U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Victor Salceda, inventory management specialist, 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, conducts Basic Swim Qualification on Camp Johnson, North Carolina, April 21, 2022. Basic Swim Qualification is designed to instill the self-confidence needed to overcome mental and physical adversity that could arise during actual combat water survival scenarios. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Corey Mathews)
After 12 years and traveling over 7,000 miles Matiullah Matie, an Afghan guest at Fort Pickett, Virginia, was reunited with Maj. Michael Kuiper, the executive officer of 3rd Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, which he worked with in Afghanistan in 2009.
Kuiper met Matie shortly after arriving in Helmand Province during Operation Khanjari, a large offensive targeting Taliban strongholds in southern Afghanistan.
“When I first arrived, there was heavy fighting. We didn’t see many women or children in the streets,” said Kuiper. The majority of the local population didn’t speak to or work with the Marines due to fear of retaliation from the Taliban.
Nawa, Afghanistan, was primarily a farming town. There was a lack of schools,...
U.S. Marines with the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit are participating in combined Exercise Baltic Operations with 18 NATO allies and European partners.
The 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) returned to Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, marking the end of a seven-month deployment to the U.S. 2nd, 5th and 6th Fleets with the USS Bataan Amphibious Ready Group (ARG).
BIZE, Albania – U.S. Marine Corps UH-1Y Venoms and AH-1W Super Cobras assigned to the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) and attached to the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group (BATARG) participated in a live-fire training exercise in Bize, Albania, June 22, 2020.
Arabian Gulf – The U.S. and Saudi forces are conducting a routine and joint sustainment training on and around Karan and Kurayn islands, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, May 24-30, 2020.
The Marines and Sailors of the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) continue to set the standard. While forward deployed in the U.S. Fifth Fleet area of operations, Sgt. Timothy T. Johnson, a data Marine, was presented the 13th Annual Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association (AFCEA) Washington, D.C. Military Information Technology (IT) Leadership Award for significant contribution to the warfighter through the use of IT.
The USS Bataan Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) and embarked 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit conducted joint integration training with a Special Operations Command Central (SOCCENT) AC-130W Stinger II aircraft in the Arabian Gulf, May 19-21.
