U.S. Marine Corps top leaders visit MCAS Yuma, provide guidance

The U.S. Marine Corps top leaders visited Marine Corps Air Station Yuma Monday to provide guidance on where the Corps is now and their vision for the future.

Gen. James F. Amos, the 35th Commandant of the Marine Corps, and Sgt. Major Michael P. Barrett, the 17th Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps, visited MCAS Yuma as a part of the Commandant's Corps-wide “Heritage Tour” being conducted over the coming months.

The purpose of the tour is for the commandant and sergeant major to emphasize their expectations for leadership and conduct in the Marine Corps. Addressing senior enlisted members and officers, the briefing emphasized going back to the basics of being a leader, setting the example and holding members to the highest traditions and standards of the U.S. Marine Corps.

Additionally during the visit, Mrs. Bonnie Amos, the commandant's wife, met with military family members to discuss family readiness and conducted a tour of Marine Corps Family Team Building services offered on station.

From the Youth/Teen Center and the newly renovated pool with waterslides to the Single Marine Program recreation center and the post deployment, “Adrenaline Rush” pilot program, MCAS Yuma showcased many of the programs that directly impact morale and esprit de corps here in the Desert Southwest.

The commandant and sergeant major of the Marine Corps also received an update about the Joint Strike Fighter build up from the Commanding Officer of MCAS Yuma, Col. Robert Kuckuk; as well as an AV-8B Harrier operations brief during a meeting with the Marine Aircraft Group-13 Commanding Officer, Col. Michael Gough.

They were also given an update about the latest Marine Air Ground Task Force integrated training offered by Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron-1 during a sit down visit with MAWTS-1 Commanding Officer, Col. Bradford Gering.

Amos and Barrett are scheduled to visit additional West Coast Marine Corps installations and bases this week.