Posted by BR at 3:22 PM | Permalink

MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va. — Student officers in Company A at The Basic School conducted martial arts-based training Nov. 18 on Landing Zone 7.

Continue reading "Officers duke it out" »

Posted by BR at 7:42 PM | Permalink

$7.9 million facility will help meet requirements for predeployment

The Marine Corps will expand its use of special effects in infantry training next year, with an expansive urban training facility anticipated in Hawaii and high-tech immersion trainers planned in North Carolina and California, Marine officials said.

Continue reading "Marines to build urban training site in Islands" »

Posted by sr at 12:50 PM | Permalink

Nov. 6--"I've been waiting for this film since the early days of the war," writes Roger Ebert about "Brothers at War," which he calls an "honest, on-the-ground documentary" about American soldiers fighting in Iraq.

Continue reading "'Brothers at War" takes intimate look at combat life" »

Posted by sr at 11:12 PM | Permalink

Washington -- Former Marine Lance Cpl. Josef Lopez completed his third Marine Corps Marathon on a crisp fall Sunday, one of about 60 riding hand-cranked bikes on a course that passes by memorials to Jefferson, Lincoln and Washington.

Continue reading "Injured vet inspires legislation" »

Posted by sr at 10:34 PM | Permalink

Say goodbye to sea bag drag.

Initial distribution of the Corps’ new Deployment Bag, a 10-pound footlocker on wheels, began in September and will continue for the next year, according to Marine Corps Systems Command. Manufactured by California-based ForceProtector Gear, the new bag can haul up to 75 pounds and is a significant upgrade from the service’s standard green duffel, which has remained largely unchanged for the past 25 years, officials said.

Continue reading "New wheeled footlocker issued for deployments" »

Posted by BR at 8:26 PM | Permalink

The Marine Corps moved fast to silence an Air Force military training instructor who boasted in a service-sponsored video that airmen are in better shape than Marines.

Continue reading "Recruiting video pulled after Marines complain" »

Posted by BR at 2:25 PM | Permalink

A massive attack on US troops in a remote part of east Afghanistan has added more heat to the debate about the level of American engagement in the country.

Continue reading "Taliban assault heats up US troop debate" »

Posted by BR at 2:12 PM | Permalink

As policymakers debate whether to deploy more troops, training at Camp Pendleton and Twentynine Palms is being tweaked to reflect a counterinsurgency mission in mountain terrain.

Reporting from Camp Pendleton - In the power corridors of Washington, there is debate about whether to send more U.S. troops to Afghanistan. But here at Camp Pendleton, the training and deploying of Marines, with a focus on Afghanistan, continue.

Continue reading "Marines increase readiness with Afghanistan in mind" »

Posted by BR at 1:55 PM | Permalink

CAMP RAMADI, Iraq —
Marines and soldiers stand ready in formation. Distinguished guests begin to filter in. Among them are prominent Iraqi government leaders, paramount sheikhs, Iraqi Police and Army generals, and U.S. military members from all services and units across Iraq. The air is thick with excitement, and more importantly, hope.

Continue reading "Six-year legacy of Marine Corps regiments in Iraq followed by an Army brigade" »

Posted by sr at 4:49 PM | Permalink

Troop assignments not yet clear
In a little noticed development last week, Defense Secretary Robert Gates ordered 2,500 to 3,000 more troops to Afghanistan as soon as possible to meet imminent threats from roadside bombs.

Continue reading "Marines await word on deployment" »

Posted by BR at 6:44 PM | Permalink

The Marine Corps will launch a new TV advertising campaign Saturday during the Florida-Tennessee college football game on CBS, focusing on what it takes to become a Marine, recruiting command officials said.

Continue reading "Corps to launch new ad campaign" »

Posted by BR at 1:33 PM | Permalink

PICKEL MEADOW, Calif. — With more Navy medical personnel on track to deploy to Afghanistan, officials at the Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center are injecting more reality into the center’s mountain medical courses.

