U.S. Reconnaissance Marines learn how to fall properly while skiing Jan. 23 in Pyeongchang, Republic of Korea. The proper fall is to tuck your ski poles off to the opposite side of your fall, fall uphill and land on your leg, shoulder and hip to protect your head and wrists from damage. The U.S. Marines are with Alpha Company, 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force. - U.S. Reconnaissance Marines learn how to fall properly while skiing Jan. 23 in Pyeongchang, Republic of Korea. The proper fall is to tuck your ski poles off to the opposite side of your fall, fall uphill and land on your leg, shoulder and hip to protect your head and wrists from damage. The U.S. Marines are with Alpha Company, 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force.

Gunnery Sgt. Kevin D. Pirtle (right) and Capt. Jim C. Wang pose for a photo Jan. 8 at Marine Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms during Integrated Training Exercsie 2-15. Pirtle and Wang spend a lot of time working together in Headquarters and Service Company. Pirtle, a Somerville, Tennessee, native, is an infantry unit leader and the company gunnery sergeant, and Wang, a Fayetteville, North Carolina native, is an infantry officer and company commander, both with Headquarters and Service Company, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force. - Gunnery Sgt. Kevin D. Pirtle (right) and Capt. Jim C. Wang pose for a photo Jan. 8 at Marine Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms during Integrated Training Exercsie 2-15. Pirtle and Wang spend a lot of time working together in Headquarters and Service Company. Pirtle, a Somerville, Tennessee, native, is an infantry unit leader and the company gunnery sergeant, and Wang, a Fayetteville, North Carolina native, is an infantry officer and company commander, both with Headquarters and Service Company, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force.

U.S. Marine Lt. Col. Nicholas Davis, left, presents Japan Ground Self-Defense Force Col. Hiroji Yamashita with a plaque Dec. 12 during the closing ceremony for Forest Light 15-1 at Camp Kita Kumamoto in Kumamoto, Kumamoto prefecture, Japan. Forest Light is a routine, semi-annual exercise designed to enhance the U.S. and Japan military partnership, solidify regional security agreements and improve individual and unit-level skills. Davis is the commanding officer of 2nd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, currently assigned to 4th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, under the unit deployment program. Yamashita is the commanding officer of the 42nd Regiment, 8th Division, Western Army, JGSDF. - U.S. Marine Lt. Col. Nicholas Davis, left, presents Japan Ground Self-Defense Force Col. Hiroji Yamashita with a plaque Dec. 12 during the closing ceremony for Forest Light 15-1 at Camp Kita Kumamoto in Kumamoto, Kumamoto prefecture, Japan. Forest Light is a routine, semi-annual exercise designed to enhance the U.S. and Japan military partnership, solidify regional security agreements and improve individual and unit-level skills. Davis is the commanding officer of 2nd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, currently assigned to 4th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, under the unit deployment program. Yamashita is the commanding officer of the 42nd Regiment, 8th Division, Western Army, JGSDF.

U.S. Marines lead a foot patrol Dec. 9 during Forest Light 15-1 at the Oyanohara Training Area in Yamato, Kumamoto prefecture, Japan. Forest Light is a routine, semi-annual exercise designed to enhance the U.S. and Japan military partnership, solidify regional security agreements and improve individual and unit-level skills. The Marines are with 2nd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, currently attached to 4th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, under the unit deployment program. - U.S. Marines lead a foot patrol Dec. 9 during Forest Light 15-1 at the Oyanohara Training Area in Yamato, Kumamoto prefecture, Japan. Forest Light is a routine, semi-annual exercise designed to enhance the U.S. and Japan military partnership, solidify regional security agreements and improve individual and unit-level skills. The Marines are with 2nd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, currently attached to 4th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, under the unit deployment program.

U.S. Marine Staff Sgt. Ryan T. Watson, right, receives a bouquet of flowers from a student Dec. 5 at Chinzei High School in Kumamoto prefecture, Japan. Marines participating in Forest Light 15-1 took a day off from training to visit local high schools to exchange culture lessons with the student. Forest Light is a routine, semi-annual exercise designed to enhance the U.S. and Japan military partnership, solidify regional security agreements, and improve individual and unit-level skills in a bilateral training environment. Watson, from Tulsa, Oklahoma, is an infantry unit leader with 2nd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, currently assigned to 4th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, under the unit deployment program. - U.S. Marine Staff Sgt. Ryan T. Watson, right, receives a bouquet of flowers from a student Dec. 5 at Chinzei High School in Kumamoto prefecture, Japan. Marines participating in Forest Light 15-1 took a day off from training to visit local high schools to exchange culture lessons with the student. Forest Light is a routine, semi-annual exercise designed to enhance the U.S. and Japan military partnership, solidify regional security agreements, and improve individual and unit-level skills in a bilateral training environment. Watson, from Tulsa, Oklahoma, is an infantry unit leader with 2nd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, currently assigned to 4th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, under the unit deployment program.

