Task Force Garrison preserves Marine Corps history through events like Semper Pacifica.
The event started with a safety briefing and a flyover from an F4U Corsair. It's one of a few remaining planes that supported marines at Iwo Jima, Saipan, and other battles.
Speaking of which, attendees participated in tactical competitions inspired by these battles.
"We have five different ranges set up for people to compete at to be able to shoot and win prizes," said Mike Marty, CEO of Task Force Garrison.
Each range had obstacles meant to simulate different battlefields.
"We have some barbed wire, some sand pit, some mortar pits, some log crawls," Marty said.
If you were there, you could try your hand at an Iwo Jima-inspired obstacle course, practice long-range shooting with a belt-fed rifle, or simulate a rescue of a hostage from Imperial Japanese forces.
"I definitely had to watch it a couple of times, from the groups ahead of me, to get the idea of the course of fire. But it ended up working out okay," said Hadley Fowler, who scored 100% on the hostage rescue course.
Marty says Task Force Garrison got started when he and two other Marine veterans decided to support a wider community.
"We [did] all these cool events with people that we hang out with," he said. "Why don't we just start something to do something greater than just helping our immediate Marine family?"
This year, they formalized Task Force Garrison as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
Marty said events like "Semper Pacifica" that simulate combat ease the transition from soldier to civilian.
"When you're out of the Marines, there's still a piece of that in your heart," he said. "But having a civilian job, whether you're a news anchor or working in corporate America, it's not the same connection."
Marty enlisted in the marine corps in 1995, right out of college, and left as a First Lieutenant in February 2002 due to injury.
The event comes just in time for the 250th anniversary of the United States Marine Corps on November 10th.
"And I know that 250 years from today, there will be marines echoing the same sentiment that I am," Marty said.
Marty says that when he enlisted, he wanted to achieve one of two goals: either retire from the Marines as an old man or die alongside his fellow soldiers.
"And fortunately, I'm here to be able to tell their stories, to be able to talk about the things that some of these Marines that went before us did," Marty said.
If you want to learn more about Task Force Garrison or register for their next event in April, click here.
