I remember seeing this Marine recruiting commercial as a kid and it’s always stuck with me. For 250 the US Marine Corps has challenged young people to serve their country and both nation and Marine have benefitted from it.
Happy Birthday Marines! Here’s to 250 more!
Accokeek, MD (October 17, 2025) – Beretta proudly announces two new configurations of the A300 Ultima Patrol platform to commemorate the United States Marine Corps’ 250th birthday: the A300 Ultima Patrol Raider Commemorative Edition (limited to 250 units) and a mission ready standard A300 Ultima Patrol configuration.
Built to honor 250 years of Marine Corps excellence, the limited-edition Beretta A300 Ultima Patrol Raider pays tribute to America’s finest fighting force and their legacy in close quarters battle. Featuring the legendary Frogskin camouflage that evokes WWII Pacific Theater combat, the Raider is a modern fighting shotgun that salutes the unbreakable spirit of the United States Marine Corps while blending battlefield heritage with today’s uncompromising performance. The A300 Ultima Patrol raider Commemorative Edition honors the USMC 250th and ships with a standard issue Ontario Knife Company (OKC) 3S bayonet, custom serial number and is presented in a custom display case.
The Standard configuration helps celebrate the USMC and provides the same operational upgrades and Frogskinfinish as the Commemorative Edition but does not include the bayonet or the custom display case.
Key Technical Highlights
• WWII Style Frogskin Camo
• Custom Packaging Commemorative Edition Only
• Bayonet Commemorative Edition Only
• Bayonet Mount
• Enlarged Controls
• Ample Accessory Mounts
• Aggressively Textured Grip Areas
• 7+1 Capacity
“The United States Marine Corps’ 250th anniversary is a historic milestone, and we wanted to create something that truly celebrates their legacy,” said Caleb McMillen, Sr. Product Manager at Beretta USA. “The A300 Ultima Patrol Raider is more than a shotgun. It’s a tribute to 250 years of honor, courage and commitment. By blending battlefield heritage with modern performance, we’re proud to offer both a commemorative edition and a mission-ready configuration that salute America’s Finest Fighting Force.”
The limited?edition A300 Ultima Patrol Raider (250 units) and the Standard A300 Ultima Patrol configuration are being offered by Beretta USA. For availability, pricing, and ordering information, contact Beretta USA or authorized Beretta dealers.
CAMP SCHWAB, OKINAWA, Japan —
From Aug. 11 to 22, 2025, U.S. Marines and Sailors with 4th Marine Regiment, 3d Marine Division, trained with, integrated, and expanded their use of small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS). For the first time, Marines flew untethered sUAS over an Okinawa-based, Marine Corps installation.
This aligns directly with the Secretary of Defense’s drone modernization guidance, released July 10, 2025, which prioritizes training with autonomous capabilities, leaning into adaptability, and pursuing joint-force integration with these emerging technologies.
“The Marines and Sailors with 4th Marine Regiment are getting use to utilizing and innovating with technology that we haven’t used in the past,” said Capt. Wesley Pond, Regimental Assistant Air Officer, 4th Marine Regiment, 3d Marine Division and lead planner of the sUAS and autonomous, unmanned ground vehicle (A-UGV) training on Camp Schwab. “We are helping them to see new things, new ways to find an adversary and new ways of moving about the battlespace.”
The Marines and Sailors attended a course with the Skydio X2D sUAS to sustain their proficiency with the system. This in-depth training allowed some servicemembers to receive an additional Military Occupational Specialty as sUAS operators after they completed all the required training objectives. The Marines in the course were able to take their increased proficiency in sUAS employment back to their unit to better integrate the systems in future training evolutions.
“Marines of any rank are encouraged to participate in the courses in order to receive the qualifications to operate group one UAS,” said Pond. “This in total increases the Marine Corps’ combat effectiveness by having capable Marines, of any MOS, at the ready to operate drones in any situation.”
“We will continue to push the metaphorical football down the field and keep getting better. We are going to field the Marines with the weapons and the systems they need to enhance their lethality, to go confidently into the next battlespace and know they are walking into a fight that they are well prepared for.”
