3rd Marine Division individual augments return to Okinawa after 7-month Iraq deployment

Photo By Cpl. Eric Arndt | Maj. Gen. Robert B. Neller, 3rd Marine Division commanding general, greets Okinawa Marines who returned from Iraq, Feb. 27, at Kadena Air Base. The Marines served as individual augments attached to 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment for seven months.  

IRAQ

03.07.2008

Story by Lance Cpl. Robert Frenke 

III Marine Expeditionary Force   

By Robert Frenke
III Marine Expeditionary Force Public Affairs

KADENA AIR BASE, OKINAWA, Japan – III Marine Expeditionary Force sent Marines to support 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment out of Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, during the battalion's deployment to Iraq.

The 3rd Marine Division augments came from Combat Assault Battalion, Headquarters Battalion and 12th Marines Regiment. The rest of the augments came from 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, 3rd Marine Logistics Group and 3rd Intelligence Battalion, III MEF.

While in Iraq, the Marines served in missions throughout Fallujah, Ramadi and Anbar province. They supported convoy security, logistics and training missions in addition to other combat operations, said 1st Lt. Jed Redeker, a platoon commander in Truck Company, Headquarters Battalion, 3rd Marine Division.

When the Marines first arrived in Iraq, one of their most difficult challenges was the threat of improvised explosive devices, but those threats eventually decreased, said Gunnery Sgt. Raymundo Muro, the company gunnery sergeant for Security Company, Combat Logistics Regiment 3, 3rd MLG.

All the Marines said they were happy to be home and able to see friends and family.

"It's outstanding to be home. It'll be even better when I get to see my wife and kids," Redeker said. "I missed a lot of birthdays while I was gone, but I'm going to make them up now."

• Date Taken: 03.07.2008
• Date Posted: 03.07.2008 04:56
• Story ID: 17095
• Location: IQ