News

Marines and Sailors with Company E., Battalion Landing Team 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, exit MV-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft during the initial stages of exercise Talisman Saber 2013 here, July 20. Company G. served as the MEU’s initial ground forces by securing a beach landing site and a nearby airfield. Talisman Saber 2013 is a biennial training exercise between approximately 18,000 joint U.S. forces and approximately 9,000 Australian forces, aimed at improving combat readiness and interoperability. The 31st MEU is the Marine Corps’ force in readiness for the Asia Pacific region and the only continuously forward-deployed MEU. - Marines and Sailors with Company E., Battalion Landing Team 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, exit MV-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft during the initial stages of exercise Talisman Saber 2013 here, July 20. Company G. served as the MEU’s initial ground forces by securing a beach landing site and a nearby airfield. Talisman Saber 2013 is a biennial training exercise between approximately 18,000 joint U.S. forces and approximately 9,000 Australian forces, aimed at improving combat readiness and interoperability. The 31st MEU is the Marine Corps’ force in readiness for the Asia Pacific region and the only continuously forward-deployed MEU.

Marines and Sailors with Company G., Battalion Landing Team 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, land in Amphibious Assault Vehicles during the initial stages of exercise Talisman Saber 2013 here, July 20. Company G. served as the MEU’s initial ground forces by securing a beach landing site and a nearby airfield. Talisman Saber 2013 is a biennial training exercise between approximately 18,000 joint U.S. forces and approximately 9,000 Australian forces, aimed at improving combat readiness and interoperability. The 31st MEU is the Marine Corps’ force in readiness for the Asia Pacific region and the only continuously forward-deployed MEU. - Marines and Sailors with Company G., Battalion Landing Team 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, land in Amphibious Assault Vehicles during the initial stages of exercise Talisman Saber 2013 here, July 20. Company G. served as the MEU’s initial ground forces by securing a beach landing site and a nearby airfield. Talisman Saber 2013 is a biennial training exercise between approximately 18,000 joint U.S. forces and approximately 9,000 Australian forces, aimed at improving combat readiness and interoperability. The 31st MEU is the Marine Corps’ force in readiness for the Asia Pacific region and the only continuously forward-deployed MEU.

Staff Sgt. Michael W. Burkhart, an amphibious assault vehicle section leader with Company G., Battalion Landing Team 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, and native of Norman, Okla., alters the ship’s course heading here, July 15. Burkhart is training to be a qualified helmsman of small-deck Navy vessels in addition to performing his duties as an AAV staff noncommissioned officer in support of a bilateral exercise in Australia. The 31st MEU is embarked aboard the Bonhomme Richard Amphibious Ready Group, currently participating in Talisman Saber 2013,a biennial training exercise with the Australian military designed to enhance multilateral collaboration in support of future combined operations, natural disaster, humanitarian and emergency response. - Staff Sgt. Michael W. Burkhart, an amphibious assault vehicle section leader with Company G., Battalion Landing Team 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, and native of Norman, Okla., alters the ship’s course heading here, July 15. Burkhart is training to be a qualified helmsman of small-deck Navy vessels in addition to performing his duties as an AAV staff noncommissioned officer in support of a bilateral exercise in Australia. The 31st MEU is embarked aboard the Bonhomme Richard Amphibious Ready Group, currently participating in Talisman Saber 2013,a biennial training exercise with the Australian military designed to enhance multilateral collaboration in support of future combined operations, natural disaster, humanitarian and emergency response.

Corporal Bronson Radke, an anti-tank missileman with Battalion Landing Team 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, and a native of Roscoe, Ill., explains the nomenclature of an Mk-19 automatic grenade launcher to a young Australian boy during the opening ceremony for exercise Talisman Saber, here, July 14. The Marines and Sailors of the 31st MEU, PHIBRON 11, and Expeditionary Strike Group 7 will train alongside a joint U.S. force that totals approximately 18,000 personnel, as well as approximately 9,000 Australian service members in the fifth iteration of Talisman Saber, a month-long biennial exercise designed to enhance multilateral collaboration in support of future combined operations, natural disaster, humanitarian and emergency response. - Corporal Bronson Radke, an anti-tank missileman with Battalion Landing Team 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, and a native of Roscoe, Ill., explains the nomenclature of an Mk-19 automatic grenade launcher to a young Australian boy during the opening ceremony for exercise Talisman Saber, here, July 14. The Marines and Sailors of the 31st MEU, PHIBRON 11, and Expeditionary Strike Group 7 will train alongside a joint U.S. force that totals approximately 18,000 personnel, as well as approximately 9,000 Australian service members in the fifth iteration of Talisman Saber, a month-long biennial exercise designed to enhance multilateral collaboration in support of future combined operations, natural disaster, humanitarian and emergency response.

Marines and Sailors (left) of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit and crew of the USS Bonhomme Richard engage in a scrum with players of the Brisbane West Bulldogs (right) during a rugby match here, July 12. The match was orchestrated weeks prior to the units’ arrival in Australia as a way for the service members to embrace some of the culture and build camaraderie. Over the next few weeks, the Marines and Sailors of the 31st MEU and the Amphibious Squadron 11 will conduct integrated training with their Australian counterparts in order to improve their cooperative ability to plan, communicate and conduct complex operations. - Marines and Sailors (left) of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit and crew of the USS Bonhomme Richard engage in a scrum with players of the Brisbane West Bulldogs (right) during a rugby match here, July 12. The match was orchestrated weeks prior to the units’ arrival in Australia as a way for the service members to embrace some of the culture and build camaraderie. Over the next few weeks, the Marines and Sailors of the 31st MEU and the Amphibious Squadron 11 will conduct integrated training with their Australian counterparts in order to improve their cooperative ability to plan, communicate and conduct complex operations.