– said Capt. Wesley Pond, Regimental Assistant Air Officer, 4th Marine Regiment, 3d Marine Division and lead planner of the sUAS and autonomous, unmanned ground vehicle (A-UGV) training on Camp Schwab.
The Marines and Sailors with 4th Marine Regiment refined shared procedures for experimental methods of extracting an emergency casualty via the Mission Master. This A-UGV platform can assist with tactical transport, resupply, and casualty evacuation, reducing danger to dismounted troops across a wide range of missions, including high-risk situations.
“This is the first time our corpsmen in the 4th Marines Regimental Aid Station have had the opportunity to train with and use an autonomous system as a CASEVAC platform,” said U.S. Navy Senior Chief Hospital Corpsman David Long, senior enlisted leader, 4th Marines Regimental Aid Station.
In this training scenario, the Mission Master was used to carry wounded servicemembers out of harm’s way on the battlefield, enabling the Corpsmen to quickly and tactically bring the casualty behind friendly lines.
“This takes a huge load off the humans that would previously have to physically carry that casualty on a litter a long distance or we would have to use a large, loud tactical vehicle,” said Long. “It also allows us to provide treatment enroute to the casualty collection point for follow-on care. This capability has the potential to help us save lives and quickly return more Marines back to the fight.”
As the future of warfighting continues to evolve, 4th Marine Regiment continues to modernize as well.
“This training demonstrates the 4th Marine Regiment’s commitment to train as we fight and to compete with adversary capabilities now,” said U.S. Marine Corps Col. Richard Barclay, commanding officer, 4th Marine Regiment. “Training isn’t just about preparing for a future fight but maintaining a decisive edge in the current operating environment. What Capt. Pond, the 3d Marine Division, and Marine Corps Installations Pacific team have achieved is just the start of much more work to be done within the realms of sUAS and UGV training.”
Cpl Joaquin Carlos Dela Torre
3rd Marine Division
RICE LAKE, Wis., Oct. 2, 2025 — Henry Repeating Arms, one of America’s leading firearms manufacturers, is building upon the success of its now sold-out and discontinued salute to the United States Marine Corps’ 250thanniversary with two new models: the Spirit of the Corps 250th Anniversary 2nd Edition .22 S/L/LR and the Spirit of the Corps 250th Anniversary .45-70 Gov’t.
“The response to the first rifle was remarkable, and we knew we had to continue this milestone collection for those who missed out the first time around,” said Anthony Imperato, Founder and CEO of Henry Repeating Arms. “These new models pay homage to the branch’s 250 years of being both sword and shield for the freedoms we enjoy as Americans, and the millions of men and women who have answered the call to serve amongst its ranks.”
Spirit of the Corps 250th Anniversary 2ndEdition .22 S/L/LR (H004MC2)
Built on the award-winning and world-renowned Golden Boy platform, this lever-action rimfire rifle features mechanically transferred engravings based on a hand-engraved master plate for maximum clarity with 24K gold-plated highlights against a nickel-plated backdrop. The genuine American walnut buttstock showcases full-color portraits throughout history standing in front of the flag of the United States of America, while the forearm bears the banner: “In the Air, On Land, And Sea.” The MSRP is $1,350.
Spirit of the Corps 250th Anniversary Edition .45-70 Gov’t (H010BGMC)
Introduced in direct response to customer feedback requesting a larger caliber option for the series, this rifle is chambered in the powerful and historic .45-70 Government, a cartridge once used by the United States Marine Corps until 1897. It pairs a nickel-plated, hardened brass receiver with 24K gold highlights and upgraded Semi-Fancy American Walnut furniture. The receiver features inscriptions from the Marines’ Hymn, while the buttstock depicts a crowd of hands triumphantly raising the U.S. flag. The MSRP is $2,360.
Both rifles are made in Wisconsin and backed by Henry Repeating Arms’ Lifetime Warranty and 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. They are available now through Henry dealers nationwide. For more information, visit the product page at henryusa.com.
These rifles are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or officially licensed by the U.S. Department of Defense or any of its branches.
QUANTICO, Va. —
In August, the Marine Corps began hosting drone task force summits to chart a way forward for operational units across the Marine Corps to effectively employ small drones.
