Stories

Petty Officer 2nd Class Angel Leonard shows service members with the Nigerian Navy various outboard motor parts during a training engagement in Nigeria, Dec. 2, 2014. Leonard, a Coast Guardsmen with SPMAGTF Crisis Response-Africa is working alongside service members of the Nigerian Navy for a training engagement that began in December. This training engagement will cover basic maintenance, electrical and mechanical skills, and general troubleshooting for small boat engines; the service members will share knowledge of these topics to build operational capacity between the two forces. - Petty Officer 2nd Class Angel Leonard shows service members with the Nigerian Navy various outboard motor parts during a training engagement in Nigeria, Dec. 2, 2014. Leonard, a Coast Guardsmen with SPMAGTF Crisis Response-Africa is working alongside service members of the Nigerian Navy for a training engagement that began in December. This training engagement will cover basic maintenance, electrical and mechanical skills, and general troubleshooting for small boat engines; the service members will share knowledge of these topics to build operational capacity between the two forces.

Marines with Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force Africa 14.1 begin a three-mile motivational run aboard Naval Air Station Sigonella, Italy, January 10, 2014. Established in 2010, the task force is charged with supporting United States Africa Command and Marine Corps Forces Africa’s theater security cooperation requirements to strengthen the defense capabilities of African states and regional organizations, deter and defeat transitional threats and strengthen the ability to conduct good governance and development. - Marines with Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force Africa 14.1 begin a three-mile motivational run aboard Naval Air Station Sigonella, Italy, January 10, 2014. Established in 2010, the task force is charged with supporting United States Africa Command and Marine Corps Forces Africa’s theater security cooperation requirements to strengthen the defense capabilities of African states and regional organizations, deter and defeat transitional threats and strengthen the ability to conduct good governance and development.

Marines and sailors with Special-Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force Crisis Response help U.S. citizens into a Marine Corps KC-130J Hercules airplane in Juba, South Sudan, during an evacuation of personnel from the U.S. Embassy, Jan. 3, 2014. A squad-size element of U.S. Marines from Special-Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force Crisis Response successfully evacuated more than 20 personnel from the U.S. Embassy in coordination with the East Africa Response Force, and under the command and control of Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa. The Marines from Special-Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force Crisis Response are specifically trained for scenarios in which they provide support to a U.S. Embassy in the form of fixed-site security, Embassy reinforcement, support to non-combatant evacuation, and other missions as directed. - Marines and sailors with Special-Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force Crisis Response help U.S. citizens into a Marine Corps KC-130J Hercules airplane in Juba, South Sudan, during an evacuation of personnel from the U.S. Embassy, Jan. 3, 2014. A squad-size element of U.S. Marines from Special-Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force Crisis Response successfully evacuated more than 20 personnel from the U.S. Embassy in coordination with the East Africa Response Force, and under the command and control of Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa. The Marines from Special-Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force Crisis Response are specifically trained for scenarios in which they provide support to a U.S. Embassy in the form of fixed-site security, Embassy reinforcement, support to non-combatant evacuation, and other missions as directed.

U.S. Marines with Special-Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force Africa 13 and Burundi National Defense Force soldiers palletize supplies Dec. 10, 2013, in Bujumbura, Burundi. The Marine of Special-Purpose MAGTF Africa 13 provided logistical support to the Burundi National Defense Force as it prepared to join the African Union mission in the Central African Republic. - U.S. Marines with Special-Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force Africa 13 and Burundi National Defense Force soldiers palletize supplies Dec. 10, 2013, in Bujumbura, Burundi. The Marine of Special-Purpose MAGTF Africa 13 provided logistical support to the Burundi National Defense Force as it prepared to join the African Union mission in the Central African Republic.

