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Service Before Self: The Evolution from Cadet to General

Patches are listed from left to right, top to bottom.

Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 265 (VMM-265)

United States Marine Corps transport squadron known as the “Dragons.” This squadron flies MV-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircrafts and is currently based at Marine Corps Air Station Futenma in Okinawa, Japan.

United States Marine Corps 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing

East coast based aviation unit of the USMC stationed at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point in North Carolina. They provide the aviation combat element for the II Marine Expeditionary Force.

1st Reconnaissance Battalion

Reconnaissance battalion in the United States Marine Corps which falls under the command of the 1st Marine Division and the I Marine Expeditionary Force. The mission of 1st Reconnaissance Battalion is to provide task organized forces in order to conduct amphibious reconnaissance, ground reconnaissance, battlespace shaping operations, raids, and specialized insertion and extraction.

Marine Attack Helicopter Squadron 169 (HMA-169)

United States Marine Corps helicopter squadron started as HMA-169 in 1971 consisting of AH-1G Cobras and AH-1J Sea Cobra attack helicopters. In 1986, the squadron was renamed HMLA-169 and began flying SuperCobras and UH-1Y Huey utility helicopters. The squadron is based at Marine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton, California and falls under the command of Marine Aircraft Group 39 (MAG-39) and the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (3rd MAW). Their mission is to support the Marine Air-Ground Task Force commander by providing offensive air support, utility support, armed escort and airborne supporting arms coordination, day or night under all weather conditions during expeditionary, joint or combined operations.

United States Marine Corps 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing

East coast based aviation unit of the USMC stationed at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point in North Carolina. They provide the aviation combat element for the II Marine Expeditionary Force.

Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 169 (HMLA-169)

United States Marine Corps helicopter squadron started as HMA-169 in 1971 consisting of AH-1G Cobras and AH-1J Sea Cobra attack helicopters. In 1986, the squadron was renamed HMLA-169 and began flying SuperCobras and UH-1Y Huey utility helicopters. The squadron is based at Marine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton, California and falls under the command of Marine Aircraft Group 39 (MAG-39) and the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (3rd MAW). Their mission is to support the Marine Air-Ground Task Force commander by providing offensive air support, utility support, armed escort and airborne supporting arms coordination, day or night under all weather conditions during expeditionary, joint or combined operations.

Marine Operational Test and Evaluation Squadron Twenty-Two (VMX-22)

United States Marine Corps operational test squadron consisting of multiple aircraft types. Primarily responsible for testing the MV-22 Osprey, a tiltrotor aircraft. Since the MV-22 is neither a fixed-wing nor rotary-wing platform, it has a unique designation as a tiltrotor. The aeromechanics, composite structure, maintenance concepts, and concept of deployment are inherently unique and best addressed in a squadron solely focused on tiltrotor operational testing.

United States Naval Test Pilot School

Primary test pilot school for United States military aviators that was established in 1945 and located at located at Naval Air Station (NAS) Patuxent River in Patuxent River, Maryland. The school provides instruction to experienced United States Navy, Marine Corps, Army, Air Force, and foreign military experimental test pilots, flight test engineers, and flight test flight officers in the processes and techniques of aircraft and systems testing and evaluation.

Marine Light Attack Helicopter Training Squadron 303 (HMT-303/HMLAT-303)

United States Marine Corps helicopter training squadron stationed at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California. Known as the "Atlas", HMLAT-303 trains newly commissioned Naval Aviators, conversion pilots, and refresher pilots to fly the Bell UH-1Y Venom and Bell AH-1Z Viper. HMLAT-303 is also responsible for training Bell UH-1Y Venom crew chiefs. It is part of Marine Aircraft Group 39 (MAG-39) and the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (3rd MAW).

Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 369 (HMLA-369)

United States Marine Corps helicopter squadron consisting of AH-1Z Viper attack helicopters and UH-1Y Venom utility helicopters. The squadron, also known as the "Gunfighters", is based at Marine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton, California and falls under the command of Marine Aircraft Group 39 (MAG-39) and the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (3rd MAW). Their mission is to support the Marine Air-Ground Task Force commander by providing offensive air support, utility support, armed escort and airborne supporting arms coordination, day or night under all weather conditions during expeditionary, joint or combined operations.