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Seoul, South Korea. (September 7, 2023): Kim Jong Un beware. Except for the U.S.M.C, the ROK Marines are the toughest, most disciplined fighting force on earth. In this photo by Sergeant Mario Ramirez, U.S. Marines with 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines join Republic of Korea Marines with 3rd Battalion, 1st Regiment, 2nd Marine Division in close quarter urban infantry training during Korean Marine Exercise Program 23.3 at the Rodriquez Live-Fire Complex here.
The American Korean alliance began when North Korean troops, backed by China and the Soviet Union, poured across the 38th parallel into the South on June 25,1950. The United Nations essentially liberated South Korea from invasion with a single amphibious stroke, and the country has maintained a large and powerful Marine Corps ever since. Under the mentorship of the U.S. Marine Corps, South Korea has absorbed the lessons of General Douglas McArthur’s successful amphibious assault at the port of Inchon in the Korean War.
During the war, South Korean Marines earned the dark reputation as “ghost-catching marines” for their invincibility during several key amphibious landing operations. In Vietnam, the ROK Marines were dreaded by the Viet Cong. In one famous battle, a force of 300 South Koreans successfully fended off an entire North Vietnamese brigade with minimal casualties. They were famous for their special style of combat, and ROK commandos sometimes killed Vietcong with karate chops in close-up fights. U.S. Army studies of the South Korean forces that fought in Vietnam noted that the South Korean Marines seized more weapons than American units did in similar operations.
This reputation for fierceness goes a long way toward deterring a future attack from the North. Any future Korean War will require extensive amphibious operations to avoid a costly war of attrition with a North Korean Army estimated to be 1.2 million strong with millions more in reserves. To counter these numbers, South Korea requires all able-bodied men (sorry, no women) serve a two-year stint in the armed forces. Unlike their U.S. allies, South Korean enlistees serve in often poor and aging facilities and are not free to leave the base, even on weekends. They’re given only a handful of leave opportunities during their two-year mandatory service.
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Colorado Springs, Colorado. (September 12, 2023): In many ways, Air Force Academy Cadet football players are just like everyone else in college football with one key distinction. These young men will become officers and leaders in the most sophisticated naval force in history. In this photo by Trevor Cokley, Air Force quarterback Zac Larrier celebrates with Lt. Gen. Richard M. Clark, Air Force Academy superintendent, after scoring a touchdown against Robert Morris University during a game in Falcon Stadium.
The recruiting process at the service academies is the same as at any school, the coaches set their targets and build relationships with recruits like everyone else. The journey to becoming an Academy player begins in high school where applicants are screened and coaches are allowed to contact recruits to help guide them through the process.
While the recruiting process is essentially the same, there are other substantial differences between service academy and civilian football players. Perhaps the biggest is the nature of the scholarships that are awarded to service academy student-athletes.
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Pacific Ocean. (September 10, 2023): These chilling words reflect one of the darkest fears of a Sailor at sea, falling overboard undetected while your mates proceed without you. In this photo by MC2 Matthew Cavenaile, Ensign Conor Backhaus, from Omaha, Nebraska, and his comrades conduct man overboard drills from the amphibious transport dock ship USS Green Bay. With thousands of Sailors at sea, the American Navy takes “Man Overboard” drills very seriously.
Sailors are taught to shout 'man overboard' until the entire crew is aware of the situation. The person who sees the man overboard should maintain eye contact as long as possible, noting distance and speed from the vessel. A lifebuoy is released, the position is marked by GPS, and a buoyant smoke flare is fired. If the person is close to the ship, flotation equipment is lowered in their direction.
These small boat drills test communications between the bridge, deck crew, and the rescue boats while they coordinate with other vessels in the vicinity. Their skill and coordination could very well save the life of a Sailor lost at sea.
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Naval Station Norfolk, Virginia. (September 5, 2023): In this photo by MC2 Levi Decker, Hospital Corpsman 1st Class John Gorey, from Philadelphia, assigned to Naval Medical Forces Atlantic, is measured for his chief petty officer uniform as he joins the ranks of the “backbone of the Navy”.
A chief petty officer in the Navy is a senior enlisted member who serves as a leader and mentor to junior sailors. They are responsible for managing and supervising the day-to-day operations of a ship and maintaining discipline within the ranks. In this highly challenging role, they are the vital link between commanders and the rank-and-file. A Chief holds a “rating”, or job specialty, and must be pay grade E-7 and above (E-9 is the highest enlisted rank).
Becoming a Chief typically takes around 14-16 years of service advancing through the ranks and meeting the necessary requirements at each promotion. They must also pass a selection process that includes a written exam, a review of their service record, and an interview. Once selected, they will attend the Chief Petty Officer Leader Development Course to familiarize them with their new role as a chief petty officer.
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Clark Air Force Base, Philippines. (September 3, 2023): In this photo by Master Sergeant Robert Webb, Airmen assigned to the Philippine Air Force salute the jump master as they bail out of a C-130J transport plane during Pacific Airlift Rally 2023. This annual multinational exercise is in its 14th year with some 780 participants from Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Brunei, Canada, Maldives, Mongolia, Nepal, Singapore, Sri Lanka, and Timor-Leste. This is the largest humanitarian assistance and disaster response exercise of its kind in the Indo-Pacific.
Hosted by the U.S. Pacific Command and the Philippines Air Force, Pacific Rally gave partner nations the chance to practice expeditionary medicine, evacuation procedures, and in-flight emergency response. Airmen focused on container delivery, personnel transport, cargo loading, and low-altitude airdrops.
Two U.S. Air Force 374th Airlift Wing C-130J Super Hercules and associated Airmen from Yokota Air Base, Japan, joined Philippine and Japanese C-130H crews in field training transporting patients in critical condition.
Nations exchanged subject matter experts regarding austere and expeditionary medicine, ground evacuation, in-flight emergency response, and C-130 aircraft maintenance. Planners also conducted tabletop exercises on humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations.
Large scale exercises like Pacific Rally will ensure the relief forces are primed and ready should a disaster occur.
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Puslatpur, Indonesia. (September 4, 2023): In this photo by Sergeant First Class Austin Berner, soldiers assigned to 2nd Platoon, Berzoi Company, 2nd Brigade, 25th Infantry Division join members of the Indonesian military as they cross a river obstacle during Exercise Super Garuda Shield.
Super Garuda Shield 2023 is an annual exercise that has significantly grown in scope and size since 2009 and now includes 7 participating and twelve observing nations in a partnership for a free and open Indo-Pacific.
This renewed sense of urgency is due to China’s increasingly aggressive air and naval activity in the South China Sea. As the largest archipelago in the world, Indonesia lies at the apex in the rivalry between China and the West and is strategically located astride the major sea lanes connecting the Indian and Pacific Oceans.
Although Indonesia and China have generally cordial relations, increased activity of Chinese Coast Guard vessels and fishing boats in the region has alarmed officials in Jakarta. China has lodged territorial demands and ignored international law by encroaching on Indonesia’s economic zone in the South China Sea. China accuses the U.S. and Indonesia of building an Indo-Pacific “NATO” to contain their world ambitions.