4th Marine Division

In alignment with Department of Defense (DoD) Instruction 5400.17 and recent Executive Orders issued by the President, the United States Marine Corps is reviewing and adjusting its social media content to ensure compliance with DoD policies and priorities. As a result, certain posts have been removed or modified to maintain consistency with federal guidance and uphold the integrity of our official communication channels. The Marine Corps remains committed to transparency, professionalism, and adherence to DoD directives while continuing to engage with our community in a manner that reflects our core values of honor, courage, and commitment. For any questions regarding social media policies, please refer to official DoD guidance available at https:// https://lnkd.in/e7w-ETMc.

Paying It Forward: Marine Receives Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Sgt. Dakota Linker, administrative chief, Inspector-Instructor (I&I), Communications Company, 14th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, was awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal on Feb. 20, 2025, for his efforts in recruiting four Marines from the Individual Ready Reserve (IRR) into the Selected Marine Corps Reserve (SMCR). To date, he has successfully brought eight Marines back into service, with one following his lead by joining the Active Reserve (AR) program. Sgt. Maj. Christopher Adams, sergeant major of 4th Marine Division, recognized Linker’s contributions and reinforced the division’s commitment to the initiative set by Brig. Gen. Kevin Jarrard, commanding general of 4th Marine Division: Every reservist is a recruiter. Adams emphasized the importance of Marines staying connected with one another to ensure readiness for future challenges. For Linker, revitalizing careers in the Reserve Force is personal. In 2021, he found himself far from the Marine Corps, working at a shoe store to make ends meet. He had long envisioned a career as a chief warrant officer, a goal that began during his JROTC days. However, faced with a choice between continuing his service or pursuing a promising civilian career, he left the Corps—only to encounter an unexpected hiring freeze. With bills piling up, he was at a crossroads. Then, a call from a prior service recruiter (PSR) changed everything. Rather than simply re-enlisting, Linker made a proposal: if the Marine Corps could offer him six months of active-duty operational support (ADOS) orders, he would return through the SMCR. The PSR secured an opportunity for him with a unit in his hometown of Indianapolis, Indiana, allowing him to temporarily return to active duty. That second chance gave Linker a new perspective on the flexibility and opportunities within the Marine Corps Reserve. Now serving as an Active Reserve Marine, he continues to pay it forward, helping others rediscover their path in the Corps. “I just look for people who need help like I did,” Linker said. “Everyone gets out of the Marine Corps for a reason, but sometimes it’s not greener on the other side. It works out for some, but not everybody.” (U.S. Marine Corps Photos by Maj. Lara Soto)

"Catching all hell from the quarry. Heavy mortar and machine gun fire!” These words crackled over the comms as the #USMarines and US Navy Corpsmen of Colonel John R. Lanigan’s 25th Marine Regiment assaulted the beach at Blue 1 on Iwo Jima, 80 years ago today as part of 4th Marine Division's landing force. Facing the fiercest resistance encountered among the entire landing force directed from unseen camouflaged positions and with amtracs unable to traverse the volcanic ash, 1st Battalion 25th Marines and 3rd Battalion, 25th Marine Regiment found themselves initially pinned down. Battling their way up the beach, a gap began to form between the two elements and 2d Battalion 25th Marines was committed to fill the gap and seize the high ground half a kilometer inland. In these opening hours, 3/25 suffered 750 casualties. Disorganized and whittled down to an effective force of only 150 men, the battalion was relieved on the line by 1st Battalion 24th Marines. At 1700, the landing force was ordered to dig in to prepare for the imminent banzai attack called for by enemy doctrine but was spared such an onslaught by the fact that the Japanese commander, General Kuribayashi, viewed such tactics as a needless waste of his troops’ lives. Instead, as night fell he ordered an intense and unyielding bombardment by his mortars and artillery as 25th Marines hunkered into their fighting positions for the first night of the invasion. #UncommonValor #DDay #IwoJima

U.S. Marines with 4th Marine Division conduct pre-delivery inspection trials of the Multi Mission Reconnaissance Craft-A (MMRC-A) in Edenton, North Carolina, on Jan. 28, 2025. Working alongside the Naval Surface Warfare Center Carderock Division (NSWCCD), Combatant Craft Division, Marines ensured the craft met naval standards for small craft performance in support of future littoral operations. This initiative enhances Total Force capability development in littoral maneuver, leveraging the expertise of highly skilled Reserve Marines with civilian maritime experience to improve operational effectiveness. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Aaron TorresLemus)

