Stories

Corporal Gregory Hollins, rescueman, Aircraft, Rescue and Firefighting watches closely as a CH-53 Super Stallion lands aboard forward armed refueling point Al Qaim, Iraq, March 27. Hollins is one of four crash crewmen who are responsible for all aircraft and structural fire defense in Al Qaim. - Corporal Gregory Hollins, rescueman, Aircraft, Rescue and Firefighting watches closely as a CH-53 Super Stallion lands aboard forward armed refueling point Al Qaim, Iraq, March 27. Hollins is one of four crash crewmen who are responsible for all aircraft and structural fire defense in Al Qaim.

Corporal Ron Damangue, satellite operator, Marine Wing Communications Squadron 28 and Houma, La., native, places communications wire into a freshly dug ditch aboard Forward Operating Base Al Qaim. - Corporal Ron Damangue, satellite operator, Marine Wing Communications Squadron 28 and Houma, La., native, places communications wire into a freshly dug ditch aboard Forward Operating Base Al Qaim.

AL ASAD, Iraq -- Lance Cpl. Aaron M. Briggs, Marine Wing Support Squadron 271 heavy equipment operator, loads stockpiling material on a 7-ton dump truck March 30 at the stockpiling material compound here. The ?Workhorses? of MWSS-271 are building berms for an alternate aircraft-refueling site here. - AL ASAD, Iraq -- Lance Cpl. Aaron M. Briggs, Marine Wing Support Squadron 271 heavy equipment operator, loads stockpiling material on a 7-ton dump truck March 30 at the stockpiling material compound here. The ?Workhorses? of MWSS-271 are building berms for an alternate aircraft-refueling site here.

AL ASAD, Iraq -- Corporal Jedidiah J. Larabee and Lance Cpl. Cody A. Alexander, airframes mechanics assigned to Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 264, pose for a photograph next to the squadron's logo March 28. The two best friends have known each other for as long as they can remember and are serving in Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. - AL ASAD, Iraq -- Corporal Jedidiah J. Larabee and Lance Cpl. Cody A. Alexander, airframes mechanics assigned to Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 264, pose for a photograph next to the squadron's logo March 28. The two best friends have known each other for as long as they can remember and are serving in Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

AL ASAD, Iraq -- Major Jim Longi, future operations planner for the 2d Marine Aircraft Wing and native of Poughkeepsie, N.Y., earned the Air Medal for flying more than 75 hours of combat missions over this desolate and dusty land. - AL ASAD, Iraq -- Major Jim Longi, future operations planner for the 2d Marine Aircraft Wing and native of Poughkeepsie, N.Y., earned the Air Medal for flying more than 75 hours of combat missions over this desolate and dusty land.

Sgt. Jacob M. Zamora, 23, Corpus Christi, Texas, air traffic controller, communicates with a CH-53 Sea Knight helicopter pilot before lifting off. This Marine is assigned to Marine Air Control Squadron 1, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, Al Qaim, Iraq. - Sgt. Jacob M. Zamora, 23, Corpus Christi, Texas, air traffic controller, communicates with a CH-53 Sea Knight helicopter pilot before lifting off. This Marine is assigned to Marine Air Control Squadron 1, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, Al Qaim, Iraq.

AL TAQADDUM, Iraq (March 29, 2005) - A wounded Marine is carried on to a CH-46 from Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 364. The HMM-364 'Purple Foxes' are currently flying casualty evacuation missions in support of the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward) CASEVAC team. The team responds to calls from throughout the Al Anbar province, flying into the face of danger to extract wounded Marines, soldiers and civilians. - AL TAQADDUM, Iraq (March 29, 2005) - A wounded Marine is carried on to a CH-46 from Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 364. The HMM-364 'Purple Foxes' are currently flying casualty evacuation missions in support of the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward) CASEVAC team. The team responds to calls from throughout the Al Anbar province, flying into the face of danger to extract wounded Marines, soldiers and civilians.

Cpl. Todd D. Patrick, 22, from Medina, Ohio, releases a weather balloon aboard Al Qaim, Iraq. The balloon's transmitter will send data back to observers. This information relates to the upper atmosphere, and makes it possible to forecast different weather fronts that may affect the region. The data is important to the pilots who use this location as a base of operations. These Marines are part of Marine Wing Support Squadron 271 from Cherry Point, N.C. This forward operating base acts as a forward arming refueling point for aircraft in the region. - Cpl. Todd D. Patrick, 22, from Medina, Ohio, releases a weather balloon aboard Al Qaim, Iraq. The balloon's transmitter will send data back to observers. This information relates to the upper atmosphere, and makes it possible to forecast different weather fronts that may affect the region. The data is important to the pilots who use this location as a base of operations. These Marines are part of Marine Wing Support Squadron 271 from Cherry Point, N.C. This forward operating base acts as a forward arming refueling point for aircraft in the region.

AL ASAD, Iraq -- Service members carry a cross and walk to one of the various stations to meditate on a different scene from the Passion of Christ on March 25. Hundreds took time out of their busy schedules and celebrated Good Friday and Easter while here in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. - AL ASAD, Iraq -- Service members carry a cross and walk to one of the various stations to meditate on a different scene from the Passion of Christ on March 25. Hundreds took time out of their busy schedules and celebrated Good Friday and Easter while here in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Lance Cpl. Lorenzo Oliver provides security as a departing CH-53E Super Stallion leaves forward arming refueling point, Al Qaim, Iraq. Oliver and three other Marines or part of the provisional rifle platoon for Marine Wing Support Squadron 271, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, from Cherry Point, N.C. They support the daily arrival and departure of rotor wing aircraft as Operation Iraqi Freedom and the Global War on Terrorism continues. - Lance Cpl. Lorenzo Oliver provides security as a departing CH-53E Super Stallion leaves forward arming refueling point, Al Qaim, Iraq. Oliver and three other Marines or part of the provisional rifle platoon for Marine Wing Support Squadron 271, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, from Cherry Point, N.C. They support the daily arrival and departure of rotor wing aircraft as Operation Iraqi Freedom and the Global War on Terrorism continues.