The drone task force leverages work done over the last several years by various units, including Marine Corps Special Operations Command, the infantry battalion experiment (IBX), and the Marine Corps Attack Drone Team (MCADT) to hone techniques for using small surveillance and lethal attack drones.
The purpose of the task force is to organize, train, and equip Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF) elements to achieve proficiency in employing both lethal and non-lethal unmanned aerial systems at scale. Supporting this effort is the years-long development, testing, and fielding of existing organic precision fires systems to Marine infantry units.
The near-term goal is to enable the Marine infantry squad to achieve concentrated effects at operationally relevant distances, providing a decisive advantage in distributed operational environments. The Secretary of Defense’s “Unleashing U.S. Military Drone Dominance” memo will accelerate these efforts by paving the way for faster procurement pipelines to provide units the equipment and training they need to remain at the forefront of drone adaptation into the MAGTF.
The drone task force is incorporating best practices and lessons learned from the Fleet Marine Forces with cost-effective solutions for operating first-person-view (FPV) drones. These solutions include advanced manufacturing techniques to build and repair drone components in austere, contested environments. The task force will allow the service to quickly address challenges the Fleet Marine Force faces and facilitate timely, cost-efficient solutions to enhance the lethality of all elements of the MAGTF.
Some efforts to accelerate the use of surveillance and weaponized drones to Marines are:
UAS/C-UAS integration handbook for best practices
Mature training programs to expand the number of experienced operators in the Fleet Marine Force
Updated Blue List systems for the service to purchase
Signature management training
Establishment of communities of interest across the Marine Corps
Integration of SUAS in future marksmanship competitions
Collaboration with the Defense Innovation Unit to purchase and distribute FPV and one-way attack drones.
Establishment of the Marine Corps Attack Drone Team to standardize tactics, techniques and procedures
Continued infrastructure improvements and maturation of training areas to accommodate the incorporation of drones into combined arms training and exercises.
Continued efforts to develop a common ecosystem and command and control architecture.
The Marine Corps Attack Drone Team, established in January 2025, by Training Command and the Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory, has driven greater understanding of lethal UAS opportunities and challenges for the Marine Corps. Based at Weapons Training Battalion, Quantico, the MCADT builds on the Marine Corps’ legacy of precision weapons expertise to advance another layer of lethality for infantry battalions and littoral combat teams. It addresses the rapid progression and proliferation of armed FPV drone technologies and aims to translate lessons from modern drone warfare into doctrine, training, and fleet integration.
Through agile experimentation, MCADT has made significant progress in accelerating the service’s adoption of armed FPV drones. The first kinetic live-fire FPV drone strike was conducted at Quantico on April 24, 2025, demonstrating real-world lethality at a fraction of traditional costs: less than $5,000 per strike compared to over $80,000 for current infantry battalion organic missiles. With effective ranges of up to 20 kilometers, these drones dramatically expand the reach of small-unit formations, far surpassing the 1–2 kilometer range of current systems available to rifle squads and platoons.
In parallel, MCADT partnered with the Marine Corps Tactics and Operations Group to draft the Corps’ first Armed Drone Employment Tactics Techniques and Procedures pamphlet, which will serve as the baseline training resource for squad certification beginning this fall. To further refine employment techniques and accelerate proficiency, the team also initiated the Service’s first Armed FPV Drone Employment Competitions, formalized in Marine Corps guidance earlier this year. These competitions will evolve into intermediate and advanced training venues modeled after the Competition-in-Arms Program, leveraging the same proven approach long used by the Marine Corps Shooting Team to refine tactics and weapon system design. The inaugural competition is scheduled for October 2025 at MCB Quantico, followed by events in INDOPACOM at Camp Hansen, Okinawa, in December, and MCB Hawaii in January 2026.
Under the drone task force’s governance, these ongoing experimental initiatives will continuously inform the concurrent service effort to fully field lethal drones at scale to a force that is organized, trained, and equipped for the modern battlefield.
By Lt. Col. Eric Flanagan | Marine Corps Combat Development Command
“Attention in the COC!”
The gentle ripple of hushed conversation and rustling papers in the expeditionary command operation center completely subsided in response to the watch chief’s baritone voice. Heads snapped from computer monitors to the sound of his voice, and pens scrawled shorthand notes, recording his description of enemy signal interference.
