Three years into Force Design 2030, the United States Marine Corps has evolved into a leaner, more agile force designed to fight and win against the nation’s stated adversaries, with a strategic focus on the Indo-Pacific. Aligning with the Department of Defense’s strategic pivot away from the Global War on Terrorism, this transformation relies not just on technological advancements and a structural reorganization but also on the strategic use of wargames—analytical tools used to simulate aspects of warfare at the tactical, operational, and strategic level.

Early in the morning, a UC-12W aircraft, callsign Stampede 19, is parked at the Marine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton flight line. U.S. Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Marc Mihailovic, a radar technician with Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron, MCAS Camp Pendleton, arrived to the flight line early, well before the pilot and passengers. He was there, safety and mission in mind, to perform a detailed preflight inspection to ensure the aircraft was in working order and would successfully and safely get where it needed to go. The UC-12W aircraft is typically used to carry VIPs from various places in a timely manner. It is also essential in mission accomplishment and able to go long distances without stopping to refuel. Growing up in Sacramento, California, Mihailovic was recruited out of Recruiting Station Sacramento, Recruiting Sub-station Roseville, and was immediately drawn into the Marine Corps’ promise of excitement and adventure. After graduating high school he decided to take on the challenge of becoming a United States Marine...

U.S. Marines with 2nd Low Altitude Air Defense Battalion, based out of Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina, exchanged air defense tactics and procedures with Republic of Korea Marines from 1st Marine Division, ROK Marine Corps, as part of the Korean Marine Exchange Program on ROK Marine Base Pohang, South Korea, from Aug. 16 to Aug. 18, 2023. The three-day event consisted of classroom training on air defense tactics and air defense system employment, as well as simulator training with ROK and U.S. lightweight, portable air defense systems...

U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Christian Carrasco, an environmental compliance officer with Combat Logistics Battalion 25 and native of Poteet, Texas has always dreamed of becoming a Marine Corps officer...

Marines and sailors from Marine Corps Engineer Detachment - Palau continue to work on restoring a World War II runway to operating conditions on Peleliu, Republic of Palau Aug. 30, 2023. Even though the primary mission is runway restoration, Marines have made it a priority to assist with large community projects including: road rebuilding, assistance with garbage disposal sites and even building a volleyball court...

Marines, sailors and civilians from around Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton gather at the 11 Area Marine Corps Exchange Food and Service Plaza Pavilion to observe and celebrate the numerous diverse cultures from around the world, some even represented by the Marine and Sailors stationed at MCB Camp Pendleton. “Commonly known as Multi-Cultural Day, our Diversity Day was created to celebrate all of the Department of Defense’s approved observances that are recognized throughout the year in one all-inclusive event,” said Gunnery Sgt. Donovan SalterGreen, the equal opportunity advisor for Marine Corps Installations West, Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton...

Marines assigned to the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit completed training in Reno, Nevada, Aug. 24 to conduct U.S. Embassy reinforcement and noncombatant evacuation operation missions. The scheduled training was supported by Department of State advisors at Army National Guard Base Reno-Stead, Nevada, and was not related to President Biden’s visit to the Reno area...

The U.S. Marine Corps Communication Directorate hosted the Marine Corps Executive Forum (MCEF) around the National Capital Region on Friday, August 25. MCEF is a day-long program providing civilian leaders and business executives an opportunity to experience the Marine Corps firsthand, learning the immense capabilities of the individual Marine – an honorable, courageous, and professional warrior who’s committed to serving the Nation and its citizens.

The command element of III Marine Expeditionary Force, with key leaders and planners from the Republic of Korea Marine Corps, embarked on the USS Blue Ridge for the final phase of Exercise Ulchi Freedom Shield 23. The Korean and U.S. Marine forces are participating as the Combined Marine Component Command in Ulchi Freedom Shield, an annual joint, combined, and inter-agency exercise. The CMCC is the Combined Forces Command's Marine warfighting component which would be established during conflict in Korea..

The 2018 National Defense Strategy warns that U.S. adversaries are actively challenging the long-standing rules-based international order, thus “creating a security environment more complex and volatile than any we have experienced in recent memory.” Building on the Pentagon’s observations, Gen. David H. Berger, then-commandant of the Marine Corps, released his seminal 2019 Commandant’s Planning Guidance, in which he proposed sweeping changes aimed at transforming the Corps from its established land-focused role in the Middle East into a naval expeditionary force-in-readiness primed for active engagement in contested maritime spaces within the Indo-Pacific region...