“There are those Marines who have asked how the Marine Corps can be led by a commandant who does not own a Combat Action Ribbon after the U.S. has spent the last 12 years at war.

Marine Corps Commandant Gen. James Amos is the first career aviator to hold the position since 1983. As an aviator, he has not earned a Combat Action Ribbon.

It’s a topic that has come up with Marines who might disagree with some of Amos’ more controversial decisions throughout his tenure. It’s a questions that got the attention from the commandant’s lead public affairs officer, Lt. Col. Joseph Plenzler, a year ago when questions were raised about Amos’ involvement in the prosecution of Marines who urinated on corpses…”

“Mar 19, 2014 | by Matthew Cox

U.S. Marine special operators could soon be known as Raiders — the name the Corps’ original commando battalions went by during World War II.

During a recent Facebook town hall meeting, Marine Corps Commandant Gen. James Amos said he was reconsidering a request from Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command, or MARSOC, to revive the Raider name for its elite units.

“We’re looking into it,” Amos said. “No decision has been made at this time.”

The first Marine Raider Battalion, Amphibious Forces, Atlantic Fleet, Quantico, Va., was stood up in February 1942. The 1st Marine Raider Regiment was organized in March 1943…”

Forrás : http://www.military.com/daily-news/2014/03/19/amos-reconsiders-renaming-marsoc-after-raiders.html?ESRC=marine.nl

CAMP LEATHERNECK, Afghanistan – After being separated for more than a year and a half, two brothers were reunited while deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Donald Rucker, a maintenance administration clerk with Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 466, Marine Aircraft Group – Afghanistan, Regional Command Southwest, and his brother, Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Ian Smith, a mortarman with Weapons Company, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, Regional Command Southwest, reconnected with one another here March 11.

“It’s definitely cool having a brother in the military,” said Smith, a 20-year-old native of Edmond, Okla. “Having shared pretty much everything growing up: sports, food, parents, the Marine Corps, it’s just one more thing.”..”

Forrás : http://www.military.com/daily-news/2014/03/17/marine-brothers-reunite-in-afghanistan.html?ESRC=marine.nl

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. – The dusty mountain air was littered with unrelenting machine gun fire as Marines sent thousands of rounds down range. Sparks flew through the sky as rounds ripped through the rusty metal targets a few hundred meters away. In between burst of fire, the shouts of Sgt. Joshua See, the lead machine gun instructor with 1st Marine Division Schools, echoed over the rocky terrain as he paced up and down behind a brass covered firing line.

See joined the Marine Corps in 2006, while he was still in high school. During that time a series of events led to his ultimate decision to earn the title…”

Forrás : http://www.military.com/daily-news/2014/03/15/fallen-marine-inspires-friend-to-serve-country.html?ESRC=marine.nl

PANAMA CITY, Fla. — The Marine Corps Systems Command Combat Support Systems (MCSC CSS) and Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division (NSWC PCD) M9 Armored Combat Earthmover (ACE) engineers delivered four modernized M9 ACE production units to the U.S. Marine Corps, Feb. 28.

According to NSWC PCD M9 ACE Project Engineer Jeff Dinges, the first modernized units were delivered specifically to the 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.

“There will be a total of 101 Modernized M9 ACE’s delivered to the United States Marine Corps by the end of Fiscal Year 2015,” said Dinges….”

Forrás : http://www.military.com/daily-news/2014/03/11/navy-fields-modernized-m9-ace-to-marines.html?ESRC=marine.nl