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Marines from the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit rescued a U.S. Air Force pilot downed in Liyba March 22. The F-15E Strike Eagle crashed in northeast Libya March 21 while flying in support of Operation Odyssey Dawn, the joint coalition enforcing U.N. Security Council Resolution 1973 to protect the Libyan people from the country’s ruler. ::r::::n:: - Marines from the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit rescued a U.S. Air Force pilot downed in Liyba March 22. The F-15E Strike Eagle crashed in northeast Libya March 21 while flying in support of Operation Odyssey Dawn, the joint coalition enforcing U.N. Security Council Resolution 1973 to protect the Libyan people from the country’s ruler. ::r::::n::

AV-8B Harrier II pilots with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 266 Reinforced, 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, practice alternate landing techniques on the flight deck of USS Kearsarge, Jan. 18, 2011. Normally the fighter jet lands headed from stern to bow. The alternate techniques are practiced in case the ship is unable to maneuver into position for the aircraft’s safest landing conditions. Elements of 26th MEU debarked the ships of Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group to conduct sustainment training and exercises with regional allies and partners in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility. - AV-8B Harrier II pilots with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 266 Reinforced, 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, practice alternate landing techniques on the flight deck of USS Kearsarge, Jan. 18, 2011. Normally the fighter jet lands headed from stern to bow. The alternate techniques are practiced in case the ship is unable to maneuver into position for the aircraft’s safest landing conditions. Elements of 26th MEU debarked the ships of Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group to conduct sustainment training and exercises with regional allies and partners in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility.

Sam Tickle (right), Wounded Warrior Regiment, Warrior Athlete Reconditioning program director of personnel and events presents Captain Jon Disbro with the Warrior Pentathlon award during the Inaugural Marine Corps Trials. Photo by Aquita Brown - Sam Tickle (right), Wounded Warrior Regiment, Warrior Athlete Reconditioning program director of personnel and events presents Captain Jon Disbro with the Warrior Pentathlon award during the Inaugural Marine Corps Trials. Photo by Aquita Brown

Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Gary Roughead, and Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. James Amos signed a memorandum of understanding on Navy and Marine Corps tactical aircraft integration on March 14, 2011. Under the memorandum, the Marine Corps will provide five fixed-wing squadrons to the carrier air wing. The Marine Corps will purchase 80 F-35C aircraft, the carrier-based variant of the Joint Strike Fighter, and 340 F-35B aircraft, the short take-off vertical landing variant. The decision to purchase F-35Cs is a representative of the Marine Corps’ commitment to tactical aircraft integration with the Navy. The continued development of the F-35B remains the centerpiece of the Corps' fixed-wing modernization program. - Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Gary Roughead, and Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. James Amos signed a memorandum of understanding on Navy and Marine Corps tactical aircraft integration on March 14, 2011. Under the memorandum, the Marine Corps will provide five fixed-wing squadrons to the carrier air wing. The Marine Corps will purchase 80 F-35C aircraft, the carrier-based variant of the Joint Strike Fighter, and 340 F-35B aircraft, the short take-off vertical landing variant. The decision to purchase F-35Cs is a representative of the Marine Corps’ commitment to tactical aircraft integration with the Navy. The continued development of the F-35B remains the centerpiece of the Corps' fixed-wing modernization program.

Official U.S. Marine Corps artwork by Lance Cpl. Robert Bates - Official U.S. Marine Corps artwork by Lance Cpl. Robert Bates

A convoy of U.S. Marine Corps mine-resistant, ambush-protected vehicles drives down a road near Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan, March 5, 2011. More than 50 Marines assigned to Marine Wing Support Squadron 373 returned to Camp Leatherneck after completing an independent convoy to Camp Dwyer, Afghanistan. - A convoy of U.S. Marine Corps mine-resistant, ambush-protected vehicles drives down a road near Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan, March 5, 2011. More than 50 Marines assigned to Marine Wing Support Squadron 373 returned to Camp Leatherneck after completing an independent convoy to Camp Dwyer, Afghanistan.

Marines and sailors from India Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, make their way to a Marine Medium Tiltorotor Squadron 365 MV-22 Osprey near checkpoint 52 at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, Calif. to fly out to Range 210 to conduct the Clear, Hold, Build Exercise 2H March 3. As the heloborne company, India was the only 3/3 company to fly into position for the exercise. - Marines and sailors from India Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, make their way to a Marine Medium Tiltorotor Squadron 365 MV-22 Osprey near checkpoint 52 at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, Calif. to fly out to Range 210 to conduct the Clear, Hold, Build Exercise 2H March 3. As the heloborne company, India was the only 3/3 company to fly into position for the exercise.

Gov. Eddie Baza Calvo of Guam is intrigued by an aviation cranial as he boards a helicopter at the Pentagon March 2, 2011. The governor and three Guam legislatures visited the Pentagon and toured Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va., to gather an understanding of the types of ranges planned for a new Marine Corps base on Guam. The live fire ranges planned for construction on Guam are a known distance (KD) rifle range, KD pistol range, 1000m automated multi-purpose machinegun (MPMG) range, modified record firing range (MRFR), 100m non-standard small arms range and live hand grenade range. - Gov. Eddie Baza Calvo of Guam is intrigued by an aviation cranial as he boards a helicopter at the Pentagon March 2, 2011. The governor and three Guam legislatures visited the Pentagon and toured Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va., to gather an understanding of the types of ranges planned for a new Marine Corps base on Guam. The live fire ranges planned for construction on Guam are a known distance (KD) rifle range, KD pistol range, 1000m automated multi-purpose machinegun (MPMG) range, modified record firing range (MRFR), 100m non-standard small arms range and live hand grenade range.