PACIFIC OCEAN -- The 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit began a 16-day at-sea exercise here Sept. 1 with the Navy's Amphibious Squadron Five aboard amphibious ships.While embarked aboard USS Makin Island and USS New Orleans, Marines and sailors with the unit will conduct ship-to-shore training.
During the training period, the unit will conduct various land-based training, helicopter-borne raids, personnel recovery, humanitarian aid and noncombatant evacuations to prepare the MEU for its Western Pacific deployment.
Preparing a dynamic organization like this is a challenge; each piece of the puzzle compliments each other during the six-month workup cycle prior to the certification exercise, said Lt. Col. Thomas Prentice, MEU operations officer.
The exercise is the second time the unit has gone to sea since assuming operational control of Battalion Landing Team 3/1, Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 268 (Reinforced) and Combat Logistics Battalion 11.
“This exercise is an opportunity for the unit to execute our amphibious mission essential tasks such as raids,” Prentice said.