Who: 2nd Battalion, 8th  Marines

Where: Camp LeJeune, NC

We are organizing a “Hero’s Welcome” for 2nd Battalion, 8th Marines of Camp LeJeune Tues. Nov. 17, 2009 . 

The Marines will be escorted from Cherry Point, NC by Motorcycle and Police escort in “HERO STYLE” 

We want our Troops to feel like the super stars!!!

Please join us either at the front gate of Camp LeJeune at 3:00 pm or Cherry Point at noon at the beginning of the escort!!!!

Contact: 

George Meredith  302-743-4197;  Bruce Koehler 828-421-3485 or after 12:00pm, Maria Hyland 610-327-2916

Post from: Lejeune Deployed

NEW YORK - Marines and sailors of Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force 26 returned home Nov. 12, after participating in the commissioning of USS New York, the Navy’s newest landing platform dock.

Since their arrival in New York Nov. 2, the 260 Marines and sailors have given tours to thousands of visitors each day. From veterans to cheerleaders, all visitors were able to check out Marine Corps vehicles, equipment and weapon systems, all of which are assets that will be aboard the ship that was built around the Navy-Marine Corps team.

“This ship was built with Marines in mind,” said Col. Mark Desens, SPMAGTF-26 commanding officer. The Marines showed off the ship’s improved capabilities and their own gear ranging from aircraft to amphibious vehicles and weapon systems. Not only were Marines on hand to explain the gear, they ensured visitors got hands-on with it as well, giving as many people as possible the firsthand experience of seeing and touching the vehicles and equipment. The Marines and sailors hosted 9/11 victims’ families, Wounded Warriors, VIPs, the New York Jets players and cheerleaders, and even a princess of Thailand during the tours.

But the Marines did much more than conduct tours. Each day, Marines of SPMAGTF-26 ventured into New York to conduct community relations events, participate in ceremonies, and cheer on their favorite teams at sports games.

The Marines attended community relations events at the Staten Island Marine Corps League, interacting with the veterans whose large shoes they now fill. They also played with children at a child development center at Fort Hamilton in Brooklyn. They visited the Brooklyn Veterans Administration hospital, raising the spirits of veterans getting treatment there. More Marines visited the Morgan Stanley Columbia Presbyterian Children’s Hospital where they read to children.

Four Marines took the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to pay respects and show their patriotism by re-enlisting inside the construction site at Ground Zero. Three Marines eligible for promotion Nov. 1 delayed their promotion ceremonies three days in order to receive their new ranks at the site.

Three live shows broadcast from the flight deck of USS New York, and SPMAGTF-26 Marines were there to interact with the show hosts and cheer in the audience. Montel Williams, himself a former Marine, broadcast his radio show from USS New York Nov. 4. Fox and Friends broadcast its television news program Nov. 5. ESPN’s Mike and Mike show broadcast their radio and television show Nov. 10. Celebrity chef Robert Irvine, host of Food Network’s “Dinner: Impossible,” cooked for and with the Marines and sailors in the ship’s galley Nov. 8.

A few lucky Marines attended the final game of the World Series. Others were invited to the sidelines as the New York Giants battled the San Diego Chargers. Several Marines attended a taping of the Late Show with David Letterman.

The Marines observed the Marine Corps’ 234th birthday with no less than four ceremonies, including ones with the NYPD, retired members of FDNY, a birthday observance for SPMAGTF-26 alone, and a formal cake-cutting on the flight deck of the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum. The Navajo Code Talkers and Purple Heart recipient Cpl. Aaron Mankin were some of the noted speakers at the Intrepid ceremony.

The Marines observed Veterans Day by attending breakfast with New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg before marching in the city’s 90th annual Veterans Day parade. They also participated in a wreath laying ceremony at the Intrepid museum.

The parade took the Marines down 5th Avenue. Along the way, New Yorkers cheered and showed their respect for the Marines through signs.

Grace Crowley held a sign on the parade route thanking the Marines for her freedom.

“I appreciate everything that you guys do,” she said.

Post from: Lejeune Deployed

SPMAGTF-26 Public Affairs

NEW YORK (Nov. 13, 2009) - Marines from Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force 26 marched in the 90th annual Veterans Day Parade in New York City in honor of military members both past and present Nov. 11, 2009.

The parade was preceded by a ceremony where several guests spoke, including Sergeant Major of the Army Kenneth O. Preston, Medal of Honor recipient, Bob Kerrey, New York City Mayor, Michael Bloomberg, and Governor of New York, David Patterson. The guests spoke about what Veterans Day means to them and how proud they were of military servicemembers.

