Lieutenant Col. Thomas Freel, the future operations officer for 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, points out notional enemy locations on a terrain model for a rehearsal of concept drill during Exercise Desert Scimitar here, May 2, 2013. Desert Scimitar is a combined arms exercise focused on the training and preparation of 1st Marine Division for deployment as the ground combat element of a Marine Air-Ground Task Force. Freel, a native of Grosse Ile, Mich., said the exercise is a return to live-fire combined arms tactics training which has been overshadowed by the focus on counterinsurgency operations training throughout the past decade. The "Fighting Fifth" exercised traditional warfare command and control tactics over infantry, artillery and armored assets during Desert Scimitar. - Lieutenant Col. Thomas Freel, the future operations officer for 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, points out notional enemy locations on a terrain model for a rehearsal of concept drill during Exercise Desert Scimitar here, May 2, 2013. Desert Scimitar is a combined arms exercise focused on the training and preparation of 1st Marine Division for deployment as the ground combat element of a Marine Air-Ground Task Force. Freel, a native of Grosse Ile, Mich., said the exercise is a return to live-fire combined arms tactics training which has been overshadowed by the focus on counterinsurgency operations training throughout the past decade. The "Fighting Fifth" exercised traditional warfare command and control tactics over infantry, artillery and armored assets during Desert Scimitar.
Private First Class Brandon Emery, an ammunition truck driver serving with Kilo Battery, 3rd Battalion, 12th Marine Regiment, attached to 2nd Battalion, 11th Marines, loads a high-explosive round onto the back of a seven-ton truck during Exercise Desert Scimitar here, May 3, 2013. This is the first time in more than a decade the Marine Corps conducted the exercise. - Private First Class Brandon Emery, an ammunition truck driver serving with Kilo Battery, 3rd Battalion, 12th Marine Regiment, attached to 2nd Battalion, 11th Marines, loads a high-explosive round onto the back of a seven-ton truck during Exercise Desert Scimitar here, May 3, 2013. This is the first time in more than a decade the Marine Corps conducted the exercise.
Second Lt. Pascual Eley (right), a fire directions officer serving with 2nd Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, and a native of Fullerton, Calif., and Sgt. Christopher Martinez, the operations chief with the fire direction center and a native of Orange County, Calif., convert target data into firing commands for the gunline during Exercise Desert Scimitar, a combined-arms, live-fire training exercise here, May 2, 2013. The FDC's job is to take the information given to them by forward observers and compute how wind, air pressure, temperature, humidity and other weather conditions will effect an artillery round while airborne. - Second Lt. Pascual Eley (right), a fire directions officer serving with 2nd Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, and a native of Fullerton, Calif., and Sgt. Christopher Martinez, the operations chief with the fire direction center and a native of Orange County, Calif., convert target data into firing commands for the gunline during Exercise Desert Scimitar, a combined-arms, live-fire training exercise here, May 2, 2013. The FDC's job is to take the information given to them by forward observers and compute how wind, air pressure, temperature, humidity and other weather conditions will effect an artillery round while airborne.
A light armored vehicle carrying Marines serving with Alpha Company, 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion unloaded out of a landing craft air cushion during a strategic mobility exercise here, April 29, 2013. Landing craft air cushions are capable of carrying up to 65 tons over 70 miles between land and sea. The Marines learned the basics of loading and unloading from the hovercraft to prepare for upcoming deployments. (U.S. Marine Corps photo Cpl. Robert J. Reeves/Released) - A light armored vehicle carrying Marines serving with Alpha Company, 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion unloaded out of a landing craft air cushion during a strategic mobility exercise here, April 29, 2013. Landing craft air cushions are capable of carrying up to 65 tons over 70 miles between land and sea. The Marines learned the basics of loading and unloading from the hovercraft to prepare for upcoming deployments. (U.S. Marine Corps photo Cpl. Robert J. Reeves/Released)
U.S. Marine Capt. Benjamin M. Middendorf, the former commander of Golf Company, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, was selected by Gen. James F. Amos, the commandant of the Marine Corps, to receive the 2012 Lt. Col. William G. Leftwich Jr. Trophy for Outstanding Leadership. Leftwich, a Navy Cross recipient, died in 1970 when his helicopter crashed in Vietnam, where he was commanding the Marines and sailors of 1st Reconnaissance Bn. Middendorf, a native of Rochester, Minn., is currently the commander of Headquarters and Service Co., 5th Marines. - U.S. Marine Capt. Benjamin M. Middendorf, the former commander of Golf Company, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, was selected by Gen. James F. Amos, the commandant of the Marine Corps, to receive the 2012 Lt. Col. William G. Leftwich Jr. Trophy for Outstanding Leadership. Leftwich, a Navy Cross recipient, died in 1970 when his helicopter crashed in Vietnam, where he was commanding the Marines and sailors of 1st Reconnaissance Bn. Middendorf, a native of Rochester, Minn., is currently the commander of Headquarters and Service Co., 5th Marines.
