MARINE CORPS AIR STATION MIRAMAR, Calif. – In the spirit of the Marine Aircraft Group 16’s 60th anniversary, MAG-16 Marines ran across the flight line for a motivational run aboard Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Calif., Nov. 16.
Since its birthday on March 2, the group has spent this year celebrating with different events.
“We did a fly over a few months ago, and on the birthday we did our own cake-cutting ceremony,” said Col. Patrick Gramuglia, the commanding officer of MAG-16 and a Cleveland native.
The motivational run is the last event scheduled for the year as part of the celebration.
MAG-16 is comprised of three CH-53E Super Stallion squadrons, four MV-22B Osprey squadrons and Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 16, which all ran in the motivational run.
“There were at least 600 Marines out there for the run supporting the MAG,” said Gramuglia.
Many Marines proudly lead in cadence and motivated with every step.
“As soon as I heard we were doing a run I knew I was going to go out there and sing cadence,” said Staff Sgt. LeeAnn Nelson, the current operations chief with MAG-16 and a Pinewood, S.C., native.
Dedicated Marines showed just how proud MAG-16 Marines are to be a part of this group.
“I’m thrilled to be a part of MAG-16 because the esprit de corps is so strong. I think every Marine embodies it from the most junior private first class to the colonel,” said Nelson.
MAG-16 plans on working hard as it has done for the past 60 years and hopefully will celebrate its 120th anniversary in the next 60 years.