ABOARD USS KEARSARGE (off the coast of North Carolina) -- Marines and Sailors of the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit (24th MEU) crossed Onslow Beach, Jacksonville, N.C. Feb. 6, marking the start of their third major exercise in preparation to deploy as Landing Force Sixth Fleet 2-01. The training evolution, Marine Expeditionary Unit Exercise (MEUEX), will also bring them one step closer to certification as Special Operations Capable.
Throughout the nine-day exercise MEU personnel plan to work closely with their Navy counterparts from Amphibious Squadron 6 and the Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group, which includes USS Ponce and USS Carter Hall. They will fine-tune their ability to plan for and execute a variety of missions through the Rapid Response Planning Process (R2P2).
Follow the 24th MEU predeployment on their website at www.usmc.mil/24meu.