After receiving the report, corporals and sergeants of the 9th Communication Battalion’s newly established intelligence department swiftly analyzed it and initiated an assessment that would be routed to the operations officer. The report indicated interference from an adversary’s nearby electronic warfare training exercise. The Marines sprang into action and applied pre-coordinated frequency protocols, maintaining the integrity of their communications and preventing their location from being revealed, thus preserving the mission.
This fictional scenario highlights a different kind of challenge Marines face today: not one of firepower or physical maneuver, but of connectivity and communication in a contested information environment, which is increasingly characterized by jamming, malware, and cyberattacks. These attacks, which have become a growing concern of military planners throughout the world, threaten communications and can lead to the isolation of forward elements. Marine tacticians say the potentially high tempo and wide range of simultaneous attacks in the information environment require decentralization of information operations.
As part of this transition to decentralization, the battalion, based at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, stood up an intelligence staff section in July 2025. The creation of the intelligence section makes the battalion more tactically responsive to threats in the information environment. The intelligence section now proactively monitors the electromagnetic spectrum for potential interference, analyzes adversary abilities related to electronic warfare and cyberattacks, develops threat assessments tailored to communication assets, and provides real-time intelligence updates to commanders and subordinate units. This is a significant shift from the past, when Marine Corps communication battalions relied upon Marine Corps Forces Cyberspace Command (MARFORCYBER) to fulfill these functions.
“Historically it was very reactive,” stated Capt. Brock Turner, the company commander of 9th Communication Battalion. “A malicious actor would attempt to gain access to our networks, and we would then receive feedback from MARFORCYBER. Now we are putting in measures to ensure that we strengthen posture based upon examination of adversarial tactics, techniques, and procedures.”
2nd Lieutenant Aaron Hern, an intelligence officer with 9th Communication Battalion, I Marine Expeditionary Force Information Group, explained the reason for the change.
“Our integration into the battalion is crucial in supporting the Battalion Commander’s decision-making in support of all domain operations, with impacts on communication units of action,” he said. “My signal intelligence capabilities of signature management and electronic warfare aid the planning process and employment of communications capabilities.”
The decentralization of information warfare follows a precedent set by U.S. Marine Corps Gen. Charles C. Krulak, the 31st commandant of the Marine Corps, who emphasized the importance of small unit leadership through his conceptualization of the “Strategic Corporal,” a noncommissioned officer whose tactical decisions on a three-block battlefield could have strategic, international consequences. Krulak understood and embraced the possibility of junior leaders being isolated in geographically dispersed locations and having to make important, time-sensitive decisions on the spot. His philosophy placed confidence in junior leaders to do so and emphasized tough training to prepare them for the task.
Krulak articulated his vision in “The Strategic Corporal: Leadership in the Three-Block War”, which appeared in the January 1999 edition of Marines Magazine. Although his article, which was written while the internet was still emerging, focuses on war on land and in the air rather than in the information environment, the information warriors of 9th Communication Battalion say it’s just as applicable to information operations today.
“We are directly supporting leadership decision making cycles by providing intelligence reporting,” said Sgt. Gabriel Tuazon, an intelligence specialist with 9th Communication Battalion.
During a training exercise at Camp Pendleton in August 2025, 9th Communication Battalion incorporated its new intelligence capability into the task of establishing and maintaining communications while dealing with a variety of notional threats to their networks. The training exercise provided a realistic environment for Marines to hone the skills necessary to identify threats and develop innovative solutions to overcome adversary actions.
Cpl. Tobias Laskowski, a transmission system operator with 9th Communication Battalion, provided a general description of the battalion’s activity during the exercise. He explained that this exercise provided an opportunity for the Marines to train on less familiar radio waveforms, which allows for communication to continue in the event of enemy disruption to primary channels.
“When the enemy uses their electronic warfare assets to jam us and disrupt our communication, we can keep communicating with whatever echelon we need to talk to,” Laskowski said.
Tuazon said the battalion 9th Communication Battalion is adapting to the new challenges of a rapidly changing battlespace by embracing a decentralized approach and empowering Marines to operate as strategic corporals. He envisions broad application of the information warfare tactics now being employed at the battalion.
