Many strive for greatness, and some achieve it. But few go beyond greatness, redefining the limits of human potential. Of the 8.3 billion people on earth, only 781 people have traveled to space, a fraction so small it represents far less than 1% of the global population.One of those few is retired U.S. Marine Corps Col. Randy “Komrade” Bresnik. On June 9, 2026, NASA announced Bresnik’s selection as the commander of the Artemis III mission. His extensive experience in the Marine Corps and previous spaceflights have prepared him for the high-tempo mission, scheduled for launch in 2027.Growing up in Santa Monica, California, Bresnik received a Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps scholarship to The Citadel, where he commissioned into the
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When the Marine Corps Cyberspace Operations Group needed an immediate surge of capability, they turned to Force Headquarters Group, Marine Forces Reserve. On March 26, 2026, the response from 6th Communication Battalion was fast: orders were drafted and approved within 36 hours, and a team of Reserve component defensive cyberspace operations Marines arrived on station ready to work.Initial support was extended to provide 60 days of surge capability. The speed of that response came down to preparation. In addition to technical expertise, the Marines who showed up were medically and administratively ready before the opportunity arose, and that readiness enabled their rapid employment.
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Nearly six decades after his aircraft went down over the South China Sea, Maj. Everett McPherson’s courage in the skies has finally been recognized. In a ceremony filled with solemn reflection and pride, the Marine Corps posthumously awarded McPherson the Distinguished Flying Cross, one of the nation’s highest decorations for heroism in aerial flight.The ceremony brought together Marines, veterans and McPherson’s family, including his brothers Raymond and Allan, and his sisters Mary Lou, Fay and Kay, to honor a Marine who gave everything in service to his country and his comrades.“Combat pilots are by definition courageous,” said Lt. Gen. Leonard F. Anderson IV, commander of Marine Forces Reserve and Marine Forces South. “But only the most
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Gunnery Sgt. Bobby G. Philips Jr., a Marine in the Reserve previously honored for his civilian heroism, was meritoriously promoted to the rank of gunnery sergeant in a ceremony on April 2, 2026. The event was held at the Beirut Memorial, in front of the Eagle, Globe, and Anchor statue.In January 2024, he was awarded the Columbia-Richland Fire Department Medal of Honor for his life-saving actions during a three-alarm apartment fire on May 26, 2023. While serving as a fire captain, Philips and his team at Rescue 1 responded to the major fire. After rescuing a woman and her dog, he was instrumental in saving two fellow firefighters who were trapped when the building collapsed.
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