Stories

Lt. Col. Steven M. Wolf, left, commander of Black Sea Rotational Force 13, and Bulgarian Army Colonel Iavor Mateev, right, officer-in-charge of Bulgarian forces participating in BSRF-13, speak with Bulgarian, Serbian, Romanian and American company commanders at Novo Selo, Bulgaria, following an opening ceremony July, 1, 2013. The opening ceremony marked the beginning of Platinum Lion 13, BSRF-13’s five week exercise in Bulgaria. The exercise allows the U.S. and Balkan military forces to practice stability, counterinsurgency, and peacekeeping operations in order to build partner nation capacity, enhance interoperability between countries and increase the overall effectiveness of the participating partnered nations. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by 1st Lt. Hector Alejandro) - Lt. Col. Steven M. Wolf, left, commander of Black Sea Rotational Force 13, and Bulgarian Army Colonel Iavor Mateev, right, officer-in-charge of Bulgarian forces participating in BSRF-13, speak with Bulgarian, Serbian, Romanian and American company commanders at Novo Selo, Bulgaria, following an opening ceremony July, 1, 2013. The opening ceremony marked the beginning of Platinum Lion 13, BSRF-13’s five week exercise in Bulgaria. The exercise allows the U.S. and Balkan military forces to practice stability, counterinsurgency, and peacekeeping operations in order to build partner nation capacity, enhance interoperability between countries and increase the overall effectiveness of the participating partnered nations. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by 1st Lt. Hector Alejandro)

U.S. Marine Corps 1st Lt. Adam Aikens (left) a platoon commander with Golf Company, Black Sea Rotational Force 13 receives instruction from Staff Sgt. Ricardo Narvaez (right), during mechanized advantage control hold drills aboard Mihail Kogalniceanu Military Base, Romania, June 13, 2013. BSRF-13 is slated to conduct military engagements operations with approximately 21 different nations during its six-month deployment while serving as a crisis contingency force for the Black Sea, Baltic, and Balkans region. - U.S. Marine Corps 1st Lt. Adam Aikens (left) a platoon commander with Golf Company, Black Sea Rotational Force 13 receives instruction from Staff Sgt. Ricardo Narvaez (right), during mechanized advantage control hold drills aboard Mihail Kogalniceanu Military Base, Romania, June 13, 2013. BSRF-13 is slated to conduct military engagements operations with approximately 21 different nations during its six-month deployment while serving as a crisis contingency force for the Black Sea, Baltic, and Balkans region.

U.S. Marines and sailors with Black Sea Rotational Force 13 conduct live fire during exercie Summer Shield 10 aboard Camp Adazi, Latvia, April 24, 2013. Exercise Summer Shield 10 focuses on integration of fires and maneuver in a joint environment to build partner nation capacity while enhancing our interoperability between the United States, Lithuania, Estonia, and Latvia. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by SSgt David Rakes, Sr./released) - U.S. Marines and sailors with Black Sea Rotational Force 13 conduct live fire during exercie Summer Shield 10 aboard Camp Adazi, Latvia, April 24, 2013. Exercise Summer Shield 10 focuses on integration of fires and maneuver in a joint environment to build partner nation capacity while enhancing our interoperability between the United States, Lithuania, Estonia, and Latvia. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by SSgt David Rakes, Sr./released)

Religious Program Specialist 3rd Class Girien Salazar escorts children to an Independence Day celebration hosted by Black Sea Rotational Force 12 on Mihail Kogalniceanu, Romania July 4. Special guests of the event included approximately 200 local orphans from six different homes in the Constanta, Romania area. Black Sea Rotational Force 12 is a Special-Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force with crisis response capabilities deployed to the region to enhance interoperability and promote regional stability. - Religious Program Specialist 3rd Class Girien Salazar escorts children to an Independence Day celebration hosted by Black Sea Rotational Force 12 on Mihail Kogalniceanu, Romania July 4. Special guests of the event included approximately 200 local orphans from six different homes in the Constanta, Romania area. Black Sea Rotational Force 12 is a Special-Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force with crisis response capabilities deployed to the region to enhance interoperability and promote regional stability.

