Marines Conducting Exercises

Marines in action during exercises on various platforms, including training drills with fast roping, boat launches, and coordination with multinational forces.

U.S. Marines with Battalion Landing Team 2/5 and the Maritime Raid Force, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit move to the back of a MV-22 Osprey with Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 262 (Rein.) to conduct fast roping drills aboard Amphibious Assault Ship USS Tripoli (LHA-7), in the Philippine Sea, Sept. 24, 2022. The fast rope, shooting drill combo prepares Marines for inserting to a contested area. The 31st MEU is operating aboard ships of the Tripoli Amphibious Ready Group in the 7th Fleet area of operations to enhance interoperability with allies and partners and serve as a ready response force to defend peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.

The 4th Inf. Div.'s mission in Europe is to engage in multinational training and exercises across the continent, working alongside NATO allies and regional security partners to provide combat-credible forces to V Corps, Americas forward deployed corps in Europe.

U.S. Marines with Battalion Landing Team 2/5 and the Maritime Raid Force, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit move to the back of a MV-22 Osprey with Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 262 (Rein.) to conduct fast roping drills aboard Amphibious Assault Ship USS Tripoli (LHA-7), in the Philippine Sea, Sept. 24, 2022. The fast rope, shooting drill combo prepares Marines for inserting to a contested area. The 31st MEU is operating aboard ships of the Tripoli Amphibious Ready Group in the 7th Fleet area of operations to enhance interoperability with allies and partners and serve as a ready response force to defend peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.

AQABA, Jordan - Jordanian service members assigned to the Maritime Counter Terrorism Team, maintain security at a pier during close quarter battle drills during the Eager Lion training exercise in Aqaba, Jordan, September 6, 2022. Exercise Eager Lion is considered the capstone event of the broader U.S. military relationship with the Jordanian Armed Forces, one of U.S. Central Commands strongest and most reliable partners in the region, leading the way for security and stability using conventional and nonconventional scenarios to activate a combined joint task force. The exercise underscores the United States commitment to partners in the Middle East and joint defense against hybrid threats by state and non-state actors. (Photo by Army Staff Sgt. Reyes, Jose jr.)

U.S. Marines with Battalion Landing Team 2/5, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, prepare for a boat launch sustainment exercise aboard USS New Orleans (LPD 18) in the Sea of Japan, Sept. 4, 2022. Launching from the well deck provides the MEU a ship-to-shore capability. The 31st MEU is operating aboard ships of the Tripoli Amphibious Ready Group in the 7th fleet area of operations to enhance interoperability with allies and partners and serve as a ready response force to defend peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific Region.

Marines with Golf Company, Battalion Landing Team 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines, 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), off-load from a CH-53E Super Stallion with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 163 (Reinforced), 11th MEU, aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Makin Island (LHD 8), Dec. 12. The Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) and the embarked 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit are deployed in support of maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility.

U.S. Soldiers assigned to Task Force Orion, 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, New York Army National Guard, receive a briefing on the capabilities of a CH-47F Chinook helicopter at Katterbach Kasserne in Katterbach, Germany, Jan. 4, 2023. Task Force Orion visited Katterbach as part of a professional development training on the military decision-making process, and how to utilize aviation and air defense artillery assets.

US Marine Corps (USMC) Marines from the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), march onto a US Navy (USN) Landing Craft Utility 1633 (LCU 1633) on an Egyptian beach near Mubarak Military City (MMC), Egypt (EGY), at the close of Exercise BRIGHT STAR 05. Base: Mubarak Military City Country: Egypt (EGY)

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Cy Snyder III and Senior Airman Naden Lindstrom, C-130 Loadmasters from the 169th Airlift Squadron, Peoria Air National Guard Base, Illinois, work with Crew Chiefs from the 124th Fighter Wing, Gowen Field Air National Guard Base, Boise, Idaho, loading an Ammunition Loader Assembly onto a C-130H Hercules during Agile Rage 22 at Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center in Alpena, Mich., June 9, 2022. Agile Rage 22 is a National Guard Bureau-led exercise that provides realistic training opportunities, mimicking current and future combat environments dictated by the National Defense Strategy.

ATLANTIC OCEAN (Dec. 26, 2019) Lance Cpl. Sean Deree, assigned to Battalion Landing Team 28, Fox Company, participates in small arms training on the starboard aircraft elevator of the amphibious assault ship USS Bataan (LHD 5), Dec. 26, 2019. Bataan is operating in the Atlantic Ocean in support of naval operations to maintain maritime stability and security in order to ensure access, deter aggression and defend U.S., allied and partner interests.

A group of U.S. Army Paratroopers, assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division and Warrior Training Center, walks in formation to board a C-130 aircraft with their T-11 parachute during Exrcise Falcon Leap on Eindhoven Air Base, Eindhoven, Netherlands., Sep. 13, 2022. More than 1000 Paratroopers from all over the world, 13 different nationalities, multiple airdrops per day, and training with each other equipment for two weeks. this is NATO's largest technical airborne exercise

U.S. Army Reserve Soldiers from the 492nd Civil Affairs Battalion conduct their Rising Phoenix Battalion event in Buckeye, Arizona on September 18, 2022. After the Rising Phoenix foot march, Soldiers were given the option to participate in an additional 10-km road march in order to earn the Marche Internationale de Diekirch (MID) award.