People gathered after the ceremony in front of the Eternal Light Monument, a memorial erected in New York City’s Madison Square Park to pay tribute to those who serve in the United States military.

Nearly 30,000 people marched down 5th Ave. when the parade started. Crowds gathered, cheering and clapping as soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and coast guardsmen passed by.

“I was honored to be able to march in the parade and be cheered on by all those people,” said Cpl. Wesley T. Clark, a ground communications repairman with SPMAGTF-26. “It helps remind people what military members past and present have gone through to protect their freedoms.”

Post from: Lejeune Deployed

CAMP AL TAQADDUM — U.S. Marines and Sailors here are committed to doing their part to protect the local environment by focusing on the proper disposal of all hazardous material aboard this base.

As the U.S. military here continues to draw down its forces and remove equipment, they must ensure the base is free of all hazardous material before returning control back to the Iraqi government. With only one Marine in charge of Camp Al Taqaddum’s environmental program, coordination and communication with subordinate and tenant units is critical to having the base ready for the transfer.

Since he was deployed in January 2009, Staff Sgt. Samson Erdly, Combat Logistics Regiment 27 (Forward) base environmental chief, has been responsible for the oversight of all hazardous material on this base.

“Nearly everyone on TQ handles HazMat,” Erdly said. “Each unit normally has a site manager who is in charge of the unit’s storage area and they also will have handlers that handle HazMat. Each unit also has an Environmental Officer appointed to oversee the entire unit’s HazMat operation.”

Some hazardous materials service members use include different types of batteries like lithium, nickel metal hydride and lead acid vehicle batteries. They also encounter sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid, water treatment chemicals, compressed gases, petroleum, oils and lubricants, and contaminated soil.

Erdly added that individual units are responsible for the proper storage and disposal of their materials. If they have a spill, they are responsible for cleaning it up, but if they require assistance, he will assist them to ensure the spill is cleaned up properly.

“It’s important to clean spills because the material spilled could seep into the ground and into the water table,” Erdly said. “[A spill] could also cause the ground to catch fire or explode if something else were spilled in the same area that is not compatible with the originally spilled material.”

As each unit cleans out their area before heading back to the States, all the materials they have stored are transported to one of the two HazMat lots aboard the base for proper disposal.

There are several ways to properly dispose of HazMat. Most materials are taken to incinerators, local refineries or landfills.

“All petroleum, oils and lubricants are sent to refineries to be re-refined [recycled],” Erdly explained. “All other items are sent to be properly disposed of either by land farming, incineration, or burial in a sanitized landfill.”

Erdly said the Army unit that is replacing them will have a minimal amount of work to do because of the hard work everyone has done thus far to clean up their work spaces and dispose of their hazardous material.

“Everything we brought has to leave,” Erdly said. “What’s still left after [the Marines] leave, the Army will take over and ship out prior to the base closing,” he said.

As units depart one by one, Erdly inspects their unit areas one last time, to ensure everything is cleaned up and that they leave the base as HazMat-free as possible for the Iraqis who will inhabit the base in the near future.

Post from: Lejeune Deployed

Members of an Iraqi Air Force detachment stand near one of their helicopters aboard Camp Al Taqaddum, Iraq, Nov. 5, 2009. Photo by Lance Cpl. Melissa Latty, 2nd Marine Logistic Group.

CAMP AL TAQADDUM

— The Iraqi Ministry of Defense has based one Iraqi Air Force (IqAF) helicopter detachment here to support the Iraqi Security Forces in Anbar province.

When the IqAF’s 4th Squadron Airmen arrived here Nov. 7,  they were greeted by Marines of Combat Logistics Regiment 27 (Forward).

The IqAF was formed in 1931 and was originally under British command. The service started out small but grew quickly, gaining more than 950 aircraft and becoming one of the largest Air Forces in the Middle East region by 1988.

In 2003, when the U.S. initially invaded Iraq, Saddam Hussein ordered that the majority of the aircraft be disassembled or buried and ordered them to not defend the country’s airspace against U.S. forces. The IqAF appeared non-existent during the invasion and during most of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Currently, the IqAF is in a rebuilding process to strengthen their air power capabilities. The detachment of 17 IqAF personnel, consisting of 11 maintenance staff, five pilots and one engineer, came from Basrah and Taji and brought with them two Mi-17 helicopters.

The Iraqi Airmen are enthusiastic and optimistic about their new mission.

“We are very happy to be here and to see all of the welcoming faces of the Marines,” said IqAF Staff Lt. Col. Hammadi Muhammad, a pilot and safety officer with 4th Squadron.

