Marines and Sailors with the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) (MEU(SOC)) participate in Exercise “Odyssey Encore”, in vicinity of Volos, Greece, Jan. 6-17, 2024. The 26th MEU(SOC) readiness sustainment exercise named “Odyssey Encore,” enhances the unit’s operational capabilities as an expeditionary crisis response force and provides an opportunity for the 26th MEU(SOC) to conduct advanced integrated expeditionary operations and live-fire training with both the 32nd and 24th Marine Brigades in Greece. The Bataan Amphibious Ready Group, with the embarked (26MEU(SOC)), is on a scheduled deployment in the U.S. Naval Forces Europe area of operations, employed by U.S. Sixth Fleet to defend U.S., Allied and partner interests. (U.S. Marine Corps video by Sgt. Matthew Romonoyske-Bean)

As a result of recent Secretary of Defense tasking, the Marines and Sailors of the USS Bataan, USS Carter Hall and 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) (MEU(SOC)) will bolster maritime security operations in the U.S. Central Command area of operations, while the USS Mesa Verde will support operations in the U.S. European Command. The ability of the 26th MEU(SOC) to conduct distributed operations across multiple combatant command boundaries simultaneously truly showcases the operational flexibility, relevance, and battle staff competencies as the Nation's premier, special operations capable Marine Air-Ground Task Force. Our Marines and Sailors are training and ultimately Ready. The 26th MEU(SOC), embarked with the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group, continues to remain ready, relevant and capable across the Marine Air-Ground Task Force while on a scheduled deployment as the Tri-Geographic Combatant Command Immediate Response Force within the Fifth and Sixth Fleet’s area of responsibility. (U.S. Marine Corps video by Sgt. Matthew Romonoyske-Bean)

The 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) (MEU(SOC)) has officially been certified as Special Operations Capable following the completion of Composite Unit Training Exercise (COMPTUEX) by Headquarters Marine Corps and II Marine Expeditionary Force and certified for deployment by Fleet Marine Force, Atlantic and U.S. Fleet Forces Command, July 6, 2023. The designation of MEU(SOC) is a first for the Marine Corps in more than a decade. The designation continues to demonstrate the Marine Corps’ ability to partner with, compliment, enable, and to integrate with the Joint and Coalition Special Operations Forces in support of daily campaigning, crisis response, and integrated deterrence missions. (U.S. Marine Corps video by Sgt. Matthew Romonoyske-Bean)

The 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) completed Composite Training Unit Exercise (C2X), the final at-sea exercise associated with an intense seven-month pre-deployment training program (PTP), June 5, 2023. The 26th MEU completed seven major events during PTP within a realistic threat-informed scenario reflective of the Sixth, Fifth, and Seventh Fleets areas of operations. C2X served as the culminating deployment certification event within the II Marine Expeditionary Force's enhanced PTP and subsequent redesignation as a Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable). (U.S. Marine Corps video by Cpl. Michele Clarke)

U.S. Marines with the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (26 MEU) participate in a full mission profile event in a Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear (CBRN) hazard course in Perry, Georgia, May 19, 2023. During this course, the Marines have conducted scenario based training, chemical sampling, radiation dose mapping, wide area searches and tactical casualty response and recovery drills. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Aziza Kamuhanda)

Elements of the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) participate in MEU Exercise (MEUEX) III from 5-15 March, 2023. MEUEX III served as the culminating land-based exercise for the 26th MEU, setting conditions to transition into the advanced stages of Pre-deployment Training Program. The 26th MEU Marine Air-Ground Task Force planned, briefed, rehearsed, and executed core mission essential tasks to include an airfield seizure, amphibious raids, expeditionary strikes, mass casualty and tactical recovery of aircraft and personnel (TRAP) drills. (U.S. Marine Corps video by Cpl. Matthew Romonoyske-Bean)

The 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit serves as one of the Nation's premier crisis response forces capable of conducting amphibious operations, crisis response and limited contingency operations, to include enabling follow-on forces and special operations. "The MEU enabled by amphibious ships remains the crown jewel of our naval expeditionary forces. No naval vessel in our inventory is capable of supporting a more diverse set of missions than the amphibious warship." (U.S. Marine Corps video by Cpl. Michele Clarke)

