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PACIFIC OCEAN -- The Boxer Amphibious Ready Group - 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit completed a routine integrated training exercise off the coast of Southern California, Jan. 21 – Feb. 6, 2026. Conducted underway in the U.S. 3rd Fleet area of operations, the amphibious training enhanced warfighting readiness and strengthened the partnership of the amphibious force in preparation for future expeditionary operations.
During this at-sea period, the BOXARG-11th MEU team improved their efficiency in a wide range of missions such as visit, board, search and seizure operations, defense of the amphibious task force drills, aviation strike packages and various ship-to-shore movements. Additionally, the amphibious force successfully conducted two company-sized helicopter raids in Barstow, California and Yuma, Arizona, and one company-sized amphibious combat vehicle raid on Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, demonstrating lethality and warfighting prowess during joint littoral operations.
“Trust is the foundation of all relationships. Built on a bedrock of trust, the integration of Marine and Navy forces transforms separate blue and green teams into a unified teal fighting force,” said Master Gunnery Sgt. John Lewis, the operations chief of Battalion Landing Team 3/5, 11th MEU. “Cohesion is not just an exercise; it is the essential foundation for victory in the complex and demanding environment of modern amphibious operations.”
The large-scale exercise allowed the BOXARG-11th MEU to apply lessons learned from previous at-sea periods, while also introducing new, more challenging requirements.
“The team’s performance was exceptional while completing a wide variety of challenging, dynamic mission sets from the sea,” said Maj. Christopher Rixey, the operations officer of Battalion Landing Team 3/5, 11th MEU. “This training period was a critical step in ensuring the team is prepared to accomplish future missions.”
Over the course of the underway period, the BOXARG-11th MEU focused on readiness, excellence in mission accomplishment and teamwork, while finding new and challenging ways to remain the Navy, Marine Corps and Department of War’s premiere maritime response force.
“This period has been purposefully stressing the blue-green integration with the various training events we’ve conducted,” said Cmdr. David Shaffer, the executive officer of USS Portland (LPD 27). “Injecting artificial stress and challenging ourselves as one team now is invaluable because when we operate together in expeditionary environments, it gives us the best chance to accomplish the mission and bring everybody back safe.”
The BOXARG, homeported at Naval Base San Diego, is comprised of three ships under Amphibious Squadron 1: Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Boxer (LHD 4), San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship USS Portland (LPD 27), and Whidbey Island-class dock landing ship USS Comstock (LSD 45).
The 11th MEU is comprised of a Ground Combat Element, Battalion Landing Team (BLT) 3/5; a Logistics Combat Element, Combat Logistics Battalion (CLB) 11; and an Aviation Combat Element with two squadrons, Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 122 and Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 163 (Reinforced).
The BOXARG-11th MEU is a forward-deployable, sea-based rapid response force, capable of conducting crisis response across the range of military operations. When aggregated, it is able to conduct amphibious operations as the nation’s only full-standing forcible entry capability.
For more information, photos, videos and stories about BOXARG-11th MEU, please visit: https://www.dvidshub.net/unit/11MEU & https://www.dvidshub.net/unit/LHD-4
| Date Taken: | 02.06.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 02.06.2026 19:57 |
| Story ID: | 557670 |
| Location: | PACIFIC OCEAN |
| Web Views: | 27 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, BOXARG-11th MEU Complete At-Sea Integrated Training Exercise, by SSgt Dylan Chagnon, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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