MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, North Carolinia — Sweat dripped from the faces of 16 tired Marines as they sprinted through the streets of Camp Lejeune carrying 45 pounds on their backs during a baseline physical assessment Oct. 20.

Once the group reached their destination they dropped their packs and proceeded to exert their energy through max sets of crunches, push-ups and pull-ups, for three minutes each, before once again donning the weighted packs and heading toward the finish line.

The Marines from 3rd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, volunteered to see if they have what it takes to become part of the small, elite scout sniper community during a two-week scout sniper platoon screener on base. The volunteers have to be top-notch infantry Marines with first-class Physical Fitness Test and Combat Fitness Test scores, expert rifle scores and basic swim qualifications…”

Forrás : http://www.military.com/daily-news/2015/10/22/top-infantry-marines-prepare-to-join-elite-sniper-community.html?ESRC=marine_151027.nl

Two young Marines served their first combat tour together during the height of the fighting in Afghanistan, then went their separate ways.

More war-zone deployments followed for the decorated veterans. All that time, Sgt. Andrew Mulherron never forgot his four-legged battle buddy.

Boone, a black Labrador retriever trained to detect explosives, walked point with the infantryman in 2010, where the pair hunted for roadside bombs that maimed and killed so many comrades. The dog had 11 confirmed finds of improvised explosive devices during his first combat tour and shared a Navy Marine Corps Commendation medal with Mulherron.

On Thursday, the Marine and his former war dog reunited at Twentynine Palms when Mulherron returned from Iraq…”

Forrás : http://www.military.com/off-duty/off-beat/2015/10/23/marine-reunites-four-legged-battle-buddy.html?ESRC=marine_151027.nl

The Marine pilot killed when his F/A-18 fighter jet crashed near RAF Lakenheath in England on Wednesday was identified by hometown news outlets as Maj. Taj Sareen of Hillsborough, Calif.

Marine officials had not released the name by Thursday morning, California time. But local broadcasters NBC Bay Area and FOX KTVU reported that Sareen’s sister confirmed his death. Another local station, ABC 7 in San Francisco, reported that several of its employees knew Sareen, either from school or socially.

Sareen became a Marine Corps fighter pilot in 2005, according to his LinkedIn page, and was educated at the University of San Francisco and University of Auburn…”

Forrás : http://www.military.com/daily-news/2015/10/22/marine-pilot-killed-in-crash-in-england-is-identified.html?ESRC=marine_151027.nl

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION YUMA, Ariz. — Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron One hosted the Mobility Joint Capability Technology Demonstration to showcase emerging technology as well as to test it under realistic conditions at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Arizona, Oct. 14-15, 2015.

The Mobility JCTD was conducted to further develop and implement tablet and handheld technology to advance the warfighter.

Employees of Samsung Knox, Kranze Technology Solutions, Green Hills Software, Marine Corps Warfighting Lab and others were briefed to get a better understanding and explain their respective roles in the technology’s future.

“JCTD has been illustrating the use of handheld devices in support of (Marine Air Ground Task Force) elements, from a squad level all the way to the air crew,” said Maj. Jim Foley, plans officer for Ellis Group, Marine Corps War Fighting Lab…”

Forrás : http://www.military.com/daily-news/2015/10/19/marines-use-tablet-technology-to-advance-warfighting-technology.html?ESRC=marine_151019.nl

First, an ancient tape surfaced, then a letter that had been locked away for 40 years. Finally the full picture of Marine Sgt. Kenneth Altazan’s bravery on a harrowing day in Vietnam began to emerge.

But it would be six years before the retired farmer got the call from a major at the Pentagon.

“He said, ‘I assume you’ve gotten our letter by now,'” Altazan recalled in a phone interview with Stars and Stripes. “I said, ‘No sir, I haven’t got your letter.’ And he said, ‘Let me be the first one to congratulate you — your Silver Star has been upgraded to the Navy Cross.’ ”

Altazan, of Baton Rouge, La., was being recognized for pulling injured Marines off a battlefield in Quang Nam province under intense fire and bringing them to the CH-46 helicopter where he served as crew chief. The Navy Cross is the highest honor bestowed on Marines and seamen by the Navy, second only to the Medal of Honor. He received the award Tuesday…”

Forrás : http://www.military.com/daily-news/2015/10/16/marine-gets-upgrade-to-navy-cross-46-years-later.html?ESRC=marine_151019.nl