Staff Sgt. Mariajose Borja, a linguist manager with Regimental Combat team 7, holds her daughter, Isabella Smith Borja, during their first Christmas season at Camp Pendleton, Dec. 14. Borja, a 32-year-old from Newark, N.J., said her daughter is her inspiration and the motivation to get her through the tough times on a yearlong deployment. - Staff Sgt. Mariajose Borja, a linguist manager with Regimental Combat team 7, holds her daughter, Isabella Smith Borja, during their first Christmas season at Camp Pendleton, Dec. 14. Borja, a 32-year-old from Newark, N.J., said her daughter is her inspiration and the motivation to get her through the tough times on a yearlong deployment.
Marines of Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 169 built a new sign to honor Maj. James Matthew Weis, an AH-1W Cobra pilot who was killed in action in 2010, so his brother, Maj. Scott Weis, the current operations officer with Regimental Combat Team 7, can take the original sign back home to his family. Scott plans to take the original sign, which hung outside the squadron flight line, to the Weis family home in Key Largo, Fla. - Marines of Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 169 built a new sign to honor Maj. James Matthew Weis, an AH-1W Cobra pilot who was killed in action in 2010, so his brother, Maj. Scott Weis, the current operations officer with Regimental Combat Team 7, can take the original sign back home to his family. Scott plans to take the original sign, which hung outside the squadron flight line, to the Weis family home in Key Largo, Fla.
A light armored vehicle carrying Marines serving with 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion unloaded out of a C-17 Globemaster cargo plane during a strategic mobility exercise here, April 24, 2013. The C-17's long-range capability gives 1st LAR the ability to deploy worldwide at a moment's notice. The Marines learned the basics of loading and unloading from aircraft to prepare for upcoming deployments. - A light armored vehicle carrying Marines serving with 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion unloaded out of a C-17 Globemaster cargo plane during a strategic mobility exercise here, April 24, 2013. The C-17's long-range capability gives 1st LAR the ability to deploy worldwide at a moment's notice. The Marines learned the basics of loading and unloading from aircraft to prepare for upcoming deployments.
U.S. Marine Corps Lance Dustin Palmer, right, a heavy equipment operator with 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion, Regimental Combat Team 7 (RCT) 7, provides feedback to an Afghan National Army heavy equipment operator during a clearing operation near Camp Shorabak, Helmand Province, Afghanistan, March 16, 2013. The operation was designed to eliminate possible enemy firing positions in preparation for the upcoming fighting season. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Staff Sgt. Ezekiel R. Kitandwe/Released) - U.S. Marine Corps Lance Dustin Palmer, right, a heavy equipment operator with 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion, Regimental Combat Team 7 (RCT) 7, provides feedback to an Afghan National Army heavy equipment operator during a clearing operation near Camp Shorabak, Helmand Province, Afghanistan, March 16, 2013. The operation was designed to eliminate possible enemy firing positions in preparation for the upcoming fighting season. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Staff Sgt. Ezekiel R. Kitandwe/Released)
Corporal Michael P. Toomey, a rifleman serving with 2nd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, receives congratulations from a fellow Marine after receiving the Bronze Star Medal with a Combat V during a ceremony here, April 18, 2013. Toomey, a native of San Francisco, was recognized for his heroic actions on May 8, 2012, while deployed to Musa Qal'ah district, Helmand province, Afghanistan. He led a fire team of Marines in a hasty ambush against an insurgent machine gun team hiding in a tree line. During the assault, Toomey shot an enemy fighter and threw a grenade at their position, causing the remaining insurgents to flee and abandon fighting the Marines for the remainder of the operation. - Corporal Michael P. Toomey, a rifleman serving with 2nd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, receives congratulations from a fellow Marine after receiving the Bronze Star Medal with a Combat V during a ceremony here, April 18, 2013. Toomey, a native of San Francisco, was recognized for his heroic actions on May 8, 2012, while deployed to Musa Qal'ah district, Helmand province, Afghanistan. He led a fire team of Marines in a hasty ambush against an insurgent machine gun team hiding in a tree line. During the assault, Toomey shot an enemy fighter and threw a grenade at their position, causing the remaining insurgents to flee and abandon fighting the Marines for the remainder of the operation.