Continue reading "Mountain training prepares docs for Afghanistan" »

Posted by BR at 9:53 PM | Permalink

JEFFERSON COUNTY — The Jefferson County sheriff has offered a stern response to a woman complaining she was inconvenienced by a procession accompanying a soldier's casket.

Continue reading "Jefferson County Sheriff defends soldier's funeral procession" »

Posted by BR at 10:04 PM | Permalink

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. — Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command is about to mark another first.

This fall, 1st Marine Special Operations Battalion from Camp Pendleton, Calif., will assume command of a task force responsible for parts of northern and western Afghanistan, overseeing all U.S. spec ops forces in the region.

Continue reading "MarSOC battalion to take joint command" »

Posted by BR at 8:46 PM | Permalink

The Corps is bringing back the Field Supply and Maintenance Analysis Office, an inspections organization that officials acknowledge had a reputation for harshly enforcing equipment accountability before it was phased out six years ago.

Continue reading "Inspectors to ensure Marine units police gear" »

Posted by BR at 9:31 PM | Permalink

In a ceremony with military traditions dating back centuries, a new Marine general took command Friday of Marines and sailors serving in Iraq and Afghanistan as part of the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force.

Continue reading "Change of command for Marines serving in Iraq and Afghanistan" »

Posted by BR at 9:15 PM | Permalink

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates used the strongest terms in trying to persuade the Associated Press to refrain from running a graphic picture of a Marine taken shortly after the service member was wounded in southern Afghanistan, Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell said here today.

Continue reading "Gates Objects to News Photo of Dying Marine" »

Posted by sr at 9:00 PM | Permalink

Harvard Business School recently touted the Marine Corps’ leadership philosophy as effective not only on the battlefield but in the office, too.

Continue reading "The Corps teaches Harvard" »

Posted by BR at 8:24 PM | Permalink

It’s not just the body armor.

Over and over again, that’s what Marine officials say when questioned about the heavy load grunts are carrying in Iraq and Afghanistan. Marines’ combat loads typically include no more than 35 pounds of armor. But weapons, communications gear, water, batteries, ammunition and other essential fighting gear make up most of the load.

Continue reading "Corps researching new, lighter combat gear" »

Posted by BR at 4:17 PM | Permalink

Every Marine has to earn his Eagle, Globe and Anchor, but that doesn’t stop copycats from taking the easy route.

Continue reading "MarPat-like cammies show up on Iraqi troops" »

Posted by BR at 10:07 PM | Permalink

U.S. Marines and Republic of Georgia soldiers marked the beginning of the Georgia Deployment Program today with an opening ceremony at the Krtsanisi National Training Center just outside of the city here.

Continue reading "U.S. Marines Begin Training Georgian Troops for ISAF Mission" »

Posted by BR at 8:35 PM | Permalink

The Marine Corps Tactics and Operations Group and U.S. Joint Forces Command's Joint Fires Integration and Interoperability Team partnered here Tuesday to improve the joint training and combat readiness of Marine battalion and regimental staffs before they deploy to Afghanistan and Iraq.

Continue reading "MCTOG, USJFCOM Enhance Joint Readiness for Marines" »

Posted by BR at 5:02 PM | Permalink

The Marine Corps Tactics and Operations Group and U.S. Joint Forces Command's Joint Fires Integration and Interoperability Team partnered here Tuesday to improve the joint training and combat readiness of Marine battalion and regimental staffs before they deploy to Afghanistan and Iraq.

Continue reading "MCTOG, USJFCOM Enhance Joint Readiness for Marines" »

Posted by BR at 4:47 PM | Permalink

KHAN NESHIN, Afghanistan– If the amount of water troops consume daily is one good indicator of the rigors of summer combat duty, then this isolated outpost in southern Helmand Province is surely one of the most arduous postings in the entire United States military.

Continue reading "Drinking From Socks" »

Posted by BR at 12:46 PM | Permalink

MARINE CORPS LOGISTICS BASE ALBANY, Ga. —
The recently-released Marine Administrative Message 458/09 caused some to ask questions about how to properly use the social media sites that have become a popular way to communicate. Many Marines use social networking as a quick and easy way to maintain contact with family and friends, especially while away from home.

