Navy Seaman Curt Hansen, a search and rescue medical technician with Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron and a native of Burlington, Ky., goes over proper harnessing procedures before being lifted up into the air by a SAR UH-1N Huey helicopter during a routine training exercise conducted at Ledge on the River, just northeast of Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Ariz.,Thursday. - Navy Seaman Curt Hansen, a search and rescue medical technician with Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron and a native of Burlington, Ky., goes over proper harnessing procedures before being lifted up into the air by a SAR UH-1N Huey helicopter during a routine training exercise conducted at Ledge on the River, just northeast of Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Ariz.,Thursday.

Lance Cpl. Cole Collums, right, an aviation electronics technician from Marine Attack Squadron 211, and a native of Mountainburg, Ark., receives a Purple Heart from Lt. Col. Cory Simmons, center-right, the commanding officer of VMA-211, for the wounds he received while defending against a Taliban attack at Camp Bastion, Afghanistan, on Sept. 14, 2012. Standing next to Collums are VMA-211 Marines Sgt. Jonathan Cudo, center-left, a powerline mechanic, and former Cpl. Matthew Eason, left, a powerline mechanic, who also received Purple Hearts at this ceremony at the squadron hangar on Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Ariz., Aug. 1. - Lance Cpl. Cole Collums, right, an aviation electronics technician from Marine Attack Squadron 211, and a native of Mountainburg, Ark., receives a Purple Heart from Lt. Col. Cory Simmons, center-right, the commanding officer of VMA-211, for the wounds he received while defending against a Taliban attack at Camp Bastion, Afghanistan, on Sept. 14, 2012. Standing next to Collums are VMA-211 Marines Sgt. Jonathan Cudo, center-left, a powerline mechanic, and former Cpl. Matthew Eason, left, a powerline mechanic, who also received Purple Hearts at this ceremony at the squadron hangar on Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Ariz., Aug. 1.

Marine Aircraft Group 13 chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear defense specialist Lance Cpl. Marco Luciano Romo, a native of El Paso, Texas, wafts CS (2-chlorobenzalmalononitrile) crystals in the Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Ariz., gas chamber for even disbursement during an individual protective equipment confidence exercise. - Marine Aircraft Group 13 chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear defense specialist Lance Cpl. Marco Luciano Romo, a native of El Paso, Texas, wafts CS (2-chlorobenzalmalononitrile) crystals in the Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Ariz., gas chamber for even disbursement during an individual protective equipment confidence exercise.

Sgt. Leon Branchaud, the non-commissioned officer-in-charge of Combat Camera with Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Ariz., poses with a pair of Saints Flow cans at the San Diego Comi-Con, July 18. Branchaud was attending Comi-Con as a part of a Single Marine Program volunteer opportunity. - Sgt. Leon Branchaud, the non-commissioned officer-in-charge of Combat Camera with Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Ariz., poses with a pair of Saints Flow cans at the San Diego Comi-Con, July 18. Branchaud was attending Comi-Con as a part of a Single Marine Program volunteer opportunity.

In an effort to offer Marines and sailors at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Ariz., some fun and good times, hip hop artist and LaGrange, Ga. native, Bubba Sparxxx came out as part of the Leathernecks Comedy and Entertainment Tour, July 26. “I just hope they have fun, it’s really that simple,” said Sparxxx. - In an effort to offer Marines and sailors at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Ariz., some fun and good times, hip hop artist and LaGrange, Ga. native, Bubba Sparxxx came out as part of the Leathernecks Comedy and Entertainment Tour, July 26. “I just hope they have fun, it’s really that simple,” said Sparxxx.

One of two VMA-214 AV-8B harriers reviews vertical landing procedures with the on-site systems tower to ensure mission readiness. The field carrier imitation dock at Site 3-9, also known as AUX-II, 30 minutes out of Canon Air Defense Complex, serves as the ideal staging ground for Marine Attack Squadron 214 pilots to complete pre-deployment ship-based vertical landing certification. - One of two VMA-214 AV-8B harriers reviews vertical landing procedures with the on-site systems tower to ensure mission readiness. The field carrier imitation dock at Site 3-9, also known as AUX-II, 30 minutes out of Canon Air Defense Complex, serves as the ideal staging ground for Marine Attack Squadron 214 pilots to complete pre-deployment ship-based vertical landing certification.

On July 1, Maj. Eric L. Geyer, the assistant operations officer with Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron 1, aboard Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Ariz., and a native of Palm Coast, Fla., received the bronze star from acting MAWTS-1 commanding officer Lt. Col. Todd Miller for his actions in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan from November 15, 2009, to June 1, 2009. - On July 1, Maj. Eric L. Geyer, the assistant operations officer with Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron 1, aboard Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Ariz., and a native of Palm Coast, Fla., received the bronze star from acting MAWTS-1 commanding officer Lt. Col. Todd Miller for his actions in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan from November 15, 2009, to June 1, 2009.