 The Marine Corps has seen its share of hardships and milestones in 2013. So much happened this year. It's hard to keep track of it all, so we're bringing you the top 13 stories of 2013. Welcome to the Corps Report. I'm Lance Corporal Clayton Philip-Ovage. And I'm Lance Corporal Ally Bisoner. This year saw some challenges, but we're starting out light. Kicking off the countdown are number 13. Who doesn't love puppies? In August, our official mascot, Sergeant Chessy the 13th, retired. After five years of hard work doing mascot things, he passed on the legacy of the newest devil dog, Lance Corporal Chessy the 14th. Let's give it up for the Corps' newest mascot. Next we're coming at you with numbers 12, 11 and 10. These stories are tied to the same topic, money. Number 12, the restructuring of the Corps to 175,000 Marines. 186.8 thousand Marines remains the optimal force level to meet the requirements of the President's national security strategy. A Marine Corps of 175,000 is the lowest level that can remain America's crisis response force capable of meeting the requirements for the defense of our nation and is our current target. Now number 11, sequestration. This year brought on the sequester and the Marine Corps operated on the bare minimum buying only what it needed to maintain barracks, bases and training ranges. A place to eat, sleep and train, that's all we need anyway, right? This year the Corps went without a Marine Week, air shows and other base celebrations, but we should be seeing those things come back in 2014. Number 10, the government shutdown. During the 15 day shutdown, commissaries closed, community outreach programs ceased and probably most notable for Marines, tuition assistance disappeared. It came back, but once reinstated, new restrictions were put into place. Moving on to number 9, uniform changes. These are known for a lot of things, among them looking fresh. Now at the beginning of the year, Marines began wearing the service uniforms every Friday. Speaking of service uniforms, this year the Corps decided to begin transitioning to a universal cover. Women will now be wearing the exact same service and dress covers as men. We're bringing you some eye relief now with number 8, the best photos from around the Corps this year. To see the full video, click the link in the video description. Number 7 brings what may be the biggest change on the list, the assignment of women to combat units. In January, the Secretary of Defense officially announced the lifting of a 1994 combat exclusion policy intended to limit women's exposure to combat. Right now there are 47 female Marines assigned to 19 battalions, which were previously close to women. Late last year, the first group of female officers volunteered for the Infantry Officers course. There have been more than 9 volunteers to date, but none have passed so far. And this year, for the first time ever, enlisted female Marines attended Infantry Training Battalion at SOI East. Of the initial 15 volunteers, 3 female Marines graduated basic infantry training and have since moved on to non-infantry occupational schools. Now there have been a lot of changes this year, but number 6 brings us something that will never change, Marines kicking ass at the Warrior Games. The Warrior Games is a Paralympic style competition for wounded, ill, or service members and veterans. This year the Marines remain undefeated bringing home the title for the fourth year in a row. Now flying in at numbers 5 and 4, the F-35B Joint Strike Fighter and the MV-22B Osprey reach new milestones. In January, the Green Knights, the first operational F-35 Squadron, started flight operations. The F-35 program has exceeded flight test plans till past 3 years, and the F-35B has flown supersonic, conducted carrier operations, flown at night, validated aerial refueling capabilities, executed weapons testing, conducted vertical landings aboard our bases and amphibious ships, and performed high angle of attack testing. The Osprey also had a big year. In June, two Marines became the core's first Osprey pilots to ever receive the Distinguished Flying Cross. The Osprey also marked its longest flight to date, making a transatlantic trip in April. And more recently, the Ospreys demonstrated their worth in the Philippines during Operation Damayuan. Which brings us to number 3, humanitarian assistance in the Philippines. Marines worked day and night to deliver more than 4 million pounds of relief supplies to victims of typhoon Haiyan in November. Marines worked side by side with our sister services, USAID, and the Philippine government to help those affected by the disaster. Number 2, the rise of the machine. This year, more than 200 videos and counting have been loaded to the Marines' YouTube page, and you determine the top video of the year, the freaky robotic horse. The robotic cow, known as the Laged Squad Support System, is designed to reduce the load Marines carry in combat. Okay, it definitely looks like a horse. It reaches speeds of 6 miles per hour and carries up to 400 pounds. Cow or horse? Beside for yourself and click on the link in the video description. And finally, number 1, in Memoriam. As the year ends, we want to reflect on those we lost in service. At time of taping, 8 Marines were killed in action in Afghanistan this year, bringing the total number of Marines KIA in Afghanistan to more than 500. The Marine Corps has lost brothers and sisters in Garrison too. 14 Marines were lost to senseless tragedies ranging from training accidents to a lone gunman at Quantico. As we ring in the new year, we'll keep these heroes and their loved ones in our hearts. Semper Fidelis Marines. This is our last episode of the year, but we'll be seeing you again January 15th.