On November 10, 2024, U.S. Marines and Sailors with 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing celebrate the United States Marine Corps 249th birthday. This year, the MAW strengthened alliances and partnerships, advanced theater posture, and increased warfighting proficiency through rigorous training and forward deployments around the globe. Third MAW, as the hammer of I MEF, stands ready to support the Marine Air Ground Task Force, joint force, and combatant commanders with capabilities suited to respond to the full range of military operations.

U.S. Marines with Marine Forces Special Operations Command participate in an honor workout at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, July 3, 2024. The workout was done to honor six MARSOC marines and one sailor who tragically lost their lives in a KC-130T crash, seven years ago (U.S. Marine Corps video by Lance Cpl. Salvador Flores Perez).

U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Roberto Arenas will graduate from Marine recruit training as the honor graduate of Platoon 3234, Kilo Company, 3rd Recruit Training Battalion, May 10th, 2024, at Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego, California. Roberto is from El Paso, Texas. He was recruited from RSS El Paso, Texas. The company honor graduate is the one Marine in his company who has demonstrated the highest degree of discipline, proficiency, bearing, physical fitness, and basic leadership traits that exemplify the highest standards of the United States Marine Corps. Graduation took place at the completion of the 13-week transformation, which included training for drill, marksmanship, basic combat skills, and Marine Corps customs and traditions. (Department of Defense video by Brandon Williams)

U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Nicholas Johnson a native of Tiffin, Iowa, graduated from Marine Corps Recruit Training as the Honor Graduate of Charlie Company, 1st Recruit Training Battalion, May 17, 2024, at Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego, California. Johnson was recruited by Sgt. Phillip Pinero out of Marine Recruit Sub Station Des Moines, Iowa. Graduation took place after the completion of the 13-week transformation, which included training for drill, marksmanship, basic combat skills, and Marine Corps customs and traditions. For more information on becoming a Marine visit Marines.com. (DoD video by Nicholas Groesch)

U.S. Marine Corps Pfc. Emily Walker will graduate from Marine recruit training as the honor graduate of Platoon 2151, Golf Company, 2nd Recruit Training Battalion, April 26th, 2024, at Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego, California. Walker is from Ventura, California, and she was recruited from RSS Weatherford, Texas. The company honor graduate is the one Marine in her company who has demonstrated the highest degree of discipline, proficiency, bearing, physical fitness, and basic leadership traits that exemplify the highest standards of the United States Marine Corps. Graduation took place after the 13-week transformation, which included training for drill, marksmanship, basic combat skills, and Marine Corps customs and traditions. (Department of Defense video by Brandon Williams)

U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Jose will graduate from Marine recruit training as the honor graduate of Platoon 1009, Alpha Company, 1st Recruit Training Battalion, on April 1th, 2024, at Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego, California. Fuentes is from San Antonio, TX. He was recruited from RSS South Park. The company honor graduate is the one Marine in his company who has demonstrated the highest degree of discipline, proficiency, bearing, physical fitness, and basic leadership traits that exemplify the highest standards of the United States Marine Corps. Graduation took place after the 13-week transformation, which included training for drill, marksmanship, basic combat skills, and Marine Corps customs and traditions. (Department of Defense video by Brandon Williams)

U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Gen. (Ret) Wesley Rice and Col. (Ret) Craig Kozeniesky are inducted into the U.S. Special Operations Command, Commando Hall of Honor on MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, April 17, 2024. Between 1951-1988, Rice served as the Pathfinder Detachment Commander of 1st Force Reconnaissance Battalion, the Company Commander of O Company, 43 Commando, British Royal Marines, the Deputy Commander of Naval Advisory Detachment, Military Assistance Command, Vietnam – Studies and Observations Group, the first Director of the Joint Special Operations Agency, and assisted in the development of the Fulton Sky-Hook system as well as the initial barometric opening device, and had over 200 free fall parachute jumps. Between 1992-2016, Kozeniesky served as the Operations and Executive Officer of Marine Corps Special Operations Command Detachment One, the Company Second-in-Command, X Company and Officer Commanding, Support Weapons Company, 45 Commando, British Royal Marines, the Deputy Director, Operations, Joint Special Operations Command, and the Deputy Commander, Marine Forces Special Operations Command. The Commando Hall of Honor was established in 2010 and recognizes those who have served with great distinction and have demonstrated leadership and selfless service within the special operations forces community. (U.S. Marine Corps video by Sgt. Evan Jones, Cpl. Joshua Munsen, and Lance Cpl. Sadiel Cortes Guevara)

U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Justin Wonders will graduate from Marine recruit training as the honor graduate of Platoon 3270, Mike Company, 3rd Recruit Training Battalion, April 12th, 2024, at Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego, California. Wonders is from Newbury Park, California. He was recruited from RSS Thousand Oaks, California. The company honor graduate is the one Marine in his company who has demonstrated the highest degree of discipline, proficiency, bearing, physical fitness, and basic leadership traits that exemplify the highest standards of the United States Marine Corps. Graduation took place after the 13-week transformation, which included training for drill, marksmanship, basic combat skills, and Marine Corps customs and traditions. (Department of Defense video by Brandon Williams)

U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Andrew Jenkins will graduate from Marine recruit training as the honor graduate of Platoon 2170, Hotel Company, 2nd Recruit Training Battalion, April 5th, 2024, at Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego, California. Jenkins is from Dallas, Texas. He was recruited from RSS Wilson, North Carolina. The company honor graduate is the one Marine in his company who has demonstrated the highest degree of discipline, proficiency, bearing, physical fitness, and basic leadership traits that exemplify the highest standards of the United States Marine Corps. Graduation took place at the completion of the 13-week transformation, which included training for drill, marksmanship, basic combat skills, and Marine Corps customs and traditions. (Department of Defense video by Brandon Williams)

U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. Douglas E. Gardner, the former senior enlisted leader with 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, speaks on the unit’s new motto, “Make them count,” at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, March 28, 2024. The motto honors the legacy and sacrifice of Pfc. William A. Foster and exemplifies how the battalion works and fights every day. (U.S. Marine Corps video by Cpl. Willow Marshall) (This video contains music from a USMC enterprise licensed asset from Adobe Stock: Inspiring Uplifting Emotional Cinematic Trailer composed by Bibble/stock.adobe.com and Nightwalk [Deep Dark Ambient Relaxing Synths] composed by Christian Raab/stock.adobe.com.)

U.S. Marine Corps Gunnery Sgt. Joshua Hall, a drill instructor with Mike Company, 3rd Recruit Training Battalion, Recruit Training Regiment, explains the significance of Cpl. Jason L. Dunham’s actions during a crucible event at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, March 26, 2024. Dunham was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions April 14, 2004, while serving with 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment (Reinforced), Regimental Combat Team 7, 1st Marine Division, Karabilah, Iraq, during The War on Terror. (U.S. Marine Corps video by Cpl. Elliott A. Flood-Johnson)