U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Dominick Milligan, left, from South Carolina, a heavy equipment mechanic, and Lance Cpl. Tyler Coon, from Michigan, a combat engineer, both with Marine Wing Support Squadron (MWSS) 272, dig a post hole with a multi-terrain loader at the U.S. Navy's Atlantic Undersea Test and Evaluation Center on Andros Island, Bahamas, Feb. 18, 2025. MWSS-272 deployed to the Bahamas to conduct aviation ground support rehearsals and refine distributed aviation operations for 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing.​ (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Orlanys Diaz Figueroa)
U.S. Marines with Marine Attack Squadron (VMA) 231, Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron (HMLA) 269, and Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron (HMH) 461 conduct flight operations at Naval Air Facility El Centro and Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, California, Jan. 27 to Feb. 7, 2025. Squadrons assigned to 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing trained to integrate with and support Marine ground units during Service Level Training Event 1-25, a series of training events designed to prepare Marines for operations around the globe. (U.S. Marine Corps video by Pfc. Gavin Kulczewski)
Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 251, Marine Aircraft Group (MAG) 14, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (MAW), reactivated during a ceremony on Thursday aboard Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Cherry Point, North Carolina, following a four-year, seven-month hiatus.
VMFA-251, known as the “Thunderbolts” or “T-Bolts,” was previously deactivated during a ceremony on April 23, 2020, aboard MCAS Beaufort, South Carolina, after returning from deployment in 2020 in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. The Thunderbolts’ deactivation concluded its 34 years as an F/A-18 Hornet squadron. The squadron was then relocated to MCAS Cherry Point to begin its transition to the F-35.
VMFA-251 received its first F-35C Lightning II Joint...
