Smoke explodes out of the M777A2 lightweight 155 mm howitzer as Marines from Alpha Battery provide indirect fire to units engaged in the mechanized assault course Jan. 31 at Marine Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms during Integrated Training Exercise 2-15. Artillery is used to provide suppressive, indirect fire to ground and air units on the battlefield. The Marines are with Alpha Battery, 1st Battalion, 12th Marine Regiment, currently assigned to 3rd Battalion, 12th Marines, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force as part of the ground combat element for Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force 4 for ITX 2-15. - Smoke explodes out of the M777A2 lightweight 155 mm howitzer as Marines from Alpha Battery provide indirect fire to units engaged in the mechanized assault course Jan. 31 at Marine Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms during Integrated Training Exercise 2-15. Artillery is used to provide suppressive, indirect fire to ground and air units on the battlefield. The Marines are with Alpha Battery, 1st Battalion, 12th Marine Regiment, currently assigned to 3rd Battalion, 12th Marines, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force as part of the ground combat element for Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force 4 for ITX 2-15.

Shosuke Kokuba, right, swings as Cpl. Eric D. Chrivia catches during a friendly softball game between the Henoko Young Men’s Association and U.S. Marines Jan. 25 on Camp Schwab. The Young Men’s Association played the Marines in a nine-inning game. Kokuba, from Henoko, Okinawa, is a member of the Henoko Young Men’s Association. Chrivia, from Hale, Michigan, is a mortarman with 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, currently assigned to 4th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force under the unit deployment program. - Shosuke Kokuba, right, swings as Cpl. Eric D. Chrivia catches during a friendly softball game between the Henoko Young Men’s Association and U.S. Marines Jan. 25 on Camp Schwab. The Young Men’s Association played the Marines in a nine-inning game. Kokuba, from Henoko, Okinawa, is a member of the Henoko Young Men’s Association. Chrivia, from Hale, Michigan, is a mortarman with 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, currently assigned to 4th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force under the unit deployment program.

Marines extend the legs of a canopy-style tent as part of the combat operations center for Integrated Training Exercise 2-15 Jan. 16 at Marine Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms. It is important to set up the camouflage netting before putting up the tents because it makes the process a lot faster, according to Staff Sgt. Absalon A. Cabrera, an operations assistant with 4th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, and Los Angeles, California, native. Marines working on the tent are also with 4th Marines. - Marines extend the legs of a canopy-style tent as part of the combat operations center for Integrated Training Exercise 2-15 Jan. 16 at Marine Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms. It is important to set up the camouflage netting before putting up the tents because it makes the process a lot faster, according to Staff Sgt. Absalon A. Cabrera, an operations assistant with 4th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, and Los Angeles, California, native. Marines working on the tent are also with 4th Marines.

Cpl. Clinton E. Ransom uses his PVS-14 night vision device to see an infrared light marking his target Jan. 23 to fire table three bravo (rifle course) at Marine Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, as part of Integrated Training Exercise 2-15. Table three emphasizes combat marksmanship to hone Marines’ skills as riflemen. Table three bravo is the same course of fire as table three alpha, except it is at night with night vision gear. Ransom, a Clovis, New Mexico, native, is a motor vehicle operator with 4th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force. - Cpl. Clinton E. Ransom uses his PVS-14 night vision device to see an infrared light marking his target Jan. 23 to fire table three bravo (rifle course) at Marine Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, as part of Integrated Training Exercise 2-15. Table three emphasizes combat marksmanship to hone Marines’ skills as riflemen. Table three bravo is the same course of fire as table three alpha, except it is at night with night vision gear. Ransom, a Clovis, New Mexico, native, is a motor vehicle operator with 4th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force.

Col. Lance A. McDaniel, left, congratulates Sgt. Jacob J. Baumann Jan. 14 on receiving the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal for potentially saving the life of a local Japanese gentleman. “Heroism often involves an ordinary man doing extraordinary things for others,” said McDaniel from Waco, Texas. “Recently Sgt. Baumann saw the opportunity and didn’t spend time thinking; he acted on behalf of someone else.” McDaniel is the commanding officer of 12th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force. Baumann is from Junction City, Kansas, and a fire support man with Headquarter Battery, 12th Marine Regiment. - Col. Lance A. McDaniel, left, congratulates Sgt. Jacob J. Baumann Jan. 14 on receiving the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal for potentially saving the life of a local Japanese gentleman. “Heroism often involves an ordinary man doing extraordinary things for others,” said McDaniel from Waco, Texas. “Recently Sgt. Baumann saw the opportunity and didn’t spend time thinking; he acted on behalf of someone else.” McDaniel is the commanding officer of 12th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force. Baumann is from Junction City, Kansas, and a fire support man with Headquarter Battery, 12th Marine Regiment.