Certification exercise readies 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit for deployment

9/29/2011 By Capt. Roger Hollenbeck , 11th MEU

CAMP PENDLETON, Calif.

Marines and sailors from the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit will be tested on their ability to conduct missions from the sea during their certification exercise Sept. 29 to Oct. 12 aboard USS Makin Island, USS New Orleans and USS Pearl Harbor and at military bases throughout Southern California.

"The certification exercise is a validation of this unit's capabilities by observers who will evaluate both our ability to conduct missions under real conditions and timelines beyond our control, and provide fine tuning as we prepare to deploy," said Col. Michael R. Hudson, the 11th MEU's commanding officer.

The outcome of the exercise will be captured in a report and presented to the commanding general of the First Marine Expeditionary Force. If the MEU's performance meets the standard, it will be certified to deploy.

"This exercise solidifies best practices and is the capstone event for the MEU before we deploy," Hudson said. "The certification process ensures that the 11th MEU will have the most up-to-date training to support the commanders we will work for overseas.”

This will be the third iteration of training at sea with Amphibious Squadron Five in preparation for deployment this November to the Western Pacific, Middle East and Horn of Africa regions.

The mission of the MEU is to provide a rapid-response force capable of conducting conventional amphibious and selected maritime operations from sea, by surface or air.

The MEU's major subordinate elements are Battalion Landing Team 3/1, Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 268 (Reinforced) and Combat Logistics Battalion 11. This team, along with the units command element, has been working together as a complete air-ground-logistics team since May.

For more information, contact the unit's public affairs officer, Capt. Roger Hollenbeck at roger.hollenbeck@usmc.mil, roger.hollenbeck@makin-island.usmc.mil or visit the MEU website at www.11thmeu.usmc.mil or follow us on Twitter @11thmeu.

PACIFIC OCEAN-An AV-8B Harrier with Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 268 (Reinforced) lands on the amphibious assault ship Makin Island here Sept. 29. The squadron serves as the aviation combat element for the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit. The unit embarked USS Makin Island, the amphibious transport dock New Orleans and the dock landing ship Pearl Harbor in San Diego Sept. 28. The unit is participating in its final exercise before deploying in November. , Cpl. Tommy Huynh, 9/29/2011 11:19 AM
PACIFIC OCEAN -A landing craft approaches USS Makin Island here Sept. 29. The 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit embarked the amphibious assault ship Makin Island, the amphibious transport dock New Orleans and the dock landing ship Pearl Harbor in San Diego Sept. 28. The unit is participating in its final exercise before deploying in November. , Cpl. Tommy Huynh, 9/29/2011 10:01 AM
PACIFIC OCEAN -Marines and sailors aboard USS Makin Island unload ordnance from an AH-1Z Viper with Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 268 (Reinforced) here Sept. 29. The squadron serves as the aviation combat element for the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit. The unit embarked the amphibious assault ship for their final exercise before deploying in November., Cpl. Gene Allen Ainsworth III, 9/29/2011 10:02 AM
CAMP PENDLETON, Calif.-An amphibious assault vehicle drives into the sea on its return to the amphibious transport dock USS New Orleans Sept. 29 as the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit began its final sea-based exercise before deploying in November. The vehicle transported Marines and sailors of Company L, one of three rifle companies in Battalion Landing Team 3/1, the ground combat element for the unit. A platoon of tracked vehicles from 3rd Assault Amphibian Battalion here reinforces the Pendleton-based 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines. The platoon provides the go-to means of maneuver for Company L., Gunnery Sgt. Scott Dunn, 9/29/2011 12:05 PM
CAMP PENDLETON, Calif.-USS New Orleans, left, anchors off the coast here Sept. 29 as a UH-1Y Venom flies overhead and USS Makin Island arrives to conduct amphibious operations with the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, whose more than 2,400 Marines and sailors began a final sea-based exercise before deploying in November. , Gunnery Sgt. Scott Dunn, 9/29/2011 12:10 PM
PACIFIC OCEAN-Marines with the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit’s forward command element prepare to board a landing craft aboard USS Makin Island here Sept. 29. The unit embarked the amphibious assault ship Makin Island, the amphibious transport dock New Orleans and the dock landing ship Pearl Harbor in San Diego Sept. 28. The unit is participating in its final exercise before deploying in November. , Cpl. Tommy Huynh, 9/29/2011 10:52 AM