WHITE BEACH, Okinawa, Japan - Marines and Sailors with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit board the USS Bonhomme Richard of Amphibious Squadron 11 to begin a scheduled patrol of the Asia-Pacific region. The upcoming patrol is designed to continue the unit's multilateral training with allied nations in the region, while maintaining a ready force at sea and contributing to theater security cooperation. The 31st MEU in the Marine Corps' force in readiness for the Asia-Pacific region. - WHITE BEACH, Okinawa, Japan - Marines and Sailors with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit board the USS Bonhomme Richard of Amphibious Squadron 11 to begin a scheduled patrol of the Asia-Pacific region. The upcoming patrol is designed to continue the unit's multilateral training with allied nations in the region, while maintaining a ready force at sea and contributing to theater security cooperation. The 31st MEU in the Marine Corps' force in readiness for the Asia-Pacific region.

U.S.S. BONHOMME RICHARD, At Sea - An AV-8B Harrier from Marine Attack Squadron 542 completes a vertical landing for night time carrier landing qualification on the moving deck of the U.S.S. Bonhomme Richard, August 27. A detachment of six Harriers serves as the fixed wing asset of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit's Air Combat Element. - U.S.S. BONHOMME RICHARD, At Sea - An AV-8B Harrier from Marine Attack Squadron 542 completes a vertical landing for night time carrier landing qualification on the moving deck of the U.S.S. Bonhomme Richard, August 27. A detachment of six Harriers serves as the fixed wing asset of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit's Air Combat Element.

Lance Cpl. Vincent T. Mareham, a rifleman with Battalion Landing Team 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, and native of Chalan Kanoa, Saipan, enlisted in the Marines to repay those who fought before for the liberation of his home during WWII. Presently attached to the forward-deployed 31st MEU in Okinawa, Japan, Mereham feels he is coming closer to honoring that debt to the Marine Corps, as he deploys in support of theater security cooperation in the Asia-Pacific. - Lance Cpl. Vincent T. Mareham, a rifleman with Battalion Landing Team 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, and native of Chalan Kanoa, Saipan, enlisted in the Marines to repay those who fought before for the liberation of his home during WWII. Presently attached to the forward-deployed 31st MEU in Okinawa, Japan, Mereham feels he is coming closer to honoring that debt to the Marine Corps, as he deploys in support of theater security cooperation in the Asia-Pacific.

Marines and Sailors with Company F., Battalion Landing Team 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, cut through the choppy waters in a combat rubber raiding craft, en route to their objective during boat raid exercise here, August 10. The 31st MEU is the Marine Corps’ force in readiness for the Asia Pacific and the Marine Corps’ only continuously forward deployed MEU. - Marines and Sailors with Company F., Battalion Landing Team 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, cut through the choppy waters in a combat rubber raiding craft, en route to their objective during boat raid exercise here, August 10. The 31st MEU is the Marine Corps’ force in readiness for the Asia Pacific and the Marine Corps’ only continuously forward deployed MEU.

Marines with Company E., Battalion Landing Team 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, lay down suppressing fire while others in the distance sweep toward an enemy encampment here, Aug. 11. As part of the BLT’s pre-deployment training package, the mechanized raid preludes the 31st MEU’s deployment within the Asia-Pacific region. 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, 1st Marine Regiment, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, lay down suppressing fire while others in the distance sweep toward an enemy encampment here, Aug. 11. As part of the BLT’s pre-deployment training package, the mechanized raid preludes the 31st MEU’s deployment within the Asia-Pacific region. The 31st MEU is the only continuously forward-deployed MEU and is the Marine Corps’ force in readiness in the Asia-Pacific region.

COMBAT TOWN, Okinawa, Japan - Marines with Company G., Battalion Landing Team 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, depart from CH-46E Sea Knight helicopters here, Aug. 9. Inserting via helicopters with Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 262 (Reinforced), the Marines raided a notional town, neutralizing all enemy personnel and capturing a high-value individual. The 31st MEU is the only continuously forward-deployed MEU and is the Marine Corps' Force in readiness in the Asia-Pacific region. - COMBAT TOWN, Okinawa, Japan - Marines with Company G., Battalion Landing Team 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, depart from CH-46E Sea Knight helicopters here, Aug. 9. Inserting via helicopters with Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 262 (Reinforced), the Marines raided a notional town, neutralizing all enemy personnel and capturing a high-value individual. The 31st MEU is the only continuously forward-deployed MEU and is the Marine Corps' Force in readiness in the Asia-Pacific region.

CAMP HANSEN, Okinawa, Japan - Sergeant Maj. Anthony P. Goss (left) and Sgt. Maj. Matthew J. Grither (right) prepare to pass the sword during a post and relief ceremony for Combat Logistics Battalion 31, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, here, Aug. 10. Goss retired after 30 years of service to country and Corps, passing the position of senior staff non-commissioned officer to Grither. - CAMP HANSEN, Okinawa, Japan - Sergeant Maj. Anthony P. Goss (left) and Sgt. Maj. Matthew J. Grither (right) prepare to pass the sword during a post and relief ceremony for Combat Logistics Battalion 31, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, here, Aug. 10. Goss retired after 30 years of service to country and Corps, passing the position of senior staff non-commissioned officer to Grither.

CAMP HANSEN, Okinawa, Japan - Marines of the chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear defense team of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, open the gate to a storage facility during low-light assessment and consequence management training here, Aug. 2. The Marines of the CBRN defense team are qualified technicians in the detection, identification, and decontamination of hazardous materials and chemical components to weapons of mass destruction. - CAMP HANSEN, Okinawa, Japan - Marines of the chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear defense team of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, open the gate to a storage facility during low-light assessment and consequence management training here, Aug. 2. The Marines of the CBRN defense team are qualified technicians in the detection, identification, and decontamination of hazardous materials and chemical components to weapons of mass destruction.

Sergeant Brandon R. Rivers, color sergeant for Battalion Landing Team 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, hands the battalion colors to Sgt. Maj. Kent D. Cartmill, BLT 2/1 sergeant major, during a 90-mile relay run here, Aug. 1. The 15-hour run was in commemoration of the battalion's 90th anniversary and featured a cake cutting ceremony and reading of the battalion lineage. - Sergeant Brandon R. Rivers, color sergeant for Battalion Landing Team 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, hands the battalion colors to Sgt. Maj. Kent D. Cartmill, BLT 2/1 sergeant major, during a 90-mile relay run here, Aug. 1. The 15-hour run was in commemoration of the battalion's 90th anniversary and featured a cake cutting ceremony and reading of the battalion lineage.