Lance Cpl. Matthew E. Robertson, a powerline technician, Air Combat Element, Black Sea Rotational Force 12, inspects the engine of a KC-130 Hercules aircraft after a flight on Mihail Kogalniceanu, Romania May 3. Approximately 50 Marines and two KC-130 Hercules aircraft make up the ACE which is tasked with getting the Marines of BSRF and their training partners to their designated training locations. ::r::::n:: (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Paul D. Zellner)::r::::n:: - Lance Cpl. Matthew E. Robertson, a powerline technician, Air Combat Element, Black Sea Rotational Force 12, inspects the engine of a KC-130 Hercules aircraft after a flight on Mihail Kogalniceanu, Romania May 3. Approximately 50 Marines and two KC-130 Hercules aircraft make up the ACE which is tasked with getting the Marines of BSRF and their training partners to their designated training locations. ::r::::n:: (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Paul D. Zellner)::r::::n::

Lance Cpl. Adrian Delafuente, a rifleman with Black Sea Rotational Force 12 takes part in dismounted patrol training with Romanian soldiers in Iasi, Romania May 8. The ten-day event included training led by Marine non-commisioned officers. The Black Sea Rotational Force 12 is a Special-Purpose MAGTF with crisis response capabilities deployed to the region to enhance interoperability, promote regional stability and build camaraderie amongst the forces.::r::::n::(Official U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Paul D. Zellner II)::r::::n:: - Lance Cpl. Adrian Delafuente, a rifleman with Black Sea Rotational Force 12 takes part in dismounted patrol training with Romanian soldiers in Iasi, Romania May 8. The ten-day event included training led by Marine non-commisioned officers. The Black Sea Rotational Force 12 is a Special-Purpose MAGTF with crisis response capabilities deployed to the region to enhance interoperability, promote regional stability and build camaraderie amongst the forces.::r::::n::(Official U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Paul D. Zellner II)::r::::n::

Sgt. Juan Urbina, a rifleman with Ground Combat Element, Black Sea Rotational Force, hands out Easter candy to local children during a family health initiative in Corbu, Romania April 7. Marines and sailors of BSRF volunteered to help less fortunate families in rural Romania, outside of Mihail Kogalniceanu military base. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Staff Sgt. Nate Hauser) - Sgt. Juan Urbina, a rifleman with Ground Combat Element, Black Sea Rotational Force, hands out Easter candy to local children during a family health initiative in Corbu, Romania April 7. Marines and sailors of BSRF volunteered to help less fortunate families in rural Romania, outside of Mihail Kogalniceanu military base. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Staff Sgt. Nate Hauser)

Gunnery Sgt. Joe Urias, team leader for the NCO development team, Black Sea Rotational Force 12, speaks about the difference in personal, unit and campaign awards during a NCO-Development Seminar in Bucharest, Romania April 3-5. The seminar included senior officials from Ukraine, Bulgaria, Azerbaijan, Serbia, Bosnia, Romania, Macedonia and the U.S.::r::::n::(U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Paul D. Zellner II)::r::::n:: - Gunnery Sgt. Joe Urias, team leader for the NCO development team, Black Sea Rotational Force 12, speaks about the difference in personal, unit and campaign awards during a NCO-Development Seminar in Bucharest, Romania April 3-5. The seminar included senior officials from Ukraine, Bulgaria, Azerbaijan, Serbia, Bosnia, Romania, Macedonia and the U.S.::r::::n::(U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Paul D. Zellner II)::r::::n::

Lt. Col. Merab Kikabidze, director of the Joint Staff, Ministry of Defense, Georgian Armed Forces, addresses the Black Sea Rotational Force and soldiers from the 4th Infantry Brigade, Georgian Land Forces, during the opening ceremony of Operation Agile Spirit. - Lt. Col. Merab Kikabidze, director of the Joint Staff, Ministry of Defense, Georgian Armed Forces, addresses the Black Sea Rotational Force and soldiers from the 4th Infantry Brigade, Georgian Land Forces, during the opening ceremony of Operation Agile Spirit.