Continue reading "Marines encouraged to use social media appropriately" »

Posted by BR at 1:48 PM | Permalink

CAMP RAMADI, Iraq - The top U.S. Marine is checking on troops in one war zone as he gets ready to send more to the next.

Continue reading "Conway predicts ‘more combat support’ after Army general’s review" »

Posted by BR at 1:09 PM | Permalink

CAMP BASTION, Helmand Province, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan – A new Mine Resistant Ambush Protected Vehicle featuring upgraded suspension systems arrived here August 17.

Continue reading "MEB-Afghanistan receives first of new MRAPs" »

Posted by BR at 1:20 PM | Permalink

Marines who support the Corps’ elite units spend long days — and a lot of brass — preparing to deploy.

Continue reading "Support Marines train for MarSOC deployments" »

Posted by BR at 3:02 PM | Permalink

WASHINGTON – The Pentagon is reviewing the use of Facebook and other social networking sites on its computers with an eye toward setting rules on how to protect against possible security risks.

Continue reading "Pentagon reviews social networking on computers" »

Posted by sr at 2:21 PM | Permalink

Corps Offers Unparalleled Look Inside Officer Training

MARINE CORPS BASE, QUANTICO, Va. (July 23, 2009) – Marine Corps Recruiting Command (MCRC) and Officer Candidate School (OCS) have joined forces to provide America with an inside look at the making of a Marine officer.

Continue reading "OCS Blog" »

Posted by sr at 10:23 PM | Permalink

Four days into the Helmand operation, military officials in Afghanistan say the offensive to break the Taliban's grip on the region has exceeded their own optimistic expectations — in particular, the speed with which the Marines were able to move into the vast Helmand River valley region and clear areas of Taliban and other Islamist insurgents without widespread civilian casualties

Continue reading "Marines Cautiously Optimistic On Afghan Offensive" »

Posted by BR at 11:13 PM | Permalink

NAWA, Afghanistan – Taliban militants were nowhere in sight as the columns of U.S. Marines walked a third straight day across southern Afghanistan. But the desert heat proved an enemy in its own right, with several troops falling victim Saturday to temperatures topping 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

Continue reading "Marines march in grueling Afghan sun for July 4" »

Posted by sr at 10:18 PM | Permalink

NAWA, Afghanistan - U.S. Marines pushed deeper into Taliban areas of southern Afghanistan on Friday, seeking to cut insurgent supply lines and win over local elders on the second day of the biggest U.S. military operation here since the American-led invasion of 2001.

Continue reading "Marines Seek to Cut Taliban Supplies" »

Posted by sr at 11:27 AM | Permalink

KABUL — Taliban militants fired rockets and mortars at a U.S. base in eastern Afghanistan on Saturday, killing two American troops and wounding several more in a two-hour battle, officials said.

Continue reading "2 U.S. Troops Killed in Attack on Base in Afghanistan" »

Posted by sr at 11:15 AM | Permalink

NAWA, Afghanistan — Marines moved into villages in Taliban strongholds in southern Afghanistan on Friday, meeting little resistance as they tried to win over local chiefs on the second day of the biggest American military operation here since the fall of the Taliban government in 2001.

Continue reading "Little Taliban resistance early in operation" »

Posted by BR at 8:06 PM | Permalink

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan – U.S. Marines and Afghan soldiers and police are continuing clearing operations in key population centers along the Helmand River valley in an effort to secure the local population from the threat of Taliban and other insurgent intimidation and violence.

Continue reading "Marines, Afghan's Continue Operation Khanjar" »

Posted by sr at 10:51 AM | Permalink

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Helmand Province, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan - The sun was high and the heat was at its peak. The sound of rocks crackling beneath service members' boots, the noise of construction work, and the voices were nowhere to be heard. It was as if time came to a sudden halt.

