Marine Corps photograph by Lance Cpl. Reba James

Cpl. MaryBeth Monson, a structural mechanic with Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 13 (MALS-13) aboard Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Ariz., and a native of Weston, Idaho, has been selected as the United Service Organization’s (USO) Woman of the Year Military Leadership Award. Nominated by her command for her selfless dedication in leading and mentoring others and courageous acts while under extreme conditions while deployed in support of Marine Attack Squadron 211 (VMA 211).

One of our own, Cpl. MaryBeth Monson, a structural mechanic with Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 13 (MALS-13) aboard Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Ariz., and a native of Weston, Idaho, has been selected as the United Service Organization’s (USO) Woman of the Year Military Leadership Award. This award recognizes women who have played important roles for our armed forces during some of the most challenging times in our nation’s history.

Monson is one of five enlisted female service members from each branch of service of the armed forces who will each receive the award. The USO will also honor a senior female military officer and one fallen female service member in commemoration of their dedication, achievements, and service to the country.

“I almost passed out, my brother, who works with avionics here at MCAS Yuma, just left for Afghanistan in support of 3rd Battalion, 11th Marines, and I found out that morning [about receiving the award], so it was a very emotional day for me,” said Monson about hearing she was nominated and selected to receive the Military Leadership Award. “I knew I was nominated, but I didn’t think I was going to win, but I guess someone thought I was worthy of it.”

Monson was nominated by her command for the USO Woman of the Year Military Leadership Award for her selfless dedication in leading and mentoring others as a structural mechanic for aircraft in support of Marine Attack Squadron 211 (VMA 211). Her service in the military includes a deployment to Afghanistan, where she was deployed for six months from April until October 2012.

For her courageous acts and leadership under extreme conditions while deployed, she will be awarded when the USO holds its 47th USO Woman of the Year Luncheon on Thursday, May 2, 2013, at the Pierre Hotel in New York City.

“I’m nervous, but looking forward to going to New York City to accept the award,” said Monson.

The 2013 Woman of the Year Distinguished Service Award will be presented to Gisel Ruiz, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Wal-Mart Stores Inc. U.S.

The awards and recognition highlights each individual’s incredible story of exceptional bravery and grace under the most extreme conditions.

“I got deployed in April in support of VMA-211 to Afghanistan, I was a part of MALS-13 attached to (Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 16) MALS-16 in support of VMA 211, at Camp Bastion (Helmand Province, Afghanistan) and on Sept. 14 we were attacked,” said Monson.

“It was my first deployment, and it was not what I expected. You’re told what you are going to do and then the attack happened and it threw a curveball. It’s not an experience I wanted to have, but I’m glad I had it,” said Monson.

“I honestly feel I did everything any other Marine would do,” said Monson about her reactions to responding to the attack. “It was terrifying, and it took a while for my hands to stop shaking. It could have been worse than it was out there. You had to understand, it was us or them.”

Her duties while deployed included working with the AV-8B Harriers and other aircraft in support of VMA 211 and continually mentor and train her junior Marines within her shop.

“I picked up corporal while deployed and that meant a bigger role for leadership,” said Monson about mentoring and training others to become better Marines, supporting and helping one another grow.

Her true leadership skills showed while deployed, Monson was roommates with Navy personnel and during the attack on the base she took action and kept the personnel within her care calm until security could be set up. She also helped in fortifying and building on the flight line for three days to keep the base secure after the attack, said Monson.

During the attack on Camp Bastion while she was deployed, the Taliban had attacked and destroyed several of the squadron’s Harrier aircraft.

She volunteered her time to clean up the Harriers that were destroyed in the attack and spent about 80 hours there, said Monson. Everyone was involved in security and cleanup operations after the attack.

During this time all of their Marine training was important, she explained about her encounter with the tragic event.

Her unique experience allows her to train and mentor her Marines to make them efficient at their job, and continue leading and mentoring junior Marines under their care.

“It just shows I’m doing the right thing, putting out my best and that my Marines are doing their best,” said Monson about the Military Leadership Award and how it affects her junior Marines.

She credits her optimistic outlook and leadership skills to volunteering and says that keeping the morale of junior Marines up is by helping them get out and serve the local community.

