Col. Kevin Vest, the Marine Aircraft Group 40 commanding officer, speaks at the retiring of the colors ceremony at the Cherry Point Chapel, May 25. The purpose of the ceremony was to deactivate MAG-40. MAG-40 deployed to Afghanistan as the air combat element for Marine Expeditionary Brigade-Afghanistan, participating in Operation Khanjar and Operation Moshtarak in the fight against insurgents. MAG-40 was last activated in 1990 to serve as the air combat element for 4th Marine Expeditionary Brigade to deploy to the Persian Gulf during Operation Desert Storm.