Stories

Faces of Pendleton: Michael Fila - Michael Fila, an emergency dispatcher on Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, poses for a photo in the dispatch center on Camp Pendleton, California, Aug. 26, 2019. Fila was medically separated from the Marine Corps in 2014 due to being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. He continues to work on Camp Pendleton to give back to the Corps and maintain the brotherhood he feels toward his fellow Marines. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Andrew Cortez)

Camp Pendleton opens new beach cottages with dedication ceremony - U.S. Marine Brig. Gen. Daniel B. Conley, right, the commanding general of Marine Corps Installations West, Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, and with representatives from Marine Corps Community Services and the San Diego Nice Guys charity, cut a ribbon during a dedication ceremony for beach cottages at San Onofre Beach on Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, Aug. 15, 2019. The ceremony marked the completion of renovations for the last two of 13 cottages to be rebuilt at San Onofre. The updated cottages are designed to be more accessible to wounded service members or those with disabilities. (U.S Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Andrew Cortez)

Faces of Pendleton: Lance Cpl. Kareem Hitt - U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Kareem Hitt, an air traffic controller with Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron, Marine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton, listens and responds to air traffic at MCAS Camp Pendleton, Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, Aug. 6, 2019. Hitt joined the Marine Corps in August 2017, and has been serving at the air traffic control tower at MCAS Camp Pendleton since June 2018. Hitt was recently recognized as the air traffic controller of the third quarter, fiscal year 2019. (U.S Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Andrew Cortez)

Why are some vegetation fires allowed to burn? - A fire burns at Ranges 108 and 109 on Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, June 12, 2019. The Camp Pendleton Fire Department encounters several wildfires each year, some of which they will let burn in order to prevent larger fires in the future. The firefighters will also avoid fighting a fire if there's a potential for unexploded ordnance to be in the area, and will instead monitor the blaze until it goes out. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Drake Nickels)

Welcome to Pendleton: MCB Camp Pendleton Fire Department - Robert Fleisher, a lieutenant paramedic with the Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton Fire Department, performs a function check on a fire engine's air brakes during the duty change over at MCB Camp Pendleton Fire Department Station Five on MCB Camp Pendleton, California, Aug. 1, 2019. The MCB Camp Pendleton firefighters operate on 48-hour shifts, and spend the first morning of their shift assessing and cleaning vehicles and equipment to ensure mission readiness. The fire department has 11 stations on the installation and over 100 firefighters to act as first responders in the event of a fire or emergency. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Drake Nickels)

Sharing skills: MARSOC canine handlers host subject matter expert exchange - U.S. Marine military working dog Argo, with Headquarters and Service Company, 1st Law Enforcement Battalion, I Marine Expeditionary Force Information Group, rides into the ocean on a combat rubber raiding craft at Red Beach as part of a multipurpose canine subject matter expert exchange hosted by 1st Marine Raider Battalion, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command, on Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, July 25, 2019. The purpose of the MARSOC-hosted SMEE was to bring canine handlers together from different agencies and branches to conduct maritime and land-based training while exchanging tactics, techniques and procedures. (U.S Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Andrew Cortez)

U.S. Marines with Fox Battery, 2nd Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, fire an M777 howitzer during Summer Fire Exercise 19 at 62 Area on Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, July 23, 2019. The Marines are conducting Summer FIREX, a live-fire regimental-level exercise, from July 22 to Aug. 1. The exercise is designed to bring the entire regiment together and maximize the training areas available on Camp Pendleton to enhance their ability to conduct real-world operations. - U.S. Marines with Fox Battery, 2nd Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, fire an M777 howitzer during Summer Fire Exercise 19 at 62 Area on Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, July 23, 2019. The Marines are conducting Summer FIREX, a live-fire regimental-level exercise, from July 22 to Aug. 1. The exercise is designed to bring the entire regiment together and maximize the training areas available on Camp Pendleton to enhance their ability to conduct real-world operations.

Fly on the wall: IIT’s Tactical Video Capture System - U.S. Marines with Lima Company, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, patrol through the Infantry Immersion Trainer on Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, July 23, 2019. The Marines patrolling were under camera surveillance as part of the IIT’s Tactical Video Capture System, a training reviewing system used by infantry Marines and their leadership to enhance after action reviews and increase the unit's ability to make corrections to their patrolling tactics, techniques and procedures. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Drake Nickels)

Expedited Leadership: Postal Marine sets standard for leaders - U.S. Marine Sgt. Cameron Rios, a postal clerk with Headquarters and Service Company, Headquarters and Support Battalion, Marine Corps Installations West, Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, poses for a photo at the Las Pulgas Postal Office on MCB Camp Pendleton, California, June 28, 2019. Rios joined the Marine Corps in 2011 as a postal clerk and currently serves as the Las Pulgas postal office noncomissioned officer-in-charge. He is also a Marine Corps Martial Arts Instructor-Trainer. (U.S. Marine Corps Photo by Cpl. Dylan Chagnon)

Faces of Pendleton: Cpl. Dillan Binegar - U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Dillan Binegar, a radio operator with Headquarters Company, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, poses for a photo with an AN/MRC-142 digital radio system at Camp Horno, Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, June 11, 2019. Binegar, a Chillicoth, Ohio native, enlisted in the Marine Corps in 2015 as a radio operator, and after a long tour and a deployment with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, currently serves at the regiment headquarters where he provides training to new Marines to perform their duties in the Fleet Marine Force. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Dylan Chagnon)