Stories

U.S. Marine Corps 1st Lt. Julian D’Orsaneo (left), communications officer for Black Sea Rotational Force 13, discusses tactical employment of communications assets with his counterpart from Azerbaijan’s Operational Capabilities Concept battalion during a bilateral staff planning session in Novo Selo Training Area, Bulgaria, July 21, 2013. BSRF-13 focuses on stability, counter-insurgency, and peacekeeping operations, in order to build partner-nation capacity, enhance interoperability between countries and increase overall effectiveness of participating military forces. - U.S. Marine Corps 1st Lt. Julian D’Orsaneo (left), communications officer for Black Sea Rotational Force 13, discusses tactical employment of communications assets with his counterpart from Azerbaijan’s Operational Capabilities Concept battalion during a bilateral staff planning session in Novo Selo Training Area, Bulgaria, July 21, 2013. BSRF-13 focuses on stability, counter-insurgency, and peacekeeping operations, in order to build partner-nation capacity, enhance interoperability between countries and increase overall effectiveness of participating military forces.

U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Jacob Olson, a radio operator with Black Sea Rotational Force 13, helps a soldier with Azerbaijan’s Operational Capabilities Concept battalion program a handheld radio during a communications platoon information exchange part of Exercise Platinum Lion 13 at Novo Selo Training Area, Bulgaria, July 20, 2013. BSRF-13 focuses on stability, counter-insurgency, and peacekeeping operations, in order to build partner-nation capacity, enhance interoperability between countries and increase overall effectiveness of participating military forces. - U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Jacob Olson, a radio operator with Black Sea Rotational Force 13, helps a soldier with Azerbaijan’s Operational Capabilities Concept battalion program a handheld radio during a communications platoon information exchange part of Exercise Platinum Lion 13 at Novo Selo Training Area, Bulgaria, July 20, 2013. BSRF-13 focuses on stability, counter-insurgency, and peacekeeping operations, in order to build partner-nation capacity, enhance interoperability between countries and increase overall effectiveness of participating military forces.

Lance Cpl. Andy Davis, a rifleman with Black Sea Rotational Force 13 and Richmond Hill, Ga., native, reads the non-commissioned officer creed during a Corporals Course graduation, June 23, 2013 in Mihail Kogalniceanu Military Base, Romania. Marines with BSRF-13 who attended Corporals Course learned the basics of being a non-commissioned officer in the United States Marine Corps. Corporals Course is a formal school that is a requirement for all corporals that want to be eligible for the rank of sergeant. - Lance Cpl. Andy Davis, a rifleman with Black Sea Rotational Force 13 and Richmond Hill, Ga., native, reads the non-commissioned officer creed during a Corporals Course graduation, June 23, 2013 in Mihail Kogalniceanu Military Base, Romania. Marines with BSRF-13 who attended Corporals Course learned the basics of being a non-commissioned officer in the United States Marine Corps. Corporals Course is a formal school that is a requirement for all corporals that want to be eligible for the rank of sergeant.

U.S. Marines with Black Sea Rotational Force 13 and Romanian soldiers with the 811th Infantry Battalion patrol during a cordon and search exercise in Dej, Romania, June 5, 2013. BSRF-13 is partnered with soldiers from the Romanian Land Forces in an effort to enhance interoperabilty between the forces. - U.S. Marines with Black Sea Rotational Force 13 and Romanian soldiers with the 811th Infantry Battalion patrol during a cordon and search exercise in Dej, Romania, June 5, 2013. BSRF-13 is partnered with soldiers from the Romanian Land Forces in an effort to enhance interoperabilty between the forces.

Marines and sailors with Black Sea Rotational Force 13 simulate a crisis contingency scenario aboard Mihail Kogaliceanu Military Base, Romania May 3, 2013. BSRF-13 serves as a crisis contingency force for the Black Sea region during its six-month deployment. - Marines and sailors with Black Sea Rotational Force 13 simulate a crisis contingency scenario aboard Mihail Kogaliceanu Military Base, Romania May 3, 2013. BSRF-13 serves as a crisis contingency force for the Black Sea region during its six-month deployment.

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)

Marines and Sailors with Black Sea Rotational Force 13 hold an opening ceremony for the start of exercise Summer Shield 10 aboard Camp Adazi, April 15, 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 and Latvia.(U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Michael Dye/released) - Marines and Sailors with Black Sea Rotational Force 13 hold an opening ceremony for the start of exercise Summer Shield 10 aboard Camp Adazi, April 15, 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 and Latvia.(U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Michael Dye/released)

U.S. Marines with Black Sea Rotational Force 13 and the Republic of Georgia Army's 233rd Infantry Battalion participate in the closing ceremony for exercise Agile Spirit aboard Vaziani Airbase, March 30, 2013. - U.S. Marines with Black Sea Rotational Force 13 and the Republic of Georgia Army's 233rd Infantry Battalion participate in the closing ceremony for exercise Agile Spirit aboard Vaziani Airbase, March 30, 2013.

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.