Photos

Marines with Company A, 1st Tank Battalion, 1st Marine Division, nicknamed “America’s Company,” load main gun rounds on to an M1A1 Abrams Main Battle Tank during Exercise Desert Scimitar aboard Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, Calif., April 11, 2015. The training gave the Marines the opportunity to refine and rehearse essential combat skills needed in a battlefield environment. Desert Scimitar is an annual exercise that includes elements from the I Marine Expeditionary Force. The exercise focused on conventional operations and provided realistic training that prepared Marines for overseas operations. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Christopher J. Moore/Released)

Photo by Sgt. Christopher J. Moore

Marines with Company A, 1st Tank Battalion, 1st Marine Division, nicknamed “America’s Company,” put their M1A1 abrams main battle tank into a defensive position during Exercise Desert Scimitar aboard Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, Calif., April 11, 2015. The training gave the Marines the opportunity to refine and rehearse essential combat skills needed in a battlefield environment. Desert Scimitar is an annual exercise that includes elements from the I Marine Expeditionary Force. The exercise focused on conventional operations and provided realistic training that prepared Marines for overseas operations. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Christopher J. Moore/Released)

Photo by Sgt. Christopher J. Moore

Lance Cpl. Patrick, left, loader, Company A, 1st Tank Battalion, 1st Marine Division, and a native of Houston, Texas, ground guides his tank named “Star Lord” during Exercise Desert Scimitar aboard Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, Calif., April 10, 2015. The training gave the Marines the opportunity to refine and rehearse essential combat skills needed in a battlefield environment. Desert Scimitar is an annual exercise that includes elements from the I Marine Expeditionary Force. The exercise focused on conventional operations and provided realistic training that prepared Marines for overseas operations. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Christopher J. Moore/Released)

Photo by Sgt. Christopher J. Moore

Corporal Christian Bills, gunner, Company A, 1st Tank Battalion, 1st Marine Division, nicknamed “America’s Company,” hands a main gun round to Cpl. Jeffrey Buttler, tank mechanic, Co. A, during Exercise Desert Scimitar aboard Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, Calif., April 10, 2015. The training gave the Marines the opportunity to refine and rehearse essential combat skills needed in a battlefield environment. Desert Scimitar is an annual exercise that includes elements from the I Marine Expeditionary Force. The exercise focused on conventional operations and provided realistic training that prepared Marines for overseas operations. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Christopher J. Moore/Released)

Photo by Sgt. Christopher J. Moore

A line of M1A1 Abrams Main Battle Tanks are put into a defensive position during Exercise Desert Scimitar aboard Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, Calif., April 12, 2015. Desert Scimitar enables 1st Marine Division to test and refine its command and control capabilities and ensures 1st Marine Division units remain committed to consistently improving the quality of their training efforts and their resultant war fighting capabilities.

Photo by Sgt. Christopher J. Moore

Clockwise from top left, 1st Lieutenant John Neail, tank commander, Cpl. Christian Bills, gunner, Lance Cpl. Robert Benaridez driver, Lance Cpl. Patrick Bellinger, loader, the crew for the M1A1 Abrams Main Battle Tank named “Star Lord” participated in Desert Scimitar aboard Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, Calif. Desert Scimitar enables 1st Marine Division to test and refine its command and control capabilities and ensures 1st Marine Division units remain committed to consistently improving the quality of their training efforts and their resultant warfighting capabilities.

Photo by Sgt. Christopher J. Moore

A Marine with Company A, 1st Tank Battalion, 1st Marine Division, refuels an M1A1 Abrams Main Battle Tank during Exercise Desert Scimitar aboard Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, Calif., April 13, 2015. The training gave the Marines the opportunity to refine and rehearse essential combat skills needed in a battlefield environment. Desert Scimitar is an annual exercise that includes elements from the I Marine Expeditionary Force. The exercise focused on conventional operations and provided realistic training that prepared Marines for overseas operations. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Christopher J. Moore/Released)

Photo by Sgt. Christopher J. Moore

M1A1 Abrams Main Battle Tanks line up for a resupply during Exercise Desert Scimitar aboard Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, Calif., April 14, 2015. Desert Scimitar enables 1st Marine Division to test and refine its command and control capabilities and ensures 1st Marine Division units remain committed to consistently improving the quality of their training efforts and their resultant war fighting capabilities.

