An official website of the United States government
Here's how you know
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

ArticleCS - Article View
NEWS | Oct. 29, 2016

Makin Island ARG, 11th MEU enter 7th Fleet

By PO2 Dennis Grube, USS Makin Island Public Affairs

PACIFIC OCEAN - The Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) and embarked 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) arrived in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations after concluding operations in U.S. 3rd Fleet, Oct. 29.

While in 7th Fleet, the Makin Island ARG/11th MEU will participate in bilateral training exercises and conduct operations throughout the Indo-Asia-Pacific. The series of scheduled bilateral engagements is meant to strengthen interoperability with allies and partners in order to enhance regional security and stability.

“This team has trained together for several months, exercising the spectrum of our amphibious capabilities, in preparation for our time in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region,” said Capt. Mike Crary, commander, Amphibious Squadron (PHIBRON) Five. “We’re looking forward to the opportunities we will have to work with our partners and allies here, as well as experience some of the rich culture the region has to offer.”

The ARG/MEU entered 7th Fleet days after completing training in Hawaii which allowed the Sailors and Marines to sustain skills developed during a comprehensive six-month pre-deployment training cycle, and included planning and execution of ship-to-shore operations, a company-sized helo-borne raid, simulated convoy operations, combat marksmanship and fire support operations.

“The training in Hawaii gave us a great opportunity to exercise moving Marines from ship to objective, said Col. Clay C. Tipton, commanding officer, 11th MEU. “That’s the power of this Navy/Marine Corps Team; we can put Marines ashore without the use of a secured base, seaport, or airfield.”

The Makin Island ARG is comprised of the amphibious assault ship USS Makin Island (LHD 8), the command ship for PHIBRON Five and the 11th MEU, as well as the amphibious transport dock ship USS Somerset (LPD 25), which is embarking on its maiden deployment, and amphibious dock landing ship USS Comstock (LSD 45). Embarked units, which extend the ARG’s capabilities, include the “Blackjacks” of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 21, Fleet Surgical Team 5, Tactical Air Control Squadron 11 and Assault Craft Unit 5.

The 11th MEU is a Marine Air-Ground Task Force comprised of a ground combat element, Battalion Landing Team 1st Battalion, 4th Marines; an aviation combat element, Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 163 (Reinforced); a combat logistics element, Combat Logistics Battalion 11; and a command element with a commanding officer who leads the entire MEU.

The 7th Fleet area of operations includes more than 48 million square miles of the Pacific Ocean, running from the international dateline to the eastern coast of Africa, and from the Antarctic to the Kuril Islands, Northeast of Japan.

While in 7th Fleet, the Makin Island ARG and 11th MEU will be assigned to Commander, Amphibious Force U.S. 7th Fleet, the Navy's only forward-deployed amphibious force, headquartered at White Beach Naval Facility, Okinawa.

Translate
 

Google Translation Disclaimer

  • Google Translate, a third party service provided by Google, performs all translations directly and dynamically.
  • Commander, U.S. 7th Fleet, www.c7f.navy.mil has no control over the features, functions, or performance of the Google Translate service.
  • The automated translations should not be considered exact and should be used only as an approximation of the original English language content.
  • This service is meant solely for the assistance of limited English-speaking users of the website.
  • Commander, U.S. 7th Fleet, www.c7f.navy.mil does not warrant the accuracy, reliability, or timeliness of any information translated.
  • Some items cannot be translated, including but not limited to image buttons, drop down menus, graphics, photos, or portable document formats (pdfs).
  • Commander, U.S. 7th Fleet, www.c7f.navy.mil does not directly endorse Google Translate or imply that it is the only language translation solution available to users.
  • All site visitors may choose to use similar tools for their translation needs. Any individuals or parties that use Commander, U.S. 7th Fleet, www.c7f.navy.mil content in translated form, whether by Google Translate or by any other translation services, do so at their own risk.
  • IE users: Please note that Google Translate may not render correctly when using Internet Explorer. Users are advised to use MS Edge, Safari, Chrome, or Firefox browser to take full advantage of the Google Translate feature.
  • The official text of content on this site is the English version found on this website. If any questions arise related to the accuracy of the information contained in translated text, refer to the English version on this website, it is the official version.