CLARK AIR BASE, Luzon, Philippines — From the sunny streets of Chino Hills, California, to operating as a KC-130J Super Hercules loadmaster with Marine Aerial Refueler Transport (VMGR) 352, Marine Aircraft Group 11, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, Sgt. Caleb Shockey embarked on his journey in the U.S. Marine Corps after enlisting through Recruiting Station Azusa. Shockey left Chino Hills for Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego in February 2020 and has upheld the whole Marine concept since.

Shockey now plays an integral role in Marine Aviation Support Activity 24 while forward deployed with his squadron to the Philippines, supporting daily flight operations in the Indo-Pacific alongside his Philippine counterparts to improve their combined ability to work together in aviation mission sets.

“I was always a part of a team since I grew up playing sports,” Shockey said. “I joined the Marine Corps to continue being part of a team.”

Shockey’s background and teammate spirit drove him to the Marine Corps where he has continued to embody the Marine Corps core values of honor, courage, and commitment. Raised by a police officer father and a substitute teacher mother, Shockey credits his parents for instilling in him strong values that shaped his character and judgment throughout his four years in the Corps.

“They always taught me to do the right thing and to be a leader, not just a face in the crowd,” said Shockey. “They also instilled in me respect for everyone, which has helped me succeed the most in the Marine Corps. “

As a loadmaster for the KC-130J Super Hercules, Shockey’s responsibilities range from conducting aerial refueling with other Marine Corps aviation assets to providing logistical support and airdropping supplies for ground units in support of joint and combined air missions around the world.

“We do quite a bit,” he said. “We are a jack-of-all-trades aircraft that can accomplish almost anything we are tasked with.”

While supporting MASA 24, Shockey and his flight crew conducted four back-to-back days of transporting fixed-wing ordnance, including bombs and missiles, and ground support equipment, from Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni to Clark Air Base, Philippines, in support of the MASA 24 bilateral littoral live-fire exercise with Philippine and U.S. armed forces. The LLFX showcased U.S. and Philippine integrated command and control capabilities in a territorial defense scenario featuring a coordinated bilateral surface and maritime strike. Shockey proved an invaluable asset to the Marines while completing these flight missions and preparing for flights during the culminating event.

Shockey has been operating in the Philippines for more than six weeks, contributing to the successful completion of dozens of flight operations in the region. “I am enjoying being here supporting MASA. With a deployment or detachment, the best part is being able to bond and share experiences with a tight-knit group of people,” Shockey said.

MASA is an annual Philippine and U.S. Marine Corps exercise focused on mutual defense, strengthening relationships, and rehearsing emerging aviation concepts. Shockey recently advanced to become a flight engineer, a role that requires him to demonstrate an in-depth knowledge of all aircraft system functionality, troubleshoot, and undergo rigorous flight evaluations over several days. This makes him an asset to MASA operations, enabling bilateral training with the Philippine Marine Corps and Philippine Air Force.

“I hope to be able to continue to progress and pick up qualifications in my job, as well as to continue to instruct and mentor junior Marines as they continue to progress,” said Shockey.

Shockey has taken his past experiences and his personal and unit-level capabilities and used them to impact not only his day-to-day job but also flight operations across the Indo-Pacific. Ensuring proficiency in his work and training while stateside in Southern California has impacted his ability to execute his mission anywhere in the world. While the processes and procedures of a loadmaster do not vary based on location, being able to integrate and successfully perform the job alongside our Allies in forward environments is an undeniable asset to mission success.

“I was given a week’s notice that I was needed here to support all of the logistics runs and to increase capability and readiness,” said Shockey. “This is my third time on a deployment or detachment, so I have done some things similar, but every new theater has its unique mission set in one way or another.”

Dedicated Marines such as Shockey continue to enhance and enable the operational capabilities of the U.S.-Philippines Alliance while strengthening the bonds between the two nations through exercises like MASA. Each exercise is built upon the last, partnered with the enduring relationship between the Philippine and U.S. militaries as they continue to uphold a free and open Indo-Pacific.