As for her continuation in the Marine Corps after her term of service is up, she says she is still in the decision making mode.

“If I re-enlist I’ll do MSG (Marine Security Guard duty) and if I don’t re-enlist my other option is to go to nursing school,” said Monson. “There are both positives and negatives, but they’re about equal. If I do MSG I would be able to travel, meet different people, experience different cultures, but I would miss my family because I have a very close family. If I go to nursing school, I will have a career that I always wanted, but I will miss the camaraderie of the Marine Corps.”

All in all, she humbly credits her nomination and award to being true to herself and doing what she knows is best for herself and her Marines while continually growing as leader.

“I’m just a small town girl in a big city that’s doing big things now,” said Monson about receiving the Military Leadership Award for the USO Woman of the Year. “Everything is a new experience and it’s always good to visit new places.”

“I will be interviewed the day before the award luncheon and my parents are flying in and will be there,” said Monson about going to New York City to receive the award. “I’ve driven through there, but never thought it was as exciting, but now it’ll be a good visit.”

Marine Crops photograph by Lance Cpl. Brendan King

The initial component to Final Exercise One for Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron One Weapons and Tactics Instructor course began on April 23 at the Laguna Army Airfield near MCAS Yuma, Ariz. The culminating event tested the skills taught to student pilots and ground operators throughout several weeks of combined arms training.

The initial component to Final Exercise One for Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron One Weapons and Tactics Instructor course began on April 23 at the Laguna Army Airfield near MCAS Yuma, Ariz. The culminating event tested the skills taught to student pilots and ground operators throughout several weeks of combined arms training.

FINX-1 included approximately 600 Marines from the 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, based out of Camp Lejeune, N.C. and over 200 aviation pilots and maintainers. Ground Marines were transported to Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, Calif. by a number of MV-22 Ospreys as well as CH-43’s flown by WTI students, simulating a mass insertion of troops into a hostile environment.

“This has been some really intense and unique training for our Marines during this WTI,” said Maj. Jeffery Curtis, a WTI instructor at MCAS Yuma and native of St. Louis, Mo. “This is an immense exercise in terms of timing and personnel and it is our grand finale to the WTI course.”

While in Twentynine Palms, the overall objective for the ground forces was to seize an enemy airfield, weakening their enemies’ defenses so the students can perform an air raid on the remaining forces.

“Going through this training will certainly put a lot of the things we have worked on to the test,” said Lt. Col. Paul Merida, the 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, battalion commander, and native of Oakland, Calif. “This final exercise is unique for a lot of my young Marines because for the first time we will be primarily on the offensive attack.”

Along with the nearly 600 infantryman brought to engage on the enemy, approximately 250 Marines from 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, based at the MCAGCC Twentynine Palms, Calif., will also participate in the exercise.

“It’s not over yet and these long two months of being in the rugged deserts of Yuma during this WTI training has given us a chance to see just how realistic the training environment is here,” said Merida. “I hope all the Marines and sailors involved in this final exercise take full advantage of the type of training they are getting on these ranges because nothing else comes close in comparison to what it is like in the Middle East.”

With this grand finale comes end of WTI 2-13 and preparations for the fall course. MAWTS-1’s Marine Air Ground Task Force training concept integrates pilots, weapons system operators, ground combat and combat service support units from throughout the Corps to enhance communication and build training relationships that are vital to success when called to action.

Marine Corps photograph by Lance Cpl. Uriel Avendano

Marines, sailors and family members of Marine Attack Squadron 214, Marine Attack Squadron 211, Marine Attack Squadron 311 and Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 13 were brought together for a cross-squadron pre-deployment brief and family barbecue at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma’s base chapel courtyard, May 1. The event included a resource fair for Marines and families looking for information on what they can count on from station support groups.

Marines, sailors and family members of Marine Attack Squadron 214, Marine Attack Squadron 211, Marine Attack Squadron 311 and Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 13 were brought together for a cross-squadron evening barbecue at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma’s base chapel courtyard, May 1.

The deploying squadron is made up of 151 Marines from VMA-214, including 24 Marines attached from MALS-13. They will be embedded with the 31st and 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit.

