CAMP HANSEN, Okinawa, Japan -- After arriving to become the Battalion Landing Team of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, the Marines and Sailors of 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, settle in to their Okinawan home to begin training for future deployments within the Asian-Pacific region.
The unit has a number of tasks to complete, including: drafting a pre-deployment training schedule, inspecting their administrative equipment, receiving a full issue of tactical gear from the Consolidated Issue Facility, settling into their new barracks and preparing their MEU specific equipment like the Combat Rubber Raiding Craft.
Once completed, the Marines and Sailors can jump right into pre-deployment training ranging from boat raids, mechanized raids and helicopter raids to non-combatant evacuations. The training ensures the BLT is fully capable of conducting a wide range of operations for the 31st MEU’s spring deployment.