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U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Joel Soriano, a strategic communication specialist assigned to Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Yuma’s Headquarters & Headquarters Squadron, lifts rubble from a torn-down shed at St. Thomas Yuma Indian Mission in Winterhaven, Calif., Feb. 3, 2018. The mission, located out in the local Yuma community, requested help in tearing down the shed so that renovations could be made to the building. (U.S. Marine Corps photo taken by Cpl. Isaac Martinez) - U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Joel Soriano, a strategic communication specialist assigned to Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Yuma’s Headquarters & Headquarters Squadron, lifts rubble from a torn-down shed at St. Thomas Yuma Indian Mission in Winterhaven, Calif., Feb. 3, 2018. The mission, located out in the local Yuma community, requested help in tearing down the shed so that renovations could be made to the building. (U.S. Marine Corps photo taken by Cpl. Isaac Martinez)

Offering a Helping Hand

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION YUMA, Ariz. (Jan. 5, 2017) – The Saturday sun shines brilliantly on St. Thomas Yuma Indian Mission in Winterhaven, Calif., Feb. 3, 2018. It’s the weekend – but three United States Marines prepare to don their gloves, pick up their sledgehammers and get ready for some physical labor. “Whack. Whack. Whack.” The first few blows from the sledgehammer simply knock through the drywall.

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Erlinda Knight, the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Tax Center Coordinator, prepares taxes for a client at the VITA Tax Center at Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Yuma, Ariz., Jan. 22, 2018. The VITA Tax Center offers free tax preparation to all service members, Department of Defense employees, and family members at MCAS Yuma. (U.S. Marine Corps photo taken by Lance Cpl. Sabrina Candiaflores) - Erlinda Knight, the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Tax Center Coordinator, prepares taxes for a client at the VITA Tax Center at Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Yuma, Ariz., Jan. 22, 2018. The VITA Tax Center offers free tax preparation to all service members, Department of Defense employees, and family members at MCAS Yuma. (U.S. Marine Corps photo taken by Lance Cpl. Sabrina Candiaflores)

Return of the Taxes

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION YUMA, Ariz. (Jan. 23, 2018) – “In case you didn’t know, from now on, until the day you die, you are going to do your tax return once a year. Like it or not, you might as well know how your tax return will be done,” explained Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Tax Center Coordinator Erlinda Knight.

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Guests participating in the first Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Yuma Winter Tour of the year observe the capabilities of the station, a demonstration of the K-9 unit, and an obstacle course demonstration at various locations on MCAS Yuma, Ariz., Jan. 16, 2017. The tours have not been conducted for the past two years, but have been resumed by Col. David A. Suggs, the station commanding officer, to build a better relationship with the community. (U.S. Marine Corps photo taken by Cpl. Isaac Martinez) - Guests participating in the first Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Yuma Winter Tour of the year observe the capabilities of the station, a demonstration of the K-9 unit, and an obstacle course demonstration at various locations on MCAS Yuma, Ariz., Jan. 16, 2017. The tours have not been conducted for the past two years, but have been resumed by Col. David A. Suggs, the station commanding officer, to build a better relationship with the community. (U.S. Marine Corps photo taken by Cpl. Isaac Martinez)

MCAS Yuma Winter Tours: A New Perspective on a Familiar Sight

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION YUMA, Ariz. (Jan. 16, 2018) – “And if you look to the left, you’ll see Marine Operational Test and Evaluation Squadron 1, also known as VMX-1,” said Lisa Tourtelot, the Office of Communication assistant and tour guide for the Winter Tours at MCAS Yuma “Rumor is that somewhere out there lies an explanation as to why the Marine Corps makes acronyms with letters that aren’t in the name.” As the group of visitors laugh, the tour bus continued its slow, steady trip down the flight line. MCAS Yuma seems to be smiling too, as the sun shines brightly in the sky and the Marines that call it their home do their daily jobs.

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U.S. Marines assigned to Marine Fighter Training Squadron (VMFT) 401 offer helping hands to the Toys for Tots event at the Arizona Western College Conference Center, Dec. 18, 2017. Toys for Tots was founded by U.S. Marine Corps Reservist Maj. William L. Hendricks in 1947 and in 1991, the Secretary of Defense, Dick Cheney, made Toys for Tots an official mission of the Marine Corps Reserves. (U.S. Marine Corps video screenshot by Lance Cpl. Eric Q. Shannon) - U.S. Marines assigned to Marine Fighter Training Squadron (VMFT) 401 offer helping hands to the Toys for Tots event at the Arizona Western College Conference Center, Dec. 18, 2017. Toys for Tots was founded by U.S. Marine Corps Reservist Maj. William L. Hendricks in 1947 and in 1991, the Secretary of Defense, Dick Cheney, made Toys for Tots an official mission of the Marine Corps Reserves. (U.S. Marine Corps video screenshot by Lance Cpl. Eric Q. Shannon)

'Tis the Season to Give Back

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION YUMA, Ariz. (Dec. 19, 2017) – The aroma of pine, peppermint, and pinches of cinnamon fill the air. Holiday music hums on the radio; the spirit of giving floats about and the Marines have their own way of contributing as the holidays approach.

