Stories

Patty Conway, left, allows service members to pick numbers from a bucket for the white elephant gift exchange during the Single Marine Program’s annual Christmas dinner at the Roadhouse aboard Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C., Dec. 25, 2016. The free homemade dinner was open to all single and unaccompanied Marines and Sailors. Activities went on all day at the Roadhouse to include holiday movies, a mega gingerbread house construction and white elephant gift exchange with gifts provided by the SMP. Conway is a recreational assistant with the SMP. (Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Jason Jimenez/ Released) - Patty Conway, left, allows service members to pick numbers from a bucket for the white elephant gift exchange during the Single Marine Program’s annual Christmas dinner at the Roadhouse aboard Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C., Dec. 25, 2016. The free homemade dinner was open to all single and unaccompanied Marines and Sailors. Activities went on all day at the Roadhouse to include holiday movies, a mega gingerbread house construction and white elephant gift exchange with gifts provided by the SMP. Conway is a recreational assistant with the SMP. (Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Jason Jimenez/ Released)

Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point Marines, a civilian and members of the Carteret County’s Chamber of Commerce’s Military Affairs Committee stand together beside donated boxes of cookies during an annual cookie drop aboard Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C., Dec. 22, 2016. The Carteret County’s COC MAC donated 26 boxes of cookies to Marines and Sailors on duty aboard the air station. Elementary school students from Carteret County added homemade Christmas cards in the boxes to wish the service members a happy holiday season. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Jason Jimenez/ Released) - Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point Marines, a civilian and members of the Carteret County’s Chamber of Commerce’s Military Affairs Committee stand together beside donated boxes of cookies during an annual cookie drop aboard Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C., Dec. 22, 2016. The Carteret County’s COC MAC donated 26 boxes of cookies to Marines and Sailors on duty aboard the air station. Elementary school students from Carteret County added homemade Christmas cards in the boxes to wish the service members a happy holiday season. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Jason Jimenez/ Released)

Cpl. Gregery Johnson is welcomed by his family during a homecoming at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C., Dec. 20, 2016. A detachment of Marines from Marine Attack Squadron 542, Marine Aircraft Group 14, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, were attached to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 264 (Reinforced), Marine Aircraft Group 26, 2nd MAW, 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit. The 22nd MEU, deployed with the Wasp Amphibious Ready Group, conducted naval operations in support of U.S. national security interests in Europe. Johnson is a field radio operator assigned to 2nd Low Altitude Air Defense Battalion, Marine Air Control Group 28, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. N.W. Huertas/ Released) - Cpl. Gregery Johnson is welcomed by his family during a homecoming at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C., Dec. 20, 2016. A detachment of Marines from Marine Attack Squadron 542, Marine Aircraft Group 14, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, were attached to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 264 (Reinforced), Marine Aircraft Group 26, 2nd MAW, 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit. The 22nd MEU, deployed with the Wasp Amphibious Ready Group, conducted naval operations in support of U.S. national security interests in Europe. Johnson is a field radio operator assigned to 2nd Low Altitude Air Defense Battalion, Marine Air Control Group 28, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. N.W. Huertas/ Released)

Sgt. Destany Weatherwax stands in front of judges evaluating her meal during the Chef of the Quarter competition aboard Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, Dec. 8, 2016. Weatherwax was declared winner of the competition by the judges for her performance during the event. Weatherwax is a food service specialist assigned to Marine Wing Support Squadron 271, Marine Aircraft Group 14, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing. (Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Cody Lemons/Released) - Sgt. Destany Weatherwax stands in front of judges evaluating her meal during the Chef of the Quarter competition aboard Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, Dec. 8, 2016. Weatherwax was declared winner of the competition by the judges for her performance during the event. Weatherwax is a food service specialist assigned to Marine Wing Support Squadron 271, Marine Aircraft Group 14, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing. (Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Cody Lemons/Released)

Marines assigned to Marine Wing Support Squadron 271, Marine Aircraft Group 14, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing fill sand bags during a field exercise aboard Marine Corps Auxiliary Landing Field Bogue, N.C., Nov. 30, 2016. MWSS-271 conducted a two-week field exercise that focused on maintaining the squadron’s expeditionary mindset and included an evaluation by the Marine Corps Combat Readiness Evaluation system. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. N.W. Huertas/ Released) - Marines assigned to Marine Wing Support Squadron 271, Marine Aircraft Group 14, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing fill sand bags during a field exercise aboard Marine Corps Auxiliary Landing Field Bogue, N.C., Nov. 30, 2016. MWSS-271 conducted a two-week field exercise that focused on maintaining the squadron’s expeditionary mindset and included an evaluation by the Marine Corps Combat Readiness Evaluation system. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. N.W. Huertas/ Released)

