II MEF News

U.S. Marines with Alpha Company, Battalion Landing Team 1/6, 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable), board a CH-53E Super Stallion during an amphibious assault as part of Odyssey Encore, Volos, Greece, Jan. 8, 2024. The 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable)’s Marine Air-Ground Task Force sustainment training enhances readiness and operational capabilities as the Tri-Geographic Combatant Command crisis response force and Joint Staff Immediate Response Force. The Bataan Amphibious Ready Group, with the embarked 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable), is on a scheduled deployment in the U.S. Naval Forces Europe area of operations, employed by U.S. Sixth Fleet to defend U.S., Allied and partner interests. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Nayelly Nieves-Nieves) - U.S. Marines with Alpha Company, Battalion Landing Team 1/6, 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable), board a CH-53E Super Stallion during an amphibious assault as part of Odyssey Encore, Volos, Greece, Jan. 8, 2024. The 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable)’s Marine Air-Ground Task Force sustainment training enhances readiness and operational capabilities as the Tri-Geographic Combatant Command crisis response force and Joint Staff Immediate Response Force. The Bataan Amphibious Ready Group, with the embarked 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable), is on a scheduled deployment in the U.S. Naval Forces Europe area of operations, employed by U.S. Sixth Fleet to defend U.S., Allied and partner interests. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Nayelly Nieves-Nieves)

U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Gracelyn Oldham, an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) operator with the Battalion Landing Team 1/6, 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) (MEU(SOC)) poses for a picture alongside multiple UAV systems while on the flight deck aboard the San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship USS Mesa Verde (LPD 19), Mediterranean Sea, Nov. 10, 2023.Oldham is the only female UAV operator with Battalion Landing Team 1/6, 26th MEU(SOC) and will soon be the first in her Military Occupation Specialty to fly every group of drone systems. A native of Bluefield, West Virginia, she moved constantly having missionary parents, living in Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Alabama, Tennessee, and Egypt are just a few of the locations she has resided.U.S. Marines and Sailors of the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable), embarked on the ships of the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group, are on a scheduled deployment as the Tri-Geographic Combatant Command crisis response force with elements deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet and U.S. 6th Fleet areas of operation to increase maritime security and stability, and to defend U.S., Allied, and Partner interests. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Michele Clarke) - U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Gracelyn Oldham, an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) operator with the Battalion Landing Team 1/6, 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) (MEU(SOC)) poses for a picture alongside multiple UAV systems while on the flight deck aboard the San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship USS Mesa Verde (LPD 19), Mediterranean Sea, Nov. 10, 2023. Oldham is the only female UAV operator with Battalion Landing Team 1/6, 26th MEU(SOC) and will soon be the first in her Military Occupation Specialty to fly every group of drone systems. A native of Bluefield, West Virginia, she moved constantly having missionary parents, living in Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Alabama, Tennessee, and Egypt are just a few of the locations she has resided. U.S. Marines and Sailors of the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable), embarked on the ships of the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group, are on a scheduled deployment as the Tri-Geographic Combatant Command crisis response force with elements deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet and U.S. 6th Fleet areas of operation to increase maritime security and stability, and to defend U.S., Allied, and Partner interests. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Michele Clarke)

U.S. Marine Corps Gunnery Sgt. Matthew Earle, left, a Manassas, Virginia native and an infantry unit leader with 1st Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2d Marine Division, and U.S. Navy retired Senior Chief Petty Officer Stanley Earle, a Charleston, South Carolina native, pose for a photo after a Chief Petty Officer Pinning Ceremony on Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, Sept. 29, 2023. The rank of chief petty officer was officially established April 1, 1893, and holding the title "Chief" means a Sailor has achieved senior non-commissioned officer status. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Cara Castañeda) - U.S. Marine Corps Gunnery Sgt. Matthew Earle, left, a Manassas, Virginia native and an infantry unit leader with 1st Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2d Marine Division, and U.S. Navy retired Senior Chief Petty Officer Stanley Earle, a Charleston, South Carolina native, pose for a photo after a Chief Petty Officer Pinning Ceremony on Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, Sept. 29, 2023. The rank of chief petty officer was officially established April 1, 1893, and holding the title "Chief" means a Sailor has achieved senior non-commissioned officer status. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Cara Castañeda)

U.S. Marines with the Battalion Landing Team 1/6, 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) (MEU(SOC)) Bravo Command Element, and service members from the Italian Marines San Marco Brigade participates in an integrated live-fire range part of a Norwegian Bilateral Exercise in Setermoen, Norway, Aug. 9, 2023. The San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship USS Mesa Verde (LPD 19), assigned to the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group and embarked 26th MEU(SOC), under the command and control of Task Force 61/2, is on a scheduled deployment in the U.S. Naval Forces Europe area of operations, employed by U.S. Sixth Fleet to defend U.S., allied and partner interests. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Michele Clarke) - U.S. Marines with the Battalion Landing Team 1/6, 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) (MEU(SOC)) Bravo Command Element, and service members from the Italian Marines San Marco Brigade participates in an integrated live-fire range part of a Norwegian Bilateral Exercise in Setermoen, Norway, Aug. 9, 2023. The San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship USS Mesa Verde (LPD 19), assigned to the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group and embarked 26th MEU(SOC), under the command and control of Task Force 61/2, is on a scheduled deployment in the U.S. Naval Forces Europe area of operations, employed by U.S. Sixth Fleet to defend U.S., allied and partner interests. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Michele Clarke)