Iron Dragon 22-1 | Combat Logistics Regiment 37 conducts regimental exercise

2nd Lt. Philip R. Banham, a platoon commander with Battalion Landing Team 3/8, 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, reviews the proper procedures for fast-roping out of a helicopter prior to conducting a maritime interception exercise at a training facility in Barnwell, S.C., June 23, 2010. 26th MEU Units Maritime Interception Operation raid force conducted the three-day exercise in preparation for deployment this fall. The exercise hones the MEUs ability to swiftly control the operation of a hostile ship or maritime platform.

U.S. Soldiers with the 74th Multi-Role Bridge Company, 62nd Engineer Battalion, Army Reserve, partake in a Meal Ready to Eat during Defender Europe 2022 in Łomża, Poland, May 17, 2022. Defender Europe 22 is a series of U.S. Army Europe and Africa multinational training exercises in Eastern Europe. The exercise demonstrates U.S. Army Europe and Africas ability to conduct large-scale ground combat operations across multiple theaters supporting NATO.

Marines with the Force Reconnaissance Detachment, 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, conduct a table two and three course of fire aboard the USS Makin Island during Certification Exercise (CERTEX) at Camp Pendleton, California, June 15, 2014. The 11th MEU and Amphibious Squadron 5 team conduct CERTEX to hone mission-essential tasks, execute specified MEU and Amphibious Ready Group operations, and certify the foundation of a cohesive warfighting team for exercises and operations they may encounter in their upcoming deployment.

U.S. Marines with Helicopter Support Team, 1st Landing Battalion, 1st Marine Logistics Group, stand by for the drop off of a Joint Light Tactical Vehicle from Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 465 during the Marine Air-Ground Task Force demonstration of the 2022 Marine Corps Air Station Miramar Air Show at MCAS Miramar, San Diego, California, Sept. 24, 2022. The MAGTF Demo displays the coordinated use of close-air support, armor, artillery and infantry forces and provides a visual representation of how the Marine Corps operates. The theme for the 2022 MCAS Miramar Air Show, Marines Fight, Evolve and Win, reflects the Marine Corps ongoing modernization efforts to prepare for future conflicts.

Senior Airman Jacob Martinez, left, and Senior Airman Anthony Lopez, right, 621st Contingency Response Wing Security Forces specialists, stand guard over an active flight line during Exercise Bamboo Eagle, Feb. 1, 2024, Naval Air Station Point Mugu, California. This contingency response team was led entirely by enlisted noncommissioned officers, employing a small number of multi-capable airmen to open and close Air Force operations for this exercise location. Air Force

U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Avalon McGuigan, foreground, from Washington, D.C., assigned to 2nd Landing Support Battalion, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, carries gear onto the flight line prior to a static line airborne operation, during Weapons and Tactics Instructor (WTI) course 1-23 at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Arizona, Sept. 30, 2022. WTI is a seven-week training event hosted by Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron One, providing standardization advanced tactical training and certification of unit instructor qualifications to support Marine aviation training and readiness and assist in developing and employing aviation weapons and tactics.

Sgt. Christopher Hill, a Soldier assigned to 2nd Battalion, 3rd General Support Aviation Battalion, 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division, shoots a M240H Machine Gun during aerial gunnery at Fort Stewart, Georgia, July 6, 2022. Aerial gunnery tests air crews' weapon proficiency, and improves overall unit readiness.

U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Riley Martin, a rifleman with 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines, 3rd Marine Division, handles a Howa Type 89 assault rifle during a static weapons display during exercise Resolute Dragon 22 at Kamifurano Maneuver Area, Hokkaido, Japan, Oct. 4, 2022. Resolute Dragon 22 is an annual exercise designed to strengthen the defensive capabilities of the U.S.-Japan Alliance by exercising integrated command and control, targeting, combined arms, and maneuver across multiple domains.

Spc. Craig Moon and fellow paratrooper with the 82nd Airborne Divisions 1st Brigade Combat Team load concertina wire onto the front of a Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicle after using it to make a temporary traffic control point to search vehicles in a partnered U.S. Afghan clearing operation April 29, 2012, Ghazni province, Afghanistan. Military vehicles often travel with rolls of the wire fastened to their exteriors for just this purpose.

Operators plan their route through additional levels of an enemy compound during a training exercise in Battle Creek, Michigan, August 10, 2022. The operation integrated guardsmen from the Birmingham, Alabama-headquartered 20th Special Forces Group (Airborne) with local, state, and federal law enforcement partners to infiltrate a complex building, neutralize enemies, rescue hostages and recover hazardous materials. The event was part of Northern Strike 22, a joint, multinational all-domain warfighting exercise hosted out of Camp Grayling Joint Maneuver Training Center.

U.S. Navy hospital corpsmen with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit loads a simulated casualty into a MV-22B Osprey with Marine Medium Tiltrotor squadron 262 (Rein.) for evacuation during an en route care exercise on Camp Hansen, Okinawa, Japan, Dec. 8, 2022. VMM-262 supported the 31st MEU in their casualty evacuation training in order to better prepare the corpsmen for extracting injured personnel while out at sea. The 31st MEU, the Marine Corps only continuously forward-deployed MEU, provides a flexible and lethal force ready to perform a wide range of military operations as the premier crisis response force in the Indo-Pacific region.

