MARINE CORPS LEADER ORDERS SAFETY STAND-DOWN OF ALL AIRCRAFT AFTER F-35 DISAPPEARANCE:

All Marine Corps aircraft, inside and outside the U.S., were grounded Monday after a stealth F-35 jet mysteriously disappeared in South Carolina, according to an order issued by Gen. Eric Smith, the acting commandant of the Marines.

Marine aircraft deployed abroad or with imminent missions can delay the order briefly but are expected to stand down for two days this week, officials said.

The Pentagon said in a statement that the pause in operations would allow units “to discuss aviation safety matters and best practices.” Marine leadership will use the stand down “to ensure the service is maintaining operational standardization of combat-ready aircraft with well-prepared pilots and crews.”

The debris of the crashed F-35 has since been found; America’s Newspaper of Record explains the method used: Military Personnel Seen Wandering Forest Pressing Button On F-35 Key Fob.