Members of the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing band perform during a relief and appointment ceremony Dec. 8, 2016. During the ceremony Sgt. Maj. Richard Thresher relinquished his post as the sergeant major of 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing to Sgt. Maj. Howard Kreamer. Kreamer was the sergeant major of 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, and Thresher’s next assignment is sergeant major of II Marine Expeditionary Force. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Mackenzie Gibson/Released) - Members of the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing band perform during a relief and appointment ceremony Dec. 8, 2016. During the ceremony Sgt. Maj. Richard Thresher relinquished his post as the sergeant major of 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing to Sgt. Maj. Howard Kreamer. Kreamer was the sergeant major of 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, and Thresher’s next assignment is sergeant major of II Marine Expeditionary Force. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Mackenzie Gibson/Released)

Sgt. Benjamin Bonilla is an approach controller assigned to Marine Air Control Squadron 2, Marine Air Control Group 28, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C. He has successfully completed all the training required as an approach controller and moved on to completing certifications for other sections of air traffic control within the Marine Corps. Air traffic controllers are given approximately 12 years to become proficient and certified in all ATC elements, but Bonilla has completed his training in only four years while aboard the air station. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. N.W. Huertas/ Released) - Sgt. Benjamin Bonilla is an approach controller assigned to Marine Air Control Squadron 2, Marine Air Control Group 28, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C. He has successfully completed all the training required as an approach controller and moved on to completing certifications for other sections of air traffic control within the Marine Corps. Air traffic controllers are given approximately 12 years to become proficient and certified in all ATC elements, but Bonilla has completed his training in only four years while aboard the air station. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. N.W. Huertas/ Released)

Brig. Gen. Matthew Glavy speaks to Marines assigned to Marine Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Squadron 2, Marine Aircraft Group 14, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing aboard Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C., Dec. 6, 2016. While visiting with VMU-2, Glavy thanked the Marines for their “tremendous job” and “remaining flexible”. Glavy continues to actively visit all 2nd MAW squadrons during his tenure as the commanding general of the wing. Glavy is the commanding general of 2nd MAW. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Mackenzie Gibson/Released) - Brig. Gen. Matthew Glavy speaks to Marines assigned to Marine Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Squadron 2, Marine Aircraft Group 14, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing aboard Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C., Dec. 6, 2016. While visiting with VMU-2, Glavy thanked the Marines for their “tremendous job” and “remaining flexible”. Glavy continues to actively visit all 2nd MAW squadrons during his tenure as the commanding general of the wing. Glavy is the commanding general of 2nd MAW. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Mackenzie Gibson/Released)

A Marine reads the air pressure in his air tank during a field exercise at Marine Corps Outlying Field Atlantic Nov. 30, 2016. Twenty-two Marines with Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defense, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, conducted a week-long annual training exercise that refreshed the defense specialists on the roots of their basic military occupational specialty training. The exercise included an assortment of stations and classes that tested the Marines physically and mentally. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Mackenzie Gibson/Released) - A Marine reads the air pressure in his air tank during a field exercise at Marine Corps Outlying Field Atlantic Nov. 30, 2016. Twenty-two Marines with Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defense, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, conducted a week-long annual training exercise that refreshed the defense specialists on the roots of their basic military occupational specialty training. The exercise included an assortment of stations and classes that tested the Marines physically and mentally. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Mackenzie Gibson/Released)

Sgt. Robert Newborg and his family pose for a photo after receiving the Military Family of the Quarter award in Havelock, N.C., Oct. 25, 2016. The award is given to the military family that has most positively impacted the local community over the past quarter. The Newborg’s donated and volunteered time and energy to the community by working with organizations such as the Knights of Columbus and a local elementary school. Newborg is a cryptologic equipment instructor at the Center of Naval Aviation Technical Training aboard Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Cody Lemons/Released) - Sgt. Robert Newborg and his family pose for a photo after receiving the Military Family of the Quarter award in Havelock, N.C., Oct. 25, 2016. The award is given to the military family that has most positively impacted the local community over the past quarter. The Newborg’s donated and volunteered time and energy to the community by working with organizations such as the Knights of Columbus and a local elementary school. Newborg is a cryptologic equipment instructor at the Center of Naval Aviation Technical Training aboard Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Cody Lemons/Released)