Continue reading "Personal Security From an Outside Perspective" »

Posted by sr at 9:54 AM | Permalink

Today, nearly 4,000 U.S. Marines and Sailors of Task Force Leatherneck, partnered with Afghan national security forces and supported by Task Force Pegasus, the Combat Aviation Brigade of the U.S. Army's 82nd Airborne Division, conducted a near-simultaneous heliborne and surface insert into the central and southern Helmand River valley. These efforts, combined with closely coordinated U.K. and Dutch operations to our immediate north, will dramatically change and positively impact the security of the Afghan people living in this long-held Taliban heartland.

Continue reading "Statement on Operation Khanjar From Larry D. Nicholson, Commanding General, Task Force Leatherneck" »

Posted by sr at 11:46 PM | Permalink

Marines and Sailors with 3rd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment defended their position and attacked a simulated enemy during Clear, Hold, Build Exercise III in the Combat Center's Quackenbush and Gays Pass training areas, June 17 and 18.

Continue reading "3/9 Attacks Simulated Enemy in Enhanced Mojave Viper" »

Posted by sr at 11:59 AM | Permalink

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. — They endured countless hours of swimming and finning in the combat pool and then in the open, cold ocean.

Continue reading "Recon-improvement plan pays off for Corps" »

Posted by sr at 9:48 AM | Permalink

WASHINGTON — The Marine Corps hopes to give Marines 14 months at home after deployments by mid-2010, Corps Commandant Gen. James Conway said Thursday.

Continue reading "More dwell time for Marines in future, Conway says" »

Posted by sr at 7:02 PM | Permalink

The first of eight new student quarters for the Corps’ newly commissioned officers is slated for completion this August as the next phase of construction at The Basic School at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va., is expected to ramp into full gear.

Continue reading "TBS opening new student quarters in Aug." »

Posted by sr at 10:28 AM | Permalink

So long Wikipedia. Say hello to Corpspedia.

Continue reading "Corps to launch online encyclopedia" »

Posted by sr at 8:12 AM | Permalink

OWATONNA, Minn. — On the morning of her wedding day, Breana Michel stood next to her pastor Rev. Jay Grave. The groom was nowhere to be found in the small house on 15th Street Southeast.

Continue reading "Marine in Iraq gets hitched over the Internet" »

Posted by sr at 7:18 AM | Permalink

Marine expeditionary units have provided aid to a tsunami-ravaged southeast Asia, conducted exercises in Djibouti aimed at improving the Corps’ amphibious capabilities and captured insurgents in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Continue reading "Focus of Marine expeditionary units questioned" »

Posted by sr at 10:43 PM | Permalink

MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va. —
Area weather conditions are known to fluctuate in the spring. But summers are known to be hot, and maintaining safe training conditions is increasingly important.

Continue reading "What color is the weather? Check the flag" »

Posted by sr at 10:49 PM | Permalink

The Corps’ glitzy video promoting motorcycle safety will debut June 25 at Camp Lejeune, N.C., as part of an event that will include live motorcycle stunts and autograph sessions with celebrities, officials said.

Continue reading "Semper Ride video set for Lejeune debut" »

Posted by sr at 10:05 AM | Permalink

CHICAGO —
On the final day of Marine Week Chicago infantry Marines from Company F, 2nd Battalion, 24th Marines put on a raid demonstration in front of around 2,000 people at the Arlington Park Racetrack.

Continue reading "Marine Week Chicago closes with the MV-22 Osprey" »

Posted by sr at 11:35 PM | Permalink

CHICAGO —
The Marine Corps gave Chicagoans the chance to look at, hold and even play with some of its newest equipment today at Navy Pier.

Continue reading "Marines set up shop at Navy Pier" »

Posted by sr at 10:51 PM | Permalink

CHICAGO —
Despite Friday’s constant rain showers and cold winds, numerous citizens braved the weather and came out to Daley Plaza here for an exercise demonstration dubbed “Chicago Moves,” which called upon Marines from the Quantico, Va.-based Martial Arts Center of Excellence, also known as MACE, to showcase their own version of fitness and self defense techniques.

