Marine Corps Heritage Foundation spotlights Alaska Marines to celebrate the Marine Corps’ 250th birthday

The Marine Corps Heritage Foundation (MCHF) celebrates Alaska Marines as part of the organization’s ‘Marines Across America’ program, leading up to the Marine Corps’ official 250th Anniversary on Monday, November 10, 2025. In addition to spotlighting notable Marines, MCHF has partnered with each of the 50 states for a cake-cutting ceremony in November to mark the occasion.

The ‘Marines Across America’ program highlights Marines who embody the values of honor, courage, and commitment within their communities and showcases the contributions Marines make in their local communities or nationally following their active-duty service.

"Marines have always made their mark on the battlefield, but it’s important to remember they’ve also made their mark in their hometowns and communities,” said retired Marine Major General James Lukeman, president and CEO of MCHF. "As we celebrate 250 years of the Marine Corps, we honor the significant contributions that Alaska Marines have made to our nation.”

Just a few notable Marines with Alaska ties include:

Senator Dan Sullivan was the last actively serving Marine in the U.S. Senate when he retired from the Corps in January, 2024. He served in the Marine Corps from 1993 to 2024, retiring as a colonel after multiple deployments including to Afghanistan. He was previously Alaska's attorney general and U.S. Assistant Secretary of State.

Sarah Gray is a Marine veteran who served five years in the early 2000s with deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq and now works as a special education teacher in Fairbanks North Star Borough. She published her children's book "Millie the Moose Blurts" in 2024 to teach social skills to children, applying the values and work ethic she learned during her military service.

Jon Rowan is a Marine Corps veteran and woodcarver from Klawock, Alaska who spent two months carving a Veterans Totem Pole from donated Western Red Cedar. The totem, featuring military insignias and symbols, was placed in Klawock's Veterans Totem Park in 2018. The totem displays service branches and Prisoners of War-Missing In Action insignias, a 1960s-era U.S. Army Soldier, ancient warrior holding a double-headed dagger, an eagle and raven at the top, and a set of identification tags that veterans can pin unit crests and insignia to in the bottom of the totem pole.

Keaton Loebrich is a Marine veteran from Michigan who discovered a love for dog sledding after moving to Alaska, He founded Star Gazers Racing kennel in Fairbanks, and completed the 2025 Iditarod in addition to racing in other events including the Yukon Quest.

“The list of notable Marines from Alaska is impressive and showcases how they used the values and skills they learned in the Marine Corps to become leaders in their communities,” said MajGen Lukeman. “Today marks a special opportunity to recognize these extraordinary men and women for their service to our nation as well as their communities.”

Members of the public are encouraged to join the anniversary celebration and Marines Across America by sharing stories of Marines they know, both active and retired, who make a difference in their communities and their professional lives. Submissions may be made through the Marine250.com website.