Checkerboards Depart 

U.S. Marine Corps Private First Class Vincent Gibson, left, fixed-wing aircraft mechanic, Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 312, Marine Air Group (MAG) 31, shakes hands Oct. 2 with Lt. Col. Clayton Gard, commanding officer, VMFA-312, MAG-31, Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort. Pilots with VMFA-312 departed for the Unit Deployment Program in order to provide forward presence and assist commanders around the globe. Lance Cpl. Kyle Baskin/USMC