News
Marine killed in Philippines plane crash identified
The Marine Corps identified Sgt. Jacob M. Durham as one of the four people who died Thursday when a plane contracted by the U.S. military crashed in a rice field in the southern Philippines. Durham and three defense contractors were killed when the aircraft they were aboard crashed during a routine mission “providing intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance support at the request of our Phil...[Read More]
Marine lights candles for romantic hotel surprise, sets room on fire
What was intended to be a passionate hotel room rendezvous turned into nothing more than a smoldering chamber of sorrow after approximately 20 candles lit by a Marine sparked a fire that left the room’s confines crispier than intended. The unnamed sergeant, assigned to Camp Schwab, told police the candles were intended to be “a surprise for his partner,” who he’d gone to pick up from the nearby Na...[Read More]
Marine pilot loses command after ejecting from F-35B that kept flying
A pilot who ejected from a malfunctioning F-35B in heavy rain over South Carolina last year — which kept flying on autopilot for 64 nautical miles before crashing — alleges he was fired from his command of a prestigious squadron as a result of the mishap. Col. Charles “Tre” Del Pizzo, 49, confirmed to Defense News he was the pilot who ejected from the F-35B over Charleston, South Carolina, on Sept...[Read More]
Marine pilot loses command after ejecting from F-35B that kept flying
A pilot who ejected from a malfunctioning F-35B in heavy rain over South Carolina last year — which kept flying on autopilot for 64 nautical miles before crashing — alleges he was fired from his command of a prestigious squadron as a result of the mishap. Col. Charles “Tre” Del Pizzo, 49, confirmed to Defense News he was the pilot who ejected from the F-35B over Charleston, South Carolina, on Sept...[Read More]
Marine pilot loses command after ejecting from F-35B that kept flying
A pilot who ejected from a malfunctioning F-35B in heavy rain over South Carolina last year — which kept flying on autopilot for 64 nautical miles before crashing — alleges he was fired from his command of a prestigious squadron as a result of the mishap. Col. Charles “Tre” Del Pizzo, 49, confirmed to Defense News he was the pilot who ejected from the F-35B over Charleston, South Carolina, on Sept...[Read More]
Marine recruit says nah to ‘rah,’ flees boot camp, gets captured
A Marine Corps recruit fled boot camp earlier this month before being apprehended at the San Diego airport, the Marine Corps said. The recruit in question was attending boot camp at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego and was snagged by local law enforcement nearby. “We can confirm that a recruit assigned to Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego was apprehended by San Diego Harbor Police at the Sa...[Read More]
Marine recruiter arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting minor
A Marine Corps recruiter is in custody after allegedly sexually assaulting a 17-year-old who he met at a recruiting event, according to authorities. Sgt. Jorge A. Lara-Pedroza was arrested by the Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety in California on Oct. 29, and booked into the Santa Clara Jail, according to a Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety press release. Lara-Pedroza, who’s assigned to Ma...[Read More]
Marine Reserve planning largest mobilization drills in decades
Drilling Marine Corps reservists across the command’s components may see an increased emphasis on job proficiency and readiness as Marine Corps Reserve Command prepares for wide-ranging mobilization exercises set to begin next year. Speaking at the Modern Day Marine Expo in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, Reserve operational planner Lt. Col. Doug Toulotte said the exercises — the first of their kind...[Read More]
Marine Reserve planning largest mobilization drills in decades
Drilling Marine Corps reservists across the command’s components may see an increased emphasis on job proficiency and readiness as Marine Corps Reserve Command prepares for wide-ranging mobilization exercises set to begin next year. Speaking at the Modern Day Marine Expo in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, Reserve operational planner Lt. Col. Doug Toulotte said the exercises — the first of their kind...[Read More]
Marine retiree shares a warning about this Tricare payment problem
A retired Marine staff sergeant recently took steps to ensure he and his wife don’t lose their health care coverage after his allotment for Tricare payments was mistakenly stopped during the military’s transition to the new contracts in January. Russ Clark is worried that other people have been affected, too, and could unknowingly be at risk of losing their coverage. He’s concerned that other bene...[Read More]
Marine sergeant major busted down for wearing nine unauthorized awards
A judge demoted a Marine Corps sergeant major to sergeant last month for donning military awards and decorations, such as the Purple Heart, that he never earned. Then-Sgt. Maj. Charlie Clawson was charged and sentenced for wearing nine unauthorized decorations, ribbons, devices or insignia between January 2019 and October 2023, according to charge sheets obtained by Marine Corps Times. Included in...[Read More]
Marine sergeant major busted down for wearing nine unauthorized awards
A judge demoted a Marine Corps sergeant major to sergeant last month for donning military awards and decorations, such as the Purple Heart, that he never earned. Then-Sgt. Maj. Charlie Clawson was charged and sentenced for wearing nine unauthorized decorations, ribbons, devices or insignia between January 2019 and October 2023, according to charge sheets obtained by Marine Corps Times. Included in...[Read More]