Three years into Force Design 2030, the United States Marine Corps has evolved into a leaner, more agile force designed to fight and win against the nation’s stated adversaries, with a strategic focus on the Indo-Pacific. Aligning with the Department of Defense’s strategic pivot away from the Global War on Terrorism, this transformation relies not just on technological advancements and a structural reorganization but also on the strategic use of wargames—analytical tools used to simulate aspects of warfare at the tactical, operational, and strategic level.

3d Marine Littoral Regiment demonstrated its unique ability to get to the future fight and establish a forward presence during Marine Aviation Support Activity 23. In a matter of days, the inaugural MLR deployed its forces across the Pacific, established a fully operationally capable expeditionary advanced base in the vicinity of Northern Luzon, Philippines, and initiated communications with a reach-back cell based out of Marine Corps Base Hawaii. The exercise marked a historical demonstration of 3d MLR’s Fight Now capabilities.

On June 21, 2023, Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 164, Marine Aircraft Group (MAG) 39, 3rd

“The Marine Corps requires unmanned air, surface, and ground systems to fully exploit our inherent expeditionary nature and capabilities. When operating forward, in small groups, under austere conditions, the ability to maximize unmanned systems to create outsized effects for our allies and against our adversaries is a key element of our future success.” - Gen. Berger, Commandant of the Marine Corps

A combined force of U.S. and Philippine servicemembers participated in a combined joint littoral live-fire exercise today, the culminating field training event for Balikatan 2023.

A Marine Corps-established Transition Training Unit at the Assault Amphibian School is developing a

U.S. Marines donate to a local charity while maintaining physical toughness. U.S. Marines with 2nd Supply Battalion, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, conducted a six-mile battalion hike while contributing canned goods to a local charity in Onslow County, North Carolina, March 10, 2023. Marines hike as a unit to fulfill training and readiness requirements, which require Marines to carry a multitude of issued gear in their packs to sustain combat readiness. This month 2nd Supply Battalion Marines were given a choice to fill their packs with canned goods for donation, instead of the standard issued gear, as long as both weighed the required 50 pounds. Many Marines took advantage of the opportunity to participate in the charity event...

Today, members of the Japan Self-Defense Force and U.S. Marines with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit completed the first Japan-based Iron Fist exercise. Iron Fist is an annual exercise designed to increase interoperability and strengthen relationships between the U.S. Marine Corps, the U.S. Navy, the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force, and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force. This iteration of Iron Fist included ships from the JMSDF for the first time, which conducted rehearsals and integration with the 31st MEU and 1st Amphibious Rapid Deployment Regiment throughout the exercise...

Marine Air Ground Task Force Training Command began the MAGTF Distributed Maneuver Exercise Feb. 13, 2023, with the 7th Marine Regiment leading the exercise at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, Calif. MDMX, also referred to as “Mad Max,” is designed to test the MAGTF’s operational capabilities in austere, multi-domain, offensive and defensive operations against adversaries at a regimental level...