22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit celebrates hump-day with motivational run

Photo By Sgt. Theodore Ritchie | Marines and sailors with 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit stand in a formation after a unit run involving all of the MEU's major subordinate elements and consisting of more than 1,600 Marines and sailors aboard Camp Buehring, Kuwait, Sept. 5, 2009. The 22nd MEU is ashore in Kuwait conducting sustainment training while serving as the theater reserve force for U.S. Central Command.  

CAMP BUEHRING, KUWAIT

09.05.2009

Story by Capt. Clark Carpenter 

22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit

CAMP BUEHRING, Kuwait — Nearly one year ago, the newly formed units of the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit stepped off in unison aboard Camp Lejeune, N.C., for a motivational run celebrating the unit's composite day. Today, nearly halfway around the world on the desert outpost known as Camp Buehring, Kuwait, the unit hit the pavement again to celebrate reaching the halfway point of a seven-month deployment.

More than 1,600 voices of Marines and sailors from the unit cut through the desert air in the early morning hours, well before the camp's daily reveille call at 6 a.m. Their chants echoed across the desert landscape as a few early risers came to gawk and photograph the surging mass.

Like a powerful snake, the serpentine formation twisted through the streets, often catching early morning joggers off guard, sending them scrambling to get out of the way. According to the MEU's color sergeant, one surprised soldier snapped a salute while he jogged past, a look of shock on his face as the massive formation flowed by.

"The CO chuckled, but the sergeant major couldn't find words to say," said Cpl. Donald R. White, Jr., the color sergeant and a maintenance management non-commissioned officer with the MEU command element.

White, a native of El Cajon, Calif., has spent four years in the Marine Corps and is on his third deployment. Although he's well traveled and has seen action in Iraq as a machine gunner providing convoy security with 9th Engineer Support Battalion, White was impressed with the run.

"It was amazing," said White, as he explained how the unit's strength is not in equipment or weapons, but it its people. "This is our unit — we are one team with one fight."

The run came to an end behind the MEU's command operations center, aboard the base. The unit has been training in Kuwait since Aug. 8. After a brief stretch, reveille sounded. Shortly after, a familiar song came over the camp's loudspeakers. The Marines and sailors popped to attention, as the "Marines' Hymn" echoed through the morning air.

When the music finished, the MEU's commanding officer addressed the masses. He touched on teamwork, staying vigilant and continuing to maintain readiness both mentally and physically. He also reminded the Marines how far the unit has come since the unit first stepped off together as one unit.

"We've got an outstanding MEU -- everybody is important, everybody has a job, and everybody should share in our success," said Col. Gareth F. Brandl, commanding officer for the MEU and native of Virginia Beach, Va. "About a year ago, almost to the day, we stood up as a MEU and I told you at that time that I was extremely proud and honored to be your commander. I still am — I haven't lost any of that."

The 22nd MEU deployed May 15, 2009, aboard the ships of the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group. The unit has since made the transatlantic voyage into the Mediterranean Sea where it conducted training in Greece and Bulgaria. The MEU then transited the Suez Canal and trained with two regional military forces in the Middle East.

The 22nd MEU, led by Brandl, is a scalable, multi-purpose force of more than 2,200 Marines and Sailors. The unit is composed of its Ground Combat Element, Battalion Landing Team, 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment (commanded by Lt. Col. Robert C. Fulford); Aviation Combat Element, Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 263 (Reinforced) (commanded by Lt. Col. Paul P. Ryan); Logistics Combat Element, Combat Logistics Battalion 22 (commanded by Lt. Col. Gary F. Keim); and its Command Element.

• Date Taken: 09.05.2009
• Date Posted: 09.07.2009 01:55
• Story ID: 38415
• Location: CAMP BUEHRING, KW