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U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Mitchell McCartney, a crew member assigned to Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron (HMH) 465, sits at the rear of the CH-53E Super Stallion as it taxis off the flight line at Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Yuma, Ariz., Dec. 9, 2017. HMH-465 arrived to MCAS Yuma, Nov. 29, 2017 to conduct training in support of Exercise Winter Fury. Exercise Winter Fury allows Marines to exercise the skills needed as the combat element of the Marine Air Ground Task Force during a combat deployment. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Isaac D. Martinez) - U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Mitchell McCartney, a crew member assigned to Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron (HMH) 465, sits at the rear of the CH-53E Super Stallion as it taxis off the flight line at Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Yuma, Ariz., Dec. 9, 2017. HMH-465 arrived to MCAS Yuma, Nov. 29, 2017 to conduct training in support of Exercise Winter Fury. Exercise Winter Fury allows Marines to exercise the skills needed as the combat element of the Marine Air Ground Task Force during a combat deployment. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Isaac D. Martinez)

HMH-465 Deployment for Training at MCAS Yuma

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION YUMA, Ariz. (Dec. 11, 2017) – Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron (HMH) 465 arrived at Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Yuma, Ariz., Nov. 29, 2017, to conduct training in support of Exercise Winter Fury.

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Marines with Marine Wing Support Squadron 371, based out of Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, perform shooting drills with their M16A4 service rifles during a squadron field exercise at the U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground training facility in Yuma, Ariz., Wednesday, March 9, 2016. - Marines with Marine Wing Support Squadron 371, based out of Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, perform shooting drills with their M16A4 service rifles during a squadron field exercise at the U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground training facility in Yuma, Ariz., Wednesday, March 9, 2016.

Combat Readiness: Back to Basics with MWSS-371

In order to maintain combat readiness, Marines must use every moment to hone their warfighting skills. For the Marines of Marine Wing Support Squadron 371 (MWSS-371), based out of Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Arizona, a four-day training exercise at the U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground training facility is serving as that opportunity, March 8-11.

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A Marine Infantry Officer Course (IOC) student descends from a CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter during a fast rope drill on the Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Ariz., Auxiliary Landing Field 2, Wednesday, August 18, 2014. The fast rope training instilled in these Marines the skills necessary to complete IOC’s final exercise, Talon Reach IV. - A Marine Infantry Officer Course (IOC) student descends from a CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter during a fast rope drill on the Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Ariz., Auxiliary Landing Field 2, Wednesday, August 18, 2014. The fast rope training instilled in these Marines the skills necessary to complete IOC’s final exercise, Talon Reach IV.

Developing the Leaders of Tomorrow: Infantry Officer Course at MCAS Yuma

Infantry Officer Course relocated the final planning phase of Talon Reach, the course's final exercise, to MCAS Yuma from MCAGCC Twentynine Palms in order to emphasize to its students the importance of communicating with assets that are not part of a rifle platoon; more specifically, their airborne counterparts.

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Our Past Honored: Local 4th of July Flag Raising Ceremony Pays Homage to the Military

Since World War II, Yuma has become a central location for military training and aviation, bringing thousands of service members and their families to settle here. This cooperative relationship has become a source of pride for the southwestern city, and patriotism runs deep throughout the community. So, in commemoration of Independence Day, the

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Marines from Marine Wing Support Squadron 371 and other elements of 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing from Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Ariz., sift through the debris and inspect pieces of wreckage from the AV-8B Harrier II crash site during the cleanup process in Imperial, Calif., Monday. Frederick Daniels, the director for range compliance at MCAS Yuma, is in charge of the remediation process to clean up the crash site once the effort is turned over to the City of Imperial. He will work with contractors to takes samples and tests of the site to ensure the removal of contaminants from the soil, groundwater and surface. - Marines from Marine Wing Support Squadron 371 and other elements of 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing from Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Ariz., sift through the debris and inspect pieces of wreckage from the AV-8B Harrier II crash site during the cleanup process in Imperial, Calif., Monday. Frederick Daniels, the director for range compliance at MCAS Yuma, is in charge of the remediation process to clean up the crash site once the effort is turned over to the City of Imperial. He will work with contractors to takes samples and tests of the site to ensure the removal of contaminants from the soil, groundwater and surface.

USMC Recovery of Harrier Crash Site

In response to an AV-8B Harrier II crash in a residential area of Imperial, Calif., Wednesday, Navy and Marine Corps personnel, as well as local firefighters, policemen, and government officials, have been hard at work at the scene resolving the crisis and conducting the recovery process.Military personnel from Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Ariz.,

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SecNav Commemorates Yuma’s Military Ties, Names USNS Yuma

The Secretary of the Navy, Honorable Ray Mabus, commemorated the harmonious coexistence between the community of Yuma, Ariz., and its military installations in an official naming ceremony for the United States Naval Ship Yuma at Gateway Park in Yuma, April 25, 2014.

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