Photo By Cameron Parks | Col. Robert Brodie, commanding officer of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, Capt....... read more read more
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CAMP HANSEN, Okinawa (November 6, 2019) -The 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit celebrated the 244th birthday of the U.S. Marine Corps with a ceremony at The Palms, Camp Hansen, Okinawa, Japan, Nov. 6, 2019. The 31st MEU, the Marine Corps' only continuously forward-deployed MEU, provides a flexible and lethal force ready to perform a wide range of military operations as the premier crisis response force in the Indo-Pacific region.
The celebration of the U.S. Marine Corps birthday is a long-honored tradition. Marines worldwide take time on or around November 10th yearly to celebrate together the inception of our beloved Marine Corps Family. The birthday ceremony includes a cake cutting ceremony to symbolize the passing of tradition from senior to junior Marines, speeches given by U.S. Marine Corps leaders and special guests, a meal, and group fellowship.
Col. Robert Brodie, the commanding officer of the 31st MEU, gave opening remarks at the ceremony. Brodie referenced the numerous exercises the Marines and Sailors of the 31st MEU participated in throughout the past year. “You are the top 1% of what our nation has to offer. I am overwhelmed by the opportunity to serve alongside you... You have shown the people of this [area of responsibility] what right looks like.” said Brodie.
Brodie then introduced the evening’s guest speaker: Navy Capt. Jim McGovern, Commander, Amphibious Squadron 11. “He is a tactician, a leader and an absolute warrior,” said Brodie. “It’s unique to have such an awesome relationship that takes our [U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps] teams and brings them together to make them ready for war… Our blue-green team is the winning team.” CPR-11 is the newest and only forward-deployed amphibious squadron in the U.S. Navy. Based out of Sasebo, Japan, the squadron integrates with the 31st MEU during deployments at sea, working hand-in-hand with their Marine counterparts.
Brodie and McGovern have operated cohesively over the previous year and a half that both have been in command of 31st MEU and CPR-11. The leaders’ partnership began from June of 2018, with the first operations including Defense Support to Civil Authorities in Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands in the aftermath of Typhoons Mangkhut and Yutu. Since then, the units have participated together in three underway periods including several large-scale exercises including Kamandag in the Philippines, Cobra Gold in Thailand, and Talisman Sabre in Australia.
McGovern continued to focus the birthday ball evening on the coordination of service members between the joint forces, as well as with allied and partner nations. “This naval integration thing isn’t new. We’ve been doing this for 244 years. The Navy and the Marine Corps have been out at sea serving together since our inception.” said McGovern. “It doesn’t matter where you serve or how you serve. You’re on our winning team.”
Cheers to 244 years of winning our nations battles, Marines. Happy birthday.
| Date Taken: | 11.06.2019 |
| Date Posted: | 11.25.2019 05:21 |
| Story ID: | 353233 |
| Location: | CAMP HANSEN, OKINAWA, JP |
| Hometown: | VIRGINIA BEACH, VA, US |
| Web Views: | 341 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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