Soldiers with 5th Squad, White Platoon, 7th Squad Blue Platoon, and 8th Squad Blue Platooon ride a CH-47 Chinook to the landing site during an air insertion operation August 16, 2022. The Army is the best trained, best equipped and most skilled fighting force in the world.

U.S. Military members from the Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 25, Marine Air Traffic Control Mobile Team and the 36th Contingency Response Squadron conclude their fueling operations training at Pacific Regional Training Center - Andersen, Guam, Jan. 23, 2024. The HSC-25, Marine Air Traffic Control Mobile Team (MMT) and the 36th Contingency Response Squadron all participated in a joint training on refueling operations.

Royal Marine Commandos assigned to M Company, 42 Commando Royal Marines, board a U.S. Marine Corps CH-53E Super Stallion on Keflavík Air Base, Iceland in support of exercise Northern Viking 2022, April 6, 2022. Northern Viking 22 strengthens interoperability and force readiness between the U.S., Iceland and Allied nations, enabling execution of multi-domain command and control of joint and coalition forces in the defense of Iceland the Sea Lines of Communication in the Greenland, Iceland, United Kingdom (GIUK) gap.

Weapons load crew members assigned to the 7th Aircraft Maintenance Unit prepare to compete in a Load of the Quarter competition at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, April 14, 2022. Airmen assigned to the 28th, 7th, and 9th AMUs competed against each other during the competition.

U.S. Army National Guard Soldiers assigned to Task Force Red Dragon, Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA), conduct an Emergency Deployment Readiness Exercise (EDRE) at CSL Manda Bay, Kenya, June 17, 2022. During the EDRE, the East Africa Response Force (EARF) forward deployed from Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, to Manda Bay to exercise its capability to provide security augmentation while Soldiers with the EARF and CJTF-HOA security forces conducted presence patrols with Kenya Defense Forces and responded to multiple injects that included base defense drills.

U.S. Marines with Marine Wing Headquarters Squadron (MWHS) 1 provide security while conducting a simulated squad attack during a field exercise at Camp Hansen, Okinawa, Japan, Jan. 18, 2023. MWHS-1 conducted rear area security combat readiness rehearsals, which allowed Marines the opportunity to assess their readiness in a field environment and engage in team-based training exercises.

U.S. Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Adam W. Hess, center, range safety officer with Combat Logistics Regiment 37, 3rd Marine Logistics Group, delivers a safety brief during exercise Atlantic Dragon on Camp Blanding, Florida, United States, April 1, 2022. Atlantic Dragon is a force generation exercise pushing Combat Logistics Regiment 37 as an arrival assembly operations group to provide tactical logistics support to III Marine Expeditionary Force. The exercise consists of an experimental maritime prepositioned force's offload tactics of military equipment that will support the field exercise training to increase combat readiness and efficiency. 3rd MLG, based out of Okinawa, Japan, is a forward-deployed combat unit that serves as III MEFs comprehensive logistics and combat service support backbone for operations throughout the Indo-Pacific area of responsibility.

U.S. Marines with Marine Air Support Squadron (MASS) 2 conduct a patrol brief during Vagabond Jungle Field Exercise 22-1 at Camp Hansen, Okinawa, Japan, May 5, 2022. MASS-2 conducted this exercise in order to improve the squadrons ground combat skills, logistics and Direct Air Support Center (DASC) training while operating within the Indo-Pacific region of operations.

U.S. Soldiers with the New Jersey National Guard stand by for post details after arriving near the Capitol in Washington, D.C., Jan. 12, 2021. National Guard Soldiers and Airmen from several states have traveled to Washington to provide support to federal and district authorities leading up to the 59th Presidential Inauguration.

A U.S. Special Operations Command Europe joint terminal attack controller assigned to the 19th Special Forces Group (Airborne), coordinates simulated close air support with U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcons from 31st Fighter Wing, Aviano AB, Italy, alongside Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) JTACS in a bilateral training event in BiH, Jan. 8, 2024.

U.S. Marines with 1st Battalion, 11th Marines, 1st Marine Division, load an M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System into a KC-130J Hercules assigned to Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron (VMGR) 352, Marine Aircraft Group 11, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, to execute a High Mobility Artillery Rocket System Rapid Infiltration during Integrated Training Exercise 2-24, at the Strategic Expeditionary Landing Field, Marine Corps Air-Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, California, Feb. 10, 2024. The HIRAIN exercise demonstrated I Marine Expeditionary Forces ability to rapidly deploy the HIMARS to meet and deter any threats. ITX ensures units are ready to fight tonight as a I MEF Marine Air-Ground task force. Marine Corps

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Anferne Phrachansiri, 14th Aircraft Maintenance Unit weapons load team chief, conducts an inspection of a AIM-9X Sidewinder after loading it onto a F-16 Fighting Falcon during the second quarter load crew competition at Misawa Air Base, Japan, July 1, 2022. The competition assessed Airmens abilities to quickly and properly arm an F-16 with inert munitions, which can range from two 2,000 pound bombs to two AIM-120s or AIM-9s.