Continue reading "Chicago Moves Despite Afternoon Showers" »

Posted by sr at 10:43 PM | Permalink

CHICAGO — Lance Cpl. Sean R. Padfield, hardly ever gets the chance to show his family what he does in the Marine Corps. With Marine Week Chicago in full swing he’s taking advantage of the opportunity, including a static display at Sears Holdings today.

Continue reading "Marine receives rare opportunity" »

Posted by sr at 11:00 PM | Permalink

CHICAGO — Approximately 1000 people, including 800 Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps’ cadets from the local area attended one of two performances by “The Commandant’s Own” U.S. Marine Corps Drum and Bugle Corps and Silent Drill Platoon at the historic Soldier Field Wednesday despite overcast skies and rain.

Continue reading "Local JROTC students attend Battle Color Detachment performance" »

Posted by sr at 10:56 PM | Permalink

CHICAGO —
About 25 Marines, many from the Chicago-based 2nd Battalion, 24th Marines—a reserve infantry battalion — joined other volunteers at the Cornerstone Community Center in Chicago to help feed the needy and clean-up the facility today

Continue reading "Giving back to the community one ‘cornerstone’ at a time" »

Posted by sr at 10:52 PM | Permalink

CHICAGO — Electricity filled the air as the eager crowd of hundreds waited with anticipation for the United States Marine Corps Battle Color Detachment to begin their performance at Oak Park & River Forest High School, Oak Park, Ill., yesterday evening as part of Marine Week Chicago.

Continue reading "Concert unites local Marine community" »

Posted by sr at 10:48 PM | Permalink

CHICAGO —
In a sun-lit room of the Ida Ndyes Study Lounge in the Booth School of Business at the University of Chicago, three Marine Corps general officers held a panel in front of students and faculty members yesterday afternoon as part of Marine Week Chicago.

Continue reading "High ranking officers talk, answer questions at local university" »

Posted by at 7:23 PM | Permalink

CHICAGO —
The Marine Corps provided some local news reporters with the chance of a lifetime today allowing them to fly in a MV-22 Osprey.

Continue reading "MV-22 Osprey in full flight in ‘Windy City’" »

Posted by at 7:31 PM | Permalink

CHICAGO —
A brass quintet with the Twentynine Palms Marine Band shared their music knowledge and answered questions about opportunities in the Marine Corps as musicians after performing at Roberto Clemente High School here today.

Continue reading "Party of five rocks West Side Chicago high school music class" »

Posted by at 7:20 PM | Permalink

Chicago is home to eight Medal of Honor recipients and 27 Marine generals, so it is only fitting that the inaugural Marine Week kicks off in the Windy City.

Continue reading "Inaugural Marine Week kicks off in Chicago" »

Posted by sr at 10:52 PM | Permalink

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION BEAUFORT, S.C. — Those who are fond of the noise they hear above them are in for an earful as the 2009 MCAS Beaufort Air Show dubbed “Blues Over Beaufort,” soars into the Lowcountry skies, May 16 and 17.

Continue reading "Angels take wing; 2009 MCAS Beaufort Air Show roars into town" »

Posted by sr at 9:19 AM | Permalink

WASHINGTON, May 7, 2009 – Tanya Queiro, a former Marine Corps noncommissioned officer, was named the 2009 Military Spouse of the Year at a ceremony held here today.

Continue reading "Former Marine NCO Takes Military Spouse of the Year Honors" »

Posted by sr at 9:33 AM | Permalink

MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va. — The Marine Corps and Army are pushing forward with a plan to roll out a new, tougher battlefield helmet, but will keep existing padding inside despite criticism over safety and comfort.

Continue reading "New helmet program focuses on stopping power" »

Posted by sr at 12:35 PM | Permalink

As the beauty of spring slowly but surely paints the landscape of the Missoula valley, productive indoor activities go right out the window. Of the possible outdoor activities to choose from, running 400-meter sprints in the blazing hot sun would probably reside at the bottom of the list for most. But University of Montana sprinter Cody Henning holds many things in lower esteem than sprint workouts. Relay workouts are not hard. Cody Henning knows what hard is.

