NEWS

A U.S. Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II aircraft with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 121, Marine Aircraft Group 12, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, conducted a training flight from Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni to Kadena Air Force Base, Okinawa, Japan, June 26, 2017. The Marines with VMFA- 121 worked alongside Airmen with the 18th Wing. This event marked the first time an F-35B Lightning II landed in Okinawa. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Charles Plouffe) - A U.S. Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II aircraft with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 121, Marine Aircraft Group 12, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, conducted a training flight from Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni to Kadena Air Force Base, Okinawa, Japan, June 26, 2017. The Marines with VMFA- 121 worked alongside Airmen with the 18th Wing. This event marked the first time an F-35B Lightning II landed in Okinawa. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Charles Plouffe)

Sgt. Maj. Mario A. Marquez speaks with a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars during the 2017 Okinawa Memorial Day services June 23 at Peace Memorial Park, Itoman, Japan. The ceremony brought together service members and Okinawan residents to honor all who lost their lives in the Battle of Okinawa. The memorial walls are inscribed with over 240,000 names of people who died, regardless of nationality, civilian or military status in the battle. During the ceremony all who attended stood for a moment of silence honoring those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for their country. Marquez, a Lakewood, California native, is the III Marine Expeditionary Force sergeant major. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Charles Plouffe) - Sgt. Maj. Mario A. Marquez speaks with a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars during the 2017 Okinawa Memorial Day services June 23 at Peace Memorial Park, Itoman, Japan. The ceremony brought together service members and Okinawan residents to honor all who lost their lives in the Battle of Okinawa. The memorial walls are inscribed with over 240,000 names of people who died, regardless of nationality, civilian or military status in the battle. During the ceremony all who attended stood for a moment of silence honoring those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for their country. Marquez, a Lakewood, California native, is the III Marine Expeditionary Force sergeant major. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Charles Plouffe)

Sgt. Krista Marshik waits to call the next command at the Combat Pistol Program tower, on Camp Hansen, Okinawa, Japan, June, 5, 2017. Marshik voices the CPP tower to ensure all guidelines and saftey rules on the range are met. Marshik, a native of Arden Hills, Minnesota, is an ammunition technician with the Formal Marksmanship Training Unit, III Marine Expeditionary Force. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Charles Plouffe) - Sgt. Krista Marshik waits to call the next command at the Combat Pistol Program tower, on Camp Hansen, Okinawa, Japan, June, 5, 2017. Marshik voices the CPP tower to ensure all guidelines and saftey rules on the range are met. Marshik, a native of Arden Hills, Minnesota, is an ammunition technician with the Formal Marksmanship Training Unit, III Marine Expeditionary Force. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Charles Plouffe)

Lt. Col. James Dorlon (right center) slams his opponent to the ground, June 10, 2017, during the annual Henoko Okinawa-Style Sumo Tournament, at Mae-No-Hama Field, in Henoko, Okinawa, Japan. During a bout, competitors try to earn points by making their opponent fall into the dohyo, or sandy pit, without striking or letting go of each other’s belts. The first to gain two points is the victor. Dorlon is a native of Beaverton, Oregon, and the commanding officer of Jungle Warfare Training Center, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Andy Martinez) - Lt. Col. James Dorlon (right center) slams his opponent to the ground, June 10, 2017, during the annual Henoko Okinawa-Style Sumo Tournament, at Mae-No-Hama Field, in Henoko, Okinawa, Japan. During a bout, competitors try to earn points by making their opponent fall into the dohyo, or sandy pit, without striking or letting go of each other’s belts. The first to gain two points is the victor. Dorlon is a native of Beaverton, Oregon, and the commanding officer of Jungle Warfare Training Center, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Andy Martinez)

Staff Sgt. Martin Lucero competes in a sniper competition, May 16, 2017, during Australian Army Skills at Arms Meeting, in Puckapunyal, Australia. The competition brings together roughly 20 countries to compete against each other, learn from each other, and build stronger bonds. Lucero, a native of Denver, Colorado, is the head coach of the Marine Corps Action Shooting Team, based out of Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Bernadette Wildes) - Staff Sgt. Martin Lucero competes in a sniper competition, May 16, 2017, during Australian Army Skills at Arms Meeting, in Puckapunyal, Australia. The competition brings together roughly 20 countries to compete against each other, learn from each other, and build stronger bonds. Lucero, a native of Denver, Colorado, is the head coach of the Marine Corps Action Shooting Team, based out of Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Bernadette Wildes)

Sgt. Daniel Reilly (front) and Cpl. John Brody (back) compete in the Australian Army Skills at Arms Meeting in Puckapunyal, Australia, May 14-26, 2017. Brody was a recruit when he first met Reilly, his Primary Marksmanship Instructor during recruit training. Brody, from Springfield, Virginia, is a rifleman with 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment. Reilly, from Jenkintown, Pennsylvania, is the fire direction chief with 3/4. The battalion is forward deployed from 29 Palms, California to Marine Rotational Force Darwin. - Sgt. Daniel Reilly (front) and Cpl. John Brody (back) compete in the Australian Army Skills at Arms Meeting in Puckapunyal, Australia, May 14-26, 2017. Brody was a recruit when he first met Reilly, his Primary Marksmanship Instructor during recruit training. Brody, from Springfield, Virginia, is a rifleman with 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment. Reilly, from Jenkintown, Pennsylvania, is the fire direction chief with 3/4. The battalion is forward deployed from 29 Palms, California to Marine Rotational Force Darwin.

