Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan

Maj. Gen. Christopher Owens, 1st Marine Air Wing commanding general, talks with servicemembers from Marine All-Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 242 in the VMFA(AW)-242 hangar at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, June 28, 2013. Owens visited all of the wing units aboard station as part of his final tour as 1st MAW CG. - Maj. Gen. Christopher Owens, 1st Marine Air Wing commanding general, talks with servicemembers from Marine All-Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 242 in the VMFA(AW)-242 hangar at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, June 28, 2013. Owens visited all of the wing units aboard station as part of his final tour as 1st MAW CG.

Lance Cpl. John T. Page, right, gives orders through hand and arms signals to Sgt. Ian R. Wheeler, left, and Lance Cpl. William F. Burch to arm an F/A-18D Hornet for flight at Clark Air Base, Republic of the Philippines, June 11 during Exercise Haribon Tempest 2013. All three Marines are aircraft ordnance technicians with Marine All-Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 242. - Lance Cpl. John T. Page, right, gives orders through hand and arms signals to Sgt. Ian R. Wheeler, left, and Lance Cpl. William F. Burch to arm an F/A-18D Hornet for flight at Clark Air Base, Republic of the Philippines, June 11 during Exercise Haribon Tempest 2013. All three Marines are aircraft ordnance technicians with Marine All-Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 242.

Sgt. Vincent T. Erzen, A fixed-wing aircraft mechanic with Marine All-Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 242, replaces a bleed air regulator in an F/A-18D Hornet at Clark Air Base, Republic of the Philippines June 14, during Exercise Haribon Tempest 2013. - Sgt. Vincent T. Erzen, A fixed-wing aircraft mechanic with Marine All-Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 242, replaces a bleed air regulator in an F/A-18D Hornet at Clark Air Base, Republic of the Philippines June 14, during Exercise Haribon Tempest 2013.

Capt. Danny Devito, a Marine All-Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 242 weapons systems officer and forward air controller, prepares the game plan with Philippine Air Force Airman 1st Class Edwin M. Osario, a joint terminal attack controller with 710th Special Operations Wing, while conducting airborne forward air control training during Exercise Haribon Tempest 2013 at Crow Valley Republic of the Philippines June 10. - Capt. Danny Devito, a Marine All-Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 242 weapons systems officer and forward air controller, prepares the game plan with Philippine Air Force Airman 1st Class Edwin M. Osario, a joint terminal attack controller with 710th Special Operations Wing, while conducting airborne forward air control training during Exercise Haribon Tempest 2013 at Crow Valley Republic of the Philippines June 10.

Sgt. Maj. Jason Simmons, Marine All Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 242 sergeant major, stands tall during the relief and appointment ceremony at the VMFA(AW)-242 hangar at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, May 13, 2013. Simmons is a former 2nd Recruit Training Battalion sergeant major at Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, SC. - Sgt. Maj. Jason Simmons, Marine All Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 242 sergeant major, stands tall during the relief and appointment ceremony at the VMFA(AW)-242 hangar at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, May 13, 2013. Simmons is a former 2nd Recruit Training Battalion sergeant major at Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, SC.

Airmen with the Philippine Air Force use a joint terminal attack controller laser target designator during mutual-defense board security engagement board events in the Philippines March 7, 2013. Exercise Haribon Tempest, the unofficial nickname MAG-12 gave for last month’s MDB/SDB event took place March 6-9, 2013. The name originates from the Haribon, which is a Philippine Eagle that preys on monkeys. - Airmen with the Philippine Air Force use a joint terminal attack controller laser target designator during mutual-defense board security engagement board events in the Philippines March 7, 2013. Exercise Haribon Tempest, the unofficial nickname MAG-12 gave for last month’s MDB/SDB event took place March 6-9, 2013. The name originates from the Haribon, which is a Philippine Eagle that preys on monkeys.

Before sunrise, aviation ordnance Marines load a Guided Bomb Unit 12 onto an F/A-18D to be used later that day as a part of bilateral training with Wing One Royal Thai Air Force pilots during exercise Cobra Gold 2013 at Wing One Royal Thai Air Force Base, Nakhon Ratchasima, Kingdom of Thailand, Feb. 17. CG 13 is a multilateral exercise and develops multinational solutions to common challenges. The Marines are with Marine All Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 224, Marine Aircraft Group 12, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, III Marine Expeditionary Force. - Before sunrise, aviation ordnance Marines load a Guided Bomb Unit 12 onto an F/A-18D to be used later that day as a part of bilateral training with Wing One Royal Thai Air Force pilots during exercise Cobra Gold 2013 at Wing One Royal Thai Air Force Base, Nakhon Ratchasima, Kingdom of Thailand, Feb. 17. CG 13 is a multilateral exercise and develops multinational solutions to common challenges. The Marines are with Marine All Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 224, Marine Aircraft Group 12, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, III Marine Expeditionary Force.

Marine All-Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 242 pilots wait to be cleared for take off during the surge day that took place at the air field here Jan. 12. A surge day is done to test a squadrons capabilities by rapidly proucing sorties to ensure readiness and proficiency in combat scenarios. - Marine All-Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 242 pilots wait to be cleared for take off during the surge day that took place at the air field here Jan. 12. A surge day is done to test a squadrons capabilities by rapidly proucing sorties to ensure readiness and proficiency in combat scenarios.

Lance Cpl. Nathan Durazo and Lance Cpl. Seth Rickard, ordnance technicians with Marine All-Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 242, unload ordnance from an F/A-18D Hornet jet here Monday. Maintainence crew worked hard to meet the squadron's demanding flight schedule for the day. - Lance Cpl. Nathan Durazo and Lance Cpl. Seth Rickard, ordnance technicians with Marine All-Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 242, unload ordnance from an F/A-18D Hornet jet here Monday. Maintainence crew worked hard to meet the squadron's demanding flight schedule for the day.