Members from the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force, 1st Airborne Brigade, don their gear on the flightline at Yokota Air Base, Japan, prior to a static-line jump Jan. 25, 2022, as part of Airborne 22. During the exercise, C-130J Super Hercules from Yokota are planned to airdrop approximately 500 JGSDF personnel and 100 container delivery system bundles. Training events like this increase effective interoperability to gain advantages whenever both countries work together during bi-lateral operations. (Photo by Tech. Sgt. Gustavo Castillo)

U.S. Army Paratroopers assigned to the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, load equipment onto a C-17 Globemaster aircraft at Pope Army Airfield, North Carolina, Jan. 22, 2024. The Paratroopers participated in an airborne operation that marked the start of Operation Devil Strike. 1st BCT conducted Devil Strike to validate their preparedness for their upcoming ration at the Joint Readiness Training Center on Fort Johnson, Louisiana, and test their readiness to deploy, fight and win anywhere in the world within 18 hours.

MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII (July 8, 2022) Australian Army soldiers from 1st Battalion, the Royal Australian Regiment, demonstrate the Australian Defense Force's new EF88 Austeyr rifle to US Marines during a multi-national weapon familiarization on Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2022. The event included an aircraft familiarization with the Sea Stallion CH-53E and a display of participating nations weapons to increase combined integration. Twenty-six nations, 38 ships, four submarines, more than 170 aircraft and 25,000 personnel are participating in RIMPAC from June 29 to Aug. 4 in and around the Hawaiian Islands and Southern California. The world's largest international maritime exercise, RIMPAC provides a unique training opportunity while fostering and sustaining cooperative relationships among participants critical to ensuring the safety of sea lanes and security on the world's oceans. RIMPAC 2022 is the 28th exercise in the series that began in 1971. (Photo by Royal Australian Air Force C

U.S. Marines , with Battalion Landing Team 2/5, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit conduct shooting drills aboard Amphibious Assault Ship USS Tripoli (LHA-7), in the Philippine Sea, Sept. 14, 2022. The Marines conducted shooting drills to maintain their expertise in marksmanship. The 31st MEU is operating aboard ships of the Tripoli Amphibious Ready Group in the 7th Fleet area of operations to enhance interoperability with allies and partners and serve as a ready response force to defend peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.

U.S. Army Reserve and National Guard Soldiers participating in the Medical Simulation Training Center's Combat Lifesaver Course train with a New Jersey National Guard UH-60L Black Hawk MEDEVAC helicopter on Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey, May 25, 2022.

Staff Sgt. Tyler Calhoun, a flight paramedic, Archangel DUSTOFF, C CO, 2-4 GSAB, 4th Combat Aviation Brigade in a HH-60 Blackhawk during the Jack L. Clark Jr., Army Best Medic Competition 27 Jan. at Fort Hood, Texas.

7th Special Forces Group (Airborne) soldiers prepare to exit from a C-130 Hercules onto Son Tay Drop Zone over Camp Rudder, Florida, Oct. 26, 2022. The jump was performed to develop and maintain proficiency in night airborne operations.

U.S. Soldiers with Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 17th Infantry Regiment conduct a combat mission inside a Stryker armored vehicle during Operation Helmand Spider, Badula Qulp, Helmand province, Afghanistan, Feb. 14, 2010.

U.S. Soldiers, assigned to Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, examine Portuguese weapons systems during Exercise Justice Eagle, at Smardan Training Area, Romania, on Sept.17, 2022. As part of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault); 1st Battalion, 8th Infantry Regiment, continues to reinforce NATOs eastern flank and engage in multinational exercises like Justice Eagle with Allies and partners across the European continent to reassure our Nations Allies.

A U.S. Army 1-10 Special Forces Group jump master inspects his team before a ceremonial D-Day airborne operation at Cherbourg-Maupertus Airport in Cherbourg, France, June 5, 2022. The operation over Normandy was part of the 78th celebration honoring the allied forces who descended from the air and stormed the beaches during World War II.

U.S. Marines with 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, practice exiting a United Arab Emirates Presidential Guard UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter during exercise Intrepid Maven 22.4 in the United Arab Emirates, Sept. 26, 2022. Intrepid Maven 22.4 is a U.S. Marine Corps Forces Central Command engagement series designed for bilateral and multilateral training engagements with partner nations and Marine Corps forces.

From right, U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Vincent Scott, 386th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron instructor, instructs an element of security forces members on drills during a range day at Camp Buehring, Kuwait, Nov. 30, 2022. Being the trainer, I get to put my thumbprint on something and make it meaningful for the troops,” said Scott.

U.S. Marine Corps infantrymen with 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, make their way to a UH-1Y Venom for extract during Weapons and Tactics Instructor (WTI) course 1-23 at K9 Village training complex, Yuma Proving Ground, Arizona, Oct. 8, 2022. WTI is a seven-week training event hosted by Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron One, providing standardized advanced tactical training and certification of unit instructor qualifications to support Marine aviation training and readiness, and assists in developing and employing aviation weapons and tactics.

U.S. Marines assigned to Golf Battery, Ground Combat Element, 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, retrieve artillery ammunition from a CH-53E Super Stallion during Exercise EFES 2022 (EFES 22), near Izmir, Turkey, May 28, 2022. EFES22 is an international Combined Joint Live-Fire Exercise focused on increasing force readiness, promoting stability and prosperity in the region, and interoperability between the U.S., Turkey, and allied nations.

