Photo By Sgt. Theodore Ritchie | Marching down 5th Ave. in New York, a formation of Marines from the 22nd Marine...... read more read more
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By Staff Sgt. Matt Epright
22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit
MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. - Elements of the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit came ashore today after a month of training aboard the USS Bataan which included two major pre-deployment exercises and participation in the reopening ceremonies for an historic museum in New York.
The MEU first went aboard Bataan the last week in October to conduct At-Sea Training off the coast of Jacksonville, N.C. This gave the Marines the opportunity to adapt to living and working on ship. It also gave Marines from the MEU a chance to practice loading equipment on and off landing craft and aboard ship.
More than 185 Marines and sailors from the MEU stayed aboard Bataan as it steamed north to New York to participate in Veterans Day events and the re-opening celebration of the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum.
The guests of honor at the reopening ceremony included former President Bill Clinton and Sen. Hillary Clinton.
Many of the Marines and sailors saw New York for the first time and had the chance to take tours of the area and attend concerts, Broadway shows and professional sporting events.
The service members also participated in several events and marched in a parade for Veterans Day. President George W. Bush and Commandant of the Marine Corps, Gen. James T. Conway, were featured speakers at a Veterans Day event hosted by the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum.
Bataan and the embarked Marines and sailors of the 22nd MEU departed New York, Nov. 12, and headed back to the North Carolina coast to begin loading the rest of the approximately 2,200 members of the MEU for Expeditionary Strike Group Integration training.
The primary focus of ESGINT was to allow the 22nd MEU and the Bataan Strike Group to begin the process of integrating both the MEU and Strike Group into a seamless team, testing procedures and capabilities in order to prepare for a scheduled spring deployment.
The exercise included a mock raid from ship to shore conducted by the MEU's Ground Combat Element, Battalion Landing Team, 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment. BLT 3/2 also inserted Lima Company with the support of MV-22B Osprey from Marine Medium Tilrotor Squadron 263 (Reinforced), the MEU's Aviation Combat Element.
At the same time, Marines and sailors from the MEU's Logistics Combat Element, Combat Logistics Battalion 22 conducted a practice humanitarian assistance mission.
AST and ESG-Int are part of the 22nd MEU's Pre-deployment Training Program, a rigorous six-month training period that allows the various elements of the MEU to train to MEU specific missions.
The 22nd MEU is a scalable, multipurpose force of more than 2,200 Marines and sailors. Commanded by Col. Gareth F. Brandl, it consists of its Ground Combat Element, BLT 3/2; Aviation Combat Element, VMM-263(rein); Logistics Combat Element, CLB-22; and its Command Element.
| Date Taken: | 11.21.2008 |
| Date Posted: | 12.09.2008 15:23 |
| Story ID: | 27404 |
| Location: | CAMP LEJEUNE, NC, US |
| Web Views: | 192 |
| Downloads: | 124 |
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