More than 50 officers and staff noncommissioned officers with Heavy Helicopter Squadron 366 pose for a photo aboard the USS North Carolina in Wilmington, N.C., before the units mess night May 24. The squadron has Marines deployed to the Horn of Africa, in Afghanistan and will be sending a third detachment to join the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit in the upcoming months. Since the squadron is never at 100 percent, the commanding officer felt, with a majority of the unit’s officers and staff noncommissioned officers home for a brief moment, that this would be the best time for the unit to conduct the mess night. - More than 50 officers and staff noncommissioned officers with Heavy Helicopter Squadron 366 pose for a photo aboard the USS North Carolina in Wilmington, N.C., before the units mess night May 24. The squadron has Marines deployed to the Horn of Africa, in Afghanistan and will be sending a third detachment to join the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit in the upcoming months. Since the squadron is never at 100 percent, the commanding officer felt, with a majority of the unit’s officers and staff noncommissioned officers home for a brief moment, that this would be the best time for the unit to conduct the mess night.

Marines with 2nd Low Altitude Air Defense Battalion prepare a PL-87 Stinger Missile before approaching the firing line at Onslow Beach aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C., May 25. Although the Marines with 2nd LAAD have acted as a security battalion while deployed they still keep their primary mission skills up to order incase a threat does appear. “There will always be a time and place for this training to pay off,” said Lt. Col. Joel A. Burdette, commanding officer of the air defense battalion. "Unmanned aerial vehicles could become a possible threat to us at anytime. That is why my Marines continue to train with the Stinger Missile.” - Marines with 2nd Low Altitude Air Defense Battalion prepare a PL-87 Stinger Missile before approaching the firing line at Onslow Beach aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C., May 25. Although the Marines with 2nd LAAD have acted as a security battalion while deployed they still keep their primary mission skills up to order incase a threat does appear. “There will always be a time and place for this training to pay off,” said Lt. Col. Joel A. Burdette, commanding officer of the air defense battalion. "Unmanned aerial vehicles could become a possible threat to us at anytime. That is why my Marines continue to train with the Stinger Missile.”

Ashley Nartins, a military spouse, flies the KC-130J flight simulator as a part of the Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 252 Jane Wayne day aboard Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, May 23. Approximately 30 women showed up for the event and participated in different stations where they looked at Marine Corps issue night vision goggles, flew the KC-130J simualtor and learned Marine Corps Martial Arts Program moves throughout the day. - Ashley Nartins, a military spouse, flies the KC-130J flight simulator as a part of the Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 252 Jane Wayne day aboard Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, May 23. Approximately 30 women showed up for the event and participated in different stations where they looked at Marine Corps issue night vision goggles, flew the KC-130J simualtor and learned Marine Corps Martial Arts Program moves throughout the day.

Marines with Marine Attack Squadron 231 compete in the "Feats of Strength" competition, May 21, at Hancock Lodge aboard Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point. The Marines conducted a relay foot race carring canoes which they eventually had to race to the docks and through the finish line. - Marines with Marine Attack Squadron 231 compete in the "Feats of Strength" competition, May 21, at Hancock Lodge aboard Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point. The Marines conducted a relay foot race carring canoes which they eventually had to race to the docks and through the finish line.

Marines with Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point Provost Marshall's Office stretch out before participating in the 2012 Law Enforcement Torch Run in Havelock, N.C., May 17. The event allowed local law enforcement agencies to foster awareness and raise money for the North Carolina Special Olympics. "My unit has supported this event every year since 1987," said Cpl. Lucas L. Spann, a military policeman. "It feels good to carry on the tradition and support a worthwhile cause." - Marines with Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point Provost Marshall's Office stretch out before participating in the 2012 Law Enforcement Torch Run in Havelock, N.C., May 17. The event allowed local law enforcement agencies to foster awareness and raise money for the North Carolina Special Olympics. "My unit has supported this event every year since 1987," said Cpl. Lucas L. Spann, a military policeman. "It feels good to carry on the tradition and support a worthwhile cause."