Lt. Col. Kemper Jones gives a motivational speech to his Marines during the 50-mile hike challenge, May 15-17, 2017, at Combined Arms Training Center Camp Fuji, Japan. The 50-mile hike challenge dates back to 1908 when President Theodore Roosevelt signed Executive Order 989, requiring lieutenants and captains in the Marine Corps to walk 50-miles in no more than 20 hours. Jones is the commanding officer of 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment. The Marines are with 3rd Battalion, 8th Marines forward deployed from Camp Lejeune, North Carolina to III Marine Expeditionary Force under the unit deployment program. (Photo courtesy of Maj. Patrick Murray) - Lt. Col. Kemper Jones gives a motivational speech to his Marines during the 50-mile hike challenge, May 15-17, 2017, at Combined Arms Training Center Camp Fuji, Japan. The 50-mile hike challenge dates back to 1908 when President Theodore Roosevelt signed Executive Order 989, requiring lieutenants and captains in the Marine Corps to walk 50-miles in no more than 20 hours. Jones is the commanding officer of 3rd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment. The Marines are with 3rd Battalion, 8th Marines forward deployed from Camp Lejeune, North Carolina to III Marine Expeditionary Force under the unit deployment program. (Photo courtesy of Maj. Patrick Murray)

Linda Sanborn, wife of Maj. Gen. Russell A. Sanborn, the commanding general of 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, III Marine Expeditionary Force, points at a photo of herself in 1991, on the day she found her husband was still alive, while sharing her story with spouses at Camp Foster, Okinawa, Japan, May 23, 2017. During the event, Linda described the Marine Corps as a family that will be there during times of need. She is a native of DeLand, Florida. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Andy Martinez) - Linda Sanborn, wife of Maj. Gen. Russell A. Sanborn, the commanding general of 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, III Marine Expeditionary Force, points at a photo of herself in 1991, on the day she found her husband was still alive, while sharing her story with spouses at Camp Foster, Okinawa, Japan, May 23, 2017. During the event, Linda described the Marine Corps as a family that will be there during times of need. She is a native of DeLand, Florida. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Andy Martinez)

Japanese students from Nikkei Business School in Okinawa City, Okinawa, Japan teach Marines with III Marine Expeditionary Force how to play traditional Okinawan music, at the House of Pain Fitness Center, on Camp Hansen, Okinawa, during the Okinawan-American Cultural Exchange Day, May 19, 2017. The Marines with III MEF Headquarters Group hosted the cultural exchange day to strengthen bonds between local nationals and service members, providing the two communities with the opportunity to converse and learn about each other’s culture. (U.S. Marine Corp photo by Lance Cpl. Charles Plouffe) - Japanese students from Nikkei Business School in Okinawa City, Okinawa, Japan teach Marines with III Marine Expeditionary Force how to play traditional Okinawan music, at the House of Pain Fitness Center, on Camp Hansen, Okinawa, during the Okinawan-American Cultural Exchange Day, May 19, 2017. The Marines with III MEF Headquarters Group hosted the cultural exchange day to strengthen bonds between local nationals and service members, providing the two communities with the opportunity to converse and learn about each other’s culture. (U.S. Marine Corp photo by Lance Cpl. Charles Plouffe)

A reconnaissance Marine participates in the United States Marine Corps Combatant Divers Course, on Camp Schwab, Okinawa, Japan, May 11, 2017. A mobile training team from Navy Diving and Salvage Training Center, Panama City, Florida, conducted the training. The USMC Combatant Divers Course is eight weeks and combines lectures, demonstrations and practical application of circuit diving, diving physics, and medical aid. The Marine is with 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Isaac Ibarra) - A reconnaissance Marine participates in the United States Marine Corps Combatant Divers Course, on Camp Schwab, Okinawa, Japan, May 11, 2017. A mobile training team from Navy Diving and Salvage Training Center, Panama City, Florida, conducted the training. The USMC Combatant Divers Course is eight weeks and combines lectures, demonstrations and practical application of circuit diving, diving physics, and medical aid. The Marine is with 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Isaac Ibarra)