• The Circle of Heroes is an underwater memorial honoring military veterans who served in the US Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marines, and Navy.
• Twelve statues were sunk in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Florida to create the memorial, and an additional twelve will be added in 2020.   
• The memorial also acts as an artificial reef to help sustain marine life.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Following is a transcript of the video. 

These statues are being sunk in the Gulf of Mexico.

They make up an underwater memorial honoring US military veterans.

It's called the "Circle of Heroes."

The statues are located 10 miles off the coast of Clearwater, Florida.

The memorial represents those serving in the US armed forces.

The statues are 40 feet below the surface.

So visitors have to dive to see the statues up close.

The memorial could also help aquatic life by serving as an artificial reef.

An artificial reef can attract fish under the right conditions.

There are currently 12 life-sized statues.

An additional 12 will be added in 2020 to complete the memorial.

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• Marines engage in many operations on land and at sea, from warfare to humanitarian assistance. In the event of a natural disaster, Marines can assist in disaster relief. 
• In the event of a hurricane's landfall, Marines may support local response efforts by evacuating residents. 
• Two journalists embedded themselves on a Marine search and rescue mission to see how this military branch responds during natural disasters. 
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Following is a transcript of the video.

Retired US Navy SEAL, Jocko Willink: The military is trained to solve problems. And those problems could be, some kind of a humanitarian assistance that's needed, or they can be some kind of disaster relief, or really anything else that you could imagine. The military trains its personnel so they can be used in those situations, no matter how dynamic they are, they're ready.

[Business Insider sent two journalists to cover Hurricane Florence in September 2018.]

Daniel Brown: The storm hit Friday morning at 8:00 a.m.

Kevin Reilly: The winds were blowing enough where I had to brace myself. It was windy, but I've never seen that much rain. We drove towards Wilmington. There was a lot of trees down, power lines were down and the street lights were out. There was no power anywhere.

Brown: We had heard that they were doing rescues in Jacksonville as well. I put a call into some of the authorities and looked like we could get some sort of embed. There were a bunch of Marines just standing out there, so we jumped in the back of those seven-ton trucks. 

Reilly: Even though we were in these giant trucks, there were a few times where we came to crossings that the Marines themselves stopped to check it out or would send just one of the trucks across to see if it was gonna be okay.

Brown: Those Marines, they're based in Camp Lejeune. Camp Lejeune is a Marine base in North Carolina. Before the storm, the camp did not put out mandatory evacuations and they got a lot of flack from journalists and so forth. They said that they were gonna stay and fight actually, is the quote. The main mission seemed to be to grab 30 residents of Richlands, North Carolina. They had to be evacuated from their homes and they were stranded in this fire station in this little town, so the Marines had to come and get 'em.

Reilly: A lot of these people were given only a moment's notice to grab what they could and were just taken out of their homes. They had their pets and you could see, everybody just had this look of exhaustion, uncertainty, confusion and, I would say they looked scared, but at the same time just seeing the Marines and the volunteer firemen and all the other rescuers there, very professional in everything that they did. So they loaded them up with all of their remaining possessions and pets, and they were taken to a high school shelter that was somewhere close to the Jacksonville area.

Brown: In general, whenever there's like a natural disaster in a state, the National Guard is the one that's supposed to like really help with relief. Marines generally don't do that, the only reason they did is just 'cause Camp Lejeune is in their backyard.  I had authorities tell me that the only reason they were really doing this is just 'cause it's their community as well.

Retired US Navy SEAL, Leif Babin: For disaster relief scenarios, military units are a perfect response for that, because you've got an organized group that can deploy; you've got a logistics base, and it's actually a great exercise for deploying to combat that actually helps our military stay ready and can also help civilians in need during a natural disaster.

SEE ALSO: Tropical Storm Dorian is expected to turn into a hurricane this week. Here's where the storm is heading.

SEE ALSO: I've been through the eye of a Category 4 hurricane — here are 7 things you should do to protect your money before and after

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• US Marines teamed up with French forces and the Australian army in Australia recently for Exercise Koolendong.
• The exercise gives the forces a chance to practice working together, and for some Marines that means firing their big guns.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Right now, the Australian army is hosting one of its largest military exercises with participants from the US Marine Corps and the French military working side-by-side with Australian forces. The three militaries are practicing how to work with each other as well as how to best incorporate the strengths of each force.

And that gives us a perfect chance to watch the highly mobile, flexible, and lethal Marine artilleryman at work.

For warfighting exercise Koolendong, the 3rd Battalion, 11 Marines brought out their "Triple Sevens." These are M777 howitzers which fire 155 mm shells. An M777 is capable of sending a 103-pound shell to a target almost 14 miles away and of hitting that target within 54 yards thanks to a GPS-guided fuze.

An extended-range version of the round can go almost 23 miles at maximum range.

But of course, the rounds and the howitzers are only as good as the artillerymen manning them, and the Marines in the video above prove themselves quite capable of using their weapon to maximum effect.

While other troops sometimes make fun of artillerymen with accusations that they're too weak to walk all the way to the target or too dumb for other work, the fact is that artillery requires a crap-ton of math, even more upper body strength, and an insane level of attention to detail.

And that need for strength and attention to detail only gets greater the larger the gun is. And if artillery is king of the battle, the M777 is a roided-out king who could wrestle a lion.

There's a Marine who ferries ammunition from the truck or ammo supply point to the weapon, which requires a quick movement of dozens of yards while carrying over 100 pounds every time he does it.

There are two Marines who work together to ram the round from its staged position into the breech, something that is accomplished with a massive, heavy tool that they sprint against.

There's the gunner who's trying to make sure his weapon is perfectly aimed after each shot, even though it settles into the dirt differently after every firing. The tiniest mistake in his measurements could send the round hundreds of yards off target.

And while the crew is firing at its sustained rate, of two rounds per minute, it can be tough. But their max firing rate is five rounds per minute, meaning that they have to repeat their physically and mentally challenging jobs every twelve seconds without fail. To see what that looks like, check out the video at top if you haven't already.

SEE ALSO: Marines in Syria fired more rounds than any artillery battalion since Vietnam — and burned out 2 howitzers in the process

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NOW WATCH: We went inside the giant desert base where Marines are trained in artillery warfare

• The US Army will begin fielding new night vision goggles and an integrated weapons sight next week, when the technology will be delivered to the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division at Fort Riley in Kansas, the Army announced Monday.
• The new Enhanced Night Vision Goggles - Binocular (ENVG-B) and the Family of Weapons Sights – Individual (FWS-I) offer improved depth perception and increased situational awareness at night, as well as the ability to accurately shoot around corners and from the hip.
• During testing, one member of the development team witnessed a Marine lying down on his back and shooting backwards over his shoulder at targets 50 to 100 meters away. He hit five out of seven targets.
• "I decided this was an insane game changer," Sgt. First Class Will Roth, who was involved in the development, told the Army. "I'm a believer, one hundred percent. Nothing else offers these kinds of capabilities."
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

The US Army is preparing to field new night vision goggles and an integrated weapons sight that will change the way US ground forces go to war.

The new Enhanced Night Vision Goggles - Binocular (ENVG-B) and the Family of Weapons Sights – Individual (FWS-I) will make US Soldiers and Marines deadlier in the dark by offering improved depth perception for better mobility and increased situational awareness at night, as well as the ability to accurately shoot around corners and from the hip.

The Army will begin fielding this capability next week at Fort Riley in Kansas, where this new technology will be delivered to the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division.

The night vision goggles offer higher-resolution imagery, as well as improved thermal capabilities, giving ground troops the ability to see through dust, fog, smoke, and other battlefield obscurants.

The goggles wirelessly connect to the weapon sight, delivering Rapid Target Acquisition capability. With a picture-in-picture setup, soldiers can see not only what is in front of them, but also whatever their weapon is aimed at, allowing them to shoot from the hip or point their weapon around a corner.

"This capability "enables Soldiers to detect, recognize and engage targets accurately from any carry position and with significantly reduced exposure to enemy fire,"according to the Army.

This system was tested with US soldiers, special operators, Marines, and National Guard personnel.

Sgt. First Class Will Roth, a member of the Army Futures Command Soldier Lethality Cross-Functional Team, was skeptical when he first learned about this technology, he told the Army in a statement. "I couldn't envision a time when Soldiers would accept this product and trust it in the field," he said.

