Marines and Sailors with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit and the ship's crew of the USS Bonhomme Richard drive golf balls during a steel beach picnic here, Sept. 30. The four-hour event on the flight deck featured fresh barbecue, cold drinks, assorted games, and fitness competitions. - Marines and Sailors with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit and the ship's crew of the USS Bonhomme Richard drive golf balls during a steel beach picnic here, Sept. 30. The four-hour event on the flight deck featured fresh barbecue, cold drinks, assorted games, and fitness competitions.

Lance Cpl. Zachary Palmer (left), chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear defense specialist with Combat Logistics Battalion 31, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit and a native of Shooter, Ill., and Petty Officer 2nd Class Johnnie Howard, religious programs specialist with the 31st MEU and a native of Winterhave, Fla., speak to students of the Simon Sanchez High School during the 31st MEU and USS Bonhomme Richard port visit here, Sept. 28. The Marines and Sailors traded their last day of liberty in Guam to visit the high school and speak about the advantages of military life and the value of an education. The 31st MEU is the only continuously forward-deployed MEU and is the Marine Corps' force in readiness in the Asia-Pacific region. - Lance Cpl. Zachary Palmer (left), chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear defense specialist with Combat Logistics Battalion 31, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit and a native of Shooter, Ill., and Petty Officer 2nd Class Johnnie Howard, religious programs specialist with the 31st MEU and a native of Winterhave, Fla., speak to students of the Simon Sanchez High School during the 31st MEU and USS Bonhomme Richard port visit here, Sept. 28. The Marines and Sailors traded their last day of liberty in Guam to visit the high school and speak about the advantages of military life and the value of an education. The 31st MEU is the only continuously forward-deployed MEU and is the Marine Corps' force in readiness in the Asia-Pacific region.

Maj. Philip Tweed, the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit’s intelligence officer, a native of Orem, Utah and Maj. Todd Obrien, the MEU’s communications officer, a native of Dallas, Texas, pulls down a branch from a tree that was threatening the rooftop of the Pacific War Museum during a restoration project here, September 28. The Marines and Sailors cleaned the surrounding area of the museum, repaired shed doors and cut down an old tree, following scheduled readiness training in Guam. The 31st MEU is the only continuously forward-deployed MEU and is the Marine Corps’ force in readiness in the Asia-Pacific region. - Maj. Philip Tweed, the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit’s intelligence officer, a native of Orem, Utah and Maj. Todd Obrien, the MEU’s communications officer, a native of Dallas, Texas, pulls down a branch from a tree that was threatening the rooftop of the Pacific War Museum during a restoration project here, September 28. The Marines and Sailors cleaned the surrounding area of the museum, repaired shed doors and cut down an old tree, following scheduled readiness training in Guam. The 31st MEU is the only continuously forward-deployed MEU and is the Marine Corps’ force in readiness in the Asia-Pacific region.

Lance Cpl. Jethel Hernandez, a machine gunner with Company G., Battalion Landing Team 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit and a native of Sioux City, Iowa, carries his M-240 machine gun while conducting a foot patrol during a helicopter raid on an enemy-held town here, September 22. The 31st MEU is the only continuously forward-deployed MEU and is the Marine Corps’ force in readiness in the Asia-Pacific region. - Lance Cpl. Jethel Hernandez, a machine gunner with Company G., Battalion Landing Team 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit and a native of Sioux City, Iowa, carries his M-240 machine gun while conducting a foot patrol during a helicopter raid on an enemy-held town here, September 22. The 31st MEU is the only continuously forward-deployed MEU and is the Marine Corps’ force in readiness in the Asia-Pacific region.

A combat rubber raiding craft baring Marines and Sailors with Company F., Battalion Landing Team 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit and soldiers with 1st Company, 51st Infantry Regiment, 15th Brigade, Japanese Ground Self Defense Force approaches the beach during a boat raid here, September 22. The JGSDF are integrated into BLT 2/1 during the MEU’s Fall Patrol deployment, where they conduct bilateral exercises to help strengthen military ties between Japan and the US. The 31st MEU is the only continuously forward-deployed MEU and is the Marine Corps’ force in readiness in the Asia-Pacific region. - A combat rubber raiding craft baring Marines and Sailors with Company F., Battalion Landing Team 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit and soldiers with 1st Company, 51st Infantry Regiment, 15th Brigade, Japanese Ground Self Defense Force approaches the beach during a boat raid here, September 22. The JGSDF are integrated into BLT 2/1 during the MEU’s Fall Patrol deployment, where they conduct bilateral exercises to help strengthen military ties between Japan and the US. The 31st MEU is the only continuously forward-deployed MEU and is the Marine Corps’ force in readiness in the Asia-Pacific region.