The military appreciation night barbecue, coordinated and sponsored by MSC Industrial Supply and PROTO Industrial Tools/Stanley Black & Decker, Inc., was combined with the originally planned pre-deployment brief to offer military families a chance to learn about the deployment and resources available as a family instead of apart from each other.

“This event provides information for family members and active duty Marines in a cohesive manner,” said Janet Stewart, the VMA-214 family readiness officer and a native of Palm Springs, Calif. “It allows them to meet their family readiness officer, family team building staff and all the other family resources we have available for them.”

Everyone in attendance welcomed the good time’s atmosphere. Groups of families, friends and old acquaintances got together over drinks, chips, hot dogs, burgers, and double-double burgers. Rockers, chevrons, crossed rifles, and brass took a backseat to the overall sense of camaraderie and trust of a soon-to-deploy squadron.

Also present was the subconscious truth of what a pending deployment will mean for departing Marines, Sailors and their loved ones back home. The responsibilities of a newly married Marine and the toll an indefinite absence can take on their spouse presents tough questions for couples to think about.

“Now I’ve got somebody back home – I’ve got a real reason to get back home,” said Cpl. Jaime Bradford Jose, a VMA-214 ordnance technician who just got back from a deployment with the Black Sheeps 10 or so months ago. “There’s been a lot of planning. Like what we’re going to do with everything we own, where she’s going to stay. Just making sure everything will be OK for her back home.”

Putting a wife or husband, friends and family at ease is something all Marines getting ready to deploy can relate to. Add a child on the way to the mix and Jose, a native of Bay City, Mich., now has that much more to ponder about before shipping.

“We are expecting and we’re due in November, so it’ll make it easier to be around my family instead of being here trying to do it by myself,” said Jose’s wife. “It’s just been very emotional thinking about it – I’ve never been away from him for that long, so.”

A deployment makes for a lot of food for thought. While the grill smoked evening chow, parents kept a close eye on the ones too young to understand the weight the world puts on the minds of today’s service members.

“In my opinion, I think it’s the separation, as well as the elements of the unknown, that is the toughest part,” said Stewart.

To negate some of those unknowns, a resource fair was set up in the courtyard for guests to pick up information, talk to one of the section representatives, learn and hopefully have some of their questions answered. The departments included Family Team Building, the Single Marine Program, Arizona Adventures, the Marine Aircraft Group 13 Chaplain, New Family Support, and Military & Family Life Counselors.

The pre-deployment brief was held in the chapel, with welcoming remarks from VMA-214 commanding officer Lt. Col. Jason Waldron and presentations from Family Team Building director Brooke Burgess, VMA-214 Harrier pilot Capt. John Stuart and VMA-214 Sgt. Maj. Charles Williams.

“In my brief experience as an admin officer, there’s a lot of publications in the Marine Corps and a lot of legal writing that’s tough to make sense – And it takes a decent bit of coordination and collaboration from a lot of different people who’ve been in the Marine Corps a long time to try and condense that information for an 18-year-old lance corporal who may not be able to understand the text of those orders,” said Capt. John Stuart, who spoke on pay/allowances and is a native of Marshall, Va. “Any level of guidance and mentorship just helps them make better decisions – It opens eyes to resources.”

Questions, laughs and trust were had at the event. A great command climate makes for great inter-unit flow among Marines from every rank and file. The work the Black Sheeps will do in the coming months is something everyone at MCAS Yuma can be proud of. A presence and deterrent against the enemy that we’ll all be ready to welcome back when they all come home.

“The fact that I am pregnant and that he’s going to miss about six months of it. That, I think, is the hardest part – That he’s not going to be able to be with me through everything,” said Jose’s wife.

Asked what message she would like to send her husband off with, she answered, “That I love him and to be safe.”

 

Active duty and retired Marines participated in the first annual “Take a Stand” bike ride at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Ariz., April 30, as a culminating event for Sexual Assault Awareness month.

 

Marines from squadrons around base stand on the parade deck after Morning Colors at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Ariz., watch Mary Chipman, the Installation Sexual Assault Response Coordinator for MCAS Yuma and a Marine with Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron perform a dramatic skit about sexual trauma. The skit was conducted as a part of the first annual “Take a Stand” against sexual assault bike ride to raise awareness and preventive strategies.