His mind changed after he saw a Marine lie down on his back and fire over his shoulder at targets 50 to 100 meters away, relying solely on the goggles paired wirelessly to the optics on the Marine's rifle. "He hit five out of seven. It gave me chill bumps," Roth said.

"I decided this was an insane game changer," he added. "I'm a believer, one hundred percent. Nothing else offers these kinds of capabilities."

Senior Army officials are optimistic about the capabilities of this new technology.

"It is better than anything I've experienced in my Army career," Lt. Gen. James Richardson, deputy commander of Army Futures Command, told Congress earlier this year, adding that Rangers had "gone from marksman to expert" with the help of the new optics.

Read more: US soldiers will soon deploy with game-changing night vision that lets them shoot around corners

Brig. Gen. Dave Hodne, director of the Army's Soldier Lethality Cross-Functional Team, told reporters last October that he "can't imagine, right now, any future sighting system that will not have that kind of capability."

The ENVG-B and FWS-I mark the first deliverables of the US Army's one-year-old four-star command, Army Futures Command, which is dedicated to the development of next-generation weapons and warfighting systems.

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NOW WATCH: Heart-pounding video shows a badass Coast Guardsman running down a narco-sub loaded with cocaine and pounding on the hatch

• The Target Handoff System version 2.0 allows Marines to quickly establish GPS coordinates for accurate call for fire missions.
• Since its fielding, the system has been popular with Marines who have used it during live-fire events and other training, Marine officials said.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Marines in fire-support units can now coordinate artillery, mortar and naval gunfire from a handy, ruggedized tablet.

The Target Handoff System version 2.0 (THSv2) allows Marines to quickly establish GPS coordinates for accurate call for fire missions. Marines are scheduled to demonstrate how the device can connect with many of the Corps' communication systems during Island Marauder 2019 in late September, according to a news release from Marine Corps Systems Command.

"It is a modular equipment suite that provides the warfighter with the capability to quickly and accurately identify and locate targets and transmit that information digitally to fire support systems or weapons platforms," Jeff Nebel, Fire Support Coordination team lead at SYSCOM, said in the release.

The Marine Corps has begun making tactical tablets a regular part of Marine kit, such as the Marine Air-Ground Task Force Common Handheld (MCH), a system that helps small-unit leaders navigate and disseminate orders, graphics and digital data pertaining to a mission.

But the MCH is primarily used for situational awareness on the battlefield, while the THSv2 feeds information to the Advanced Field Artillery Tactical Data System and other fire-support and weapons platforms, the release states.

The Marine Corps began issuing the call for fire tablet in fiscal 2018 but have been working on the effort since 2016. It allows Marine Air-Ground Task Force units to view an updated satellite image of a location's topography, according to the release.

It also "decreases the probability of incorrect data transfer of the initial fire request by providing a digital communication link between the observer and fires platform," Nebel said in the release.

Since its fielding, the THSv2 has been popular with Marines who have used it during live-fire events and other training, Marine officials said, adding that annual hardware and software updates will offer increased capability.

"The system is robust enough to be expanded upon," William Bensch, an analyst for THSv2, said in the release. "We're looking to provide the warfighter with the best equipment to engage the enemy faster and more efficiently, and THSv2 does that."

— Matthew Cox can be reached at matthew.cox@military.com.

SEE ALSO: Here's what it looks like when US Marines put their biggest guns to the test

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NOW WATCH: We went inside the giant desert base where Marines are trained in artillery warfare

• The Marine Corps is trying to change the public perception of it has a fighting force focused on ground operations.
• After nearly 20 years in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Corps is trying to reemphasize its mission as an amphibious force.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

After nearly 20 years of operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Marine Corps is on a mission to remind Americans that leathernecks do a whole lot more than fight lengthy ground battles.

A new four-minute video released Wednesday shows Marines leaving ships in MV-22B Ospreys, F-35B Joint Strike Fighters and amphibious vehicles in a push to show the public the Corps is an amphibious force. Marines in the video are seen operating at sea, in the jungle and in snow.

For too long, Marine Commandant Gen. David Berger told reporters in a roundtable at the Pentagon, the Corps has been seen as a land force that could get onto a ship.

"We need to turn that upside down," said Berger, whose planning guidance to the force is heavily focused on naval missions.

Critics have in recent years challenged Marine leaders to better clarify its future role in the joint force. As big waves of combat troops began leaving Iraq and Afghanistan and the service stood up several land-based crisis response units, some have wondered when the Marine Corps would again focus on its naval roots.

The new video is not a recruiting advertisement, the commandant said. Instead, it's designed to clear up misconceptions people might have about the service.

"Many people think of the Marine Corps as a desert force," Berger said. The service is often viewed as a second land Army that's still operating in Iraq and Afghanistan, he added.

Marine leaders will show the new video before public speaking engagements, where they'll highlight how the force can dominate in a maritime fight.

"That's our sweet spot, our operating environment," Berger said.

That's a reminder Marines might need to hear, too, said Dakota Wood, a retired Marine officer and senior research fellow for defense programs at the Heritage Foundation, a conservative Washington think tank.

"For the vast majority of the Marine Corps ... all they know is Iraq, Afghanistan, that environment," Wood said. "With fewer [amphibious ships] available, there have been fewer opportunities to deploy with a Marine expeditionary unit."

Now, Berger is pushing for a big return to naval integration as the US faces threats from China, which he calls "the long-term existential threat to the US."

Wood said Marines must think about how they can keep the enemy from dominating the seas. That's going to require new concepts at sea and ashore, he said.

"That's a different way of thinking than doing small-unit patrols in some valley in Afghanistan," he said. "It's a different mentality and understanding that is really where [Berger's] focus is at."

— Gina Harkins can be reached at gina.harkins@military.com. Follow her on Twitter@ginaaharkins.

SEE ALSO: Marine Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft in Australia just finished another flight across the Pacific

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NOW WATCH: Step aboard the USS Kearsarge, the US Navy workhorse that takes Marines to war

• Brendan Bialy, who helped disarm a shooter at his Colorado high school in May, graduated Marine Corps boot camp in September.
• Bialy enlisted in the Marine Corps Delayed Entry Program as a high school senior and was to enter training before the shooters entered his school that day.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

A teenager known for heroically thwarting the attempt of a gunman to kill scores of students and faculty as he attended class at STEM School Highlands Ranch in Colorado has officially become a United States Marine.

Brendan Bialy was one of three students who lunged at one of two shooters inside the high school wing of STEM in May of this year, effectively disarming him and potentially saving many lives. Bialy, Kendrick Castillo, and Joshua Jones, all seniors at the time with days left until graduation, chose to confront the gunman, also a student at the school, giving others a chance to escape.

"Kendrick lunged at him, and he shot Kendrick, giving all of us enough time to get underneath our desks, to get ourselves safe and to run across the room to escape," survivor Nui Giasolli said of the brave interception. Castillo was shot in the chest by one of the suspected gunman, Devon Erickson, and later died from his injuries. Castillo was the only fatality of the attack, and both gunmen were taken into custody alive.

Bialy, 18, said that his friend Castillo had "died a legend." He said, "He died a trooper. He got his ticket to Valhalla, and I know he will be with me for the rest of my life. Seriously, I love that kid."

Bialy had enlisted as a high school senior into the Marine Corps Delayed Entry Program and was set to enter training before the shooters entered his school that day.

"My thoughts on becoming a Marine were nothing but reinforced after the shooting," he said following his graduation from boot camp. "What I saw that day was complete and total malevolence, bad overcome by good."

A program for the September graduation from the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego showed that Bialy had been given a meritorious promotion to private first class during training and served as his training platoon's guide.

SEE ALSO: Aspiring Marine among students who reportedly tried to tackle gunman in Colorado school shooting

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NOW WATCH: Step aboard the USS Kearsarge, the US Navy workhorse that takes Marines to war

• The Marine Corps has been giving recruits and officer candidates high-energy snacks to eat between dinner and breakfast.
• Now the Corps' nutrition specialists wants to know which snacks the Marines have actually been eating.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Call it fourthmeal.

Since early 2018, the Marine Corps has been issuing Marine recruits and officer candidates in entry-level training a "performance nutrition pack" of high-energy snacks to get them through the 10-hour stretch between dinner and breakfast.

Now, nutrition specialists want to know which items in the packs these prospective Marines are most likely to eat.

Surveys were distributed this month at Officer Candidates School in Quantico, Virginia to gather feedback on the items in the performance nutrition packs that candidates were most likely to consume, said Sharlene Holladay, the Marine Corps' Warfighter and Performance Dietitian.