U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Jonas G. Dewald, right, instructs a Japan Ground Self-Defense Force member during sniper stalk lane training Dec. 2 in the Oyanohara Training Area in Yamato, Kumamoto prefecture, Japan. The training is part of Forest Light 15-1, a semi-annual, bilateral exercise consisting of a command post exercise and field training events conducted by elements of III Marine Expeditionary Force and the JGSDF to enhance the U.S. and Japan military partnership, solidify regional security agreements and improve individual and unit-level skills. Dewald, from Wilson, North Carolina, is a machine gunner with Weapons Company, 2nd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, currently attached to 4th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III MEF, under the unit deployment program. The JGSDF member is with 42nd Regiment, 8th Division, Western Army, JGSDF. - U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Jonas G. Dewald, right, instructs a Japan Ground Self-Defense Force member during sniper stalk lane training Dec. 2 in the Oyanohara Training Area in Yamato, Kumamoto prefecture, Japan. The training is part of Forest Light 15-1, a semi-annual, bilateral exercise consisting of a command post exercise and field training events conducted by elements of III Marine Expeditionary Force and the JGSDF to enhance the U.S. and Japan military partnership, solidify regional security agreements and improve individual and unit-level skills. Dewald, from Wilson, North Carolina, is a machine gunner with Weapons Company, 2nd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, currently attached to 4th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III MEF, under the unit deployment program. The JGSDF member is with 42nd Regiment, 8th Division, Western Army, JGSDF.

Japan Ground Self-Defense Force Col. Hiroji Yamashita, left, and U.S. Marine Maj. Roy M. Draa salute their troops Dec. 1 during the opening ceremony for Forest Light 15-1 at the Oyanohara Training Area in Yamato, Kumamoto prefecture, Japan. Forest Light is a semi-annual, bilateral exercise consisting of a command post exercise and field training event conducted by elements of III Marine Expeditionary Force and the JGSDF. Yamashita is the commanding officer with 42nd Regiment, 8th Division, Western Army, JGSDF. Draa, from Baltimore, Maryland, is the executive officer with 2nd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, currently attached to 4th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III MEF, under the unit deployment program. - Japan Ground Self-Defense Force Col. Hiroji Yamashita, left, and U.S. Marine Maj. Roy M. Draa salute their troops Dec. 1 during the opening ceremony for Forest Light 15-1 at the Oyanohara Training Area in Yamato, Kumamoto prefecture, Japan. Forest Light is a semi-annual, bilateral exercise consisting of a command post exercise and field training event conducted by elements of III Marine Expeditionary Force and the JGSDF. Yamashita is the commanding officer with 42nd Regiment, 8th Division, Western Army, JGSDF. Draa, from Baltimore, Maryland, is the executive officer with 2nd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, currently attached to 4th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III MEF, under the unit deployment program.

Lance Cpl. Austin Nelson, front, races, Sgt. Joshua Houck to reassemble a MK 19 40 mm automatic grenade launcher Nov. 14 while participating in the weapons relay during the Shanghai Commanders’ Cup at Camp Schwab. The weapons relay tested teams of Marines to disassemble and reassemble six weapons ranging from the smallest, M9A1 9 mm service pistol, and progressing to the largest, MK 19 40 mm automatic grenade launcher. Nelson is from West Jordan, Utah, and a machine-gunner with 1st Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, currently assigned to 4th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, under the unit deployment program. Houck is from Rochester, New York, and a machine-gunner with 1st Battalion, 3rd Marines, currently assigned to 4th Marines. - Lance Cpl. Austin Nelson, front, races, Sgt. Joshua Houck to reassemble a MK 19 40 mm automatic grenade launcher Nov. 14 while participating in the weapons relay during the Shanghai Commanders’ Cup at Camp Schwab. The weapons relay tested teams of Marines to disassemble and reassemble six weapons ranging from the smallest, M9A1 9 mm service pistol, and progressing to the largest, MK 19 40 mm automatic grenade launcher. Nelson is from West Jordan, Utah, and a machine-gunner with 1st Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, currently assigned to 4th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force, under the unit deployment program. Houck is from Rochester, New York, and a machine-gunner with 1st Battalion, 3rd Marines, currently assigned to 4th Marines.

Members of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces band perform Nov. 14 during the conclusion of exercise Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training 2014 at Penanjong Garrison. The performance was part of a social gathering for the Royal Brunei Armed Forces service members and U.S. Marines completing CARAT 2014. The exercise is a series of training events between the U.S., Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, Thailand and Timor-Leste. - Members of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces band perform Nov. 14 during the conclusion of exercise Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training 2014 at Penanjong Garrison. The performance was part of a social gathering for the Royal Brunei Armed Forces service members and U.S. Marines completing CARAT 2014. The exercise is a series of training events between the U.S., Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, Thailand and Timor-Leste.

PENANJONG GARRISON, TUTONG, Brunei – Members of the Royal Brunei Land Force and U.S. Marines clear a building during military operations on urban terrain training Nov. 12 at the Penanjong Garrison. The service members conducted MOUT training as part of the nine-country, bilateral exercise Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training 2014. The CARAT maritime exercise series promotes regional security cooperation, mutual understanding, and enhances interoperability among participating forces. The Royal Brunei Land Force service members are with 1st Battalion, RBLF. The U.S. Marines are with 2nd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment currently assigned to 4th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force under the unit deployment program. - PENANJONG GARRISON, TUTONG, Brunei – Members of the Royal Brunei Land Force and U.S. Marines clear a building during military operations on urban terrain training Nov. 12 at the Penanjong Garrison. The service members conducted MOUT training as part of the nine-country, bilateral exercise Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training 2014. The CARAT maritime exercise series promotes regional security cooperation, mutual understanding, and enhances interoperability among participating forces. The Royal Brunei Land Force service members are with 1st Battalion, RBLF. The U.S. Marines are with 2nd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment currently assigned to 4th Marine Regiment, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force under the unit deployment program.