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AQABA, Jordan (NNS) -- The Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group (KSG ARG) and embarked Marines from the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) commenced their participation in Exercise Eager Lion 2013, June 9. Eager Lion is a multilateral exercise held annually in Jordan, and is a continued effort to support military-to-military partnerships and enhance security and stability in the region. "International exercises like these are important because they strengthen ties and promote interoperability between countries," said Amphibious Squadron Four commodore, Capt. Brad Skillman. "We are delighted to be working with our JAF long-time partners and we are looking forward to a valuable,...

Marine aviator of the year recalls historic mission in Libya 4/24/2012 By Cpl. Brian Adam Jones, Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point MARINE CORPS AIR STATION CHERRY POINT, N.C. — The magnitude of the moment came to him over the radio, in a hoarse whisper. Maj. J. Eric Grunke sat in the cockpit of an AV-8B Harrier at just past midnight March 22, 2011, thousands of feet above the Mediterranean Sea, and speeding toward the Libyan coastline. Grunke was serving as a Harrier pilot assigned to the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit on the third day of Operation Odyssey Dawn, an...

WASHINGTON, Jan. 6, 2011 – About 1,400 service members of the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit will deploy to southwestern Afghanistan, U.S. Central Command officials announced today. The 3rd Battalion, 8th Marines is currently aboard the ships of the Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group operating in the Indian Ocean. The unit’s home base is Camp Lejeune, N.C., and is the Theater Reserve Force. The unit will go ashore with infantry, aviation and logistics assets. Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, the commander of U.S. Forces Afghanistan, requested the extra Marines. He did so after consultations with Afghan government officials. The Marines and sailors...

A glimpse at the 26th MEU as elements arrive at Onslow Beach and mainside on Camp Lejeune Saturday, 30 June 2007.

<p>President Bush today directed the Pentagon to position a limited number of Marines off the coast of Liberia to facilitate the arrival of West African peacekeepers as fighting raged in Monrovia and conditions deteriorated for the Liberian people.</p> <p>Defense officials said a three-ship Amphibious Ready Group with 2,200 Marines led by the helicopter carrier USS Iwo Jima would arrive in the region from the Mediterranean in early August, about the time the first battalion of Nigerian peacekeepers is planning to go into Liberia.</p>

WASHINGTON - Some 4,500 more American sailors and Marines have been ordered to position themselves closer to Liberia to be ready for possible duty in the embattled West African nation, officials said Monday. Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld signed a deployment order over the weekend sending a three-ship amphibious ready group from its position off the Horn of Africa into the Mediterranean Sea, defense officials said. That would put the group in a position to get to the west coast of Africa faster, if needed for an evacuation of Americans, peacekeeping or some other mission.

U.S. forces to protect the American embassy and U.S. interests in the war-torn west African nation of Liberia and would work with the United Nations to help restore a cease fire. "We're concerned about our people," Bush said. At the same time, Bush indicated that he had not yet made up his mind on the size of a U.S. force that might be sent to help peacekeepers from west African nations already in Liberia. "We continue to monitor the situation very closely," Bush said during a joint news conference on his Texas ranch with Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi. Bush spoke...

Fighting surged back to the heart of Liberia's capital on Monday, stray bullets zipping into districts where thousands have sought shelter, as U.S. Marines flew to reinforce the U.S. embassy. Residents said fighting between rebels and government forces was raging on the far side of bridges that stand on the threshold of the city center, hours after Liberian government forces vowed to fight to the death. "Nobody retreats and nobody surrenders. This is a battle for survival," said army chief of staff General Benjamin D. Yeaten. Children, keeping their heads as low as they could to dodge the bullets, ran...