U.S. Marines with All Domain Reconnaissance Detachment, 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit, walk onto the flight line during Realistic Urban Training exercise at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Arizona, June 10, 2022. The purpose of RUT is to enhance the integration and collective capability of the MEU's command, air, ground, and logistics elements and prepare the 13th MEU to meet the nation's crisis response needs during its upcoming overseas deployment.

U.S. Army Paratroopers assigned to the 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 11th Airborne Division, prepare to board a C-130J Super Hercules assigned to the 36th Airlift Squadron, Yokota Air Force Base, Japan, for airborne operations during RED FLAG-Alaska 22-2 at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, June 15, 2022. This exercise provides unique opportunities to integrate various forces into joint, coalition and multilateral training from simulated forward operating bases.

U.S. Army Sgt. Jared Row and Spc. Jordan Deblasi, assigned to 82nd Airborne 3rd Brigade Combat Team, observe area of operations during Project Convergence (PC22) at Camp Talega on Camp Pendleton, California on Oct. 12 2022. During PC22 many systems will be tested to determine how future command and control capabilities can be intergrated with all-service multi-national partners.

The 82nd Airborne Division Paratroopers, along with an infantry squad vehicle, participated in the Fayetteville Woodpeckers game at Segra Stadium in Fayetteville, N.C. on May 13, 2022. Several Paratroopers took part in and attended the game, as it honored Military Appreciation Month.

U.S. Marines with Battalion Landing Team, 2d Battalion, 5th Marines, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, checks communications during a rehearsal for a bilateral amphibious landing in the Philippine Sea, Oct. 6, 2022. The bilateral amphibious landing will be a combined interoperability event during KAMANDAG 6 involving members of the Philippine Marine Corps, Republic of Korea Marine Corps, and the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force. KAMANDAG is an annual, bilateral exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and U.S. military designed to strengthen interoperability, capabilities, trust and cooperation built over decades of shared experiences.

A CH-47 Chinook helicopter is boarded by soldiers assigned to "C" Company, 2nd Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment (PIR), 82nd Airborne Division, while conducting a Quick Reaction Force (QRF) mission at Bagram Airfield in Kabul, in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM. Subject Operation/Series: ENDURING FREEDOM Base: Bagram Airfield State: Parwan Country: Afghanistan (AFG)

U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Trent Ushery, a Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, native and crew chief with 2d Assault Amphibian Battalion, 2d Marine Division, reads through an operation order at the Infantry Immersion Trainer on Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, Nov. 8, 2022. The IIT provides a training facility for practical application of tactical skills and decision-making in an immersive, scenario-based training environment.

Arizona Army National Guard Soldiers assigned to Alpha Company, 1st Battalion, 158th Infantry Regiment, 29th Infantry Brigade Combat Team prepare for departure to conduct platoon combat training during Exportable Combat Training Capability program at Camp Roberts, California, July 18, 2022. The air assault lane consisted of two platoons engaging opposing forces on a platoon and company level during a culminating event.

U.S. Marines with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit conduct a live-fire range aboard the amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA 6), in the Philippine Sea, Feb. 17, 2024. The range was conducted to reinforce proficiency in combat marksmanship skills with different caliber weaponry. The 31st MEU is operating aboard ships of the America Amphibious Ready Group in the 7th Fleet area of operations, the U.S. Navys largest forward-deployed numbered fleet, and routinely interacts and operates with allies and partners in preserving a free and open Indo-Pacific region. Marine Corps

U.S. Marines with 3d Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, Ground Combat Element, Marine Rotational Force-Darwin 22, load an MV-22 Osprey during an airfield seizure event as part of exercise Koolendong 22 at Royal Australian Air Force Base Darwin, NT, Australia, July 18, 2022. Exercise Koolendong 22 is a combined and joint force exercise focused on expeditionary advanced base operations conducted by U.S. Marines, U.S. Soldiers, U.S. Airmen, and Australian Defence Force personnel.

U.S. Marines with the 3d Marine Littoral Regiment establish a combat operations center at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, Oct. 25, 2022. Bougainville II is a field exercise that allows the MLR and its subordinate units to conduct expeditionary advanced base operations across the island of Oahu. 3d Marine Littoral Regiment established the Alpha command node which provides the commander the ability to direct, plan, and coordinate within the assigned Zone of Action. BVII displays the MLRs ability to rapidly establish and displace EABs while executing command and control in a dispersed environment.

FORT HOOD, Texas - U.S. Army FORSCOM Best Squad competitors representing 20th Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Command move from a secured position during the urban obstacle lane of the FORSCOM Best Squad Competition 2022 at Fort Hood, Texas, Aug. 18, 2022. The Best Squad Competition promotes esprit de corps and recognizes Soldiers who demonstrate commitment to Army Values and embody the Warrior Ethos.

220912-N-XB010-2008 SEA OF JAPAN (Sept. 12, 2022) - Marines assigned to the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) participate in a live-fire shoot with M-4 rifles on the forward-deployed amphibious transport dock ship USS New Orleans (LPD 18) flight deck in the Sea of Japan. New Orleans, part of the Tripoli Amphibious Ready Group, along with the 31st MEU, is operating in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility to enhance interoperability with allies and partners and serve as a ready response force to defend peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.

