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U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Christian Krapf, a Rhode Island native, left, and Sgt. Matthew Miclat, a California native, both air traffic controllers with Marine Air Control Squadron 4, Marine Air Control Group 18, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, observe Marines with Marine Wing Support Squadron 172, disembark a CH-53E Super Stallion with Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 466 during air traffic control operations at Rodriguez Live Fire Range Complex, Pocheon, South Korea, March 10, 2024, during Warrior Shield 24. Warrior Shield 24 is an annual joint, combined exercise held on the Korean Peninsula that seeks to strengthen the combined defensive capabilities of Republic of Korea and U.S. forces. This routine, regularly scheduled, field training exercise provides the ROK and U.S. Marines the opportunity to rehearse combined operations, exchange knowledge, and demonstrate the strength and capabilities of the ROK-US Alliance. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Tyler Harmon) - U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Christian Krapf, a Rhode Island native, left, and Sgt. Matthew Miclat, a California native, both air traffic controllers with Marine Air Control Squadron 4, Marine Air Control Group 18, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, observe Marines with Marine Wing Support Squadron 172, disembark a CH-53E Super Stallion with Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 466 during air traffic control operations at Rodriguez Live Fire Range Complex, Pocheon, South Korea, March 10, 2024, during Warrior Shield 24. Warrior Shield 24 is an annual joint, combined exercise held on the Korean Peninsula that seeks to strengthen the combined defensive capabilities of Republic of Korea and U.S. forces. This routine, regularly scheduled, field training exercise provides the ROK and U.S. Marines the opportunity to rehearse combined operations, exchange knowledge, and demonstrate the strength and capabilities of the ROK-US Alliance. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Tyler Harmon)

Marine Aircraft Group 12 Deploys to Korea for Command and Control Operations, Strengthening Regional Security

SUWON, REPUBLIC OF KOREA—U.S. Marines with Marine Aircraft Group (MAG) 12 deployed from Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Iwakuni, Japan, to Suwon Air Base, Republic of Korea, established command and control of aviation operations supporting exercise Warrior Shield 24 from Feb. 29 to March 22, 2024.

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U.S. Marines with Marine Wing Support Squadron 174, Marine Aircraft Group (MAG) 24, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing deliver buddy benches to Kainalu Elementary School, Kailua, Hawaii, April 1, 2024. MAG-24 Marines partnered with the school to construct and deliver six buddy benches that serve as a positive space for students to sit and make friends. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Tania Guerrero) - U.S. Marines with Marine Wing Support Squadron 174, Marine Aircraft Group (MAG) 24, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing deliver buddy benches to Kainalu Elementary School, Kailua, Hawaii, April 1, 2024. MAG-24 Marines partnered with the school to construct and deliver six buddy benches that serve as a positive space for students to sit and make friends. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Tania Guerrero)

MAG-24 Marines Partner with Kainalu Elementary to Build Kindness

KAILUA, Hawaii – To kick off the Month of the Military Child, U.S. Marines with Marine Wing Support Squadron (MWSS) 174, Marine Aircraft Group (MAG) 24, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, partnered with Kainalu Elementary School’s Transition Center to construct and deliver six “buddy benches” on Apr. 1, 2024.

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1st MAW concludes Freedom Shield

Over 300 United States Marines assigned to 1st Marine Aircraft Wing (MAW) partook in Freedom Shield 24, an annual, bilateral exercise with U.S. and Republic of Korea (ROK) Marines. Participants of the two nations studied operational plans during the ten-day exercise and refined tactical and operational best practices in support of the ROK’s defense.

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U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Shane Gentry, an MQ-9A MUX/MALE pilot with Marine Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Squadron 3, Marine Aircraft Group (MAG) 24, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing poses for a photo at MAG-24 headquarters, Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, March 25, 2024. Gentry was awarded the Marine Corps Aviation Association’s Alfred A. Cunningham award for his superior performance. The award also names the recipient the Marine Aviator of the Year and is the highest honor a Marine aviator can achieve during their career. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Logan Beeney) - U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Shane Gentry, an MQ-9A MUX/MALE pilot with Marine Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Squadron 3, Marine Aircraft Group (MAG) 24, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing poses for a photo at MAG-24 headquarters, Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, March 25, 2024. Gentry was awarded the Marine Corps Aviation Association’s Alfred A. Cunningham award for his superior performance. The award also names the recipient the Marine Aviator of the Year and is the highest honor a Marine aviator can achieve during their career. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Logan Beeney)

Maj. Shane Gentry, Marine Aviator of the Year

On March 14, 2024, U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Shane R. Gentry, an MQ-9A MUX/MALE pilot with Marine Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Squadron (VMU) 3, Marine Aircraft Group 24, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, was awarded the Marine Corps Aviation Association’s Alfred A. Cunningham award.