The packs are assembled with purpose; they're composed of off-the-shelf non-perishable food items that can include fruit-and-nut trail mixes, cereal, peanut butter and jelly packets, shelf-stable milk and more. A typical pack totals 500-600 calories in a ratio of 50-60% carbohydrates, 30% fat and 12-13% protein, Holladay said.

The intent is to give trainees a caloric boost before they head out to rigorous morning PT before breakfast; but that only works if they're eating what's provided.

"If you're not consuming it, it becomes really nutrient-dense trash," Holladay said.

The survey uses a Likert scale with ratings from one to five, inviting officer candidates to indicate what they are most likely to eat and most likely to discard. Feedback will be collected through the end of October, giving officials a 95% confidence rate in the results.

From there, the feedback will be used to design future nutrition packs. Holladay noted that tastes and preferences change over time with new generations of recruits, and the survey allows officials to stay current on popular items.

The rollout of performance nutrition packs at entry-level training, following a pilot program in fiscal 2016, mirrors efforts by other services to make sure trainees aren't limited by chow hall meal times when it comes to fueling up.

The Marine Corps dispenses roughly 1,500 of the packs each month at OCS and the two recruit depots in Parris Island, South Carolina and San Diego, Holladay said.

— Hope Hodge Seck can be reached at hope.seck@military.com. Follow her on Twitter at @HopeSeck.

SEE ALSO: The Marine Corps just released a video to set the public straight about what Jarheads do best

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NOW WATCH: Your favorite snacks contain some unexpected ingredients

• Keeping Marine Expeditionary Units supplied during their wide-ranging operations is a logistical headache.
• The Marines tasked with that job, Combat cargo Marines, are an overlooked but essential part of the force.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

It is a tough job and not everyone is lining up to work at their pace.

Combat cargo Marines have one of the most demanding jobs aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Bataan (LHD 5). This is especially evident during Composite Training Unit Exercise (COMPTUEX).

Combat cargo's mission is to support the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit's (MEU) logistical requirements across the three classes of ships featured in MEU operations.

"We are in charge of anything and everything that comes on and off the Bataan," said Lance Cpl. Brandon Novakoski, combat cargoman with the 26th MEU.

SEE ALSO: Here's what it looks like when US Marines put their biggest guns to the test

The platoon-sized element is divided into two sections. One controls the flight deck and hangar bay, while the other operates in the well deck of the vessel.

"The well deck Marines handle the landing craft, air cushions (LCAC), landing craft, utilities (LCU) and boat operations," said Gunnery Sgt. Brent Vines, logistics chief with the 26th MEU. "The hangar bay Marines support offloading and onloading of aircraft and personnel via the flight deck."

Working in combat cargo is not only physically taxing, but it is also mentally exhausting.

"A challenge we face in combat cargo is the unknown," said Vines. "There are many planning factors and moving parts for my crew."

No matter what the operational tempo throws their way they will be ready.

"We are busy, but safety is still our number one priority during routine operations or any unique task sent our way," said Vines.

Many Marines and sailors fail to recognize the essential role combat cargo plays in the MEU and Amphibious Ready Group team.

"Combat cargo is a vital part of daily ship life," said Novakoski. "If we didn't have Marines to work the long hours in combat cargo, ship supplies would struggle and missions wouldn't be completed."

• It's the job of Marine infantry to close with the enemy and overwhelm them with firepower.
• But in most cases, doing that doesn't require fully automatic weapons — in fact, they can have drawbacks.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

The primary mission of a US Marine infantry rifle squad is to locate, close with, and destroy the enemy by fire and maneuver or to repel the enemy's assault by fire and close combat. This mission statement is branded into each infantryman's brain and consistently put to practical use when the grunts are deployed to the front lines.

In the event a Marine infantry squad takes enemy contact, the squad leader will order the machine-gunners to relocate themselves to an area to return fire and win the battle for weapon superiority. The squad leader will also inform his fire team leaders of the situation and they'll deploy their two riflemen and SAW (Squad Automatic Weapon) gunner to a strategic area — getting them into the fight.

Once they have a fix on the enemies' position, they'll call the mortar platoon to "bring the rain."

At literally the flip of a switch, troops go from having a cold weapon system to knocking a fully automatic weapon, bringing death to the bad guys at the pull of a trigger.

This sounds super cool, right? Well, it kind of is when you've experienced the situation first hand. We understand that having a fully automatic machine gun gives troops a commanding advantage, but when you look at how ground pounders are trained to fire the weapon system, the rate of fire nearly mirrors that of an M4's after a few bursts.

SEE ALSO: Colt says it's going to stop selling AR-15 rifles to the public, but gun-control advocates shouldn't celebrate

1. They can get trigger happy.

For the most part, grunts love to take contact from the enemy when they are locked and loaded.

When you've trained for months to take the fight to the enemy, nothing feels better than getting to fire your weapon at the bad guys. However, it's not uncommon for machine-gunners to squeeze their triggers and fire off more than the recommended four to six rounds.

We'd also like to add that the feeling of sending accurate rounds down range is fun as f---! Unfortunately, infantrymen often lose their bearing and keep the trigger compressed and end up wasting ammo.

2. Negligent discharges can be worse.

Most times, a negligent discharge means you accidentally fired one round from your rifle or pistol. For a troop carrying a fully automatic weapon, the negligent discharge can be much more violent and dangerous. Instead of firing off one round accidentally, you can fire two or three.

We understand that the M16 has both semi-automatic (one round at a time) and burst (three shots at a time) firing capabilities. But it's more unlikely you'll ND on the burst setting than the semi-automatic one.

3. Barrel changes.

Remember when we said troops can get trigger happy? Hopefully, you do, because we just mentioned it a few minutes ago.

When grunts do get trigger happy, their weapons systems can overheat. To combat the overheating, troops must change out their barrel in order to stay in the fight.

Which takes precious firefight time that you won't get back.

4. It can lower accuracy.

Machine guns are very, very powerful weapons. They can kill the enemy positioned beyond the maximum effective range of an M4 and M16. Sounds awesome, right? Well, it is.

Unfortunately, since they are very powerful, when the mobile operator fires the weapon, the recoil will bring the rifle's barrel up and off target. This mainly happens when the ground pounder gets trigger happy.

In a firefight, mistakes need to be kept to a minimum or people can die.

• The horrific Oct. 23, 1983 attack on the multinational peacekeepers, an attack purportedly perpetrated by the Iranian-funded terrorist organization Hezbollah, was especially devastating for the US Marine Corps, which lost 220 service members.
• American troops were buried in the rubble. "Bodies were lying around all over," one rescuer reportedly said at the time.
• "There are no words to properly express our outrage and I think the outrage of all Americans at the despicable act," President Ronald Reagan said.
• Visit INSIDER for more stories.

Thirty-six years ago, two suicide bombers killed 241 American and 58 French military personnel, as well as six civilians, in Beirut, Lebanon. The incident marked the largest single-day loss for the US military since the Vietnam War's Tet Offensive.

The horrific Oct. 23, 1983 attack on the multinational peacekeepers, an attack purportedly perpetrated by the Iranian-funded terrorist organization Hezbollah, was especially devastating for the US Marine Corps, which lost 220 service members. The Corps had not suffered such a loss since in one day since Iwo Jima. Eighteen US Navy sailors and three Army soldiers were also killed in the Beirut barracks bombing, and dozens of others were injured.

The deadly blast, characterized by the FBI as the largest non-nuclear explosion they'd ever seen, came just a few months after the April 18, 1983 bombing of the US Embassy in Lebanon, where an extremist killed 63 people, including 17 Americans.

In 1982, the US decided, at the request of the Lebanese government, to send US troops to Lebanon to serve as peacekeepers in the bloody Lebanese Civil War between warring Muslim and Christian factions. The 24th Marine Amphibious Unit stationed at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina was deployed to Beirut in the spring of 1983.

Source: US Marine Corps

US forces, along with their French and Italian counterparts, achieved some initial success in Lebanon, but the Muslim factions in the country began to turn their aggression toward the foreign troops.

At 6:22 a.m. on Oct. 23, 1983, a truck laden with thousands of pounds of explosives slammed into the 1st Battalion, 8th Marine headquarters at the airport in Beirut.

The driver, said to be a Iranian national, detonated the explosives, collapsing the four-story barracks.