030827-M-7837W-032. Subject Operation/Series: IRAQI FREEDOM Base: Blaire Airfield, Al Kut State: Wasit Country: Iraq (IRQ)

U.S. Marines with 1st Battalion, 3d Marines, 3d Marine Division conduct a long-range air assault from Okinawa to Combined Arms Training Center, Camp Fuji, Japan, April 22, 2022. This exercise tested and strengthened the Marines ability to conduct distributed operations, while demonstrating their readiness to rapidly secure and defend key terrain to maintain regional security. 1/3 is forward-deployed in the Indo-Pacific under 4th Marines as a part of the Unit Deployment Program.

U.S. Marines with Battalion Landing Team 1/1, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, take accountability before cross training aboard the amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA 6), in the Philippine Sea, Feb. 14, 2024. Accountability was gathered to ensure all Marines and appropriate gear were present for use in cross training. The 31st MEU is operating aboard ships of the America Amphibious Ready Group in the 7th Fleet area of operations to enhance interoperability with allies and partners and serve as a ready response force to defend peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. Marine Corps

220607-N-PG340-1184 SAN CLEMENTE ISLAND, Calif. (June 7, 2022) U.S. Navy Seabees with Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 5 and Marines with 7th Engineering Support Battalion participate in a mass casualty drill during Operation Turning Point, also known as their Field Training Exercise, at San Clemente Island. Operation Turning Point is an around-the-clock exercise that focuses on constructing advanced bases while maintaining proficiency in tactics and survivability. NMCB-5 is homeported out of Port Hueneme, California. They train on high-quality construction, expeditionary logistics, and combat operations to execute construction and engineering projects for major combat operations, disaster response, and humanitarian assistance.

SAN DIEGO (July 8, 2022) U.S. Navy aircrewmen assigned to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 21, Explosive Ordnance Disposal technicians and U.S. Marines participate in a recovery exercise during Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2022 in Southern California. Twenty-six nations, 38 ships, four submarines, more than 170 aircraft and 25,000 personnel are participating in RIMPAC from June 29 to Aug. 4 in and around the Hawaiian Islands and Southern California. The world's largest international maritime exercise, RIMPAC provides a unique training opportunity while fostering and sustaining cooperative relationships among participants critical to ensuring the safety of sea lanes and security on the world's oceans.

220603-N-BR419-1587 PHILIPPINE SEA (June 3, 2022) Members of Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit (EODMU) 5, attached to Commander, Task Force (CTF) 70, deployed aboard the U.S. Navys only forward-deployed aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), conduct a maritime interdiction exercise with Republic of Korea special forces aboard ROKS Marado (LPH 6112) during Carrier Strike Group Exercise 2022. Carrier Strike Group Exercise is a bilateral exercise between the U.S. Navy and Republic of Korea Navy. This exercise allows our navies to refine operations and engagement to strengthen future cooperation while supporting the alliance that remains vital to the security interests of both nations and to stability in Northeast Asia.

Marines assigned to the Charlie Company, Battalion Landing Team 1/5, 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), board a CH-53E Super Stallion, assigned to the White Knights of Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 165 (Reinforced), during a training exercise aboard the San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship USS Somerset (LPD 25) while underway in the Pacific Ocean, Jan. 6, 2023. The Boxer Amphibious Ready Group, comprised of USS Boxer (LHD 4), Somerset, and USS Harpers Ferry (LSD 49), and the embarked 15th MEU are underway conducting integrated training and routine operations in U.S. 3rd Fleet.

U.S. Marines with Marine Wing Support Squadron (MWSS) 171 prepare an RT240 Rough Terrain Container Handler during a simulated aircraft recovery event during Exercise Active Shield 22 at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, Nov. 16, 2022. Exercise Active Shield is a bilateral exercise conducted annually with the Japan Self-Defense Force to better prepare the air stations incident response procedures during base defense operations.

U.S. Marines and Sailors assigned to the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit receive an intelligence collections update prior to a patrol on San Clemente Island, California, Jan. 10, 2024. The Marines were patrolling an expeditionary advanced base site, which had been established to sense for nearby threats and build maritime domain awareness during the 15th MEUs integrated training with the Boxer Amphibious Ready Group. Expeditionary advanced base operations are a form of expeditionary warfare that allows Marines to operate from austere locations ashore or inshore within potentially contested maritime areas in order to enable fleet sustainment, conduct sea denial, or support sea control missions.

U.S. Navy Corpsmen and Marines with Battalion Landing Team 2/5, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, carry a simulated casualty during a casualty evacuation exercise aboard USS New Orleans (LPD 18), in the Sea of Japan, Sept. 4, 2022. This training establishes confidence and familiarity between the Marines and Sailors for in-flight medical treatment. The 31st MEU is operating aboard the ships of the Tripoli Amphibious Ready Group in the 7th fleet area of operations to enhance interoperability with allies and partners and serve as a ready response force to defend peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific Region. (U.S. Marine Corps photo Cpl. Yvonne Iwae)

U.S. Marines with 3d Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment (3/5), 1st Marine Division, enter Royal Australian Air Force Base Darwin, NT, Australia, shortly after arrival in support of exercise Koolendong 22, July 22, 2022. 3/5 deployed a rifle company from Southern California to Darwin during the battalions readiness exercise, increasing their readiness to serve as part of I Marine Expeditionary Forces crisis response within the Indo-Pacific region.