“I definitely see this integration model being a standard across the Marine Corps as other communication battalion S-2s (intelligence sections) can support their operations,” said Tuazon.
Story by Sgt Sean Potter
I MEF Information Group
MARINE CORPS AIR STATION MIRAMAR, Calif. —
U.S. Marines from across the globe competed in the inaugural Thunderstruck Communications Team Competition, hosted by Marine Wing Communications Squadron 38, Marine Air Control Group 38, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing Sept. 10, 2025.
Unprecedented in scope, the service-wide event tested Marines’ ability to integrate physical endurance with expeditionary communications tasks, reflecting the operational demands of distributed operations in contested environments. Teams completed a six-mile, combat-loaded course while executing high-frequency voice transmission, Mobile User Objective System operations, and data networking, all under austere field conditions.
“The event attests to the whole-Marine concept — the ‘Marine communicator,’ not just the everyday communicator,” said Lt. Col. Brian Kerg, the commanding officer of MWCS-38. “This training and competition compelled them to do the exact things they would do in a distributed aviation operations environment.”
A total of 15 different units competed in the event each providing a four-Marine team composed of their top communicators. These units represent all three Marine Expeditionary Forces, both the Fleet and the Supporting Establishment, including the active and reserve components.
“They were not only tested on our communications training and readiness standards, but tested while under physical duress and competitive pressure, as they would in a time of war,” said Kerg. “As they would if rounds were flying at them. As they would if long-range munitions were falling on their head.”
This event marks the first time the Marine Corps has held a service-wide competition specifically dedicated to communications Marines, reflecting the increasing importance of resilient command and control (C2) in distributed operations. By pushing teams to perform under pressure, Thunderstruck highlighted the unique blend of technical skill, problem-solving, and physical toughness required to sustain communications at the tactical edge.
“Imagine a handful of Marines inserted via air and have to move the last tactical mile before they get C2 established,” said Kerg. “They are supporting aviation operations and then they are detected. They have to break down their gear, move to another survivable location, and reestablish.”
The competition directly supports the Commandant’s Planning Guidance and Force Design 2030 priorities. Both call for small, agile and self-reliant teams capable of enabling aviation and Marine Air-Ground Task Force operations in contested and dispersed environments. Events like Thunderstruck ensure that communicators are trained, tested and recognized as critical
enablers of battlefield dominance.
“This is my 15th year in communications field and there has not been a better time to be a communicator in the Marine Corps,” said Chief Warrant Officer 2 Kelson Epperson, a space and propagation engineering officer with MWCS-38. “We are now tactically integrated in every system, in every way, and Thunderstruck proves this.”
Beyond testing individual and team performance, the event served as a proof of concept for a scalable model of training. Lessons learned from this competition will inform future iterations, which are expected to expand in scope and participation.
“Today, I took away a very healthy spirit of competition with other communicators across the Marine Corps,” said Cpl. Tyler Barrack, a satellite transmissions systems operator and the fireteam leader for the winning team. “This is something I can take back to my Marines to empower them to compete in the future.”
The winning team was composed of four Marines from Communications Company, Headquarters Regiment, 1st Marine Logistics Group, based out of Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California. Each Marine holds a different Military Occupational Specialty, including radio operators, communications specialists, and data network specialists.
“It takes a village for everything that took place today,” said Barrack. “Every single Marine here has taught me something at some point in my career — It takes a village to make good communicators.”
MWCS-38’s mission is to establish and sustain communications networks for aviation C2. That capability is central to 3rd MAW’s ability to fight as a distributed force and to I Marine Expeditionary Force’s success in contested environments.
“This highlights how expeditionary we need to be in the future. We are at an age where we are no longer operating in big teams or big boxes,” said Barrack. “Now we are going forward as fire teams operating with smaller teams — and it changes the game.”
MWCS-38’s initiative in developing and executing Thunderstruck demonstrates how unit-driven innovation can directly support the Marine Corps’ modernization efforts. The competition showcased how communicators — who often work behind the scenes — are central to closing kill chains, integrating multidomain effects, and ensuring decision dominance in future conflicts.
“We are adapting to an enemy threat,” said Kerg. “Our teams are getting smaller and more capable and must be more technically proficient, more tactically skilled and tough as nails.”
