A challenge coin bears an organization’s insignia and is carried by the organization’s members. They are used to enhance morale and also collected by service members. Often unit commanders present their men with these coins in recognition of special achievement. The coins also commemorate visits to different organizations.

This coin belonged to the donor Capt. Matthew Dwyer. He was the first 1st Lieutenant selected by the Marine Corps to fly the MV-22 out of Marine Squadron VT-2 in Milton, Florida. He then received V-22 flight training in VMMT-204 in August 2006 and was assigned to VMM-162, the second operational V-22 squadron. He was then assigned as the Aviation Life Support Systems officer and deployed to Al Asad Air base in Iraq March-October 2008. He had the privilege of flying Barack Obama, then the Democratic presidential candidate, from Ar Ramadi, Iraq to Amman, Jordan, a flight only capable in a V-22 aircraft. Following his deployment and flying numerous combat missions in the Middle East, he was then deployed with VMM-162 (reinforced) as part of the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit in 2010 to Haiti for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief after the earthquake.