Photo by Sgt. Christopher J. Moore

Marines with 1st Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment clear a building in a simulated combat town during the culminating event of Division School’s Urban Leaders Course aboard Camp Pendleton, Calif., April 22, 2015. The three-week course is designed to prepare Marines to lead in an urban environment.

Photo by Lance Cpl. Danielle Rodrigues

Marines with 1st Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment provide security in a simulated combat town during the culminating event of Division School’s Urban Leaders Course aboard Camp Pendleton, Calif., April 22, 2015. The three-week course is designed to prepare Marines to lead in an urban environment.

Photo by Stock

Marines with 1st Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment provide security in a simulated combat town during the culminating event of Division School’s Urban Leaders Course aboard Camp Pendleton, Calif., April 22, 2015. The three-week course is designed to prepare Marines to lead in an urban environment.

Photo by Lance Cpl. Danielle Rodrigues

Marines with 1st Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment provide security in a simulated combat town during the culminating event of Division School’s Urban Leaders Course aboard Camp Pendleton, Calif., April 22, 2015. The three-week course is designed to prepare Marines to lead in an urban environment.

Photo by Lance Cpl. Danielle Rodrigues

A Light Armored Vehicle (LAV-25) with 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Detachment, Battalion Landing Team 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, provides security for an amphibious raid during Certification Exercise (CERTEX) aboard Camp Pendleton, Calif., April 19, 2015. The Marines with the 1st LAR Det honed their skills as they prepare for their upcoming deployment. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Elize McKelvey/Released)

Photo by Cpl. Elize McKelvey

Marines with Battery A, 1st Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division embrace the impact from the M777A2 155 mm, medium, towed howitzer during Exercise Desert Scimitar 2015 aboard Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, Calif., April 20, 2015. The tough, realistic live-fire training central to Desert Scimitar allows Division units to train in order to maintain readiness and meet current and real-world operational demands.

Photo by Pfc. Alvin Pujols

Marines with Battery A, 1st Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division provide direct fire support during Exercise Desert Scimitar 2015 aboard Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, Calif., April 20, 2015. The tough, realistic live-fire training central to Desert Scimitar allows Division units to train in order to maintain readiness and meet current and real-world operational demands.

Photo by Pfc. Alvin Pujols

Lance Cpl. Tyler S. Griffith, a field artillery cannoneer with Battery A, 1st Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, discards a charge sleeve after loading charges during Exercise Desert Scimitar 2015 aboard Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, Calif., April 20, 2015. The tough, realistic live-fire training central to Desert Scimitar allows Division units to train in order to maintain readiness and meet current and real-world operational demands.

Photo by Pfc. Alvin Pujols

Corporal Osmar S. Gorish, a gun section chief with Battery A, 1st Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, prepares the next series of live-fire missions during Exercise Desert Scimitar 2015 aboard Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, Calif., April 20, 2015. The tough, realistic live-fire training central to Desert Scimitar allows Division units to train in order to maintain readiness and meet current and real-world operational demands.

Photo by Pfc. Alvin Pujols

Marines with Battery A, 1st Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division provide direct fire support during Exercise Desert Scimitar 2015 aboard Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, Calif., April 20, 2015. The tough, realistic live-fire training central to Desert Scimitar allows Division units to train in order to maintain readiness and meet current and real-world operational demands.

Photo by Pfc. Alvin Pujols

Lance Cpl. Anthony Teyuca, a team leader with Company A, 1st Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, bounds toward a notional objective during a notional mechanized raid during Exercise Desert Scimitar 15, April 16, 2015. Desert Scimitar is designed to provide tough, realistic live-fire training that allows the 1st Marine Division to improve combat effectiveness and meet current and real-world operational demands.

Photo by Staff Sgt. Wayne Edmiston

Captain Nicholas J. Freeman (right), commanding officer of Company A, 1st Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, passes orders over the radio to his Marines during a notional mechanized raid during Exercise Desert Scimitar 15, April 14, 2015. Desert Scimitar is designed to provide tough, realistic live-fire training that allows the 1st Marine Division to improve combat effectiveness and meet current and real-world operational demands.

Photo by Staff Sgt. Wayne Edmiston