American troops were buried in the rubble. "Bodies were lying around all over," one rescuer reportedly said at the time, "Other people were trapped under the concrete. I could hear them screaming: ‘Get us out. Don't leave us.’ I just started digging, picking men out."

Source: Politico

The attack claimed the lives of 220 Marines, making it the worst single-day loss for the service in nearly four decades.

Minutes after the first attack, another suicide bomber hit the French barracks a couple of miles away. French troops managed to kill the driver, but the bomb exploded a few moments later, bringing down the nine-story building.

"There are no words to properly express our outrage and I think the outrage of all Americans at the despicable act," President Ronald Reagan said in response.

Source: The New York Times

The US withdrew its troops from Lebanon in February 1984.

Source: ABC News

A memorial was built at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune in North Carolina and dedicated on Oct. 23, 1986. The names of the fallen, as well as the inscription, "They came in peace," are written on the memorial.

Memorial services are held annually to remember those who were lost, as well as the cost of freedom.

"I think we all kind of grew up that day because we knew the world had changed," then-Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Robert Neller said in 2018. "It changed the way we saw the world. It changed the way we looked at threats. It changed the way we trained. It changed the way we operated – and those lessons learned carried through the rest of our time as Marines. And that impact of Beirut still shapes us today."

Source: Task & Purpose

• Jose Segovia-Benitez, a 38-year-old Marine Corps veteran who served two tours in Iraq, was deported to El Salvador on Wednesday, his attorney told the Phoenix New Times. 
• Segovia-Benitez suffered from a brain injury and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which wasn't treated for seven years after he was discharged in 2004. This, his family says, caused him to engage in criminal behavior, including narcotics possession and injuring a spouse, for which he received an eight-year prison sentence.
• "ICE [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] kept his deportation a secret. They kept it a secret from him, me, his other attorney, and they kept it a secret from his mother," Segovia-Benitez's attorney said.
• Visit Business Insider's home page for more stories. 

Jose Segovia-Benitez, a US Marine Corps veteran who served two tours in Iraq, was unexpectedly deported to El Salvador Wednesday, his attorney told the Phoenix New Times.

Segovia-Benitez, 38, came to the US as a toddler and grew up in California. He joined the Marines right out of high school, NBC News reports. He was honorably discharged in 2004, a year after he suffered a brain injury that left him with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD.)

"He is a soldier who put his life on the line to defend his country," his mother, Martha Garcia, told NBC News. "But when he returned from the war, he came back with problems."

Segovia-Benitez wasn't diagnosed with PTSD until 2011, according to Brandee Dudzic, the executive director of Repatriate our Patriots. In the interim, his family said, he turned to alcohol and committed a series of crimes including injuring a spouse, for which he served an eight-year jail sentence, and narcotics possession.

Segovia-Benitez was initially scheduled for deportation on October 16, The Phoenix New Times reported. Segovia-Benitez had boarded a plane bound for El Salvador, but was pulled off and sent to Arizona's Florence Correctional Center to await a potential pardon from California Governor Gavin Newsom. 

But when Segovia-Benitez's attorney Roy Petty arrived at the facility on Wednesday for a scheduled visit to fill out paperwork so he could re-open his deportation case, his client was gone. 

"Certainly, this is a surprise," Petty told the Phoenix New Times. "ICE [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] kept his deportation a secret. They kept it a secret from him, me, his other attorney, and they kept it a secret from his mother," he said.

While it's not illegal for ICE to proceed with the deportation, "It's not common practice. Generally, what ICE will do is they will notify the person so the person can make arrangements. They woke him up and put him on a plane," Petty said.

After serving his jail sentence, Segovia-Benitez was held in an ICE detention facility for nearly two years. He and 14 others filed a lawsuit in August alleging they were subjected to horrific and "inhumane" conditions during their detention, NBC News reports.

Segovia-Benitez is currently in a jail in El Salvador as part of his deportation proceedings. In El Salvador, a notoriously violent and dangerous country, Segovia-Benitez's attorney worries that his veteran status might make him a target for gangs.

"Gangs target former U.S. military," Petty told the Phoenix New Times. "They'll kidnap a person, they may hold a person for ransom, they may torture an individual."

Segovia-Benitez, who previously had legal status, filed an appeal of his deportation and two stays after a judge ordered that he should be deported in October 2018, all of which were denied, a spokesperson for ICE told The Hill.

SEE ALSO: ISIS is staging attacks in symbolically important places to send a message: We're back

SEE ALSO: 100 ISIS prisoners are now at large — 'We do not know where they are,' a US official says

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Heart-pounding video shows a badass Coast Guardsman running down a narco-sub loaded with cocaine and pounding on the hatch

• We got an inside look at the United States Marine Corps' intense 13-week basic training program. 
• Senior video correspondent Graham Flanagan spent five days at the Marine Corps Recruit Training Depot in Parris Island, South Carolina, where he observed different companies at various stages of training.
• The Marine Corps is the only US military branch that separates male and female recruits during basic training.
• In a statement to Business Insider, a spokesperson from the Marine Corps Recruit Training Depot at Parris Island said, "The same gender platoon model allows for appropriate acclimation to the training environment, development of key relationships with drill instructors, and optimal focus during the beginning of their transformation."
• After weeks of extreme physical and psychological challenges, training culminates with "The Crucible," a 54-hour event where recruits endure exhausting combat scenarios while running on minimal food and sleep.   
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Following is a transcript of the video.

Drill instructor: Louder, louder! You're not screaming at me! I can't hear you, [unintelligible].

Recruit: Aye, aye, sir! Aye, aye, sir! Aye, aye, sir! Aye, aye, sir!

Narrator: This is Marine Corps boot camp in Parris Island, South Carolina. Before they become United States Marines, all recruits have to graduate from the Marine Corps' 13-week basic training program, which tests them physically and psychologically.

Drill instructor: No one feels sorry for you!

Ty Kopke: It's a pressure cooker for 12 weeks under the pressure of an intimidating drill instructor, someone that's putting you under the scrutiny of attention to detail every single day. And, to a certain degree, everything you do is never gonna be good enough.

Recruit: Everything at boot camp sucks. It's gonna hurt. It's gonna be painful, but it's only gonna hurt more if you look at it that way.

Drill instructor: Around, around, around!

Kopke: It's boot camp, and it's supposed to prepare you for the challenges that lie beyond.

Narrator: We spent five days at Parris Island, where we saw different companies at various stages of training.

Drill instructor: You will not run. You will walk. Get on the yellow footprints right now.

Recruits: Aye, sir.

Drill instructor: You will do what you're told to do, when you're told to do it, and without question. Do you understand?

Recruits: Yes, sir.

Narrator: On day one of boot camp, new recruits arrive at the receiving barracks, where they take their first steps toward becoming Marines by walking through these silver hatches, symbolizing the threshold between the outside world and Parris Island.

Drill instructor: You will walk through these silver hatches once and never again. Do you understand?

Recruits: Aye, sir!

Narrator: Once inside, recruits are processed and assigned to their platoons.

Drill instructor: Put it up! Recruit: Yes, ma'am.

Drill instructor: I know you were told not to come with your hair down. Put it up in a bun. In a bun, bun, bun, bun, move faster.

Recruit: Aye, ma'am. Aye, ma'am.

Narrator: After graduation, Marines commit to a minimum of four years of service. Upon entering the Corps, an entry-level private will earn around $20,000 a year.

Drill instructor: Sit down.

Recruit: Yes, sir.

Narrator: Recruits are required to make a phone call to a family member or their recruiter to let them know they've arrived.

Recruit: This is recruit Hatcher. I have arrived safely at Parris Island. Please do not send any food or bulky items to me in the mail.

Narrator: They're only allowed to read the script printed for them inside the phone bank.

Recruit: I will contact you in seven to nine days by letter with my new address. Thank you for your support. Goodbye for now.

Drill instructor: Get in the classroom.

Recruits: Aye, sir.

Narrator: Recruits are given three chances to get someone on the line.

Recruit: Sir, my recruiter's not answering, sir.

Drill instructor: Call him again.

Narrator: Not every recruit is able to make a connection.

Drill instructor: If there is no answer, hang it up and close it.

Recruit: Aye, sir.

Narrator: But they won't have long to dwell on it. The Marine Corps Recruit Depot in Parris Island sits on 8,000 acres of the South Carolina Lowcountry. It's one of two enlisted recruit depots in the United States. The other is in San Diego, where only male recruits are trained. Around 20,000 recruits graduate from Parris Island every year before joining the more than 180,000 Marines actively serving today.

