Stories

This identity design was created in adobe illustrator to represent the official unit insignia for 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina, Feb. 12, 2025. The flying diamond insignia was first recognized during World War II as a shoulder patch. The patch was later mandated by the Commandant of the Marine Corps to represent all Marine Aircraft Wings.

2nd Marine Aircaft Wing

II Marine Expeditionary Force

AL QAIM, Iraq ? Lance Cpl. Mark A. Moher, a bulk fuel specialist assigned to Marine Wing Support Squadron 271, Detachment Al Qaim waits for a signal to stop the flow of fuel during the refueling of a CH-53E Super Stallion from Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 465 on June 9. Moher, a native of Naugatuck, Conn., is one of the seven Marines in the fuels section representing MWSS-271 here. - AL QAIM, Iraq ? Lance Cpl. Mark A. Moher, a bulk fuel specialist assigned to Marine Wing Support Squadron 271, Detachment Al Qaim waits for a signal to stop the flow of fuel during the refueling of a CH-53E Super Stallion from Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 465 on June 9. Moher, a native of Naugatuck, Conn., is one of the seven Marines in the fuels section representing MWSS-271 here.

Al Qaim fuel specialists let pride continue to fly

They’re not in the air providing ground support to Marines in contact with the enemy or evacuating the wounded; but they round out the operation and add another piece to the puzzle that accomplishes the mission. The piece is large and little can be accomplished without it. While the aircraft can be in superb mechanical condition and have the best

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AL ASAD, Iraq ? Corporal Joshua Nalley, an Immediate Reaction Team machine gunner takes a part his machine gun during a routine inspection of his gear. Nalley, recently the recipient of a combat meritorious promotion, is an Easley, S.C., and joined the Marine Corps shortly after graduating high school in 2003. - AL ASAD, Iraq ? Corporal Joshua Nalley, an Immediate Reaction Team machine gunner takes a part his machine gun during a routine inspection of his gear. Nalley, recently the recipient of a combat meritorious promotion, is an Easley, S.C., and joined the Marine Corps shortly after graduating high school in 2003.

Palmetto state native hits bulls-eye, takes combat promotion

Every mission in the Marine Corps takes a team effort. Explosive Ordnance Disposal is one of those jobs that requires many different parts coming together to accomplish the mission. When the disposal unit receives a call for an improvised explosive device or unidentified ordnance outside the base, they are deployed with the Immediate Reaction Team

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AL ASAD, Iraq (June 8, 2005) - Sgt. Aaron E. Spivack, intelligence analyst and native of Tucson, Ariz., stands in front of a vehicle checkpoint. In addition to his responsibilities as the intelligence for Marine Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron 4, Spivack serves as the squadron's anti-terrorism force protection chief. His duties in ATFP include overseeing vehicle checkpoints and third-country national escorts as well as the overall security of the south side of the air base. - AL ASAD, Iraq (June 8, 2005) - Sgt. Aaron E. Spivack, intelligence analyst and native of Tucson, Ariz., stands in front of a vehicle checkpoint. In addition to his responsibilities as the intelligence for Marine Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron 4, Spivack serves as the squadron's anti-terrorism force protection chief. His duties in ATFP include overseeing vehicle checkpoints and third-country national escorts as well as the overall security of the south side of the air base.

Tucson native moves Seahawks forward

Sgt. Aaron E. Spivack can’t really talk about his job. He can tell you it’s important, and he can give you the basics, but don’t expect details, you’re on a need-to-know basis. The Tucson, Ariz., native is the intelligence chief for Marine Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron 4, and the work he and his fellow intelligence analysts do helps keep

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AL QAIM, Iraq ? 1st Lt. William Wallace, a UH-1N Huey pilot with Marine Light/Attack Helicopter Squadron 269, Detachment Al Qaim inspects the helicopter?s engine compartment during a preflight inspection June 7. Wallace, from La Grange, Ky., recently took part in a seven-day offensive aimed at eliminating insurgents and foreign fighters from the northwestern Al Anbar province. - AL QAIM, Iraq ? 1st Lt. William Wallace, a UH-1N Huey pilot with Marine Light/Attack Helicopter Squadron 269, Detachment Al Qaim inspects the helicopter?s engine compartment during a preflight inspection June 7. Wallace, from La Grange, Ky., recently took part in a seven-day offensive aimed at eliminating insurgents and foreign fighters from the northwestern Al Anbar province.