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Brig. Gen. Kelvin Gallman, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing Assistant Wing Commander, and Col. Ronnie Michael, Camp Mujuk Commanding Officer, tour the Pohang Sunrin Aeyukwon, an orphanage founded by U.S. Marines during the Korean War on March 14, 2024. Brig. Gen Gallman visited the orphanage after the conclusion of Freedom Shield 24, the largest bilateral exercise between the U.S. and Republic of Korea militaries on the Korean peninsula. - Brig. Gen. Kelvin Gallman, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing Assistant Wing Commander, and Col. Ronnie Michael, Camp Mujuk Commanding Officer, tour the Pohang Sunrin Aeyukwon, an orphanage founded by U.S. Marines during the Korean War on March 14, 2024. Brig. Gen Gallman visited the orphanage after the conclusion of Freedom Shield 24, the largest bilateral exercise between the U.S. and Republic of Korea militaries on the Korean peninsula.

AWC visits ROK Orphanage Built by 1st MAW Marines

“While Marine jet fighters roared overhead on their death missions, a small group of First Marine Air Wing men dedicated a work of mercy.” This opening line of a 1952 Marine Corps Gazette article may have left many readers believing this statement paradoxical, even antithetical to the Marine Corps mission to fight and win under any circumstances. Yet, while the fury and violence of the Korean War raged around them, many Marines found themselves serving in a unique capacity: one focused on saving lives rather than taking them.

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A U.S. Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 262, Marine Aircraft Group 36, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, conducts a bilateral formation flight alongside Japan Ground Self-Defense Force service members with Western Army Aviation Group during the field training exercise portion of Resolute Dragon 23 off the coast of Kumamoto, Japan, Oct. 18, 2023. RD 23 is an annual bilateral exercise in Japan that strengthens the command, control, and multi-domain maneuver capabilities of Marines in III Marine Expeditionary Force and allied Japan Self-Defense Force personnel. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Kyle Chan) - A U.S. Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 262, Marine Aircraft Group 36, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, conducts a bilateral formation flight alongside Japan Ground Self-Defense Force service members with Western Army Aviation Group during the field training exercise portion of Resolute Dragon 23 off the coast of Kumamoto, Japan, Oct. 18, 2023. RD 23 is an annual bilateral exercise in Japan that strengthens the command, control, and multi-domain maneuver capabilities of Marines in III Marine Expeditionary Force and allied Japan Self-Defense Force personnel. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Kyle Chan)

1st MAW MV-22s return to air

The 1st Marine Aircraft Wing has returned its MV-22s to flight status March 14, as the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) has deemed the aircraft safe to fly based on a meticulous and data-driven approach prioritizing flight worthiness and safety.

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U.S. Marines with Marine Wing Support Squadron (MWSS) 171, Marine Aircraft Group 12, Royal Thai marines with the Royal Thai Marine Corps Construction Company of Combat Engineers, and members of the Singapore Army with the 30th Combat Engineer Brigade install support beams at the Ban Prakaet school in Chanthaburi, Thailand, Feb. 13, 2024. Marines of MWSS-171 lent their engineering expertise to multilateral humanitarian efforts during Cobra Gold 24. Joint Exercise Cobra Gold is the largest joint exercise in mainland Asia and a concrete example of the strong alliance and strategic relationship between Thailand and the United States. This year will be the 43rd iteration of the multilateral exercise and will be held from Feb. 27 to March 8, 2024. (U.S. Marine Corps Photo by Cpl. Calah Thompson) - U.S. Marines with Marine Wing Support Squadron (MWSS) 171, Marine Aircraft Group 12, Royal Thai marines with the Royal Thai Marine Corps Construction Company of Combat Engineers, and members of the Singapore Army with the 30th Combat Engineer Brigade install support beams at the Ban Prakaet school in Chanthaburi, Thailand, Feb. 13, 2024. Marines of MWSS-171 lent their engineering expertise to multilateral humanitarian efforts during Cobra Gold 24. Joint Exercise Cobra Gold is the largest joint exercise in mainland Asia and a concrete example of the strong alliance and strategic relationship between Thailand and the United States. This year will be the 43rd iteration of the multilateral exercise and will be held from Feb. 27 to March 8, 2024. (U.S. Marine Corps Photo by Cpl. Calah Thompson)