 

Active duty and retired Marines participate in a motorcycle ride at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Ariz., as a culminating event to raise awareness for Sexual Assault Awareness month. Participants, which also included community guests and family members, were provided with t-shirts that called for everyone to take a stand against sexual assault.

A MV-22 Osprey refuels from the back of a KC-130 over the Chocolate Mountain Aerial Gunnery Ranges near Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Ariz., April 23.

Marine Corps photograph by Lance Cpl. Casey Scarpulla

Marines and Sailors provide medical aid and disaster assistance at Kiwanis Park in Yuma, Ariz. during a Humanitarian Assistance/Disaster Recovery Exercise conducted by Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron One Weapons and Tactics Instructor Course, April 19. The exercise was conducted to test and improve studentsí capabilities to evaluate, plan and execute support to civilians impacted by conflict and/or natural disasters. As the first HA/DR training operation conducted as a part of WTI, ground, aviation and support Marines and Sailors worked as a cohesive team to practice delivering medical personnel, supplies and vital natural resources to sustain people displaced from their communities.

Dozens of local residents gathered around Kiwanis Park in Yuma, Ariz., to watch helicopters land as a part of the Humanitarian Assistance/Disaster Recovery training exercise on April 19 conducted by Weapons and Tactics Instructor Course students, Combat Arms Marines and Combat Service Support personnel training with Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron One. The exercise was conducted to test and improve the Corpsí capability to quickly assess, plan and execute support to individuals impacted by conflict or natural disasters.

For this specific exercise, students were placed in a simulated scenario which required them to develop a plan to deliver medical personnel, supplies and vital natural resources to sustain people displaced from their communities. Fixed and rotary wing aircraft were used to support this mission, including CH-53s, UH-1Ns, C-130s and AV-8Bs. The HA/DR was conducted between Marine Corps Air Station Yuma and Kiwanis Park, providing a realistic training environment in a civilian setting to help students become comfortable with executing missions in real-life situations.

There are three main phases in a HA/DR. Phase one is to swiftly insert security forces and drop off medical personnel via helicopter to the site in question. The second phase is to provide aid and shelter to dislocated civilians if necessary and the third phase is to evacuate injured civilians to a safe location.

In this specific exercise, the security force Marines provided external security, initial screening, and removed any weapons and contraband items from evacuees. They also established an evacuation control center and ran civilian role players through the process of registering, moving them to the appropriate location, searching and screening, and evacuating them.

Marine Corps photograph by Lance Cpl. Casey Scarpulla

Marines and sailors provide medical aid and disaster assistance at Kiwanis Park in Yuma, Ariz. during a Humanitarian Assistance/Disaster Recovery Exercise conducted by Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron One Weapons and Tactics Instructor Course, April 19. The exercise was conducted to test and improve studentsí capabilities to evaluate, plan and execute support to civilians impacted by conflict and/or natural disasters. As the first HA/DR training operation conducted as a part of WTI, ground, aviation and support Marines and Sailors worked as a cohesive team to practice delivering medical personnel, supplies and vital natural resources to sustain people displaced from their communities.

(The exercise) shows that Marines arenít just about combat, they do humanitarian efforts also,î says Captain David Beere, a South Orange, N.J., native and Marine Aviation and Weapons Tactics Squadron One Infantry Instructor for the Ground Combat Department. ìThe Marine Corps is Americaís force of readiness, and we are called to handle all sorts of missions – whether its disaster relief in a place like Haiti, or a full on combat operation in a place like Afghanistan.

An example of a recent HA/DR was after the flooding in Pakistan in 2010 where over 20 million people were displaced due to flooding, and over 2,000 people died. United States Marines from the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit and 26th MEU were able to provide medical aid and emergency food items to assist those impacted on the ground while attached to U.S. Naval vessels at sea.

Prior to 2013, MAWTS-1 WTI studentsí only practiced Non-Combatant Evacuation Operation training to test and improve WTI studentsí capability to evacuate personnel in a hostile country in coordination with the State Department. Students respond to an Embassy in a foreign country that is in danger and has requested military evacuation support. The students develop a plan to set up security, process in U.S. and other personnel and relocate them to a safe location. For the March through April 2013 course, MAWTS-1 has now incorporated a second Military Operation Other Than War training scenario to prepare students for non-combat related crisis response operations.

