Sunrise Patrol
January 12th, 2012 | From the Ranks | Posted by Alan Lessig
U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. David Rodriguez, a 21-year-old fire team leader with 3rd Platoon, Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment and native of Riverside, Calif., walks along a ridgeline after clearing compounds with Afghan National Army soldiers during Operation Tageer Shamal (Shifting Winds) here, Jan. 4. Over the past five years, coalition forces have operated with Afghan National Security Forces to defeat the insurgency in the central Helmand River valley. Driven from the green zones, or populated areas, of districts in southern Helmand, enemy fighters have sought refuge in bed-down locations west of the Helmand River. This area on the outskirts of Garmsir district has been, until now, nearly untouched by the partnered forces and the Afghan government. During the operation, Jan. 4-8, Afghan forces and Marines with 3/3 cleared the area of insurgent activity, weapons and improvised explosive device-making materials, and held shuras to address the concerns of local elders.
Winter Nap
January 10th, 2012 | From the Ranks | Posted by Alan Lessig
U.S. Marine Lance Cpls. Matthew Scofield (left), 19, from Syracuse, N.Y., and Jarrett Hatley, 21, from Millingport, N.C., a squad automatic weapon gunner and an improvised explosive device detection dog handler with 3rd Platoon, Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, rest next to Hatley’s dog Blue after clearing compounds with Afghan National Army soldiers during Operation Tageer Shamal (Shifting Winds) here, Jan. 4. Over the past five years, coalition forces have operated with Afghan National Security Forces to defeat the insurgency in the central Helmand River valley. Driven from the green zones, or populated areas, of districts in southern Helmand, enemy fighters have sought refuge in bed-down locations west of the Helmand River. This area on the outskirts of Garmsir district has been, until now, nearly untouched by the partnered forces and the Afghan government. During the operation, Jan. 4-8, Afghan forces and Marines with 3/3 cleared the area of insurgent activity, weapons and improvised explosive device-making materials, and held shuras to address the concerns of local elders. ( Cpl. Reece Lodder/USMC)
Flat Ryan
November 29th, 2011 | Photography The Wires | Posted by Alan Lessig
A cutout photo of Marine Cpl. Ryan Welch rests in a chair in his parent’s home in Rossford, Ohio, just before Thanksgiving. When Cpl. Welch was deployed to Afghanistan two years ago, it was hard not having that familiar face at the tight-knit family’s parties, holiday celebrations, and weddings. So his sister Megan made a foam photo cutout of her older brother. When Welch can’t get home for a family celebration, “Flat-Ryan” is his stand-in. The family has chronicled their 2-D son’s stories in a photo book, The Adventures of Flat Ryan, while the 3-D Ryan was deployed in Afghanistan for two tours in 2009 and 2011. Welch couldn’t get home for Thanksgiving this year from Camp Lejeune, N.C., so Flat Ryan had to fill in again.(AP Photo/The Blade, Lori King)
Last of the Code Talkers
November 4th, 2011 | Photography | Posted by Alan Lessig
Chester Nez, 90, is the last living original Navajo Code Talker. The original 29 Navajo Code Talkers in the U.S. Marines helped create the unbreakable military radio codes used during World War II. (Mark Henle/The Arizona Republic)
Night Fire
October 15th, 2011 | From the Ranks | Posted by Mike Morones
Lance Cpl. Kyle Turner, a medium machine gunner with the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit’s maritime raid force, fires at targets during a live-fire exercise aboard Camp Pendleton on Oct. 9. Turner, 18, is from St. Louis. The unit embarked USS Makin Island, USS New Orleans and USS Pearl Harbor in San Diego, Sept. 28 and is participating in its final exercise before deploying in November. (Cpl. Chad Pulliam/U.S. Marine Corps)
Recon Jump
October 2nd, 2011 | From the Ranks Photography | Posted by Mike Morones
Reconnaissance Marines with Battalion Landing Team 3/1 watch a platoon member float under canopy here Sept. 22 during parachute operations training with Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 268 (Reinforced). The landing team and squadron are the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit’s ground-combat element and aviation-combat element respectively. The unit is preparing for a Western Pacific deployment this fall. (Lance Cpl. Ryan Carpenter/U.S. Marine Corps)
Smokin’
September 15th, 2011 | Photography | Posted by Chris Maddaloni
Charlie Co., 5th Platoon 2nd Lt. Clayton Groover’s M249 SAW machine gun smokes after heavy shooting during a new 8-day training event – a live-fire field operation – in “The War,” during The Basic School, at Quantico Marine Base, Va., September 14, 2011.
Sunset Cruise
September 7th, 2011 | From the Ranks | Posted by Alan Lessig
PACIFIC OCEAN — Daylight dwindles off Southern California’s coast Labor Day as the amphibious assault ship USS Makin Island and the embarked 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit continued operations here. (Gunnery Sgt. Scott Dunn/USMC)
Farewell Salute
August 4th, 2011 | Photography | Posted by Alan Lessig
WASHINGTON – AUGUST 03: Vice Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. James Cartwright salutes during a farewell ceremony for him at the Marine Corps Barracks August 3, 2011 in Washington, DC. Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta joined other senior service officials to pay farewell tribute for Gen. Cartwright, who has been serving since 1971 and was the eighth vice chairman for the Joint Chiefs. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)
Marines of ’61 Recognized
July 22nd, 2011 | Photography | Posted by James J. Lee
Reenactors from the Marine Historical Company represent the “Marines of ’61″ during a musket firing demonstration at Manassas National Battlefield Park July 22, 2011. The living history demonstrations are part of the 150th Anniversary of the first major battle of the Civil War. According to Sgt. Jason Grabill, Logistics Chief, Marines have rarely received the recognition they deserve for their participation in the battle, which consisted of 12 officers and 336 enlisted men attached to the 1st Brigade of the 2nd Army Division.
Even members of the Confederate forces agree that the Marines fought with valor, as is noted on a new way side marker dedicated at the site this week: “The green pines were filled with 79th Highlanders and the red-breeched Brooklyn Zouaves, but the only men that were killed and wounded twenty t0 thirty yards behind and in the rear of our lines were the United States Marines. – Surgeon Daniel M. Conrad 2nd Virginia.”
Forty-Four of the “Marines of 61″ were killed, wounded or taken prisoner after three charges on the Confederate lines.