Stories

Marines from Golf Co., 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marines make an anti-riot formation to defend against an attacker on Black Sea Rotational Force 14 Sept. 9 during a non-lethal weapons course on Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base, Romania. Non-lethal skills and tactics can be taught to partner nations in Eastern Europe to build partner capacity. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Alexandria Blanche, 2d MAR DIV, Combat Camera/Released) - Marines from Golf Co., 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marines make an anti-riot formation to defend against an attacker on Black Sea Rotational Force 14 Sept. 9 during a non-lethal weapons course on Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base, Romania. Non-lethal skills and tactics can be taught to partner nations in Eastern Europe to build partner capacity. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Alexandria Blanche, 2d MAR DIV, Combat Camera/Released)

U.S. Marines and sailors with Black Sea Rotational Force 13 observe where rounds impacted targets during a battle sight zero exercise while training with the Israel Defense Force Counter-Terrorism Unit aboard Camp Adam, Israel, July 5, 2013. The purpose of the BZO course of fire is to ensure the respective Marines' rifle is properly sighted for future live fire exercises. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Staff Sgt. David Rakes, Sr./released) - U.S. Marines and sailors with Black Sea Rotational Force 13 observe where rounds impacted targets during a battle sight zero exercise while training with the Israel Defense Force Counter-Terrorism Unit aboard Camp Adam, Israel, July 5, 2013. The purpose of the BZO course of fire is to ensure the respective Marines' rifle is properly sighted for future live fire exercises. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Staff Sgt. David Rakes, Sr./released)

U.S. Marines and sailors with Black Sea Rotational Force 13 react to a target while training with the Israel Defense Force’s Counter-Terrorism Unit aboard Camp Adam, Israel, July 5, 2013. The purpose of Noble Shirley 13 is to improve interoperability, understanding and cooperation between the IDF and U.S. Marines. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Staff Sgt. David Rakes, Sr./released) - U.S. Marines and sailors with Black Sea Rotational Force 13 react to a target while training with the Israel Defense Force’s Counter-Terrorism Unit aboard Camp Adam, Israel, July 5, 2013. The purpose of Noble Shirley 13 is to improve interoperability, understanding and cooperation between the IDF and U.S. Marines. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Staff Sgt. David Rakes, Sr./released)

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 stand at attention next to the Republic of Georgia's 4th Infantry Brigade for the opening ceremony of the Exercise Agile Spirit 13 joint training event. - U.S. Marines and sailors stand at attention next to the Republic of Georgia's 4th Infantry Brigade for the opening ceremony of the Exercise Agile Spirit 13 joint training event.

Petty Officer 3rd Class Andrew Sanders, a hospital corpsman with the Black Sea Rotational Force13 and an Elizabeth City, N.C., native, helps a role player, who has a mock injury, onto a stretcher going to the medical aid station. Marines and sailors with the 2013 iteration of BSRF conducted their first noncombatant evacuation mission rehearsal exercise the week of January 7. - Petty Officer 3rd Class Andrew Sanders, a hospital corpsman with the Black Sea Rotational Force13 and an Elizabeth City, N.C., native, helps a role player, who has a mock injury, onto a stretcher going to the medical aid station. Marines and sailors with the 2013 iteration of BSRF conducted their first noncombatant evacuation mission rehearsal exercise the week of January 7.

The Marines and sailors of Black Sea Rotational Force 12, pictured here, rescued a Romanian family of four including an infant from a car crash that left the road during inclement weather. The servicemembers were returning from a marathon in Transylvania when they came upon the accident that left the family trapped down a steep embankment. ::r::::n::Group picture:::r::::n::Back row; (Petty Officer Third Class Girien Salazar), (Captain James Flood), (Sgt. Maj. Gary Jacobs), (Master Sgt. Todd Gunter), (Lieutenant Paul Evans), (Lieutenant Derek Owens), (First Sgt. Brian Porter).::r::::n::Front row; (Gunnery Sgt. Andrew Morgan), (Commander Jonathan Kuehne), (Chief Petty Officer Kathy Canady), (Staff Sgt. Darla Richardson), (Staff Sgt. Enid Browne), (Chief Warrant Officer 2 Adrian Weaver), (Gunnery Sgt. Juan Delacruz).::r::::n:: - The Marines and sailors of Black Sea Rotational Force 12, pictured here, rescued a Romanian family of four including an infant from a car crash that left the road during inclement weather. The servicemembers were returning from a marathon in Transylvania when they came upon the accident that left the family trapped down a steep embankment. ::r::::n::Group picture:::r::::n::Back row; (Petty Officer Third Class Girien Salazar), (Captain James Flood), (Sgt. Maj. Gary Jacobs), (Master Sgt. Todd Gunter), (Lieutenant Paul Evans), (Lieutenant Derek Owens), (First Sgt. Brian Porter).::r::::n::Front row; (Gunnery Sgt. Andrew Morgan), (Commander Jonathan Kuehne), (Chief Petty Officer Kathy Canady), (Staff Sgt. Darla Richardson), (Staff Sgt. Enid Browne), (Chief Warrant Officer 2 Adrian Weaver), (Gunnery Sgt. Juan Delacruz).::r::::n::