Kopke: We take young men and women from all walks of life, all cultures, maybe they were rich, maybe they were poor, they've got different religious backgrounds, they are the melting pot of America. And they come here with one common goal, and that's to be a United States Marine.

Clip: Parris Island, South Carolina. Here, everyday Americans become Marines, the toughest fighting men in the world.

Narrator: Male recruits have been trained at Parris Island since 1915. Female recruits began to train there in 1949. Today, females comprise under 25% of recruits at Parris Island and approximately 8% of the United States Marine Corps, the lowest percentage of any United States military branch. A recruit's day begins before the sun comes up. Their typical wake-up call is 0400, or 4 a.m. Recruits endure an intense series of physical challenges.

Drill instructor: Four, three, am I hearing that right? Four, three?

Recruit: Yes, sir.

Drill instructor: Fail!

Narrator: Some recruits arrive in better shape than others.

Kopke: Some never did anything more than sit on a couch, you know, as a couch potato. And some may have been collegiate athletes. So there's a vast spread of what their athletic fitness and ability is.

Recruit: Aye, sir.

Narrator: Much of their training happens here, in Leatherneck Square, where a series of intimidating obstacles comprise the confidence course.

Drill instructor: No, I'm tired of watching you freaking fail. You failed this event. Nope, just grab your canteens and go, you failed this event.

Recruit: May this recruit have one more try, sir?

Drill instructor: What did I just say?

Recruit: Aye, sir.

Drill instructor: What'd I just say?

Recruit: Aye, sir!

Drill instructor: Go!

Recruit: Aye, sir.

Kopke: The training program is progressive in nature. It starts out in a crawl, walk, run approach, throughout training. 99.9% of those that get here can complete all those requirements at the end of training, regardless of how they started.

Recruit: I'm slipping, please, please help. I don't want to do this.

Drill instructor: You're fine.

Recruit: No, I'm not, please.

Drill instructor: Good lord, son.

Narrator: Any recruit with a fear of heights gets the chance to conquer that fear, courtesy of this 47-foot-tall tower. Recruits must rappel down using two different methods.

Recruit: For me, the rappel tower was hard 'cause I sort of had a fear of heights.

Drill instructor: Grab hold of my right hand with your right hand.

Recruit: You have to trust a rope, so there's nothing to be worried about. You'll be safe all the time.

Recruit: Can you please help me?

Drill instructor: I'm trying to help you, son.

Recruit: I don't wanna go down.

Narrator: Recruits with a phobia of heights have little choice but to face their fear. One of the most dreaded parts of training is the gas chamber.

Drill instructor: Crush, crush, crush, crush.

Narrator: Where recruits are exposed to CS gas, more commonly known as tear gas. Once the recruits enter the chamber, they break the seals of their gas masks.

Recruit: You go in. You feel it instantly hit your skin. You just feel burning.

Drill instructor: Say something to me, now.

Recruit: Feels like those few minutes felt like an hour.

Narrator: After around five minutes, the recruits are free. But the pain endures.

Recruit: Definitely, you thank God for fresh air. It's really nice to be able to breathe in and not feel an instant burning sensation.

Antonio Garay: Gas chamber's important because it builds confidence. Confidence in the gear, confidence in the drill instructors, and then confidence in themselves.

Narrator: Recruits are trained in different styles of hand-to-hand combat.

Drill instructor: First thing we wanna see is that straight thrust, you understand?

Recruits: Yes, sir.

Drill instructor: Or that butt stroke. Scream aye, sir.

Recruits: Aye, sir.

Narrator: A key aspect of their martial arts training is fighting with pugil sticks.

Drill instructor: You kill that opponent, you understand? Recruits: Aye, aye, sir!

Narrator: The pugil stick techniques are intended to mirror those used in combat while using a bayonet.

Darrin Hill: Here in the Marine Corps we have kind of a little ditty that means red is dead. So, that red side, it's supposed to emulate the actual knife portion of the actual bayonet mounted on the weapon. So anything that you strike with that red tip, nine times out of 10, are either gonna be incapacitated or laid to rest. Honestly, it gives them an opportunity to blow off a little steam. They have a lot of pent-up aggression, especially towards, maybe, their drill instructors. They're out there, they're actually doing what they feel like they signed up to do, which is learn how to combat the enemy.

Narrator: Recruits also practice with actual bayonets.

Recruit: Marine Corps, Marine Corps, Marine Corps, Marine Corps.

Drill instructor: Fight back, you!

Narrator: And engage in other types of hand-to-hand combat.

Drill instructor: Grab the muzzle.

Recruits: Freeze, get back, get back.

Narrator: Although male and female recruits do intersect during training, platoons are separated by gender. And although the Recruit Depot has experimented with integration before, the Marine Corps is the only military branch that separates male and female recruits during basic training.

According to the Corps, every Marine is first and foremost a rifleman. Recruits spend the bulk of two weeks devoted to marksmanship... the first of which sees few shots actually fired.

Jonathan Gilbert: First off is the fundamentals. They have to understand how to aim. They have to understand exactly how to breathe when they're taking that shot. They have to understand exactly how to squeeze the trigger and how to have follow-through and recovery with the rifle.

Kopke: Combat operations is the foundation for every single Marine, regardless of what your occupation is. What it is to sit behind a rifle, look down that barrel, and be able to put lead on target.

Recruits: Aye, sir.

Drill instructor: You are going to swim until you pass that ladder.

Recruits: Aye, sir.

Narrator: The Marine Corps is defined as an amphibious warfare force. Therefore, swimming plays a key role in training. During swim week, recruits go through numerous exercises in the pool while wearing their camouflage uniforms. But training at Parris Island isn't all physical. Recruits also spend long hours in the classroom. But what may seem like downtime...

Drill instructor: Push, push, push. Can end at any moment when a drill instructor decides to order an impromptu cardio session. At Parris Island, it's what known as getting slayed.

Recruit: It's an experience. You realize the thing you done to get in the sandpit, and then you realize, OK, that hurt, so let's not do that again.

Recruit: Physically, it hurts, but me, personally, I never worried about the pain I was feeling in my body; it was more thinking about the mistake I made and how I need to correct it the next time.

Kopke: So, there's gonna be some chaos. Because, when they come here, we wanna tear them down a little bit. And then we wanna bring them back up into the mold of what it is to be a United States Marine.

Narrator: Recruit training culminates in an event known as the Crucible. Over the course of 54 hours, with minimal sleep and food, recruits must endure realistic combat scenarios. The sounds of gunfire and shelling are played over loudspeakers mounted in the training area. Recruits are forced to work together to overcome obstacles and achieve objectives that require problem-solving and strategy.

Drill instructor: You gotta start all over.

Recruits: Aye, sir.

Narrator: This is what we saw on the second day. The recruits had become exhausted and irritable.

Recruit: Catchers ready?

Recruits: Ready!

Recruit: Jumping.

Recruits: Jump away.

Recruit: Just jump. Jump.

Drill instructor: You're not even jumping.

Recruit: Aye, sir.

Drill instructor: You're just falling down.

Recruit: Aye, sir.

Recruit: You know, you go through a really rough time. You just start thinking, man, like, it's hot, I'm thirsty, my arms haven't felt this bad in my whole life.

Recruit: We're halfway there, come on.

Recruit: You just keep looking at the person to the left and right of you, like, well, he's doing it. I gotta keep going. Like, I'm not gonna let him do it on his own. So there's no reason not to push.

Narrator: Once the Crucible is complete, these recruits officially become Marines. The day before graduation, friends and family see their new Marines for the first time in more than three months.

Kopke: Families that come down for graduation day that haven't seen their son or daughter in about three months immediately notice not only a physical but an intangible difference. When they walk across that parade deck on training day 70 and they graduate, they're no longer recruits; they're Marines.

Narrator: Meanwhile, in the barracks of Lima Company:

Drill instructor: I'm talking to you.

Recruit: Aye, sir.

Drill instructor: All those wrinkles right here, get all that trash out.

Recruit: Aye, sir.

Narrator: Brand new recruits diligently square away their racks before being warmly welcomed by their senior drill instructor.

James Espinoza: Sit up straight and look at me. Our mission is to train each one of you to become a United States Marine. Discipline and spirit are the hallmarks of a Marine. We will give every effort to train you, even after some of you have given up on yourself. Starting now, you will treat me and all other Marines with the highest respect. Physical or verbal abuse by any Marine or recruit will not be tolerated. My drill instructors and I will be with you every day. Everywhere you go, you must give 100% of yourself at all times. Above all else, never quit or give up. We offer you the challenge of recruit training and the opportunity to earn the title United States Marine.