U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Mitchel Swafford, center, an explosive ordnance disposal technician with 8th Engineer Support Battalion, Combat Logistics Regiment 27, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, instructs Cpl. Jayden Johnson, right, and Lance Cpl. Ryan Bell, both riflemen with 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, on how to conduct proper procedures during a basic demolition range on Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, Feb. 13, 2024. The training exposed 2nd MLG and 2nd Marine Division Marines to the EOD program, enhancing their baseline understanding of EOD and generate interest as potential lateral move candidates . Marine Corps

220707-M-WC972-1122MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII, Hawaii (July 7, 2022) U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Josh Buchas, a helicopter airframe mechanic assigned to Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 462 (HMH 462), Marine Air-Ground Task Force 7, instructs Marines assigned to the Malaysian Marine Corps on proper onloading requirements in a CH-53E Super Stallion during aircraft onload and offload training. U.S. Marines, Australian Army, Malaysian Marine Corps, Chilean Marine Corps, Mexican Naval Infantry, Indonesian Marine Corps, and Royal Tongan Marines received training in support of Rim of the Pacific 2022 (RIMPAC) 2022. Twenty-six nations, 38 ships, four submarines, more than 170 aircraft and 25,000 personnel are participating in RIMPAC 2022 from June 29 to Aug. 4 in and around the Hawaiian Islands and Southern California. The worlds largest international maritime exercise, RIMPAC 2022 provides a unique training opportunity while fostering and sustaining cooperative relationships among participants crit

Soldiers assigned to Apex Company, 63rd Expeditionary Signal Battalion, 35th Signal Corps Brigade partnered with Soldiers From the 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade to air insert two Terrestrial Transmission Line Of Sight radios (TRILOS) on June 7, 2022. During their training, Apex Company Soldiers conducted platoon validations on Command Post Nodes (CPN), Joint Network Nodes (JNN), and TRILOS to test their expeditionary signal communications and further support XVIII Airborne Corps and all its mission command systems. (U.S. Army photos by Sgt. Maxine Baen)

U.S. service members chain down a M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System during Arctic Edge 24 in Fairbanks, Alaska, Feb. 24, 2024. Special Operations Command North deployed more than 400 joint and allied Special Operations Forces across the pan-Arctic region during AE24 to hone SOFs ability to disrupt irregular and conventional threats, erode competitors confidence to hold the North American Arctic at risk, and employ layered defense of the Homeland. Air Force

U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Elias Gass observes as Lance Cpl. Riley Schroeder, both infantry Marines with Battalion Landing Team 2/5, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, sets security during a defense of the amphibious task force live-fire aboard USS New Orleans (LPD 18) in the Sea of Japan, Sept. 2, 2022. DATF scenarios focus Navy and Marine Corps forces on defending ARG shipping and the drills allowed the ARG-MEU team to improve their proficiency when integrating fires. The 31st MEU is operating aboard ships of the Tripoli Amphibious Ready Group in the 7th fleet area of operations to enhance interoperability with allies and partners and serve as a ready response force to defend peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific Region.

U.S. Marines with Battalion Landing Team 1/4, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, ride in a MV-22B Osprey during a rehearsal for an immediate company size reinforcement aboard the Amphibious Assault Ship USS America (LHA-6), in the Philippine Sea, Jan. 28, 2023. The rehearsal was conducted to improve mission response time in preparation for urgent real-world scenarios. The 31st MEU is operating aboard ships of USS America Amphibious Ready Group in the 7th fleet area of operations to enhance interoperability with allies and partners and serve as a ready response force to defend peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.

A U.S. Air Force security forces trainee debriefs an instructor following the controlled explosion of a ground burst simulator at the field operations block of training during the U.S. Air Force security forces apprentice course at Joint Base San Antonio-Camp Bullis, Texas, Sept. 22, 2022. The field operations course is part of a six-week course designed to teach the basic skills necessary to new security forces Airmen.

Recruits with Delta Company, 1st Recruit Training Battalion, aim at a practice target during grass week aboard Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, S.C., October 18, 2022. Recruits will spend numerous hours over the week mastering the fundamentals of marksmanship before moving on to live fire drills. (Lance Cpl. Blake Gonter)

Paratroopers assigned to 2nd Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade, prepare to exit a CH-47 chinook helicopter during Exercise Rock Spring 19 at Grafenwoehr Training Area, Germany, on March 6, 2019.

U.S. Air Force Airmen assemble the FRP (Fiber-Reinforced Polymer) to cover a crater on the runway at the Silver Flag exercise site on Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, March 31, 2022. The primary focus of Silver Flag is to teach Airmen from the civil engineer, force support, and vehicle maintenance squadrons essential skills to complete operations outside of their primary duties.

Sgt. Logan M. Dornon, representing the U.S. Army Pacific Command, documents injuries and treatment rendered to a simulated casualty during the medical lanes portion of the Armys first-ever Best Squad Competition on Fort Bragg, North Carolina, Oct. 1, 2022. The Army Best Squad Competition tests Soldiers on their individual and collective ability to adapt-to and overcome challenging scenarios and battle-readiness events, evaluating their physical and mental endurance, technical and tactical abilities, and basic warrior skills under stress and extreme fatigue.

U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Juan Gutierrez from Revere, Massachusetts, a crew chief assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 268, Marine Aircraft Group 24, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, fires an M240D 7.62mm machine gun during Weapons and Tactics Instructors (WTI) course 1-23 at Yodaville, near Yuma, Arizona, Oct. 5, 2022. WTI is a seven-week training event hosted by Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron One, providing standardized advanced tactical training and certification of unit instructor qualifications to support Marine aviation training and readiness, and assists in developing and employing aviation weapons and tactics.