CLR-27 (Fwd) supported the initial setup of the detachment by providing them with life support and acted as a bridge between the IqAF and the U.S. Army brigade that will be taking over after the Marines depart the base, said Maj. Robert J. Gallagher, the air operations officer for CLR-27 (Fwd).

“The Marines are currently providing the IqAF with buildings for work, living quarters, electricity, water, facilities for maintenance, and a place to refuel,” Gallagher said. “We are setting them up to stand on their own when U.S. forces leave TQ.”

Five U.S. Air Force advisors arrived along with the detachment and will train and mentor the IqAF until they are able to operate on their own. The U.S. Airmen make up the Joint Air Operations Integration Team, 321st Air Expeditionary Advisor Group, Iraqi Transition and Advisor Mission.

The JAOIT spent approximately six months advising the IqAF squadron prior to accompanying them to this Camp.

“We will be here until we get them to a point where they are fully operational,” said Air Force Maj. Ash Cannon, an advisor to the IqAF. “Our goal is to create a credible and competent Air Force that can provide both national and regional stability for the country to be able to defend itself as a sovereign nation.”

The IqAF squadron will be providing direct support for Staff Maj. Gen. Abdule Aiziz, the commander of the Anbar Operations Center. They will be supporting his missions as he circulates from base to base to see his commanders and visit with U.S. forces, said Gallagher.

(Story by Lance Cpl. Melissa Latty, 2nd Marine Logistic Group)

Post from: Lejeune Deployed

Elements of 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Division, are scheduled to return to Camp Lejeune on Tuesday following the completion of a deployment to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, according to a 2nd Marine Division press release.  The battalion’s approximately 1000 Marines and sailors conducted counterinsurgency operations in Helmand province under the command of Lt. Col. Christian Cabaniss. 

Post from: Lejeune Deployed

Robert Irvine, host of “Dinner: Impossible” on Food Network, speaks to Seaman Apprentice Florentino Soto, a culinary specialist, aboard USS New York Nov. 8, 2009 in New York City. Irvine and Soto cooked lunch for Marines from Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force 26 and sailors from USS New York. SPMAGTF-26 is made up of North Carolina Marines from several units that are aboard USS New York for the ship’s commissioning. (Photo by Lance Cpl. Tommy Bellegarde)

Lance Cpl. Tommy Bellegarde

NEW YORK (Nov. 11, 2009) - Robert Irvine, host of Food Network’s “Dinner: Impossible,” came aboard USS New York ,Nov. 8, 2009, in Manhattan to cook for and with the Marines of Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force 26 and the sailors of USS New York, many of whom were fans of the show.

Irvine, Randall Williams, Irvine’s business partner, and the cooks of USS New York prepared a chicken white-bean chili for SPMAGTF-26 Marines and the ship’s crew for brunch. Inside the kitchen, Irvine conversed and joked around with the troops.

“Today we came here to have a little fun with the sailors and Marines in the galley,” he said.

By 10:30 a.m. the dish was ready to be served to a long line of hungry Marines and sailors invading the mess hall. Irvine helped serve the food to the troops.

The celebrity chef said he felt the staff in the kitchen worked extremely well together and today was a perfect example of what the Navy-Marine Corps team means.

“What I saw today in the galley was a team, a coherent team. That cohesiveness is amazing. The camaraderie is second to none,” he said. “It’s very unusual to see a kitchen run as smoothly, especially on a new ship like this,” he added.

USS New York, which was commissioned Nov. 7, is the newest vessel in the Naval fleet. Irvine, a former chief petty officer in the United Kingdom’s Royal Navy, was extremely impressed with the new ship’s modern features.

“I love the way in which it’s laid out,” he said. “Obviously (there is) more walkway, more space that people can actually move around. It’s much easier for the guys when they have all their equipment to get up and down (the stairs),” he added.

After lunch, Irvine took the opportunity to autograph photos for SPMAGTF-26 Marines and USS New York sailors. He also spent time with several of his fans aboard the ship.

At the end of a successful visit, Irvine had a message for the Marines of SPMAGTF-26 and sailors of USS New York, “Continue to do your job. Continue to have fun and continue to always remember that people out here love you for what you do every day. God bless you and be safe. Oorah!”

Post from: Lejeune Deployed

Photo from 24th MEU

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. – Marines from the Camp Lejeune-based 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit conducted an amphibious assault across the beaches here this morning as part of a combined training exercise with the Navy’s Nassau Amphibious Ready Group.

In tpre-dawn hours Marine infantrymen from the MEU’s Battalion Landing Team 1^st Battalion, 9^th Marine Regiment, loaded Assault Amphibian Vehicles, better known as AMTRAKS, and “splashed” into the ocean from USS Ashland to assault objectives on Onslow Beach and Mile Hammock Bay. Right behind them followed armored HMMWV’s, M1A1 tanks, Light Armored Vehicles, artillery and support personnel loaded aboard Navy hovercraft and landing boats from USS Nassau and USS Mesa Verde, both located miles off the North Carolina coast.

