The 24th MEU/ARG Post-Deployment Briefing

Washington, DC- On Wednesday, January 16, 2013, ISW welcomed Colonel Frank Donovan, Commander of the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, and Captain Art Garcia, Commander, Amphibious Squadron, and the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group/24^th Marine Expeditionary Unit after an 8 ½ month deployment.

During deployment the Iwo Jima ARG/24th MEU served in the U.S. 5th and 6th Fleet areas of responsibility, participating in bilateral exercises and operations including African Lion 2012 with the Moroccan military, Eager Lion 2012 with the Jordanian navy, and the International Mine Countermeasures Exercise 2012 with more than 30 international partners. They also conducted Maritime Security Operations, provided crisis response capability, theater security cooperation, and forward naval presence. During the deployment, that forward presence enabled the MEU to support CENTCOM, EUCOM, AFRICOM, and CJTF-HOA crisis response, plus SOF contingency operations.

The 24th MEU is comprised of Battalion Landing Team, 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment; Aviation Combat Element, Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 261 (Reinforced) and Logistics Combat Element, Combat Logistics Battalion 24.