Marines and Sailors with Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force Crisis Response (SP-MAGTF Crisis Response) carry a simulated downed pilot toward an MV-22B Osprey during a tactical recovery of aircraft and personnel training exercise as part of Theater Marine Integration Training (TMIT) at Naval Station Rota, Spain, Nov. 19, 2013. TMIT was a multi-unit exercise intended to bring together diverse Marine Corps assets to accomplish a unified goal. The units included Black Sea Rotational Force 14, SPMAGTF Crisis Response, Fleet Antiterrorism Support Team, and Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force Africa. - Marines and Sailors with Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force Crisis Response (SP-MAGTF Crisis Response) carry a simulated downed pilot toward an MV-22B Osprey during a tactical recovery of aircraft and personnel training exercise as part of Theater Marine Integration Training (TMIT) at Naval Station Rota, Spain, Nov. 19, 2013. TMIT was a multi-unit exercise intended to bring together diverse Marine Corps assets to accomplish a unified goal. The units included Black Sea Rotational Force 14, SPMAGTF Crisis Response, Fleet Antiterrorism Support Team, and Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force Africa.

An MV-22B Osprey from Marine Tiltrotor Squadron 266 (Reinforced), 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C., lands on Kelley Field during a capabilities demonstration at Kelly Barracks, March 28. U.S. Marine Corps Forces Europe, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Africa, in coordination with U.S. European Command, U.S. Africa Command, the community of U.S. Army Garrison Stuttgart, Germany, received “hands-on” experience with the MV-22B Osprey during a capabilities exercise on Patch Barracks, Kelly Barracks, and Stuttgart Army Airfield, that helped to familiarize the combatant commands with the possibilities and new abilities the aircraft could provide throughout their respective area of reach. The three MV-22 Osprey crews flew 1400 nautical miles from the Atlantic Ocean, without having to land to refuel, before arriving two days earlier. The MV-22 Osprey possess twice the speed, can fly twice as high, carry three times the payload, and travels five times the distance of other legacy, medium-lift helicopters. - An MV-22B Osprey from Marine Tiltrotor Squadron 266 (Reinforced), 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, II Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Lejeune, N.C., lands on Kelley Field during a capabilities demonstration at Kelly Barracks, March 28. U.S. Marine Corps Forces Europe, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Africa, in coordination with U.S. European Command, U.S. Africa Command, the community of U.S. Army Garrison Stuttgart, Germany, received “hands-on” experience with the MV-22B Osprey during a capabilities exercise on Patch Barracks, Kelly Barracks, and Stuttgart Army Airfield, that helped to familiarize the combatant commands with the possibilities and new abilities the aircraft could provide throughout their respective area of reach. The three MV-22 Osprey crews flew 1400 nautical miles from the Atlantic Ocean, without having to land to refuel, before arriving two days earlier. The MV-22 Osprey possess twice the speed, can fly twice as high, carry three times the payload, and travels five times the distance of other legacy, medium-lift helicopters.

Marines with U.S. Marine Corps Forces Europe and Africa honor the sacrifices of American and French troops by studying the history of the First World War battle for Belleau Wood, France. The class was to educate the Marines on the historical facts that surround Belleau Wood as they prepare to honor this legacy by participating in a Memorial Day ceremony on the historic battlefield later this month with the Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps, the Marine Corps Battle Color Detachment from Marine Barracks Washington, D.C., the USMC Fleet Anti-Terrorism Security Company from Rota, Spain, and elements of the 5th and 6th Marine Regiments and U.S. Marine Corps Forces Europe scheduled to attend. - Marines with U.S. Marine Corps Forces Europe and Africa honor the sacrifices of American and French troops by studying the history of the First World War battle for Belleau Wood, France. The class was to educate the Marines on the historical facts that surround Belleau Wood as they prepare to honor this legacy by participating in a Memorial Day ceremony on the historic battlefield later this month with the Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps, the Marine Corps Battle Color Detachment from Marine Barracks Washington, D.C., the USMC Fleet Anti-Terrorism Security Company from Rota, Spain, and elements of the 5th and 6th Marine Regiments and U.S. Marine Corps Forces Europe scheduled to attend.