Blue Grass native supports Operation Iraqi Freedom from above

William Wallace knows a thing or two about doing things right the first time. While attending Eastern Kentucky University, he worked as a cook in an Australian steakhouse. Any time a disgruntled customer sent a steak back he’d spend more time near the grill cooking that order to perfection. A few years have gone by and Wallace is now a first

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AL ASAD, Iraq - A mountain of boxes rises from the Iraqi desert. The boxes are full of items that Marines deployed here relish and are very hard, if not impossible to get. The huge shipment of boxes is part of Wilmington (Downtown) Rotary Club?s ?Mission Iraq Marine.? This is the third shipment of packages made by the Wilmington N.C. Rotary club. The club intends to continue sending packages through early September. - AL ASAD, Iraq - A mountain of boxes rises from the Iraqi desert. The boxes are full of items that Marines deployed here relish and are very hard, if not impossible to get. The huge shipment of boxes is part of Wilmington (Downtown) Rotary Club?s ?Mission Iraq Marine.? This is the third shipment of packages made by the Wilmington N.C. Rotary club. The club intends to continue sending packages through early September.

Marines distribute 'Mission Iraq Marine' goodies throughout Al Anbar Province

A mountain of boxes rises from the flat and dusty landscape of western Iraq but it will be quickly razed by the Marines of the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward). The boxes, more than 60 of them, are compliments of the Rotarians of the Wilmington (Downtown) Rotary Club in Wilmington, N.C. The boxes, filled with everything from essentials like

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AL ASAD, Iraq ? Lance Cpl. Tyler Davis is the only trained generator mechanic in security battalion and is responsible for all generator maintenance in the unit. - AL ASAD, Iraq ? Lance Cpl. Tyler Davis is the only trained generator mechanic in security battalion and is responsible for all generator maintenance in the unit.

Marine brings power to Al Asad

Without generators Marines here would not be able to accomplish the most minuscule of tasks, such as turning on a computer or turning the light on at night. Security Battalion has its own generators that supply their power and that power is vital for the communications equipment that is needed to run the patrols and convoys throughout the Al Anbar

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AL ASAD, Iraq ? Corporal Brandon Upton, range operations noncommissioned officer with 2nd Low Altitude Air Defense Battalion spends his days training Marine and Army units proper weapons techniques with any small arms from a pistol to machine guns. - AL ASAD, Iraq ? Corporal Brandon Upton, range operations noncommissioned officer with 2nd Low Altitude Air Defense Battalion spends his days training Marine and Army units proper weapons techniques with any small arms from a pistol to machine guns.

Aransas Pass, Texas, native instills weapons confidence

Before Marines and soldiers can go outside the wire, they must prepare for any situation that may need attention when on convoys or patrolling the desert of Iraq. One way Marines prepare is to work on weapons familiarization at the small arms range here. A select group of Marines with 2nd Low Altitude Air Defense Battalion schedule and work the

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AL QAIM, Iraq ? An AH-1W Super Cobra from Marine Light/Attack Helicopter Squadron 269, Detachment Al Qaim flies over the desert during a training flight June 4. The Marines in the detachment have been busy supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom and training as much as they can to get new qualifications or maintain their current qualifications. - AL QAIM, Iraq ? An AH-1W Super Cobra from Marine Light/Attack Helicopter Squadron 269, Detachment Al Qaim flies over the desert during a training flight June 4. The Marines in the detachment have been busy supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom and training as much as they can to get new qualifications or maintain their current qualifications.

‘Gunrunners’ train aircrews in the midst of battle

The Marines of Marine Light/Attack Helicopter Squadron 269, Detachment Al Qaim have been very busy since arriving at this remote base near the Syrian border. Originally based at Marine Corps Air Station, New River, N.C., the ‘Gunrunners’ deployed to Al Asad in February and immediately sent a small detachment of personnel and aircraft here. They

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AL ASAD, Iraq - Pictured here are the Marines of Mortuary Affairs, Detachment Al Asad, Service Company, Headquarters and Service Battalion, 2nd Force Service Support Group. They have one of the most difficult jobs in Corps. Tasked with recovering, processing and evacuating deceased personnel to their families as expeditiously as possible, the detachment takes care of deceased coalition forces personnel and contractors in the Al Anbar province. The detachment receives deceased personnel, whom they refer to as ?angels,? from the hospital here after medical personnel have exhausted all means to try to keep them alive or after conducting search and recovery operations in the battlefield. - AL ASAD, Iraq - Pictured here are the Marines of Mortuary Affairs, Detachment Al Asad, Service Company, Headquarters and Service Battalion, 2nd Force Service Support Group. They have one of the most difficult jobs in Corps. Tasked with recovering, processing and evacuating deceased personnel to their families as expeditiously as possible, the detachment takes care of deceased coalition forces personnel and contractors in the Al Anbar province. The detachment receives deceased personnel, whom they refer to as ?angels,? from the hospital here after medical personnel have exhausted all means to try to keep them alive or after conducting search and recovery operations in the battlefield.