U.S. Marines with the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) (MEU(SOC)) and Sailors assigned to the San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship USS Mesa Verde (LPD 19) conduct a Manning the Rails ceremony during their first port visit on their scheduled deployment in Plymouth, United Kingdom, July 28, 2023. The USS Mesa Verde, assigned to the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group and embarked 26th MEU(SOC), under the command and control of Task Force 61/2, is on a scheduled deployment in the U.S. Naval Forces Europe area of operations, employed by U.S. Sixth Fleet to defend U.S., allied and partner interests. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Staff Sgt. Jesus Sepulveda Torres) - U.S. Marines with the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) (MEU(SOC)) and Sailors assigned to the San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship USS Mesa Verde (LPD 19) conduct a Manning the Rails ceremony during their first port visit on their scheduled deployment in Plymouth, United Kingdom, July 28, 2023. The USS Mesa Verde, assigned to the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group and embarked 26th MEU(SOC), under the command and control of Task Force 61/2, is on a scheduled deployment in the U.S. Naval Forces Europe area of operations, employed by U.S. Sixth Fleet to defend U.S., allied and partner interests. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Staff Sgt. Jesus Sepulveda Torres)

Dutch Marines with Marine Squadron Carib, Netherlands Marine Corps search an area during Exercise Caribbean Urban Warrior on Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, March 29, 2023. Exercise Caribbean Urban Warrior is a bilateral training evolution designed to increase global interoperability between 2d Marine Division and Marine Squadron Carib. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Ethan Miller) - Dutch Marines with Marine Squadron Carib, Netherlands Marine Corps search an area during Exercise Caribbean Urban Warrior on Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, March 29, 2023. Exercise Caribbean Urban Warrior is a bilateral training evolution designed to increase global interoperability between 2d Marine Division and Marine Squadron Carib. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Ethan Miller)

U.S. Marine Corps Light Armored Vehicles with the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit conduct an amphibious assault during Composite Training Unit Exercise (C2X) on Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, June 2, 2023. The amphibious assault rehearsed the utilization of Marines to move from ship to shore and secure objectives for follow-on actions. C2X is the last exercise in the pre-deployment training program for the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Aziza Kamuhanda) - U.S. Marine Corps Light Armored Vehicles with the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit conduct an amphibious assault during Composite Training Unit Exercise (C2X) on Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, June 2, 2023. The amphibious assault rehearsed the utilization of Marines to move from ship to shore and secure objectives for follow-on actions. C2X is the last exercise in the pre-deployment training program for the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Aziza Kamuhanda)

U.S. Marine Corps Col. Ryan M. Hoyle (right), outgoing commanding officer, 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, and Col. Todd E. Mahar (left), oncoming commanding officer, take their place in the reviewing area during the 24th MEU Change of Command at Camp Lejeune, N.C., June 26, 2023. The change of command ceremony represents the official passing of authority from the outgoing commander to the incoming commander. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Gunnery Sgt. Hector de Jesus) - U.S. Marine Corps Col. Ryan M. Hoyle (right), outgoing commanding officer, 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, and Col. Todd E. Mahar (left), oncoming commanding officer, take their place in the reviewing area during the 24th MEU Change of Command at Camp Lejeune, N.C., June 26, 2023. The change of command ceremony represents the official passing of authority from the outgoing commander to the incoming commander. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Gunnery Sgt. Hector de Jesus)

A U.S. Marine Corps Light Armored Vehicle with the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit provides security for aerial insertion while executing an amphibious assault during Composite Training Unit Exercise (C2X) on Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, June 2, 2023. The amphibious assault rehearsed the utilization of Marines to move from ship to shore and secure objectives for follow-on actions. C2X is the last exercise in the pre-deployment training program for the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Kyle Jia) - A U.S. Marine Corps Light Armored Vehicle with the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit provides security for aerial insertion while executing an amphibious assault during Composite Training Unit Exercise (C2X) on Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, June 2, 2023. The amphibious assault rehearsed the utilization of Marines to move from ship to shore and secure objectives for follow-on actions. C2X is the last exercise in the pre-deployment training program for the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Kyle Jia)

U.S. Marines and Sailors with 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, assigned to Task Force 61/2, arrive to Naval Station Activity Naples, Italy, May 31, 2023.Task Force 61/2 , alongside allies and partners, will participate in multiple bilateral and integrated training exercises throughout Naval Forces Europe and U.S. Sixth Fleets Area of Operations (AO). (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Elton Taylor) - U.S. Marines and Sailors with 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, assigned to Task Force 61/2, arrive to Naval Station Activity Naples, Italy, May 31, 2023.Task Force 61/2 , alongside allies and partners, will participate in multiple bilateral and integrated training exercises throughout Naval Forces Europe and U.S. Sixth Fleets Area of Operations (AO). (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Elton Taylor)