Airborne with 4th Recon: 4th MARDIV CG Joins Quarterly Jump Training Brigadier General John K. Jarrard, commanding general of the 4th Marine Division, recently participated in 4th Reconnaissance Battalion’s quarterly airborne training, which included military free-fall (MFF) and low-level static-line (LLSL) parachute operations. The training took place aboard Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston on Jan. 26, 2025. Leading the first stick in an LLSL jump, Brig. Gen. Jarrard exited the aircraft at 1,500 feet above ground level (AGL) alongside Marines, Sailors, Soldiers, and Airmen over Hondo South Texas Regional Airport. The battalion regularly conducts airborne operations to maintain proficiency and sustain operational readiness.

U.S. Marines with Golf Battery, 3rd Battalion, 14th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, Marine Forces Reserve, participate in Fire Support Coordination Exercise (FSCEX) as part of Adversary Force Exercise (AFX) 1-25 for their pre-deployment training for the 31st MEU, at Training Area Quackenbush, Marine Corps Air-Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, California, Jan. 22, 2025. ? FSCEX is a live-fire training event integrating infantry combat operations, distributed artillery, mobile fire support teams, close air support, and electronic warfare support. The Adversary Force Exercise (AFX) creates a realistic threat for forces in Service Level Training Exercise (SLTE) 1-25 ahead of the Marine Air-Ground Task Force Warfighting Exercise. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Micah Thompson)

Seamless Integration: Tactical Air Control Party Enhances Readiness ?? Camp Shelby, MS From December 2 to 8, 2024, Marines from the 4th Marine Division and across the Marine Forces Reserve gathered at Camp Shelby, Mississippi, for Tactical Air Control Party (TACP) training and qualifications designed to enhance combat readiness. This Close Air Support (CAS) exercise involved over 50 Marines and Airmen from HQ 4MARDIV, 25th Marine Regiment, 23d Marine Regiment, 4th Recon Bn., 3rd Force Recon Co., 4th ANGLICO, 6th ANGLICO, HMLA 773, and the USAF 60th Fighter Squadron. Key Training Highlights: ? Qualified new JTAC instructors ? Re-qualified JTAC instructors and JTACs ? Trained JFO candidates and TACP candidates ? Completed 65 live CAS events and over 300 training simulations ?? U.S. Marine Corps photos by Lance Cpl. Edward Spears

U.S. Marines with 4th Reconnaissance Battalion, 4th Marine Division and Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 268 delivered boxes of toys in support of Marine Toys for Tots Foundation at Kahului Airport, Hawaii, Nov. 26, 2024. 4th Reconnaissance Battalion and VMM-268 supported the Toys for Tots mission by transporting personnel and toys to assist in delivering a message of joy and hope to children throughout the holiday season. ?? Lance Cpl. Moses S. Lopez Franco

Building Lethality: Urban Combat Training at SLTE 0-25 ??Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, California Marines from 2nd Battalion, 23d Marine Regiment sharpened their urban combat skills during a squad urban fundamentals exercise at Range 111 as part of SLTE 0-25, Dec. 3, 2024. SLTE 0-25 is designed to enhance readiness across core Mission Essential Tasks and prepare our Marines and Sailors from 23d Marine Regiment, Marine Forces Reserve, for high-end, force-on-force operations while supporting both modernization and rapid response. ?? U.S. Marine Corps photos by Lance Cpl. Enge You

For 249 years, our illustrious Corps has fought in every clime and place, from the American Revolution to our most recent exploits in Iraq and Afghanistan.? ? Observing the fighting on Iwo Jima in February 1945, Secretary of the Navy James V. Forrestal turned to General “Howlin Mad” Smith, “The raising of that flag on Suribachi means a Marine Corps for the next 500 years.” Here we are 79 years later, thriving as a Corps of hungry meat-eaters, ready to dish out violence to those who dare cross the line and to help those who cannot help themselves. We will remain ready and relevant and maintain our standards, discipline, and warfighting excellence. Happy 249th Birthday, Marines!