The assault tested the ability of the Marine Corps-Navy team to plan and execute a mission using all elements of the Marine Air Ground Task Force to move from amphibious ships to objectives ashore, which is a primary skill set for Marine expeditionary units. The training exercise is planned to last approximately three days and will consist of follow-on missions throughout Camp Lejeune’s training areas.

The operation is part of a training exercise called Composite Training Unit Exercise, or COMPTUEX, where Marines and sailors from the 24th MEU work with the Nassau ARG to test their skills in planning and executing a variety of missions over the course of nearly three weeks.

“I couldn’t be more pleased with how everything’s coming together,” said Col. Pete Petronzio, commanding officer, 24^th MEU.

The 24th MEU is slated to be the landing force for the Norfolk-based Nassau ARG, and will deploy early next year on three amphibious assault ships – USS Nassau, USS Mesa Verde and USS Ashland.

More than 2,300 Marines and sailors make up the 24th MEU, which is composed of its command element, Battalion Landing Team 1st Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment (the Ground Combat Element), Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 162 (Reinforced) (the Air Combat Element), and Combat Logistics Battalion 24 (the Logistics Combat Element).

The Marines kicked off their pre-deployment training program in June, and before deploying they will complete a host of specialized combat courses, field training exercises and at-sea periods where they plan and conduct missions from ship.

Their final training exercise is called Certification Exercise, and is currently planned for early December, and will put the 24^th MEU back at sea with its Navy counterparts.

–Press Release

Post from: Lejeune Deployed

An MV-22B Osprey from Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 263 (Reinforced), 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), prepare to take off from the flight deck of the multi-purpose amphibious assault ship USS Bataan (LHD 5) Nov. 6, 2009 The aircraft were flown to Camp Bastion, Afghanistan, where they will be transferred to Marine Medium Tiltrotor squadron 261 and used in support of 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade. This is the first time the aircraft will be used in Afghanistan. The 22nd MEU is serving as the theater reserve force for U.S. Central Command. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Second Class Julio Rivera/RELEASED)

ABOARD USS BATAAN - The 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit flew 10 MV-22B

Ospreys from multi-purpose amphibious assault ship USS Bataan (LHD 5) to

Camp Bastion, Afghanistan, today in support of Operation Enduring

Freedom.

The aircraft, part of Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 263 (Reinforced),

will be transferred to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 261 and serve as

part of 2d Marine Expeditionary Brigade’s Aviation Combat Element.

The 22nd MEU was the first Marine Expeditionary Unit to conduct a

ship-based deployment with the tiltrotor aircraft. VMM-263 (Rein)

attached to the MEU in September, 2008, and was also the first squadron

to deploy with the aircraft to Iraq in 2007.

“It is a great honor for us to support 2d MEB and we are proud to be the

first unit to bring this aircraft into Afghanistan,” said Col. Gareth F.

Brandl, 22nd MEU commanding officer. “We have spent more than a year

working with the MV-22B and know that the added capabilities this

aircraft brings will benefit the Marines currently engaged against the

enemy.”

The Ospreys flew off in three waves making the 510 NM flight in just

over two hours. During the aircraft’s first amphibious deployment, it

flew in support of theater security cooperation events in three

countries, including U.S. Central Command’s largest exercise, Exercise

Bright Star 2009 in Egypt.

The Osprey was used to conduct multiple medical-evacuations from ship to

shore and was employed to conduct logistics flights to Rota, Spain;

Naval Air Station, Sigonella (Sicily); Djibouti, Africa; and Bahrain.

For more than a month, the squadron supported desert training when the

MEU trained ashore in Camp Buehring, Kuwait.

“The men and women of the squadron performed admirably in support of

this mission,” said Lt. Col. Paul P. Ryan, commanding officer of VMM-263

(Rein). “I am convinced that this weapon system will serve the operating

forces well for decades to come.”

Ryan added that the MEU has learned a great deal about operating with

the Osprey, and throughout the deployment, has captured lessons learned

to support future tiltrotor squadrons as they begin to deploy with other

MEUs.

The 22nd MEU deployed May 15, 2009, aboard the ships of the Bataan

Amphibious Ready Group. The unit made the transatlantic voyage into the

Mediterranean Sea where it conducted training in Greece and Bulgaria.

The MEU has since supported four theater security cooperation events

with Middle Eastern military partners and conducted sustainment training

in Kuwait.

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

Post from: Lejeune Deployed