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
continue reading
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.
continue reading
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
continue reading
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.
continue reading
At minus 45 degrees Fahrenheit, even fuel begins to freeze. During Arctic Edge 2026, the extreme cold caused the JP-8 fuel inside several Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacement vehicles to thicken into a jelly-like consistency, threatening to halt operations in the motor pool. For U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Christopher Duran, an automotive maintenance technician with Combat Logistics Regiment 453, the problem became a test of ingenuity. Drawing on his experience as a heavy-duty diesel mechanic, Duran developed creative solutions that helped keep Marine Corps vehicles running in Alaska’s unforgiving Arctic conditions.
continue reading
Marines from across the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia moved between medical screening stations, administrative tables and informational briefings as they checked in for an Individual Ready Reserve mega-muster in Arlington, Virginia, March 5 –10, 2026. Staff from the Marine Corps Individual Reserve Support Activity guided Marines through readiness updates and available resources throughout the event.U.S. Marines assigned to the Individual Ready Reserve gathered for the multi-day muster to update records, receive information on benefits and opportunities within the Marine Corps Reserve and ensure they remain ready to serve if called upon during a national emergency.The Marine Corps remains the only branch of the U.S. military
continue reading
U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Justin A. Napier, a trombone instrumentalist with the Marine Forces Reserve Band, was recognized and awarded as the 2025 Marine Corps Musician of the Year.
continue reading
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
continue reading
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.
continue reading
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.
continue reading
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.
continue reading
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,
continue reading
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.
continue reading
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.
continue reading
For U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Nathaniel Hill, a rifleman with Charlie Company, 1st Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment, the road to resilience came with many challenges. Experiencing personal hardships, Hill has learned the true meaning of strength, camaraderie and sacrifice as a father, husband and Reserve Marine.Being a Reserve Marine comes with its own daily difficulties of balancing both his military and civilian life. Hill is a full-time chef, husband and father of three. His oldest child is his wife Courtney’s brother, now 17, who became part the family through adoption at 16. Raising a young man close to his age has had its difficulties, but Hill takes on the challenge to make sure his son is set up for success.“I hold myself to a higher
continue reading