Marines and Sailors with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit and Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group dig a drainage ditch at the Bethany Orphanage here, April 24, 2012, as part of a community relations project. Sixty Marines and Sailors from the USS Gunston Hall sacrificed time off during a port visit to help the orphanage. The 24th MEU and Iwo Jima ARG are currently deployed as a theater reserve and crisis response force capable of a variety of missions from full-scale combat operations to humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. - Marines and Sailors with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit and Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group dig a drainage ditch at the Bethany Orphanage here, April 24, 2012, as part of a community relations project. Sixty Marines and Sailors from the USS Gunston Hall sacrificed time off during a port visit to help the orphanage. The 24th MEU and Iwo Jima ARG are currently deployed as a theater reserve and crisis response force capable of a variety of missions from full-scale combat operations to humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.

Marines with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit and Spanish Marine Corps switch squad automatic weapons April 16, here, during bi-lateral tactics training between the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit and the Spanish Marine Corps. The 24th MEU, partnered with the Navy's Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group, is deployed to the European and Central Command theaters of operation to serve as a theater reserve and crisis response force capable of a variety of missions from full-scale combat operations to humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. - Marines with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit and Spanish Marine Corps switch squad automatic weapons April 16, here, during bi-lateral tactics training between the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit and the Spanish Marine Corps. The 24th MEU, partnered with the Navy's Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group, is deployed to the European and Central Command theaters of operation to serve as a theater reserve and crisis response force capable of a variety of missions from full-scale combat operations to humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.

Col. Frank Donovan, far left, the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit commanding officer, discusses the amphibious capabilities of his MEU to Ambassador Sam Kaplan, the U.S. ambassador to the Kingdom of Morocco, during a visit aboard the ship here, April 16, 2012, in the final days of Exercise African Lion 12. African Lion is a bi-lateral training exercise between U.S. forces, including the 24th MEU, and Royal Moroccan Armed Forces to promote partnership and mutual understanding between each nation’s militaries. The 24th MEU, along with the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group, is currently deployed as a theater security and crisis response force capable of a variety of missions from full-scale combat to humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. - Col. Frank Donovan, far left, the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit commanding officer, discusses the amphibious capabilities of his MEU to Ambassador Sam Kaplan, the U.S. ambassador to the Kingdom of Morocco, during a visit aboard the ship here, April 16, 2012, in the final days of Exercise African Lion 12. African Lion is a bi-lateral training exercise between U.S. forces, including the 24th MEU, and Royal Moroccan Armed Forces to promote partnership and mutual understanding between each nation’s militaries. The 24th MEU, along with the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group, is currently deployed as a theater security and crisis response force capable of a variety of missions from full-scale combat to humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.

Lance Cpl. Richard Hager, an intelligence analyst with Battalion Landing Team 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, launches an RQ-11B Raven Unmanned Aerial System during a flight for members of the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces in support of Exercise African Lion here, April 12, 2012. African Lion is a bi-lateral training exercise between U.S. forces, including the 24th MEU, and Royal Moroccan Armed Forces to promote partnership and mutual understanding between each nation's militaries. The 24th MEU, along with the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group, is currently deployed as a theater security and crisis response force capable of a variety of mission from full-scale combat to humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. - Lance Cpl. Richard Hager, an intelligence analyst with Battalion Landing Team 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, launches an RQ-11B Raven Unmanned Aerial System during a flight for members of the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces in support of Exercise African Lion here, April 12, 2012. African Lion is a bi-lateral training exercise between U.S. forces, including the 24th MEU, and Royal Moroccan Armed Forces to promote partnership and mutual understanding between each nation's militaries. The 24th MEU, along with the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group, is currently deployed as a theater security and crisis response force capable of a variety of mission from full-scale combat to humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.

Corporals Kyle Slusher and Cody Sorrell, water purification specialists with Combat Logistics Battalion 24, 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, operate the Tactical Water Purification System to purify Moroccan ocean water into a clean water source for Marines with the 24th MEU training with the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces, April 10, 2012. The TWPS allowed the Marines to produce clean water for forces ashore during their training exercise so that they did not have to be resupplied with bottled water or by other means during the exercise. African Lion 12 is the first exercise of a regularly scheduled 8-month deployment for the 24th MEU and Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group, which deployed in March. - Corporals Kyle Slusher and Cody Sorrell, water purification specialists with Combat Logistics Battalion 24, 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, operate the Tactical Water Purification System to purify Moroccan ocean water into a clean water source for Marines with the 24th MEU training with the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces, April 10, 2012. The TWPS allowed the Marines to produce clean water for forces ashore during their training exercise so that they did not have to be resupplied with bottled water or by other means during the exercise. African Lion 12 is the first exercise of a regularly scheduled 8-month deployment for the 24th MEU and Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group, which deployed in March.

Royal Moroccan Armed Forces members along with Marines and Sailors with Alpha Company, Battalion Landing Team 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, execute an amphibious assault drill on the shores of Morocco, April 10, 2012, during the bi-lateral training exercise African Lion 12. This exercise is the first event for the 24th MEU and Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group, which deployed in March on a regularly scheduled deployment to serve as a theater reserve and crisis response force. - Royal Moroccan Armed Forces members along with Marines and Sailors with Alpha Company, Battalion Landing Team 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, execute an amphibious assault drill on the shores of Morocco, April 10, 2012, during the bi-lateral training exercise African Lion 12. This exercise is the first event for the 24th MEU and Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group, which deployed in March on a regularly scheduled deployment to serve as a theater reserve and crisis response force.

Lance Cpl. George Lynch Jr., a rifleman with Charlie Company, Battalion Landing Team 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, fires an M-249 squad automatic weapon during nighttime live-fire training on the ship’s flight deck as he sails across the Atlantic Ocean, April 5, 2012. The 24th MEU, partnered with the Navy's Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group, is deploying to the European and Central Command theaters of operation to serve as a theater reserve and crisis response force capable of a variety of missions from full-scale combat operations to humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. - Lance Cpl. George Lynch Jr., a rifleman with Charlie Company, Battalion Landing Team 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, fires an M-249 squad automatic weapon during nighttime live-fire training on the ship’s flight deck as he sails across the Atlantic Ocean, April 5, 2012. The 24th MEU, partnered with the Navy's Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group, is deploying to the European and Central Command theaters of operation to serve as a theater reserve and crisis response force capable of a variety of missions from full-scale combat operations to humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.