In order to facilitate both training exercises and provide aviators a more realistic distance to travel between ship to shore, the NEO was conducted between MCAS Yuma and Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Training Center, Twentynine Palms, Calif. Up to 18 aircrafts were used to include C-130s, AV-8Bs, MV-22 Ospreys and F/A-18 Hornets.

Introducing a diverse mix of training operations within the WTI training package, Marines will be better trained to respond if and when a real-life scenario occurs.

ìAny time Marines get the chance to practice maneuvers hands-on and walk through step by step is much more effective than sitting in a classroom,î says Beere. ìConducting this exercise in the middle of a city is beneficial to Marines because it gives them a sense of realism; they see the houses of the local people. But more importantly itís an opportunity for America to see their Marines in action, and know that the Marines are training hard.î

Don R. Black, Marine Aircraft Group 13 Compliance Officer at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma and native of St. Louis, Mo., picks up a piece of trash during the street cleanup conducted by the station’s.

Environmental Department personnel on April 23. The street clean up was on MCAS Yumaís ìadoptedî street, Palo Verde Street, as a part of the week long Earth Day events sponsored by MCAS Yumaís Environmental Department.

Since 2004, the Environmental Department from Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Ariz., has been a member of the City of Yumaís Adopt-A-Street Program. They adopted Palo Verde Street in Yuma, Ariz., and on the morning of April 23 they conducted a street clean up on their personal stretch of pavement. Various units and departments on the Air Station also participated in Earth Day activities both on base and in the surrounding community to be a part of the communityís environmental stewardship.

The MMS-DP LRF/D is designed as a drop-in replacement for the legacy MMS LRF/D, which was also produced by Northrop Grumman. The system allows the U.S. Army’s hunter-killer helicopter teams to remain concealed while acquiring and illuminating targets and guiding Hellfire and other laser-guided munitions to those targets from much greater stand-off ranges.

“With the ability to easily replace legacy systems that have been in use for 25 years and commonality in the core design that supports other Army platforms, we are confident this system will meet a variety of needs,” said Gordon Stewart, vice president of Northrop Grumman’s Laser Systems business unit. “With the flight testing now complete and pending final approval by the government, we are prepared to move into production and deliver initial units.”

Using advanced diode pumped technology, the MMS-DP laser system performs the same range finding and targeting functions for laser-guided weapons as the legacy system with greater reliability and significantly lower power consumption. Additionally, its interchangeability with the legacy laser enables the Army’s Forward Repair Activities to readily replace more than 600 original lasers with the modern, diode pumped version.

For the flight testing, the MMS-DP laser system was installed on a Kiowa Warrior helicopter. The Army’s testing fully exercised the system’s capabilities, which included guidance of a live Hellfire missile to its target.

The budget continues the department’s commitment to good stewardship of taxpayer dollars by seeking further consolidation of defense infrastructure, instituting a study of possible efficiencies in military treatment facilities, and terminating and restructuring lower-priority and poorly performing weapons programs. The budget slows the growth of military pay and benefits while continuing to support the All-Volunteer Force.

The proposed fiscal 2014 budget continues the implementation and deepening of program alignment to the department’s strategic guidance released in January 2012, “Sustaining U.S. Global Leadership: Priorities for 21st Century Defense.” It continues plans to reduce the size of military forces, consistent with the new strategy. It also seeks to create military forces that are ready and capable across the spectrum of military missions.

The budget makes a continued commitment to the department’s people, who remain central to DOD’s mission. The proposal requests funding to ensure that U.S. personnel are well-compensated and properly equipped, trained, and led. We will also continue to invest in critical programs for areas such as transition assistance, wounded warriors, suicide prevention, and sexual assault prevention and response.

“Even while restructuring the force to become smaller and leaner and once again targeting overhead savings, this budget made important investments in the president’s new strategic guidance – including rebalancing to the Asia-Pacific region and increasing funding for critical capabilities such as cyber, special operations, and global mobility,” said Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel.

