T-minus 3, 2, 1 … We have liftoff! The ground rumbled as the engines roared to life. Smoke and flames erupted out of the bottom as it began to lift into the sky, ascending higher until it was finally out of sight. There are some kids who see a rocket take off and begin to dream of becoming astronauts; there are some kids who make that dream come true.Lt. Col. Katherine Spies graduated from the University of Southern California with a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering and later earned a master's degree in design engineering from Harvard University. She was sure that she would become an engineer and maybe a pilot in the future. She made that happen one step at a time, accomplishing every goal she set her mind to.Spies joined the
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U.S. Marines with Combat Logistics Battalion 23, 4th Marine Logistics Group conducted a Winter Field Exercise at Fort Hunter Liggett, California, from Jan. 9 to Jan. 11, focusing on small-unit tactics, fieldcraft and sustainment operations in austere conditions.The exercise began with the insertion of Marines via a U.S. Army CH-47F Chinook helicopter assigned to Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 126th Aviation Regiment (General Support Aviation Battalion), from Stockton, Calif. The air assault insertion allowed Marines to rapidly move personnel and equipment into the training area, replicating expeditionary operations that require mobility and coordination with joint aviation assets.
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U.S. Marines with Combat Logistics Battalion 23, 4th Marine Logistics Battalion, prepare packs, shoulder them and step off into a U.S. Army CH-47 Chinook, with Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 126th Aviation Regiment (General Support Aviation Battalion) from Stockton, Calif., flew into the cold, and tested their endurance and capabilities. Physical fitness remains a principal constant across the Marine Corps, sustained not only during drills, but also in everyday life.
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U.S. Marine Corps food service specialists with Marine Wing Support Squadron (MWSS) 472 conducted field kitchen operations while competing for the Major General William Pendleton Thompson Hill Food Service Award.
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A new program offering a unique career transition for Marine Corps enlisted leaders has attracted attention, and a local Marine with U.S. Marine Corps Forces Reserve is one of the first to benefit from the program.Master Sgt. Joseph B. Stoker has been selected and approved to transition to the rank of first sergeant in January 2026 as part of the new E-8 pilot redesignation initiative. Stoker has nearly 17 years of service to the Corps."I came into the Marine Corps from a place of uncertainty, but it gave me a chance to build a life and purpose I never thought possible,” said Stoker, “As I transition to First Sergeant, I’m determined to give back, leading Marines with the same integrity and dedication that was shown to me."This program,
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The Virtual Flag: Coalition 26-1 exercise, hosted annually by the 705th Combat Training Squadron, also known as the Distributed Mission Operations Center, at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico, serves as a cornerstone of U.S. and allied forces' readiness, interoperability, and mission command capabilities. This high-stakes, multinational exercise integrates air, space, and cyber assets from multiple partner nations to simulate real-world combat scenarios, test tactics, techniques, and procedures, and strengthen global warfighting efforts.
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Marines assigned to 1st Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment conducted a Yellow Ribbon event here in preparation for their first deployment as a battalion in six years. The event informs Marines and their families about available vital resources to ease the challenges before, during and after deployments, fostering resilience.
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