Photo By Lance Cpl. Brady Hathaway | U.S. Marines with II Marine Expeditionary Force Innovation Campus pose for a group...... read more read more
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MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. –U.S Marines with 2nd Marine Logistics Group became the first Marine Logistics Group to earn the Education and Workforce Development Award, presented in partnership with America Makes, on February 4, 2026, thanks to their exceptional achievements within the II Marine Expeditionary Force Innovation Campus.
The 10th Annual Military Additive Manufacturing Summit & Technology Showcase kicked off on February 3rd, when industry leaders from across the Department of War, government agencies, international partners and industry professionals were recognized for challenging themselves to further additive technologies. During this summit, renown as “the largest military, aerospace, defense, and warfighting 3D printing event in North America,” 2nd MLG Marines were recognized for continuing to demonstrate how emerging technology can solve real-world logistical challenges at speed and scale.
Receiving the Education and Workforce Development Award recognizes the Innovation Campus’ ability to rapidly design, prototype, and produce mission-critical components, directly enhancing operational readiness and sustainment capabilities. This annual award is presented to an individual or group who has made recognized contributions that impact education and workforce development in Additive Manufacturing and 3D Printing, impacting the Department of War and the industrial base.
The Innovation Campus has collaborated with the Marine Corps Center for Learning and Faculty Development to align additive manufacturing education with established learning standards and instructor development frameworks, supporting scalable, and credible instruction. The II MEF Innovation Campus has also engaged a broad set of critical stakeholders across academia, industry, and the DoW to build and scale additive manufacturing education and workforce development programs that are grounded in operational relevance.
“This award is the direct result of the countless hours the [noncommissioned officers] have spent developing training curriculum, solving problems, and growing the [advanced manufacturing] ecosystem across the Marine Corps,” said U.S. Marine Corps Chief Warrant Officer 3 Matthew Pine, II Marine Expeditionary Force Innovation Campus Officer in Charge.” “Their efforts were the driving factor of our continued growth and impact here on Camp Lejeune.”
Collectively, these stakeholder engagements position the II MEF Innovation Campus as a connective hub that brings together academic institutions, operational units, aviation authorities, and sustainment organizations. Through deliberate collaboration, the Campus has helped build scalable, mission-aligned education and workforce development programs that extend beyond training into real operational integration.
The award recognizes units that leverage advanced manufacturing technologies to improve efficiency, reduce supply chain friction, and increase self-sufficiency in contested or austere environments. Through 3D printing, the II MEF Innovation Campus has enabled Marines to shorten lead times, reduce dependency on external vendors, and deliver tailored solutions directly to supported units all while ensuring they maintain costly solutions to obstacles presented to various units.
Throughout calendar year 2025, the Innovation campus has designed, created, and produced a variety of different equipment to ensure that our Marines and Sailors stay in the fight with working equipment in a timely manner. These creations have ranged from Amphibious Combat Vehicle washers, Joint Light Armored Tactical Vehicle parts, dust covers for various radios, mounting brackets for communications systems, and even the first ever Marine-3D printed National Defense Authorization Act-complainant drone.
From a logistics perspective, these capabilities directly align with 2nd MLG’s mission to sustain the force across all domains. By integrating additive manufacturing into logistics planning and execution, Marines are better equipped to maintain momentum during training and operations.
“Being the first Marine Logistics Group to receive this award really puts into perspective the amount of drive and initiative our Marines and Sailors have toward the future of the force,” said Lt Col. Joussef Donado, the commanding officer of 2nd Maintenance Battalion, 2nd MLG. “With their innovative spirits driving additive manufacturing and 3D printing, our capabilities will continue to evolve and meet the needs of the future force.”
The Innovation Campus’ award-winning efforts demonstrated how small-scale innovation can produce outsized operational effects. These initiatives reflect a broader shift within the Marine Corps toward decentralized, adaptive logistics solutions capable of supporting distributed operations.
“It is an incredible accomplishment to be recognized amongst national industry and government leaders. The feeling is a sense of validation for the Marines committing their time and watching their small wins over time accumulate into national recognition. I hope this recognition assists the rest of the Marine Corps in developing and standardizing training requirements to proliferate this critical technology into our existing supply and maintenance procedures,” mentioned Pine.
Pine went on to talk about the future for the Innovation Campus moving forward, “Our next steps are deepening the level of training we provide students and continuing to find solutions for the Marine Corps. Development of similar capabilities across the [Fleet Marine Force] will require a sacrifice of personnel and funding to get off the ground but will pay outsized returns through empowering Marines at the ground level to produce solutions to their own problems.”
As the first Marine Corps Logistics Group recipient of the Education and Workforce Development Award, the Marines of II MEF Innovation Campus have set the standard for how innovation, technology, and logistics integration can shape the future force. This achievement underscores the Marine Corps’ commitment to modernizing sustainment and empowering Marines at every level to innovate with purpose.
| Date Taken: | 03.03.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 03.13.2026 12:21 |
| Story ID: | 559259 |
| Location: | MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, NORTH CAROLINA, US |
| Web Views: | 24 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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