Stories

Daniel Wilson, a patient attending Innovative Readiness Training Louisiana Care 2017, smiles after getting his teeth inspected by a Navy Corpsman at Amite High School in Amite, La., July 15, 2017. Several of the patients attending the IRT came for dental services such as fillings, simple dental extractions, screenings for oral cancer and examinations for sports medicine injuries. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Niles Lee/Released) - Daniel Wilson, a patient attending Innovative Readiness Training Louisiana Care 2017, smiles after getting his teeth inspected by a Navy Corpsman at Amite High School in Amite, La., July 15, 2017. Several of the patients attending the IRT came for dental services such as fillings, simple dental extractions, screenings for oral cancer and examinations for sports medicine injuries. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Niles Lee/Released)

Cpl. David Qualls, a motor transport assistant operations chief with Marine Wing Support Squadron 471, 4th Marine Aircraft Wing, Marine Forces Reserve, stands at parade rest while he waits to be awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Medal at the 1st Battalion, 23rd Marine Regiment headquarters in Houston, Texas, May 20, 2017. In 2014, helped save a man stuck inside a burning vehicle. According to Qualls’ award summary, had he not arrived when he did, the man would have surely died. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Dallas Johnson) - Cpl. David Qualls, a motor transport assistant operations chief with Marine Wing Support Squadron 471, 4th Marine Aircraft Wing, Marine Forces Reserve, stands at parade rest while he waits to be awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Medal at the 1st Battalion, 23rd Marine Regiment headquarters in Houston, Texas, May 20, 2017. In 2014, helped save a man stuck inside a burning vehicle. According to Qualls’ award summary, had he not arrived when he did, the man would have surely died. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Dallas Johnson)

Maj. David J. Palka, assistant battalion inspector-instructor, 5th Battalion, 14th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, addresses the audience during a Bronze Star Presentation on Camp Pendleton, Calif., May 1, 2017. Maj. Palka received the Bronze Star for heroic service in connection with combat operations against the enemy while serving as a Commander, Battery E, Battalion Landing Team, 2nd Battalion 6th Marine Regiment, 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, in support of Operation Inherent Resolve from 12 March to 25 May 2016. (U.S. Marine Corps Photo by Cpl. Brandon Martinez) - Maj. David J. Palka, assistant battalion inspector-instructor, 5th Battalion, 14th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, addresses the audience during a Bronze Star Presentation on Camp Pendleton, Calif., May 1, 2017. Maj. Palka received the Bronze Star for heroic service in connection with combat operations against the enemy while serving as a Commander, Battery E, Battalion Landing Team, 2nd Battalion 6th Marine Regiment, 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, in support of Operation Inherent Resolve from 12 March to 25 May 2016. (U.S. Marine Corps Photo by Cpl. Brandon Martinez)

Lt. Col. Esteban Beamon (left), the commander of Detachment 2, 4th Civil Affairs Group, Marine Forces Reserve, stands by Capt. Ismael Lopez (right), the civil military operations planner for Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force-Southern Command 17, who holds up the 2016 Colonel Justice Marion “Jumping Joe” Chambers Award at the Marine Corps Association and Foundation Ground Awards Dinner in Arlington, Va., May 4, 2017. The award recognized Lopez as the Marine Corps Reserve company grade officer of the year for demonstrating outstanding leadership qualities during the transition of Detachment 4, 4th Tank Battalion to 4th Civil Affairs Group. (Courtesy Photo by Marine Corps Association and Foundation/Released) - Lt. Col. Esteban Beamon (left), the commander of Detachment 2, 4th Civil Affairs Group, Marine Forces Reserve, stands by Capt. Ismael Lopez (right), the civil military operations planner for Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force-Southern Command 17, who holds up the 2016 Colonel Justice Marion “Jumping Joe” Chambers Award at the Marine Corps Association and Foundation Ground Awards Dinner in Arlington, Va., May 4, 2017. The award recognized Lopez as the Marine Corps Reserve company grade officer of the year for demonstrating outstanding leadership qualities during the transition of Detachment 4, 4th Tank Battalion to 4th Civil Affairs Group. (Courtesy Photo by Marine Corps Association and Foundation/Released)

TIFNIT, Morocco - Multinational platoons consisting of personnel from the Moroccan Armed Forces, U.S. Marines and U.S. Army practice riot-control techniques at the training area in Tifnit, Morocco during Exercise African Lion 2017. African Lion is a combined, multilateral exercise designed to improve interoperability and mutual understanding of each nation’s tactics, techniques and procedures while demonstrating the strong bond between the nation’s militaries. (Photo by Thomas Flatley) - TIFNIT, Morocco - Multinational platoons consisting of personnel from the Moroccan Armed Forces, U.S. Marines and U.S. Army practice riot-control techniques at the training area in Tifnit, Morocco during Exercise African Lion 2017. African Lion is a combined, multilateral exercise designed to improve interoperability and mutual understanding of each nation’s tactics, techniques and procedures while demonstrating the strong bond between the nation’s militaries. (Photo by Thomas Flatley)

Staff Sgt. Andrew Chen, assistant team leader with 3rd Force Reconnaissance Company, 4th Marine Division provide security at objective rally point during a day and night dive and ship-to-shore advancement operation at Pensacola, Fla., March 22, 2017. The exercise focused on performing sustainment training on Marine combative dive tactics. The training will enhance the company’s capability conduct specialized insertion and extraction tasks. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Ian Ferro) - Staff Sgt. Andrew Chen, assistant team leader with 3rd Force Reconnaissance Company, 4th Marine Division provide security at objective rally point during a day and night dive and ship-to-shore advancement operation at Pensacola, Fla., March 22, 2017. The exercise focused on performing sustainment training on Marine combative dive tactics. The training will enhance the company’s capability conduct specialized insertion and extraction tasks. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Ian Ferro)

Cpl. Steven Dejong, a field radio operator with Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force - Southern Command, guides Sgt. Travis Nichols, a cyber network operator with SPMAGTF-SC, in a movement to contact drill on a Table 5 short distance range during pre-deployment training at Range K-501A aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, March 16, 2017. The training was conducted to enhance the Ground Combat Element’s readiness for future security cooperation operations in Central America. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Melissa Martens/ Released) - Cpl. Steven Dejong, a field radio operator with Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force - Southern Command, guides Sgt. Travis Nichols, a cyber network operator with SPMAGTF-SC, in a movement to contact drill on a Table 5 short distance range during pre-deployment training at Range K-501A aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, March 16, 2017. The training was conducted to enhance the Ground Combat Element’s readiness for future security cooperation operations in Central America. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Melissa Martens/ Released)