Continue reading "Becoming a Marine redefines ‘hard’ for senior track runner Cody Henning" »

Posted by sr at 5:37 PM | Permalink

The Marine Corps outlined details Monday for its inaugural Marine Week, saying that nearly 2,000 Marines will participate in a week-long series of demonstrations, concerts and outreach efforts in Chicago beginning May 11.

Continue reading "Corps outlines inaugural Marine Week event" »

Posted by sr at 5:45 PM | Permalink

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION CHERRY POINT, N.C. — Marines not currently within their height and weight or military appearance standards are feeling the burn.

Continue reading "You Are What You Eat" »

Posted by sr at 10:16 PM | Permalink

JACKSONVILLE, N.C. — More than half of the Corps’ family readiness officers are using a new Internet-based tool to pass the latest deployment news, scrapping the traditional key volunteer-to-spouse phone call.

Continue reading "Family readiness officers go high-tech" »

Posted by sr at 9:50 AM | Permalink

MARINE CORPS AIR GROUND COMBAT CENTER, TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif. — When the focus of military operations in Iraq shifted from direct combat actions to stabilization and peacekeeping missions, Marines in combat units manning tactical control points throughout the country began using search and seizure methods to capture insurgents trying to smuggle weapons and other contraband through the checkpoints.

Continue reading "Lioness Program ‘pride’ of the Corps" »

Posted by sr at 10:24 PM | Permalink

WASHINGTON – Using heavy layers of armor to keep troops safe from bullets and bombs is making the Marine Corps too slow on a battlefield where speed and mobility are critical, a senior military leader said Tuesday.

Continue reading "Too much armor robbing Marines of speed in combat" »

Posted by sr at 8:37 AM | Permalink

MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va. — The Corps’ new running suit has been made available to 125 units, the latest step in the plan to get one free outfit to every Marine, officials said.

Continue reading "Corps expands running suit rollout" »

Posted by at 3:22 PM | Permalink

BAGHDAD — The U.S. military map in Iraq in early 2010: Marines are leaving the western desert, Army units are in the former British zone in the south and the overall mission is coalescing around air and logistics hubs in central and northern Iraq.

Continue reading "Leaving Iraq: Shift south, exit through desert" »

Posted by at 3:28 PM | Permalink

Leathernecks have long found it irksome — heck, they’ve downright hated the fact — that The New York Times has refused to capitalize the “m” in Marine. It’s a point of pride, Marines always argue, to which the Times has routinely replied, “Yeah, but we don’t capitalize the ‘s’ in soldier.”

Continue reading "NY Times alters policy on ‘Marines’" »

Posted by sr at 1:20 PM | Permalink

In late December, a former NCO decided to rejoin the Corps.

Continue reading "Re-enlistment getting tougher for Marines" »

Posted by sr at 9:11 AM | Permalink

The Corps will launch an effort this spring similar to the Navy’s popular Fleet Week, with hundreds of Marines descending on Chicago in May for a week of community outreach efforts, concerts and demonstrations by a Marine Air-Ground Task Force.

Continue reading "Corps to launch Marine Week event in Chicago" »

Posted by sr at 10:05 PM | Permalink

WASHINGTON — The results of the 61st annual U.S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Campaign, conducted during October, November and December 2008, have been tabulated. The results are: U.S. Marines distributed 16 million new toys to 7.6 million less fortunate youngsters throughout the nation. This was one of the most successful campaigns in the 61 year history of Toys for Tots.

Continue reading "Marine Toys for Tots Foundation" »

Posted by sr at 11:40 AM | Permalink

WASHINGTON, Feb. 2, 2009 – A series of educational assistance programs administered by the Veterans Affairs Department, commonly called the GI Bill, have helped servicemembers pursue post-secondary learning for decades.

Continue reading "New GI Bill Carries Different Eligibility, Benefits" »

Posted by sr at 10:26 AM | Permalink

WASHINGTON, Jan. 29, 2009 – Stephen Cochran was a normal 19-year-old with a dream of making music his life when the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks led him down an unplanned path to the Marine Corps.