Recruits: Yes, sir.

SEE ALSO: Inside the Coast Guard's 8-week boot camp where recruits go through extreme physical tests and brutal 'smoke sessions'

Join the conversation about this story »

• The Marine Corps has announced that all Marines may now use umbrellas while wearing their service and dress uniforms.
• Previously, only women Marines were allowed to use umbrellas while in service or dress uniform.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Repeat after me Marines: This is my umbrella! There are many like it, but this one is mine!

That's right. In an event that rivals the Marine Corps' founding on November 10, 1775, in terms of significance, Corps officials have announced that all Marines may now shield themselves from the rain under the latest changes to uniform regulations.

"Marines can carry an all-black, plan, standard or collapsible umbrella at their option during inclement weather with the service and dress uniforms," according to a new All Marine Corps message, which is expected to be posted by tomorrow evening.

Until now, only female Marines had been allowed to use umbrellas while wearing the service or dress uniform.

The revised umbrella policy is just one of the decisions made by the Marine Corps Uniform Board in September. Another major change is that female Marines can now wear gold or silver ball earrings with their service and dress uniforms.

As with all matters regarding uniforms, Marine Corps Commandant Gen. David Berger made the decision to finally allow Marines to use umbrellas, said Mary Boyt, the uniform board's program manager.

"The option to authorize the use of umbrellas when in uniform has been presented to previous commandants," Boyt told Task & Purpose. "However it has only recently been approved by Gen. Berger."

Soldiers, sailors, and airmen are already allowed to carry umbrellas in certain conditions. Since Marines are famous for getting drenched whenever they are outside, the Corps' umbrella announcement has added meaning.

Alas, Marines cannot use umbrellas while in their camouflage uniforms, so Devil Dogs will continue to get soaking wet every time they are in the field for training or operations.

As previously mentioned, the uniform board has made several other changes about what Marines can wear, such as earrings.

In typical Marine Corps fashion, the Corps message goes into minute detail about what earrings are acceptable: "Small, polished, yellow gold or silver colored, ball, or round stud earrings (post, screw-on, or clip), not to exceed 6 millimeters (about 1/4 inch) in diameter, may be worn with the service, blue dress, and blue-white dress."

The message delves even further into the minutiae about when and how female Marines can wear half ponytails during PT, promising a new graphic on the matter is forthcoming.

SEE ALSO: The Marine Corps wants to know what Marines' favorite late-night snacks are

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Someone has fixed the most annoying thing about umbrellas

• Conflict photographer Lynsey Addario has taken photographs in the Middle East, Africa, and South America.
• But Addario was shaken by something much closer to home when she photographed Marine Corps recruits during boot camp at Parris Island in South Carolina.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Conflict photographer Lynsey Addario has seen a hell of a lot of combat over the past 20 years.

She patrolled Afghanistan's Helmand Province with the Marines, accompanied the Army on night raids in Baghdad, took artillery fire with rebel fighters in Libya, and has taken photos in countless other wars and humanitarian disasters around the world.

Along the way, Addario captured images of plenty of women serving with pride in uniform, not only in the US armed forces, but also on the battlefields of Syria, Colombia, South Sudan and Israel.

Her photographs are the subject of a new article in the November 2019 special issue of National Geographic, "Women: A Century of Change," the magazine's first-ever edition written and photographed exclusively by women.

The photos showcase the wide range of goals and ideals for which these women took up arms. Addario's work includes captivating vignettes of a seasoned guerrilla fighter in the jungles of Colombia; a team of Israeli military police patrolling the streets of Jerusalem; and a unit of Kurdish women guarding ISIS refugees in Syria. Some fight to prove themselves, others seek to ignite social change in their home country, and others do it to liberate other women from the grip of ISIS.

Addario visited several active war zones for the piece, but she found herself shaken by something much closer to home: the Marine Corps Recruit Depot at Parris Island, South Carolina.

Addario discussed her visit to boot camp and her other travels in an interview with Task & Purpose, which has been lightly edited for length and clarity.

SEE ALSO: After 200 years, all Marines are finally allowed to carry umbrellas

Task & Purpose: Out of all the programs in the US military, what made you choose to cover Marine Corps boot camp?

Lynsey Addario: Some of the toughest battles I've been in were with the Marines, and in 2009 and 2010 I was with the Female Engagement Teams [in Afghanistan] with the Marines. So I wanted to sort of work backwards and and see what that initial recruit-to-Marine process was like.

Task & Purpose: What was it like going backwards? Did you see what you expected to see?

Addario: I think for any journalist embedding with the military, there is an incredible sense of discipline and following orders. There's a real change from walking in as a recruit and then getting screamed at all the time as the routine is ingrained and embedded into their minds and their bodies.

That was pretty harsh. I understand why it's done intellectually, but it was tough to be around so much screaming all the time. But I guess it's a necessary part if you want to create that level of respect for your seniors and also to create that sense of discipline.

Task & Purpose: You've been in so many war zones and humanitarian disasters, but being in boot camp with all the shouting was still enough to rattle you a little bit.

Addario: Yeah, it was surprising. We journalists don't have a chain of command in the field.

Of course, like the military, you know, we follow the rules, but when we're out on our own covering a war there's no one there to tell us what to do. So it was a very different for me. I've never been in that setting where they're being groomed to become Marines.

Task & Purpose: I was really blown away by that quote you had from the commander of female recruits at Parris Island. "Women learn weakness. We can also unlearn it." That really struck me because I think the phrase, "pain is weakness leaving the body" gets used a lot in the Marines, What was it like hearing that quote?

Addario: Well, I think the point was when you empower women and you make women feel like they can do anything, automatically, they feel like they can do anything. But when you systematically say women aren't strong enough to be in the Marines, or women can't keep up or, you know, put them in a different category, then you start to believe that.

That's relevant for the Marines, but it's relevant in many arenas. If you go into something with that being ingrained in your head, like 'you won't be able to do this or maybe you're lesser than your male comrades or colleagues,' then it's going to be harder to overcome that.

Every time I walked into an embed over the years, there was no hiding that face a male soldier makes when he looks at me and is like, "Oh, s---, it's a woman. Whe's going to slow us down, like, she's not going to be strong enough. She's not gonna be able to keep up with us when the bullets are flying. She's going to cry."

They don't have to say it, but there's a look. Like in the Korengal Valley, when we embedded with the 173rd [Airborne] for almost two months for The New York Times Magazine, initially the public affairs officer was like, "eh, it's not really a place that's fit for women." And we were like, "Well, why not?"

Eventually a colonel let us go and we spent two months there, and we kept up. I think the important thing is you can be told one thing, but you can show another.

Task & Purpose: A lot of the discussion about ground combat units in the US opening up to women inevitably brings up worries about how women in combat units might affect the performance or camaraderie of the unit. Do you have any thoughts on that, given the diversity of the units you embedded with?

Addario: Look, it's not really for me to say because I can't see what happens, you know, throughout, because as a journalist I go in for a very short period of time.

I've had a Marine public affairs officer say, "Look, we conducted a years-long study looking at the effect that women would have on combat, and we saw that they would make us a less effective fighting force in the infantry."

So it's not for me to say, but certainly they have their reasoning. My feeling in any sort of arena is, if someone is fit to do something, male or female, the position should be open to them.

Task & Purpose: Despite this Nat Geo article being about how women are on the battlefield more than ever, there weren't any photos of women actually fighting in combat.

Addario: That's obviously something I fought for really hard, because I personally have spent time on the battlefield and I kept getting told that women were fighting at the front and they were some of the toughest fighters.

For example, the IDF (Israeli Defense Forces) is very public about how their women are out there everywhere. I had a lot of correspondence with the IDF, and I dedicated a week to covering whatever they would show me. I said, "I'm fine to risk my life, you can send me to the toughest places," and they only would show me training.

So that was a real source of tension. It was basically a matter of access. The YPG women, the women fighting ISIS ... most of what I was given access to, and only because I pushed extraordinarily hard to get the access, was to women searching all the women coming out [of ISIS-held territory], standing guard on the perimeter, but not in battle.

And I tried for four days on the front line, like literally being told to go to this place or to go to this post and that post and being really given the run-around for days. That was something that was super frustrating for me.