An EA-6B Prowler descends for an arrested landing during a May 4 rehearsal for the Marine Air-Ground Task Force demonstration at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, before the 2012 MCAS Cherry Point “Celebrate the Heritage” Air Show. The E28 Emergency Arresting Gear system is a cable system used to bring fast moving jets to a stop in the event of an emergency landing or need for a short landing space. For Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point Station Recovery Marines their job and focus is to maintain and operate these systems on the flight line to save the lives of pilots and keep the aircraft safe. If a pilot, whose aircraft has a tail hook, i.e. EA-6B Prowler, needs to make an arrested landing for any emergency, station recovery comes out to the designated flight line gear where they prepare to catch the aircraft. Sgt. Christopher D. Bentley, the maintenance chief for station recovery said the design of these arrest points are to produce the same stopping abilities as the landing cable on an aircraft carrier and the operational procedures of these gears, takes a lot of dedication and time from the Station Recovery Marines. They have to keep these gears well maintained, the gears use an engine to operate, and just like a car, they have a lot of moving parts that need continuous maintenance. - An EA-6B Prowler descends for an arrested landing during a May 4 rehearsal for the Marine Air-Ground Task Force demonstration at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, before the 2012 MCAS Cherry Point “Celebrate the Heritage” Air Show. The E28 Emergency Arresting Gear system is a cable system used to bring fast moving jets to a stop in the event of an emergency landing or need for a short landing space. For Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point Station Recovery Marines their job and focus is to maintain and operate these systems on the flight line to save the lives of pilots and keep the aircraft safe. If a pilot, whose aircraft has a tail hook, i.e. EA-6B Prowler, needs to make an arrested landing for any emergency, station recovery comes out to the designated flight line gear where they prepare to catch the aircraft. Sgt. Christopher D. Bentley, the maintenance chief for station recovery said the design of these arrest points are to produce the same stopping abilities as the landing cable on an aircraft carrier and the operational procedures of these gears, takes a lot of dedication and time from the Station Recovery Marines. They have to keep these gears well maintained, the gears use an engine to operate, and just like a car, they have a lot of moving parts that need continuous maintenance.

Lance Cpl. Michael R. Loucel, a warehouse clerk with Marine Air Control Squadron 2, poses with rack of tools he uses to seal boxes shut inside the Marine Air Controls Squadron 2 supply warehouse May 14. - Lance Cpl. Michael R. Loucel, a warehouse clerk with Marine Air Control Squadron 2, poses with rack of tools he uses to seal boxes shut inside the Marine Air Controls Squadron 2 supply warehouse May 14.

Army Sgt. Jeff Inman, a demonstration parachutist with the United States Army Special Operations Command, Black Daggers and Cpl. Kevin Willis, an aircraft electronic countermeasures technician with Marine Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron 4, pose for a photo after completing their tandem skydive May 3. The service members jumped from approximately 10,000 feet. - Army Sgt. Jeff Inman, a demonstration parachutist with the United States Army Special Operations Command, Black Daggers and Cpl. Kevin Willis, an aircraft electronic countermeasures technician with Marine Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron 4, pose for a photo after completing their tandem skydive May 3. The service members jumped from approximately 10,000 feet.

Lance Cpl. Anthony DiCola (center), a crew chief with Marine Transport Squadron 1, spots potential landing zones from the side window of the HH-46E Sea Knight, dubbed Pedro, during a three-hour training flight April 27. Cpl. Kyle Smith, a rescue swimmer with VMR-1 and Sgt. Zachary Wood, a crew chief and noncommissioned officer in charge with VMR-1 (right) assisted DiCola with his on-the-job training which ranged from Morehead City to New Bern pointing out different landing zones used during their rapid emergency response efforts. - Lance Cpl. Anthony DiCola (center), a crew chief with Marine Transport Squadron 1, spots potential landing zones from the side window of the HH-46E Sea Knight, dubbed Pedro, during a three-hour training flight April 27. Cpl. Kyle Smith, a rescue swimmer with VMR-1 and Sgt. Zachary Wood, a crew chief and noncommissioned officer in charge with VMR-1 (right) assisted DiCola with his on-the-job training which ranged from Morehead City to New Bern pointing out different landing zones used during their rapid emergency response efforts.

Paul Ringheiser Jr., left, and Paul Ringheiser III, stand on front of a B-25J Mitchell bomber owned by Disabled American Veterans flight team, aboard Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C., May 4, 2012. Paul III's grandfather Paul Ringheiser Sr. was a flight engineer on the Marine Corps equivalent of the aircraft during World War II era. "I was in the seat where he would have sat, right below the cockpit gunner," Paul Jr. said. "That’s where the flight engineer would have sat so it was really interesting and really emotional to think 'this is what he would have gone through,'" said Paul Sr. - Paul Ringheiser Jr., left, and Paul Ringheiser III, stand on front of a B-25J Mitchell bomber owned by Disabled American Veterans flight team, aboard Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C., May 4, 2012. Paul III's grandfather Paul Ringheiser Sr. was a flight engineer on the Marine Corps equivalent of the aircraft during World War II era. "I was in the seat where he would have sat, right below the cockpit gunner," Paul Jr. said. "That’s where the flight engineer would have sat so it was really interesting and really emotional to think 'this is what he would have gone through,'" said Paul Sr.