Historically, policies involving the deportation of veterans have not always been closely followed. Marine officer retention dropped slightly from fiscal year 2019 to 2023. Three men stranded on an uninhabited Pacific island used palm fronds to spell out “HELP” on the beach, allowing Navy and Coast Guard aviators to spot them. The death of Pfc. Noah Jamar Evans on April 18, 2023, during a physical fitness test prompted the Marine Corps to open an investigation. A chief patrol agent with the Border Patrol said the man was in the country illegally. Lt. Col. Christopher O’Melia was relieved of command of 1st Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, by the commanding general of 1st Marine Division. If Congress does not approve a federal appropriations plan by midnight, some military activities could be postponed or canceled over the weekend. For the Marines who may one day carry out new kinds of operations, the stakes of these games are high. Sgt. Amed Issa, a Marine infantryman, ran toward gunfire to save a man who had been shot 23 times outside a bar in Honolulu. Learn how your military benefits — including health care, retirement pay and more — have changed in 2024. Load More