Notional evacuees are given pro-U.S. handbills during a noncombatant evacuation operation exercise here, Sept. 14. WIth the NEO processing station held in the hangar bay of the USS Bohomme Richard (LHD-6), the Marines further integrated with their Navy brethren while processing the simulated casualties. The NEO is part of the MEU's pre-deployment training before conducting multi-national exercises throughout 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. - Notional evacuees are given pro-U.S. handbills during a noncombatant evacuation operation exercise here, Sept. 14. WIth the NEO processing station held in the hangar bay of the USS Bohomme Richard (LHD-6), the Marines further integrated with their Navy brethren while processing the simulated casualties. The NEO is part of the MEU's pre-deployment training before conducting multi-national exercises throughout 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.

Amphibious assault vehicles with Marines and sailors of Company E., Battalion Landing Team 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, rally in preparation for the assault and seizure of a notional enemy airfield here, Sept. 12-14. The three-day training evolution was the beginning of the 31st MEU's certification exercise, a series of notional operations throughout the Mariana Islands designed to reinforce the Marines' skills and tactics. The airfield seizure exercise was the largest U.S. operation on the island of Tinian since its use as a strategic airfield during World War II. The 31st MEU is the only continuously forward-deployed MEU and is the Marine Corps' force in readiness in the Asia-Pacific region. - Amphibious assault vehicles with Marines and sailors of Company E., Battalion Landing Team 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, rally in preparation for the assault and seizure of a notional enemy airfield here, Sept. 12-14. The three-day training evolution was the beginning of the 31st MEU's certification exercise, a series of notional operations throughout the Mariana Islands designed to reinforce the Marines' skills and tactics. The airfield seizure exercise was the largest U.S. operation on the island of Tinian since its use as a strategic airfield during World War II. The 31st MEU is the only continuously forward-deployed MEU and is the Marine Corps' force in readiness in the Asia-Pacific region.

Cpl. James Ganieany, an airframe mechanic with Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 262 (Reinforced), 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, and a native of Saint Charles, Ill., is a supervisor and a colateral duty inspector maintianing the airframe, metal, fiber glass, hydrolics and landing gear of the CH-53E Super Stallion. Ganieany went from a high school student in his home town to becoming a Marine airframe mechanic the next year. The 31st MEU is the only continuously forward-deployed MEU and is the Marine Corps’ force in readiness in the Asia-Pacific region. - Cpl. James Ganieany, an airframe mechanic with Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 262 (Reinforced), 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, and a native of Saint Charles, Ill., is a supervisor and a colateral duty inspector maintianing the airframe, metal, fiber glass, hydrolics and landing gear of the CH-53E Super Stallion. Ganieany went from a high school student in his home town to becoming a Marine airframe mechanic the next year. The 31st MEU is the only continuously forward-deployed MEU and is the Marine Corps’ force in readiness in the Asia-Pacific region.

An FA-330J Puma helicopter drops off pallets of food and supplies during a Replenishment At Sea operation here, September 4. Over 260 crates of food and supplies were transferred by using a FA-330J Puma Helicopter while simultaneously pumping over 800,000 gallons of fuel onto the BHR. The 31st MEU is the only continuously forward-deployed MEU and is the Marine Corps’ force in readiness in the Asia-Pacific region. - An FA-330J Puma helicopter drops off pallets of food and supplies during a Replenishment At Sea operation here, September 4. Over 260 crates of food and supplies were transferred by using a FA-330J Puma Helicopter while simultaneously pumping over 800,000 gallons of fuel onto the BHR. The 31st MEU is the only continuously forward-deployed MEU and is the Marine Corps’ force in readiness in the Asia-Pacific region.

Marines of Company F., Battalion Landing Team 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, launch combat rubber raiding craft from the well deck of the USS Bonhomme Richard, Sept. 2. The Marines later executed an assault on Kin Blue beach in support of a multi-locational exercise marking the culmination of the MEU's Amphibious Integration Training with the Navy. The 31st MEU is the only continuously forward-deployed MEY and is the Marine Corps' force in readiness in the Asia-Pacific region. - Marines of Company F., Battalion Landing Team 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, launch combat rubber raiding craft from the well deck of the USS Bonhomme Richard, Sept. 2. The Marines later executed an assault on Kin Blue beach in support of a multi-locational exercise marking the culmination of the MEU's Amphibious Integration Training with the Navy. The 31st MEU is the only continuously forward-deployed MEY and is the Marine Corps' force in readiness in the Asia-Pacific region.