Marines from the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit began a series of training exercises today in the country of Djibouti to sustain their warfighting skills while they are deployed with the Nassau Amphibious Ready Group.
Each of the 24th MEU’s units, including the battalion landing team, combat logistics battalion, and the aviation squadron will be participating in various live-fire weapons ranges and other forms of training planned for the entire month of March.
The government of Djibouti and the U.S. State Department approved the training exercise prior to the Marines entering the country. Such training exercises are typical for Marine Expeditionary Units as they travel throughout the world.
This will be the 24th MEU’s first stop after assuming responsibility as the theater reserve for the Central Command Theater of Operation.
The 24th MEU is made up of the following units: Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 162 (based out of New River Air Station N.C.), Battalion Landing Team 1st Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment (based out of Camp Lejeune, N.C.), and Combat Logistics Battalion 24 (based out of Camp Lejeune, N.C.) . They are currently deployed on ships from Amphibious Squadron 8 (PHIBRON 8) : the multipurpose amphibious assault ship USS Nassau (LHA 4), the amphibious transport dock ship USS Mesa Verde (LPD 19) and the amphibious dock landing ship USS Ashland (LSD 48).
-USMC-
For media queries contact – Capt Robert Shuford robert.shuford@nassau.usmc.mil
For more information or for imagery and video of the 24th MEU, visit the unit's websites at - http://www.marines.mil/unit/24thmeu
http://www.facebook.com/24thmeu
http://www.dvidshub.net
http://www.flickr.com/24meu