Continue reading "Face of Defense: Country Music Star Earned Stripes in Iraq, Afghanistan" »

Posted by sr at 8:47 AM | Permalink

TRIANGLE, Va., Jan. 27, 2009 – The National Museum of the Marine Corps here has maintained its position as a top Virginia attraction, with more than 500,000 visitors recorded in 2008, museum officials said.

Continue reading "Marine Corps Museum Attracts Half-million Visitors in 2008" »

Posted by sr at 11:11 AM | Permalink

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. — The top commander here has ordered that all Marines, including officers and senior enlisted Marines, must have their unit’s permission before traveling to Mexico.

Continue reading "More restrictions placed on travel to Mexico" »

Posted by sr at 10:42 AM | Permalink

An official has barred Marines from visiting Tijuana as the California border town's drug violence soars.

Lt. Gen. Samuel Helland of the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Pendleton has restricted travel to Mexico for the unit's 44,000 members, USA Today reports.

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Posted by sr at 4:30 PM | Permalink

ARLINGTON, Va. — U.S. troops serving in Morocco and Burkina Faso or who are helping share intelligence with Turkey are eligible for the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal.

Continue reading "DOD expands medal eligibility" »

Posted by sr at 9:17 AM | Permalink

WASHINGTON, Jan. 6, 2009 – U.S. Marines raised the American flag yesterday during the dedication ceremony for the new U.S. Embassy in Baghdad as Ambassador Ryan C. Crocker declared “a new era” for Iraq and the Iraqi-U.S. relationship.

Continue reading "Marines Raise Flag on New U.S. Embassy in Baghdad" »

Posted by sr at 10:09 AM | Permalink

BAGHDAD — The United States opened its new embassy in Iraq under tight security Monday, the most visible sign of what U.S. officials call a new chapter in relations between America and a more sovereign Iraq.

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Posted by at 2:11 PM | Permalink

Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C. — Marines have learned from day one at recruit training that their best friend is the M16A2 service rifle. However, what they may not know is the vital importance corpsmen play in the lives of Marines—literally.

Continue reading "FMTB makes ‘groundbreaking’ changes to save Marines’ lives" »

Posted by sr at 1:04 PM | Permalink

MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va. — For more than 60 years Marines have been the main source of protection for about 125 American Embassies and U.S. government offices around the world.

Continue reading "Marines begin Security Guard training" »

Posted by at 2:58 PM | Permalink

MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va. — After weeks of on-going training, Class 1-09 gathered as the newest Marine Security Guards at their graduation ceremony Friday at Little Hall.

Continue reading "Corps’ newest embassy guards take their posts" »

Posted by at 10:31 AM | Permalink

MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va. — More than six weeks ago, 120 Marines in Marine Security Guard School class 1-09 started on a mission which included more than 300 hours in the classroom covering a variety of subjects from diplomatic courtesies to alcohol abuse in their quest to become embassy guards.

Continue reading "Knowledge projected, information received" »

Posted by at 10:00 AM | Permalink

MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va. — Marines are trained, organized and equipped as a force in readiness, and stand prepared to meet all mission requirements, according to the National Security Act of 1947.

Continue reading "Locate, isolate, contain: MSG students learn room entry, clearing" »

Posted by at 9:57 AM | Permalink

The Corps has closed 24 military occupational specialties to re-enlistment, marking the first time in nearly two years that some first-term Marines will be forced out of their specialties.

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Posted by at 12:32 PM | Permalink

Marines readying for deployment to war zones must now undergo a battery of computerized tests assessing whether they have suffered a traumatic brain injury.

Continue reading "Corps mandates predeployment TBI test" »

Posted by at 12:29 PM | Permalink

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. — The planned shift of combat forces from dusty Iraq to mountainous Afghanistan will reshape predeployment train­ing for many Marine battalions, according to the Corps’ top officer.

Continue reading "Corps mulls training for Afghanistan fight" »

Posted by sr at 7:17 PM | Permalink

MCB QUANTICO, Va. -- Four weeks into the course, Marine Security Guard students have been put to the test mentally and physically, enduring hours of in-class studies and field exercises, training in defense and weaponry.

