Gidget Fuentes

About Gidget Fuentes

Gidget Fuentes is a freelance writer based in San Diego, Calif. She has spent more than 20 years reporting extensively on the Marine Corps and the Navy, including West Coast commands and Pacific regional issues.

Recent Posts By the Author


Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group Returns from Indo-Pacific Deployment Highlighted by South China Sea Operations

Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group Returns from Indo-Pacific Deployment Highlighted by South China Sea Operations

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USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72), lead ship of the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group, returned to Naval Air Station North Island on Aug. 11, 2022, after a deployment to U.S. 3rd and 7th Fleets in support of maritime secuirty operations to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific. U.S. Navy Photo

USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) and most of its strike group returned home this week, ending an Indo-Pacific deployment that crossed some 62,000 miles across the Pacific and was the first to set sail with the Marine Corps’ F-35C Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter fifth-generation jet.

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UPDATED: Marines Pause Amphibious Combat Vehicle Operations at Sea After 2 ACVs Disabled in Heavy Surf

UPDATED: Marines Pause Amphibious Combat Vehicle Operations at Sea After 2 ACVs Disabled in Heavy Surf

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Disabled ACVs on July 19, 2022, off the coat of California

This post has been updated with a statement from the Marine Corps pausing waterborne operations as a result of the July 19 training incident.

The Marines are keeping their Amphibious Combat Vehicles out of the water following a Tuesday training incident in heavy surf that disabled two ACVs, the service announced late Wednesday. Read More →

Mobilize the Entire Navy Reserve? There's Now an App for That

Mobilize the Entire Navy Reserve? There’s Now an App for That

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Vice Adm. John B. Mustin, Chief of Navy Reserve and Commander, Navy Reserve Force hosted the i3 Waypoints final presentations at Defense Media Activity in Ft. Meade, Md., on June 28, 2022. US Navy Reserve Photo

The Navy Reserve is developing a mobile app to make it easier for reservists to report for duty using a solution that will come in handy if it ever activates the entire 50,000-member Selected Reserve. Read More →

SECNAV Censures Retired Marine General, Navy Officers Over 2020 Fatal AAV Sinking

SECNAV Censures Retired Marine General, Navy Officers Over 2020 Fatal AAV Sinking

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Secretary of the Navy censured five officers related to the 2020 AAV sinking off California. Clockwise from top left: Capt. J.W. David Kurtz, retired Lt. Gen. Joseph Osterman, Lt. Col. Keith Brenize , Capt. Stewart Bateshansky, Col. Christopher Bronzi. USNI News Photo Graphic

The Navy’s top civilian leader issued formal administrative punishments to five senior officers for their part in the fatal 2020 sinking of a Marine Corps amphibious assault vehicle that killed eight Marines and a Navy corpsman, officials confirmed Monday. Read More →

Marine Corps Identify 5 Killed in Southern California MV-22B Crash

Marine Corps Identify 5 Killed in Southern California MV-22B Crash

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Top row (left to right) Capt. John Sax, Capt. Nicholas Losapio, Cpl. Nathan Carlson
Bottom row (left to right) Cpl. Seth Rasmuson, Lance Cpl. Evan Strickland

The five Marines who were killed when their MV-22B Osprey tiltrotor aircraft went down Wednesday in a Southern California desert were members of the “Purple Foxes” of Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 364 based at Camp Pendleton, Calif., service officials announced late Friday. Read More →

5 Marines Killed in MV-22B Crash in Southern California as Recovery Continues and Investigation Begins

5 Marines Killed in MV-22B Crash in Southern California as Recovery Continues and Investigation Begins

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An MV-22B Osprey with Marine Operational Test and Evaluation Squadron (VMX) 1 transports ordnance during an Expeditionary Advanced Base Operation (EABO) exercise to Old Highway 101 near Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, May 25, 2022. U.S. Marine Corps Photo

Military investigators began their work to determine what caused an MV-22B Osprey tiltrotor aircraft to go down in a Southern California desert on Wednesday, killing five Marines aboard, military officials said Thursday. Read More →

UPDATED: Status of 5 Marines Unknown Following MV-22B Osprey Crash in Southern California

UPDATED: Status of 5 Marines Unknown Following MV-22B Osprey Crash in Southern California

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U.S. Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 362 (reinforced), 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit takes off during an Amphibious Raid course at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, May 17, 2022. US Marine Corps Photo

An MV-22B Osprey tiltrotor aircraft carrying five Marines assigned to a squadron based at Camp Pendleton, Calif., went down Wednesday afternoon in the Southern California desert, military officials said. Read More →

New Marine Littoral Regiment Will Make Debut in This Year’s RIMPAC Drills

New Marine Littoral Regiment Will Make Debut in This Year’s RIMPAC Drills

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U.S. Marines with 3d Marine Littoral Regiment, 3d Marine Division, post security during a field training exercise at Marine Corps Training Area Bellows, Hawaii, May 30, 2022. US Marine Corps Photo

Marines with 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment will join ground forces along with a fleet of ships, submarines and aircraft from 26 countries for this year’s multinational, Rim of the Pacific maritime exercise off Hawaii, officials told USNI News. Read More →