Takeaki Matsumoto, Japan Foreign Minister, recognizes Col. Andrew R. MacMannis, commanding officer of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, May 28, for the MEU’s work during Operation Tomodachi. The MEU delivered more than 164,000 pounds of supplies and 7,400 gallons of water to devastated areas of North-East Japan over a period of about three weeks. The 31st MEU is the only continually forward-deployed MEU, and remains the nation's force-in-readiness in the Asia-Pacific region. - Takeaki Matsumoto, Japan Foreign Minister, recognizes Col. Andrew R. MacMannis, commanding officer of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, May 28, for the MEU’s work during Operation Tomodachi. The MEU delivered more than 164,000 pounds of supplies and 7,400 gallons of water to devastated areas of North-East Japan over a period of about three weeks. The 31st MEU is the only continually forward-deployed MEU, and remains the nation's force-in-readiness in the Asia-Pacific region.