Continue reading "Future Marine Security Guards Train in Defense" »

Posted by at 9:50 AM | Permalink

Rising in the military ranks with a wisdom forged by war

While he was gearing up for the long trek through the high desert plains of southern Afghanistan, Capt. Sean Dynan made the rounds among his marines to make sure their sacks were pared to the bare minimum. How much heavy ammunition his infantry company would bring along on its journey was his call as well. If the soldiers brought too little, they could easily run out in the middle of their mission to rout entrenched Taliban forces. Too much and his marines were risking the injury that comes with carrying 120-plus-pound packs in 120-plus-degree heat.

Continue reading "America's Best Leaders: U.S. Junior Officers, Military" »

Posted by at 3:23 PM | Permalink

Camp Pendleton is an unusual site for the herd of nearly 150. Now, base wildlife officials want to properly manage the bison.

CAMP PENDLETON – After rumbling up and down some dirt roads in a Ford Explorer, through training areas in the rolling grasslands of the central part of this sprawling U.S. Marine base, Eric Kershner has spotted a special herd.

Continue reading "Where the Marines (and buffalo) roam" »

Posted by at 2:22 PM | Permalink

Service fast approaching its plus-up goal, but more work remains

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — Taking the first steps toward becoming a Marine wasn’t easy for Melissa Weissner.

Continue reading "Marine Corps on the way to 202K" »

Posted by sr at 8:29 AM | Permalink

My son Zachary was a gangly high-school junior when he casually informed me, in the fall of 2003, that he’d been speaking with military recruiters. “An Army guy, a Navy guy and a marine are coming over,” Zach said. “A parent has to be present because I’m not 18 yet.”

Continue reading "My Marine" »

Posted by sr at 8:46 AM | Permalink

WASHINGTON, Oct. 30, 2008 – As they have for the past 32 years, nearly 20,000 runners gathered at the Marine Corps War Memorial here to tackle the 26.2 miles of the 33rd Marine Corps Marathon on Oct. 26.

Continue reading "Runners Tackle Marine Corps Marathon to Support Troops" »

Posted by sr at 12:05 PM | Permalink

Fort Meade's Defense Information School Marine detachment has a new home on the installation as the roughly 100-person unit moved from an aging barracks to a newly renovated facility.

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Posted by sr at 10:17 PM | Permalink

TRIANGLE, Va. — The National Museum of the Marine Corps unveiled an exhibit Oct. 15, commemorating the 25th anniversary of the attack on the Marine barracks in Beirut, Lebanon.

Continue reading "Museum Exhibit Honors 25th Anniversary" »

Posted by sr at 11:08 AM | Permalink

MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va — Since the war in Iraq began in 2003, more than 1,700 of the nearly 4,200 U.S. fatalities have been caused by improvised explosive devices employed against troops in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Continue reading "TBS Keeps IED Training Up to Speed" »

Posted by at 2:30 PM | Permalink

Four Bowdoin students push their limits at the Marines’ Officer Candidate School

"No one in their right mind would want to go through OCS again," says Jack Dingess '09, who has spent 12 weeks training to become an officer in the United States Marine Corps.

Continue reading "Making the ranks" »

Posted by at 2:20 PM | Permalink

Toys"R"Us, Inc. today announced the launch of its "Make A Difference" campaign to support the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation's annual toy drive.

Continue reading "Annual Toys for Tots Campaign Kicks Off" »

Posted by sr at 11:17 AM | Permalink

TRIANGLE, Va., Oct. 15, 2008 – With the 25th anniversary of the terrorist bombing of the Marine Corps barracks in Beirut just nine days away, the National Museum of the Marine Corps here today unveiled a temporary exhibit in memory of the 238 U.S. Marines who were killed that day.

Continue reading "Marine Museum Honors Marines Who Served, Died in Beirut" »

Posted by sr at 5:59 PM | Permalink

The benefit was authorized in the 2008 Defense Authorization Act, and Tricare officials now have the mechanism in place to implement it.

Continue reading "Tricare offers active-duty respite care" »

Posted by sr at 1:09 PM