24th Marine Expeditionary Unit Composites

Photo By Lance Cpl. John Allen | U.S. Marine Corps Col. Todd Mahar, commanding officer, 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), speaks during the 24th MEU’s composite ceremony on Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, Oct. 12, 2023. The 24th MEU Command Element gained the subordinate elements of Battalion Landing Team 1/8, serving as the ground combat element; Combat Logistics Battalion 24, serving as the logistics combat element; and Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 365 (reinforced), serving as the aviation combat element. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. John Allen)  

CAMP LEJEUNE, NORTH CAROLINA, UNITED STATES

10.12.2023

Story by Sgt. Jacqueline Peguero-Montes 

24th Marine Expeditionary Unit

Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C. – The 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit formed as a Marine Air-Ground Task Force, signified with a composite ceremony, Oct. 12, 2023 at Camp Lejeune.

The 24th MEU Command Element gained the major subordinate elements of: Battalion Landing Team 1/8, serving as the Ground Combat Element; Combat Logistics Battalion 24, serving as the Logistics Combat Element; and Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 365 (Reinforced), serving as the Aviation Combat Element.

“This composite ceremony signifies that we are a MAGTF,” said Col. Todd Mahar, commanding officer of the 24th MEU. “We are the team of teams coming together to enter our pre-deployment training program alongside our Navy brothers and sisters. Together, we will train and prepare for a worldwide deployment at a moment’s notice.”

The composite ceremony marks the official start of the 24th MEU’s pre-deployment training program. The training cycle will soon transition from Marine Corps mission-specific training to Navy/Marine Corps joint training evolutions alongside Amphibious Squadron 4 prior to its deployment. For its sea-based training, the 24th MEU will embark aboard the Wasp Amphibious Ready Group, providing the nation with a flexible, maneuverable, and adaptable option for deterrence, sea denial, and crisis response.

“We are ready to begin the pre-deployment training program, with our amphibious ready group partners, as we train and prepare for worldwide deployment at a moment’s notice,” said Col. Mahar in his remarks to the formation. “The next six months of the PTP will prepare us for anything that comes our way; however, we have the watch now, and are prepared to respond to a crisis requiring the MEU.”

First activated in 1971 as the 34th Marine Amphibious Unit, the unit was later redesignated as the 24th MEU in 1988. The 24th MEU has participated in humanitarian operations and conflicts including Operation Southern Watch, Resolve Resolute, Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation Unified Response. The 24th MEU most recently deployed in 2021 and supported the evacuation at Hamid Karzai International Airport, Afghanistan.

The 24th MEU bears a profound honor and solemn duty as a crisis response force, dedicated to upholding timeless traditions and being ever-prepared to answer the nation’s call, even in the most unforeseen and challenging circumstances.

• Date Taken: 10.12.2023
• Date Posted: 10.12.2023 18:26
• Story ID: 455637
• Location: CAMP LEJEUNE, NORTH CAROLINA, US