Jeffrey Pursley

The 2nd Battalion, 8th Marines (2/8), was activated on April 1, 1940, and is a distinguished infantry battalion of the United States Marine Corps. During World War II, the unit fought in major battles, including Guadalcanal, Tarawa, Saipan, Tinian, and Okinawa. In the decades since, 2/8 has deployed to numerous global hotspots, participating in operations in Lebanon, the Persian Gulf, Iraq, and Afghanistan. The battalion is renowned for its adaptability, combat effectiveness, and commitment to the Marine Corps' legacy of excellence.

Headquarters and Maintenance Squadron 13 (H&MS-13) was a United States Marine Corps aviation support unit established to provide logistical and maintenance support to Marine aircraft squadrons. Originally activated during the Vietnam War era, H&MS-13 was based at Marine Corps Air Station El Toro in California. The squadron played a critical role in ensuring the operational readiness of Marine aircraft by managing supply, avionics, and intermediate-level aircraft maintenance. In 1988, as part of a Corps-wide reorganization, H&MS-13 was redesignated as Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 13 (MALS-13), continuing its mission of aviation logistics support for Marine Aircraft Group 13.