“Most critically, the proposed budget sustains the quality of the All-Volunteer Force and the care we provide our service members and their families. That underpins everything we do as an organization,” Hagel said.

Unfortunately, fiscal 2014 programs will be significantly and adversely affected by sequester budget cuts in fiscal year 2013. Training cutbacks, civilian furloughs, deferral of equipment and facility maintenance, reductions to energy conservation investments, contract inefficiencies, and curtailed deployments will inevitably have rippling effects into fiscal 2014. To address this challenge, the President’s Budget includes balanced deficit reduction proposals that are more than sufficient to allow Congress to replace and repeal the sequester-related reductions required by the Budget Control Act of 2011.

The fiscal 2014 request does yet not include a detailed budget for Overseas Contingency Operations. Decisions regarding force levels in Afghanistan were delayed until February of this year to provide commanders time to assess wartime needs fully. A separate OCO request is being prepared and will be submitted to Congress in the coming weeks.

Highlights of the proposed DOD budget are outlined at http://www.defense.gov/news/2014budget.pdf. For more information and to view the entire fiscal 2014 budget proposal, please visit http://www.budget.mil and download the “Fiscal Year 2014 Budget Request Overview Book.” Budget-related transcripts are available at http://www.defense.gov/transcripts.

Marine Corps photograph by Cpl. Ken Kalemkarian

Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 121, the Corpsí first operational F-35B Lightning II squadron, prepares for flight operations aboard Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Ariz. March 21, 2013. VMFA-121 conducted the Marine Corpsí first Short Take Off, Vertical Landing operations outside of a testing environment on the same day.

Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 121 watched in amazement and satisfaction as the Corpsí first operational F-35B Lightning II squadron conducted its first Short Take Off, Vertical Landing operations aboard Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Ariz., March 21, 2013.

Maj. Richard Rusnok, an F-35B Lightning II test pilot, conducted VMFA-121ís first short landing and takeoff as well as the Corpsí first F-35B hover and vertical landing outside of a testing environment in BF-19.

VMFA-121 is the first F-35B squadron to join Marine Aircraft Group 13 which is currently composed of four AV-8B Harrier squadrons a Marine wing support squadron and a Marine aviation logistics squadron.
Rusnok was accompanied by VMFA-121′s commanding officer, LtCol. Jeffrey Scott, flying a second F-35B as a chase aircraft.

Marine Corps photograph by Cpl. Ken Kalemkarian

Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 121 F-35B Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter prepares to make a vertical landing aboard Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Ariz., March 21, 2013. This marks the first vertical landing of a Marine Corps F-35B outside of a testing environment.

“The first STOVL flight for an F-35B outside of the test environment was another milestone achieved by the Marine Corps and the Green Knights today here at MCAS Yuma,” stated Scott. “The F-35 program and specifically the F-35B have made significant progress to make this possible.”

As the squadron expands its operations and end strength, they will continue revolutionizing expeditionary Marine air-ground combat power in all threat environments through the use of MCAS Yuma training ranges in Arizona and California. VMFA-121 will be home to approximately 300 Marines and is expected to receive additional F-35s throughout the next 8 to 12 months, with a total of 16 aircraft scheduled to arrive by late 2013.

Marine Corps photograph by Cpl. Ken Kalemkarian

Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 121 F-35B Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter prepares to make a vertical landing aboard Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Ariz., March 21, 2013. This marks the first vertical landing of a Marine Corps F-35B outside of a testing environment.

Differently from previous fixed wing capabilities across the Department of Defense, the integration of U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, U.S. Marine Corps and coalition F-35 Lightning II aircraft on a common platform will provide the dominant, multi-role, fifth generation capabilities needed across the full spectrum of combat operations to deter potential adversaries and enable future aviation power projection.

Specific to the Marine Corps, consolidating three aircraft, the AV-8B Harrier, the F/A-18 Hornet and the EA-6B, into one is central to maintaining tactical aviation affordability and serving as good stewards of taxpayer dollars.

VMFA-121 will continue to set the pace for the F-35 program based on a common platform. The U.S. Air Force and Navy can now integrate best practices from VMFA-121 in preparation for the future operational basing of the F-35A and F-35C.