1stLt Madison Walls, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing
On August 11, 2025, U.S. Marines sling loaded Anduril’s Menace-I via a CH-53K King Stallion helicopter, demonstrating new levels of mobility for expanded expeditionary mission planning and coordination. From a distance, it looked like any other grey shipping container. In reality, it was a deployable node for planning, coordination, and data processing—equipped with the power, climate control, compute, connectivity, and security of a fixed facility.
Menace-I is a turnkey command, control, compute, communications, cyber, and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (C5ISR) solution accredited for use as both a Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility (SCIF) and a Special Access Program Facility (SAPF). In less than ten minutes after setup, Menace-I is fully operational and supporting missions in forward, contested environments.
The challenge is delivering large quantities of processing power—secure, accredited, and reliable—to the tactical edge. Today, anything involving classified data in a SCIF or SAPF can only be done in fixed facilities or in Temporary Sensitive Compartmented Information Facilities (T-SCIFs) that require a day or more to set up. That timeline doesn’t work for expeditionary forces that maneuver in hours, not days.
Traditional approaches rely on reach-back to distant data centers over SATCOM links that may be degraded or denied in conflict. At the tactical edge, connectivity cannot be assumed, yet forces still require AI, analytics, mission planning, briefing, and debriefing in seconds. Menace-I solves this by bringing the compute with you.
Menace-I delivers a powerful, secure, accredited SCIF/SAPF set of edge nodes wherever forces are operating—enabling classified mission planning, force generation, and battle management at the point of need. What once took a day or more to set up can now be established in under ten minutes. Every Menace-I runs on Lattice, Anduril’s AI-powered software, is powered by Voyager’s rugged edge computing platform, and is connected through Lattice Mesh, our secure networking fabric.
Proven Real-World Mobility Options
The recent sling load operation validated Menace-I as the only fully integrated mission planning solution for fifth-generation aircraft that is transportable by all organic Marine Corps assets: truck, KC-130J Super Hercules, and rotary wing aircraft.
This mobility matters. Expeditionary forces can now reposition a fully accredited planning node as quickly as they maneuver, ensuring secure command centers move in lockstep with the fight. What once required hours of setup or reach-back can now move forward with the unit, giving commanders immediate access to secure facilities wherever the mission takes them.
Petabyte-Scale AI at the Edge
Artificial intelligence, advanced analytics, and cross-domain data processing demand massive compute capacity—rarely available at the tactical edge. To meet this need, in July, Anduril delivered the first Menace-I in a petabyte-scale configuration, powered by Voyager.
The configuration quadruples compute capacity with tens of thousands of cores, brings petabyte-scale storage, and delivers high performance computing (HPC) and graphics processing unit (GPU) acceleration to the edge. It provides the same expeditionary capabilities of Menace-I, scaled to handle AI workloads, data fusion, mission planning, briefing, and debriefing—all without relying on fragile reach-back to distant data centers.
In a D-Day environment where connectivity is uncertain, Menace-I brings the data center with you.
At the heart of Menace-I is Voyager, Anduril’s family of rugged edge communications and computing solutions. Voyager is engineered to withstand extreme environments, electronic attack, and jamming. Its modular design makes it easily adaptable to different mission needs.
Voyager is deployed in austere environments worldwide, trusted by thousands of customers, and is the preferred solution for rugged computing for militaries and special operations forces.
Cross-Domain Operations with Everfox
Conflicts are contested across land, air, sea, space, and cyber. Winning requires seamless data movement across classification levels.
Voyager is now the preferred edge server hardware platform for Everfox’s cross-domain solutions, enabling enterprise-grade data transfer between classification levels in expeditionary environments. This partnership ensures that forces operating at the tactical edge can move intelligence across domains and networks without sacrificing security or speed. Imagery, targeting data, and mission plans can flow seamlessly from unclassified to classified environments—and back—enabling faster, more informed decisions in contested battlespaces.
Everfox, powered by Voyager, will be deployed across Anduril’s Menace family of systems, enabling customers to conduct cross-domain operations at the edge.
In the Field Today
Menace-I is deployed with customers and partners today, enabling forward-deployed forces to plan, process, and fight with the speed, security, and mobility needed to stay connected wherever the fight takes them.