An aircrew member looks over as Nashville Fire Departments Helicopter-borne Aquatic Rescue Team performs a water rescue mission during a joint exercise near Smyrnas National Guard Volunteer Training Site, April 9.

041117-M-4329J-021. Base: Fallujah State: Al Anbar Country: Iraq (IRQ) Scene Major Command Shown: CSSB-1

Providers assigned to the Special Troops Battalion, 82nd Airborne Division discuss and prepare for convoy on Fort Bragg, NC, March 28, 2022. The Field Training Exercise ensures Paratroopers stand ready to fight, win, and meet the 18 hour deployment standard.

U.S. Marines with the Maritime Special Purpose Force (MSPF), 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), prepare to conduct a free fall insertion on Marine Corps Air Station New River, North Carolina, Dec. 1, 2022.This was one of multiple training events during a Marine Air Ground Task Force (MAGTF) Interoperability Course which provided an evaluation from the Expeditionary Operations Training Group in combining elements of a MAGTF during the intermediate training phase of the 26th MEU pre-deployment training program.

Paratroopers of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division discuss troop movement and mission execution in preparation for Operation Falcon Blitz on Fort Bragg, NC, Jan. 27, 2023. Paratroopers will conduct an airborne operation in order to enhance brigade readiness and lethality.

U.S. Army Soldiers move to their mission location during a U.S. Pathfinder course at Camp Dodge in Johnston, Iowa, on Sept. 8, 2022. Nearly 30 Soldiers graduated the course, which was taught by a mobile training team at the Army National Guard Warrior Training Center in Fort Benning, Georgia. Army Pathfinders are trained to provide navigational aid and advisory services to military aircraft in areas designated by supported unit commanders. During the Pathfinder course, students are instructed in aircraft orientation, aero-medical evacuation, close combat assault, ground to air communication procedures, control center operations, all three phases of a sling load operation, helicopter landing zone and pick up zone operations, and drop zone operations dealing with U.S. military fixed and rotary wing aircraft for personnel and equipment.

U.S. airmen with the 18th Security Forces Squadron, and members with the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force, 51st Infantry Regiment, patrol a sidewalk during a simulated bilateral search while participating in Exercise Keen Sword 2023 on Camp Foster, Okinawa, Japan, Nov. 13, 2022. Keen Sword exercises the combined command and control capabilities and lethality developed between MCIPAC, III Marine Expeditionary Force, and the Japan Self-Defense Force. This bilateral field-training demonstrates the U.S. military and JSDF interoperability and combat readiness of the U.S.-Japan Alliance.

Royal Air Force Air Specialist First Class Technician Connor Jenkin, middle, avionics maintainer assigned to the 51st Squadron at RAF Waddington, United Kingdom, works with two U.S. Air Force Airmen to replace a panel on an RC-135 Rivet Joint at Kadena Air Base, Japan, Aug. 4, 2022. In support of co-manned missions with our allied nation, RAF aviators received joint training and deployed to Kadena to become an integrated crew.

Troopers of the 3d Cavalry Regiment bid farewell as they board the plane to Korea. The fighting force in the United States Army is well diverse and will always be ready to train, fight, and Win. Army

4th Infantry Division Soldiers complete the first obstacle and barrel towards the second during the Utah Beach event at Fort Carson, Colorado, May 23, 2022. Competitors had to traverse muddy obstacles while carrying litters, water jugs, and dragging a 335-pound tire towards the finish line. The Utah Beach event demonstrates how Ivy Soldiers continue to prepare for the future with a combination of conventional and non-conventional Soldiers leading one another to stay READY to answer the nations call.

Specialist Emma Hanchosky, Combat Engineer, with 1st Brigade, 326th Engineer Battalion, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) connects the radio to the battalion frequency so they can communicate on a secure line during Operation Lethal Eagle II, April 22, 2022, on Fort Campbell, Ky. Lethal Eagle is a division-wide training exercise designed to produce lethal squads and platoons grounded in fundamentals ready for contingency operations on today's battlefields.

Paratroopers from the 173rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne) board a C-130J Super Hercules from the 37th Airlift Squadron, April 26, 2014 at Aviano Air Base, Italy. Airmen from the 37th AS flew from Ramstein Air Base, Germany, to Aviano AB to pick up 150 paratroopers and then transported them to Siauliai Air Base, Lithuania. Upon their arrival, Lithuanian President, Dalia Grybauskaite, greeted the soldiers.

Command Sgt. Maj. Lawrence Wilson, the highest-ranking enlisted soldier of Multi-National Forces - Iraq, accompanies Sgt. 1st Class Mike Schlitz, a wounded warrior returning to Iraq as part of Operation Proper Exit, Dec. 29, 2009, at Camp Ramadi, Iraq. The program, in its third installment, returns severely-wounded veterans to the battlefield where they were wounded to help them find psychological closure.

Paratroopers assigned to the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division continue efforts to control city during the Joint Readiness Training Center (JRTC) rotation on Fort Polk, Louisiana, Nov. 2, 2022. JRTC Rotation 23-01 serves to enhance brigade and supporting unit's deployment readiness.

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