Building Schools and Relationships: Singaporean, Thai and U.S. service members complete ENCAP project during Exercise Cobra Gold 24

On February 8, 2024, Marines with Marine Wing Support Squadron (MWSS) 171 traveled from Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni to the small Ban Prakaet Village in Chanthaburi Thailand to build a school. The Marines would go on to spend a month staying at a nearby temple, eating, sleeping and working alongside their counterparts in the Royal Thai Marine Corps and Singaporean Army. They would also sow seeds of friendship with the local village members and students, who would greet them every morning with smiles brighter than the hot Thailand sun that would beam upon them for the next month.

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U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Kayden Cardona, aircraft maintenance support equipment electrician with Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron (MALS) 24, Marine Aircraft Group (MAG) 24, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing (MAW) receives an award from Col. William Heiken, commanding officer of MAG-24, 1st MAW at Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, March 1, 2024. Cardona was awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal for lifesaving actions. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Logan Beeney) - U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Kayden Cardona, aircraft maintenance support equipment electrician with Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron (MALS) 24, Marine Aircraft Group (MAG) 24, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing (MAW) receives an award from Col. William Heiken, commanding officer of MAG-24, 1st MAW at Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, March 1, 2024. Cardona was awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal for lifesaving actions. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Logan Beeney)

U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Cardona Awarded for Lifesaving Actions

U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Kayden Cardona, an Arlington, Texas native and aircraft maintenance support equipment technician with Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron (MALS) 24, Marine Aircraft Group 24, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, demonstrated remarkable courage when he witnessed a terrifying motor vehicle accident, involving a motorcycle, on January 26, 2024. Cardona instinctively provided emergency medical care to the critically injured rider. For his life-saving actions, Cardona received the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal on March 1, 2024.

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U.S. Marines with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 232 performs preflight inspections on an F/A-18C Hornet aircraft at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, Jan. 30, 2024. Nicknamed the “Red Devils,” VMFA-232 traveled from Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan to Guam as a part of their Aviation Training Relocation Program deployment to train multilaterally with allies and partners, and enhance the squadron’s combat readiness. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. David Getz) - U.S. Marines with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 232 performs preflight inspections on an F/A-18C Hornet aircraft at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, Jan. 30, 2024. Nicknamed the “Red Devils,” VMFA-232 traveled from Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan to Guam as a part of their Aviation Training Relocation Program deployment to train multilaterally with allies and partners, and enhance the squadron’s combat readiness. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. David Getz)

Marine Aircraft Group 12 concludes Cope North 24

Marines with Marine Aircraft Group 12, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, completed Cope North 24, a three-week-long multinational aviation training exercise, alongside joint, partner, and allied forces in Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands from Feb 2 to 23, 2024.

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U.S. Navy RP3 Jordan Warren (2nd from the left) with Marine Aircraft Logistics Squadron 24, Marine Aircraft Group 24, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, poses with teammates for a group photo at Colorado Springs, Colorado, Feb. 15, 2024. Warren was granted a temporary additional duty to join the All-Navy wrestling team and compete with the goal of representing the United States in the Olympics. (courtesy photo by RP3 Jordan Warren) - U.S. Navy RP3 Jordan Warren (2nd from the left) with Marine Aircraft Logistics Squadron 24, Marine Aircraft Group 24, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, poses with teammates for a group photo at Colorado Springs, Colorado, Feb. 15, 2024. Warren was granted a temporary additional duty to join the All-Navy wrestling team and compete with the goal of representing the United States in the Olympics. (courtesy photo by RP3 Jordan Warren)

U.S. Navy Sailor Pursues Olympic Dream Through Wrestling

Edison, New Jersey native and U.S. Navy Religious Programs Specialist 3 (RP3) Jordan Warren, was recently provided an opportunity to leverage his passion and skill in professional wrestling. RP3 Warren serves as a chaplain’s assistant with Marine Aircraft Logistics Squadron 24, Marine Aircraft Group 24, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing. He is on a mission to achieve his childhood dream of competing at the Olympics.

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