TRINCOMALEE, Sri Lanka -- U.S and partner nation service members participating in Pacific Partnership 2018 arrived in Trincomalee, Sri Lanka aboard the U.S. Navy hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19), April 25.The mission in Trincomalee will continue through May 8 and will feature Pacific Partnership...

PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii -- This year, our allies West are marking an especially poignant ANZAC Day.Officially, April 25 annually marks the anniversary of the opening engagement that led to casualties for Australian and New Zealand forces in World War I. ANZAC is short for Australian and New Zealand...

CABANATUAN CITY, PHILIPPINES -- Groundbreaking ceremonies took place in five separate locations throughout Luzon, Republic of the Philippines, April 19-20, 2018, which officially started engineering civic assistance projects in support of humanitarian civic assistance events for Exercise Balikatan...

PACIFIC OCEAN -- Sailors from Essex Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) and Marines assigned to 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) commenced the ARG/MEU exercise (ARGMEUEX) off the coast of California, April 24.ARGMEUEX is a Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 15 and 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, Expeditionary...

The United States Army Reserve observed Earth Day with events across the nation during Earth Week on April 16 through April 22.Army Reserve Sustainability Programs commenced its Earth Day activities on Wednesday, April 18 with a Spring Clean Donation Drive and an information station on energy,...

ANDAMAN SEA -- The U.S. Navy and Royal Thai Navy (RTN) kick off exercise Guardian Sea in the Andaman Sea, April 25.The five-day anti-submarine and maritime domain awareness exercise will involve cooperative evolutions designed to enhance mutual capabilities in anti-submarine warfare while also...

EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska -- The F-35 has matured into a capable aircraft and it’s beginning to be based around the world. Eielson is one of those locations and it is set to house two F-35A Lightning II squadrons by the year 2022.To prepare for this monumental change, which is currently...

Pentagon Chief Spokesperson Dana W. White provided the following readout:Secretary James N. Mattis met with Thailand's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence General Prawit Wongsuwan to discuss the U.S.-Thailand defense relationship and regional security issues.Secretary Mattis highlighted...

PORTLAND, Oregon -- During an official commissioning ceremony held in front of over 5,000 guests, the crew of the USS Portland (LPD 27) brought their ship to life, April 21.The Honorable Patrick Shanahan, deputy secretary of defense, officially placed the Portland in commission, the 11th San...

DARWIN, NT, Australia -- Approximately 1,500 Marines have arrived and are scheduled to participate in the next iteration of Marine Rotational Force – Darwin (MRF-D) 2018 at Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia, April 23.MRF-D is a six month rotation that started as an agreement between former...