Sgt. Jonathan Davis a reconnaissance Marine with the ground command element, Black Sea Rotational Force 12, paints the face of a young boy from a local orphanage while volunteering in Constanta, Romania, April 22. The Marines and sailors of BSRF 12 worked with Hands Across Romania to entertain and feed 250 children from three local orphanages. - Sgt. Jonathan Davis a reconnaissance Marine with the ground command element, Black Sea Rotational Force 12, paints the face of a young boy from a local orphanage while volunteering in Constanta, Romania, April 22. The Marines and sailors of BSRF 12 worked with Hands Across Romania to entertain and feed 250 children from three local orphanages.

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::

Sgt. Spencer McAvoy, a squad leader with Company A, Anti-Terrorism Battalion, clears a room with Georgian soldiers here July 19 during Exercise Agile Spirit 2011. Agile Spirit is designed to increase interoperability between the forces by exchanging and enhancing each other’s capacity in counterinsurgency and peacekeeping operations, including: small unit tactics, convoy operations, and counter-Improvised Explosive Device training.::r::::n:: - Sgt. Spencer McAvoy, a squad leader with Company A, Anti-Terrorism Battalion, clears a room with Georgian soldiers here July 19 during Exercise Agile Spirit 2011. Agile Spirit is designed to increase interoperability between the forces by exchanging and enhancing each other’s capacity in counterinsurgency and peacekeeping operations, including: small unit tactics, convoy operations, and counter-Improvised Explosive Device training.::r::::n::

While flying at an 10,000 feet, two Romanian paratroopers fling themselves off a KC-130 Hercules and into the open air toward the patched landscape below while conducting a High-Altitude, Low-Opening (HALO) combat jump as part of parachute operations with Black Sea Rotational Force 11. U.S. Marine and Romanian jumpmasters conducted combat jump operations at Camp Turzii recently, about 260 miles north of Mihail Kogalniceanu, to share experience and give Romanian troops the opportunity to jump from a KC-130. - While flying at an 10,000 feet, two Romanian paratroopers fling themselves off a KC-130 Hercules and into the open air toward the patched landscape below while conducting a High-Altitude, Low-Opening (HALO) combat jump as part of parachute operations with Black Sea Rotational Force 11. U.S. Marine and Romanian jumpmasters conducted combat jump operations at Camp Turzii recently, about 260 miles north of Mihail Kogalniceanu, to share experience and give Romanian troops the opportunity to jump from a KC-130.

In the small farming town of Mandra, approximately 108km north of Constanta, kindergartners watch Gunnery Sgt. Giannina Pinedo, civil affairs chief, Black Sea Rotational Force 11, while Roxanna Taranu, linguists, BSRF-11, interprets how to properly prepare a Meal Ready-to-Eat before they get a chance to taste it. Marine reserve civil affairs specialists and combat engineers of Black Sea Rotational Force 11 travelled north to villages in the Topolog region to reach out and directly impact remote communities and local schools by building a school fence in Calfa village and passing out small donations to schools in Mandra, Cerbu, Luminata, and Margurele. - In the small farming town of Mandra, approximately 108km north of Constanta, kindergartners watch Gunnery Sgt. Giannina Pinedo, civil affairs chief, Black Sea Rotational Force 11, while Roxanna Taranu, linguists, BSRF-11, interprets how to properly prepare a Meal Ready-to-Eat before they get a chance to taste it. Marine reserve civil affairs specialists and combat engineers of Black Sea Rotational Force 11 travelled north to villages in the Topolog region to reach out and directly impact remote communities and local schools by building a school fence in Calfa village and passing out small donations to schools in Mandra, Cerbu, Luminata, and Margurele.

During a rehearsal for the Black Sea Rotational Force 11 Opening Ceremony, Sgt. John H. Hunter, radio operator, BSRF-11, coordinates and synchronizes movements for the American and Romanian colors that will be featured in the event. About 200 Romanian and U.S. Marines, along with Romanian and U.S. military officers, Romanian civilian leaders, and news media attended the opening ceremony on the recently built Mihail Kogalniceau Romanian Land Forces base here.::r::::n::::r::::n::::r::::n:: - During a rehearsal for the Black Sea Rotational Force 11 Opening Ceremony, Sgt. John H. Hunter, radio operator, BSRF-11, coordinates and synchronizes movements for the American and Romanian colors that will be featured in the event. About 200 Romanian and U.S. Marines, along with Romanian and U.S. military officers, Romanian civilian leaders, and news media attended the opening ceremony on the recently built Mihail Kogalniceau Romanian Land Forces base here.::r::::n::::r::::n::::r::::n::