Photo Information

1st Sgt. Jamie L. Byrd, left, and Lt. Col. Matthew J. Kessler, uncover the U.S. flag during the III Marine Expeditionary Force Support Battalion activation ceremony, March 22, 2018 at Camp Hansen, Okinawa, Japan. Kessler, III MSB’s first commanding officer, is from Kingsport, New York, and Byrd, III MSB’s acting sergeant major, is from Greenville, South Carolina. III MSB’s mission is to provide combat service support, security and administrative services to the command elements of III MEF, III Marine Expeditionary Brigade and III MEF Information Group.

Photo by Sgt. Amaia Unanue

III MEF Support Battalion: The Newest Battalion in the Marine Corps

27 Mar 2018 | Sgt. Amela Unanue The Official United States Marine Corps Public Website

Nearly 229 Marines and Sailors from units throughout III Marine Expeditionary Force combined to activate III MEF Support Battalion during an activation ceremony here March 22. 

The activation of III MSB, under the command of III MEF Information Group, marks the latest step in the Marine Corps’ warfighting development, said Lt. Col. Matthew J. Kessler, III MSB’s first commanding officer.

“As the Marine Corps' newest battalion, III MSB serves as tangible proof that the Marine Corps will be neither complacent nor stagnant but rather, through continued innovation, remain the most lethal and capable fighting force,” said Kessler.

III MSB’s mission is to provide combat service support, security and administrative services to the command elements of III MEF, III Marine Expeditionary Brigade and III MEF Information Group. The MSB gives these command elements a more responsive and agile support capability and allows the III MIG commander to focus more on the information warfare capabilities.