Petty Officer 2nd Class James Woodson (left), a corpsman with Combat Logistics Battalion 31, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, and Seaman Zachery Yaros (Right), a crew member of the USS Bonhomme Richard, clean windows at Blue Care Nursing Home here, July 11. The Marines and Sailors cleaned the windows throughout the nursing home and then enjoyed morning tea with the residents. The 31st MEU is in Australia to participate in exercise Talisman Saber 13 as part of a scheduled deployment in support of regional security operations in the Asia Pacific. The 31st MEU is the Marine Corps’ force in readiness for the Asia Pacific region and the only continuously forward-deployed MEU. - Petty Officer 2nd Class James Woodson (left), a corpsman with Combat Logistics Battalion 31, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, and Seaman Zachery Yaros (Right), a crew member of the USS Bonhomme Richard, clean windows at Blue Care Nursing Home here, July 11. The Marines and Sailors cleaned the windows throughout the nursing home and then enjoyed morning tea with the residents. The 31st MEU is in Australia to participate in exercise Talisman Saber 13 as part of a scheduled deployment in support of regional security operations in the Asia Pacific. The 31st MEU is the Marine Corps’ force in readiness for the Asia Pacific region and the only continuously forward-deployed MEU.

Corporal Caleb E. Haynes, an assistant team leader for Company E., Battalion Landing Team 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, and a native of Laurel, Md., watches 6-year-old Brody, recently diagnosed with diabetes, play a game on his tablet during a visit here, July 10. Twelve Marines and Sailors of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit joined 22 crew members of the USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD-6) during a visit to the Mater’s Rehabilitation Center and Mater’s Children Center to brighten the spirits of the patients. The 31st MEU is the Marine Corps’ force in readiness for the Asia Pacific region and the only continuously forward-deployed MEU. - Corporal Caleb E. Haynes, an assistant team leader for Company E., Battalion Landing Team 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, and a native of Laurel, Md., watches 6-year-old Brody, recently diagnosed with diabetes, play a game on his tablet during a visit here, July 10. Twelve Marines and Sailors of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit joined 22 crew members of the USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD-6) during a visit to the Mater’s Rehabilitation Center and Mater’s Children Center to brighten the spirits of the patients. The 31st MEU is the Marine Corps’ force in readiness for the Asia Pacific region and the only continuously forward-deployed MEU.

Private First Class Troy A. Thompson, a mail clerk with Combat Logistics Battalion 31, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, and native of Cumming, Ga., plays catch with a child from the Life Without Barriers organization during a visit at the Lake Alexander park, July 6. The Marines and Sailors of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit and crew members of the USS Germantown spent a day of liberty playing musical instruments, dancing, playing board games and making bead necklaces with disabled men, women, and children. The 31st MEU is the only continuously forward-deployed MEU and is the Marine Corps’ force in readiness in the Asia-Pacific region. - Private First Class Troy A. Thompson, a mail clerk with Combat Logistics Battalion 31, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, and native of Cumming, Ga., plays catch with a child from the Life Without Barriers organization during a visit at the Lake Alexander park, July 6. The Marines and Sailors of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit and crew members of the USS Germantown spent a day of liberty playing musical instruments, dancing, playing board games and making bead necklaces with disabled men, women, and children. The 31st MEU is the only continuously forward-deployed MEU and is the Marine Corps’ force in readiness in the Asia-Pacific region.

Marines with Company E., Battalion Landing Team 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, use night vision goggles to fire on silhouette targets during close quarters, low-light combat marksmanship training from the flight deck here, July 5. More than 100 Marines of the company were able to test their night-time marksmanship on the flight deck, expending thousands of rounds of ammunition over a period of three hours. The 31st MEU is the Marine Corps’ force in readiness for the Asia Pacific region and the only continuously forward-deployed MEU. - Marines with Company E., Battalion Landing Team 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, use night vision goggles to fire on silhouette targets during close quarters, low-light combat marksmanship training from the flight deck here, July 5. More than 100 Marines of the company were able to test their night-time marksmanship on the flight deck, expending thousands of rounds of ammunition over a period of three hours. The 31st MEU is the Marine Corps’ force in readiness for the Asia Pacific region and the only continuously forward-deployed MEU.

Marines with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit sit on the edge of the flight deck and enjoy their barbeque during a steel beach picnic to celebrate Independence Day here, July 4. The “blue and green” team grilled more than 1,300 burgers, 800 pieces of chicken and 800 hotdogs to give the Marines and Sailors a taste of home during the holiday celebration. The 31st MEU is the only continuously forward deployed MEU and is the Marine Corps’ force in readiness in the Asia-Pacific region. - Marines with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit sit on the edge of the flight deck and enjoy their barbeque during a steel beach picnic to celebrate Independence Day here, July 4. The “blue and green” team grilled more than 1,300 burgers, 800 pieces of chicken and 800 hotdogs to give the Marines and Sailors a taste of home during the holiday celebration. The 31st MEU is the only continuously forward deployed MEU and is the Marine Corps’ force in readiness in the Asia-Pacific region.