I don't know what the takeaway is, is the takeaway that women really aren't fighting as much as men, or aren't fighting much more than they used to be? Maybe this is a gradual progression? I don't know, because it was very difficult to get access to that element of the story.

Task & Purpose: Wow, that sounds incredibly frustrating. If you had talked to the public affairs people or other officials and asked to embed with a male unit fighting, do you think they would have been more receptive of it?

Addario: Yeah, yeah, I think so. It was like on the forefront of my mind the entire story and the whole time I was in Israel and Syria. I was trying to get access to women actually actively fighting.

I mean, one of the main reasons for even including Israel is because historically they were one of the first to incorporate women in the military. And they actually gave me the worst access. They didn't show me anything. It was basically just training and an earthquake recovery drill, which was really frustrating.

Task & Purpose: What to you would gender equality look like, in the US military or maybe more broadly in other militaries?

Addario: I think that when you talk about gender equality in the military, it's basically having those positions be open and then seeing who has the ability to fulfill them.

But you know, I'm not in the military, and I'm not an expert on the military. I have spent a lot of time with the military. But that's not really for me to talk about or speculate or anything.

For more of Addario's work, visit National Geographic.

• Sixteen US Marines were arrested during a battalion formation at Camp Pendleton in California in July on charges related to human smuggling and drug trafficking.
• But a military judge ruled this week that the arrests, which were witnesses by more than 800 people, were unlawful.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

The July arrests of 16 US Marines on charges related to human smuggling and drug trafficking were found to be unlawful by a military judge this week.

An attorney for one of the accused Marines asserted that the decision prevented the men from missing out on a fair trial.

"It sends a signal to the government," lawyer Bethany Payton-O'Brien said. "I'm not going to tolerate, and we should not tolerate, a command basically imposing the verdict before the court is ever held."

The Marines were arrested en masse in July during a battalion formation at Camp Pendleton in San Diego, which was witnessed by more than 800 people. Video of the arrest was released and shared last week.

Two Marines, Lance Cpl. Byron Law and Lance Cpl. David Javier Salazar-Quintero, were pulled over by Border Patrol officers on July 3 and were found to have three unauthorized migrants in their vehicle. The immigrants claimed they had made a deal to pay the Marines $8,000 to get them to locations in Los Angeles and New Jersey.

Both men were charged by the US District Court for the Southern District of California. The following 16 arrests were said to have been a result of an investigation by the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, which extracted incriminating details from the phones of Law and Salazar-Quintero.

It was not immediately clear if the military judge's decision to condemn the July mass arrest as unlawful would have any impact on crimes the Marines were charged with.

"The public humiliation of my client and others in the case was wrong," Payton-O'Brien also said. "It was illegal, and the Marine Corps' attempt to try to influence the outcome of this case and poison the jury pool."

Charges against three of the arrested Marines were dropped by prosecutors, according to reports.

SEE ALSO: Video shows 16 US Marines being arrested during formation in connection with a human smuggling ring

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Step aboard the USS Kearsarge, the US Navy workhorse that takes Marines to war

• A judge ruled last week that it was unlawful for the Marine Corps to arrest several Marines during a morning battalion formation.
• Now Marine Corps prosecutors are trying to salvage cases tied to a human-smuggling investigation.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Marine Corps prosecutors were scrambling Tuesday to save numerous cases tied to a human smuggling investigation after a military judge ruled it was illegal for the military to arrest the Marines during a morning battalion formation and accuse them in front of their peers.

Maj. Kendra Motz said prosecutors were meeting at Marine Corps Camp Pendleton to explore their options, but she did not know what they were considering.

The judge, Marine Col. Stephen Keane, gave prosecutors until November 25 to offer a way to remedy the situation.

When ruling Friday, Marine Col. Stephen Keane agreed with defense attorneys who said the command violated the rights of the defendants when they pulled 16 Marines out of a battalion formation of 800 troops at Camp Pendleton on July 25 and accused them of the crimes in front of their unit.

The unit's leaders called them "a cancer" and "bad Marines," defense attorneys said.

In the end, only 10 of those in the formation were charged with various crimes ranging from the distribution of LSD, stealing smoke grenades to illegally transporting immigrants to help a smuggling operation, according to charge sheets.

Two Marines were arrested near the US-Mexico border after being stopped by the Border Patrol and found to have immigrants in their car, according to court documents. Another service member was arrested, but not during the formation.

Keane said the public display of the arrests amounted to unlawful command influence. That is when commanders use their positions of power to affect a case and compromise the ability to hold a fair trial.

The judge said that if the prosecution cannot remedy the situation, the court would be left with only one option. Defense attorneys for some of the Marines have asked for charges to be dismissed. They say otherwise it will be difficult to find an impartial jury pool.

"I don't know how they can un-ring the bell," said defense attorney Bethany Payton-O'Brien, who is asking that the charges be dismissed against her client, Cpl. Trenton Elliot, 27, citing unlawful command influence.

The Marine Corps filmed the arrests, and part of the video was later obtained by the San Diego Union-Tribune.

A battalion commander and a sergeant major can be heard on the video calling the detained "bad Marines" and "a cancer," Payton-O'Brien said.

"The Marine Corps that day essentially announced to the world that they are guilty," she said. "How do we now go and defend them?"

The Marine Corps said in a statement after the newspaper reported on the video that it was made to document the arrests "in an unbiased, non-editorialized manner."

The video is for official use only and would not be released, Motz said. Prosecutors declined to be interviewed, saying they do not comment on pending cases.

The arrests came after two Marines were stopped by the US Border Patrol about 7 miles north of the border on July 3. Three Mexican migrants who came into the country illegally were sitting in the back seat of the black BMW driven by one of the Marines, according to the federal complaint.

The three migrants told authorities that they were from Mexico and had agreed to pay $8,000 to be smuggled into the United States, documents say.

US Border Patrol officials say smuggling rings have been luring US troops, police officers, Border Patrol agents and others to work for them as drivers — a crucial component of moving migrants further into the United States once smugglers get them over the border from Mexico.

None of the Marines are accused of bringing immigrants across the border.

Elliot was charged with the illegal transportation of immigrants within the United States, position of drug paraphernalia, and larceny of a government training pistol and small rounds, Payton-O'Brien said.

He was working out a plea deal with prosecutors when defense lawyers obtained the video. When the motion was filed alleging unlawful command influence, the prosecution withdrew from the agreement, Payton-O'Brien said.

The 13 cases are being handled separately. Experts say lawyers representing the 10 Marines arrested during the battalion formation could use the ruling to argue that their cases should be dismissed.

"Having been a judge, I know courts are not eager to dismiss a case. But the law is the law, and if the judge is unsatisfied with the remedies that result from his warning, then he is going to have little choice than to dismiss the charges," said Gary Solis a former Marine Corps prosecutor and military judge who teaches law at Georgetown University.

SEE ALSO: 16 Marines were arrested in front of 800 witnesses this summer — a military judge now says it was unlawful

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NOW WATCH: Step aboard the USS Kearsarge, the US Navy workhorse that takes Marines to war

• A Marine lance corporal has become the first female Marine in history to graduate the Basic Reconnaissance Course.
• Lance Cpl. Alexa Barth completed the 12-week course on Nov. 7.
• The primer course for all prospective recon Marines prior to BRC places heavy emphasis on swimming, and has an average attrition rate between 50 to 60%, a spokesman said.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

A Marine lance corporal has become the first female Marine in history to graduate the Basic Reconnaissance Course, earning the military occupational specialty of 0321 Reconnaissance Marine.

Lance Cpl. Alexa Barth completed the 12-week course on Nov. 7, said Maj. Kendra Motz, a Marine spokeswoman. Barth previously graduated from the Corps' Infantry Training Battalion-East, earning the MOS of 0311 Rifleman.

The news was first reported by Marine Corps Times.

After graduating from ITB, Barth was sent to Reconnaissance Training Company at Camp Pendleton, where she successfully completed the recon training and assessment program (RTAP). This primer course for all prospective recon Marines prior to BRC places heavy emphasis on swimming, and has an average attrition rate between 50 to 60%, said Maj. Joshua Benson, a spokesman for Marine Corps Combat Development Command.

At BRC, Barth and other students learned basic reconnaissance skills such as amphibious entry, extraction, patrolling, land navigation, and weapons, according to a course description.

A separate document for prospective attendees notes that Marines and sailors at the course "will perform physical tasks involving obstacles, swimming while wearing utilities with boots, open-ocean swimming with fins in full combat equipment, and travelling long distances cross country while carrying a rucksack weighing as much as 85 pounds."

