Photo By Joshua Cox | Marines with the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit relax in the Sicilian city of...... read more read more
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ABOARD USS BATTAN – Life aboard a Navy vessel can become monotonous, and months may pass before Marines and sailors serving aboard USS Bataan navigate to a port of call.
Luckily, when the massive, amphibious assault ship makes a stop while operating in the Mediterranean, officials with Morale, Welfare and Recreation work to ensure Marines and sailors with the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit have the chance to relax ashore.
In a recent port visit to Palermo, Italy, considered to be “the world’s most conquered city,” MWR coordinated several tours within the city and across the Sicilian landscape. The tours took the guesswork out of the equation, allowing service members to simply purchase discounted tickets and leave the rest to MWR.
“The tours are important because they offer an alternative to available sights immediately off the ship,” said Meghan Heine, afloat recreation specialist, Navy MWR. “The tours offer the chance to see and visit places with a group of people who are interested in seeing it together.”
In addition to a Palermo city tour, MWR coordinated several other Sicilian expeditions, including visits to Agrigento, an ancient Greek city with various temples; Cefalu’, a sea-side town offering unique Sicilian cuisine; Planeta Winery, a countryside vineyard and winery; Erice, a village with a medieval castle; and Taormina, an east coast hotspot featuring an ancient Greek amphitheater and a view of the volcanic Mount Etna.
MWR also provided detailed Palermo tourism information for service members who decided to visit the city freely in smaller groups. Using tips from MWR, the Marines and sailors visited interesting sites in Palermo, including the Palermo Cathedral; a site representing various cultures from the city’s Muslim, Gothic, Roman, Renaissance, and modern history and styles; Teatro Massimo, the largest theatre in Italy; and the Catacombs of the Capuchins, a collection of thousands of mummified corpses preserved underground. The service members also visited Palermo’s piazzas, or squares, featuring Italian restaurants, cafés, boutiques and outdoor markets.
“When given the opportunity to go on a tour to see a place most will only see in pictures, why pass it up?” Heine added. “Why go to a foreign country and hang out in a bar? Go on a tour and see the world!”
The Marines and sailors of the 22nd MEU are currently deployed with Amphibious Squadron 6 aboard USS Bataan Amphibious Ready Group and will continue to train and improve the MEU’s ability to operate as a cohesive and effective Marine Air Ground Task Force.
The 22nd MEU is a multi-mission, capable force, commanded by Col. Eric J. Steidl and comprised of an Aviation Combat Element, Marine Medium Tilt Rotor Squadron 263 (Reinforced); a Logistics Combat Element, Combat Logistics Battalion 22; a Ground Combat Element, Battalion Landing Team, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment; and its Command Element.
Marine Expeditionary Units are the Marine Corps’ smallest permanent Marine Air-Ground Task Force, and comprised of approximately 2,200 Marines and sailors ready to provide immediate response to a hostile environment or crisis.
| Date Taken: | 05.31.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 06.27.2011 07:25 |
| Story ID: | 72814 |
| Location: | ABOARD USS BATTAN, USAFRICOM, AT SEA |
| Web Views: | 86 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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