"Total body strength and physical endurance is mission critical to ensure success at BRC," the policy document adds.

Historically, roughly 25 to 40 percent of Marines are unable to complete BRC, said Benson, the Corps spokesman. Benson added that in addition to being the first female graduate of BRC, she was also the first ever to apply and attempt it.

No other female Marines besides Barth are in recon training, Benson said.

Barth has additional training ahead before she joins her unit, which is slated to be California-based 1st Reconnaissance Battalion. That could happen sometime in late spring of 2020, given she meets all training requirements.

Reconnaissance Marines are a commander's "eyes and ears on the battlefield," according to the policy document, adding that they are organized into highly-trained six person teams that often carry out missions behind enemy lines.

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NOW WATCH: A podiatrist explains heel spurs, the medical condition Trump said earned him a medical deferment from Vietnam

• We got an inside look at how United States Marine Corps recruits are trained to fight with bayonets in basic training.
• Senior video correspondent Graham Flanagan spent five days at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in Parris Island, SC, where he observed various stages of training.
• Recruits train with real bayonets, which consist of a blade mounted onto the barrel of an M16 rifle.
• To safely simulate hand-to-hand combat using bayonet techniques, recruits fight each other with padded "pugil sticks."
• Separated by weight class, the recruits aim to land a "killing blow" on their opponent by striking them with the red side of the pugil stick.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Following is a transcript of the video.

Narrator: These Marine Corps recruits are fighting with pugil sticks used to simulate hand-to-hand combat with bayonets.

Martial arts instructor: You suck! Strip and go to the penalty box now. That's what I'm talking about!

Recruit: Aye, aye, sir!

Instructor: That's what I'm talking about!

Recruit: Aye, aye, sir!

Instructor: Run away!

Narrator: Here at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in Parris Island South Carolina, recruits train with real bayonets comprised of a blade mounted on the barrel of an M16 rifle.

Drill instructor: Next station!

SSgt Darrin Hill: A bayonet's used in close combat situations with the enemy if they're too close for you to actually fire or you have to engage them quick, or you actually run out of ammunition.

Recruit: Marine Corps! Marine Corps! Marine Corps! Marine Corps!

Hill: Pugil sticks is a way for them to implement those techniques that they learned for bayonet without actually causing permanent damage to the opponent.

Narrator: Before they suit up to fight, a martial arts instructor briefs the recruits on the objectives of the training. Recruits: Aye, sir.

Martial arts instructor: The first thing we want to see is that straight thrust, you understand?

Recruits: Yes, sir!

Hill: Here in the Marine Corps we have kind of a little ditty that means, "red is dead." So, that red side is supposed to emulate the actual knife portion of the actual bayonet. If you cut somebody or stab someone with that side on an actual bayonet, 9 times of 10 are either gonna be incapacitated or laid to rest.

Narrator: Before the recruits match up, two instructors provide an example. Recruits are separated by weight class.

Drill instructor: I'm gonna call out weights. When I call out your weight you're gonna get in one formation. 225 and above, run right now.

Drill instructor: Run!

Drill instructor: 195.

Drill instructor: Put it on. Recruit: Aye, sir!

Narrator: Along with mouth guards, recruits wear helmets, protective gloves, and padding for the upper and lower body.

Hill: A Pugil stick is just comprised of either a wood or a plastic log that's about five to six feet long. It has padding on either end of the pugil stick as well as in the center. It's just a big Q-tip if you will. The objective is actually to get well aimed, purposeful shots in on the opponent. We usually try to blow the whistle after a killing blow which is identified by that red side striking the opponent. You get that killing blow, you win the bout.

Narrator: Each contest has a winner and a loser.

Martial arts instructor: That's what I'm talking about.

Recruit: Aye, aye, sir! 

Martial arts instructor:  That's what I'm talking about.

Recruit: Aye, aye, sir!

Instructor: Run away!

Narrator: While the winner is praised, the loser must pay an additional price,  which drill instructors describe as going to the penalty box.

Drill instructor: Your still not screaming!

Recruits: Aye, sir.

Drill instructor: I said open up your mouth!

Hill: That's just basically a series of planking positions that they will hold for no longer than 30 seconds.

Drill instructor: We'll stay here all day then!

Recruits: Aye, sir.

Drill instructor: We don't want to scream!

Recruits: Aye, sir.

Hill: There's nothing wrong with a little extra PT to strengthen your core, whatever the case may be. We motivate 'em, get 'em back to where the need to be.

Narrator: Although each fight starts on the bridge, it doesn't always end there.

Hill: Not every fight is gonna be on flat or level ground. Could be on slope, you could be on a hill, you could be in water. So if they're only used to fighting on a level playing field and not have to worry about levels, then they're gonna be used to that. You only build those good habits if you actually do it. The takeaway that I really want them to get is just be prepared in any situation. Just because there's an M16 or a gun doesn't mean that the only way you can take your enemy out is by firing a round. It's probably one of the highlights of recruit training for them. They're out there, they're actually doing what they feel like they signed up to do, which is learn how to combat the enemy.

SEE ALSO: 

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• Photographer Lynsey Addario has been covering the military for over 20 years.
• She took photos of women in militaries around the world for National Geographic.
• She says, in her experience, most women in the military want to be seen as fighters, not women, but maintain their femininity in subtle ways.
• Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

There are more women in the US military now than there have ever been before. With women's increasing participation and leadership come new opportunities to share their stories from the front lines.

Photographer Lynsey Addario has been covering the military for over 20 years. For her latest photo series in National Geographic's November 2019 issue, she followed women in different militaries around the world, capturing intimate portraits of their training and everyday life.

Lynsey Addario took photos of women in different militaries around the world for the November 2019 issue of National Geographic.

Addario has been photographing the military for more than 20 years. For this National Geographic series, she focused on women's experiences in the armed forces.

"It was a story that I pitched a long time ago, but it never came together until this issue that National Geographic did that was shot by women, produced by women, and written by women," she said.

She followed Marines-in-training at Parris Island in South Carolina as they completed their final test: a 54-hour marathon known as "the Crucible."

Addario enjoyed shooting pictures at Parris Island both because of the setting's gorgeous lighting and the opportunity to capture the soldiers' transformations.

"The women are so young and they're really transitioning from civilian to Marine, and I like seeing that on their faces," she said. "I think that's fascinating not only visually but psychologically, how training and years of war and every aspect of women on the front lines really reveals something different in people."

Addario was inspired by the women's grit through the difficult challenge.

"The women are exhausted — they've been running on nothing," she said. "For me, it was really inspiring to see, and it was exciting because everything they've been training for for the previous 11 weeks culminates with that. They just have to get through the 54-hour period."

She also captured less grandiose moments, such as a soldier being disciplined for slouching.

"That moment is right out of a movie for me," she said. "Across the board, when you join the military, you have to conform to the rules."

One of Addario's most talked-about photos shows a female Marine carrying her male counterpart.

"I love that moment because she's so tough," she said. "It really speaks to one of the things that the Marine commanders often cite as a reason to not have women on the front lines — that if a male Marine was wounded, a woman couldn't carry them out of battle. Obviously, that photo counters that very directly."

Addario also photographed women in the ELN, Colombia's National Liberation Front.

"With the ELN, they wanted to fight for the injustices of the poor and minorities in Colombia," she said. "There were different reasons with different groups of women, but overall most of the women fighters ironically didn't want to be seen as women, they just wanted to be seen as fighters."

When ELN fighters went to the river to wash their clothes, Addario captured a small symbol of traditional femininity amid the tough conditions — a pink, lacy bra.

"I just loved seeing that fuchsia bra underneath her camisole because it reminds me that as much as women on the front lines try to say, 'I'm not a woman, I'm a fighter, I'm as tough as men,' there's always that moment that reveals some women want to maintain that femininity, whether it's something hidden or whether it's something for themselves," she said.

She hopes that the photo series helps raise awareness about powerful women in the military.

"I think people are surprised to see women on the front lines in so many places," Addario said. "Around the world, there are women fighting in different arenas. I hope that's a little surprising to the reader, and that they learn a little bit about what women are doing and how tough they are."

For more on this story, visit National Geographic.

• Read more:
• THEN AND NOW: How women's roles have changed in the US military
• 8 famous women you had no idea served in the military
• Stunning photos of women doing 'men's work' shatter gender stereotypes