The 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit serves as one of the Nation's premier crisis response forces capable of conducting amphibious operations, crisis response and limited contingency operations, to include enabling follow-on forces and special operations. "The MEU enabled by amphibious ships remains the crown jewel of our naval expeditionary forces. No naval vessel in our inventory is capable of supporting a more diverse set of missions than the amphibious warship." (U.S. Marine Corps video by Cpl. Michele Clarke)

U.S. Marines with Charlie Company, Battalion Landing Team (BLT) 1/6, 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) conduct boat patrols during a littoral movement as part of MEU Exercise III on Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, March 11, 2023. BLT 1/6 continues to enhance rigid-hulled inflatable boat (RHIB) readiness through conducting on and off and shore to shore drills prior to deployment. The 11m RHIBs provide a high-speed, long–range, low-signature combatant craft capable of projecting and recovering Marines for a variety of missions. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Aziza Kamuhanda)

U.S. Marines and Sailors with the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit are briefed by an instructor prior to beginning Underwater Egress Training (UET) on Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, Feb. 22, 2023. UET provides service members with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to safely egress a submerged aircraft. (U.S. Marine Corps Photo by Lance Cpl. Aziza Kamuhanda)

U.S. Marines and Sailors with the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit are briefed by an instructor prior to beginning Underwater Egress Training (UET) on Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, Feb. 22, 2023. UET provides service members with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to safely egress a submerged aircraft. (U.S. Marine Corps Photo by Lance Cpl. Aziza Kamuhanda)

U.S. Marines with Battalion Landing Team 1/6, 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, salute the colors during a Belleau Wood Tree Dedication Ceremony on Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C., Feb. 16, 2023. The tree was planted as part of a project dedicated to establishing groves of Belleau Wood “descendant trees” throughout the United States. The acorns were acquired from France and planted, protected, and nurtured until grown to a size where the saplings could be transported safely, subsequently planted at significant locations around the country. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by LCpl. Aziza Kamuhanda)

U.S. Marines with the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit’s Maritime Special Purpose Force (MSPF) and Battalion Landing Team (BLT) 1/6 participate in a Visit, Board, Search and Seizure (VBSS) course at Fort Eustis, Virginia, Jan. 13, 2023. The VBSS course is designed by Expeditionary Operations Training Group to train MSPF, BLT 1/6, and supporting enablers across the Marine Air-Ground Task Force to conduct Maritime Interception Operations in preparation for the Amphibious Ready Group/Marine Expeditionary Unit (ARG/MEU) deployment. (U.S. Marine Corps video by Cpl. Matthew Romonoyske-Bean)

U.S. Marines with the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit’s Maritime Special Purpose Force (MSPF) and Battalion Landing Team (BLT) 1/6 participate in a Visit, Board, Search and Seizure (VBSS) course at Fort Eustis, Virginia, Jan. 13, 2023. The VBSS course is designed by Expeditionary Operations Training Group to train MSPF, BLT 1/6, and supporting enablers across the Marine Air-Ground Task Force to conduct Maritime Interception Operations in preparation for the Amphibious Ready Group/Marine Expeditionary Unit (ARG/MEU) deployment. (U.S. Marine Corps video by Cpl. Matthew Romonoyske-Bean)

U.S Marines and Sailors with the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) participate in a mass casualty response exercise on Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, Oct. 27, 2022. The Expeditionary Operations Training Group (EOTG) mass casualty course trained medical personnel from the 26th MEU’s Battalion Landing Team 1st Battalion, 6th Marines and Combat Logistics Battalion 22 on casualty response procedures. 26th MEU corpsman worked on perfecting their execution of this complex process with a series of increasingly difficult scenarios over this one-week course. (U.S Marine Corps video by LCpl. Aziza Kamuhanda)

U.S. Marines with 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 2d Marine Division, conduct a Marine Corps Combat Readiness Evaluation (MCCRE) at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, Oct. 18, 2022. The purpose of a MCCRE is to formally evaluate the unit’s combat readiness in preparation for their upcoming deployment with the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit. (U.S. Marine Corps video by Cpl. Matthew Romonoyske-Bean)

Marines and Sailors with the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) participated in a field exercise (FEX) at Marine Corps Auxiliary Landing Field Bogue, North Carolina, 22-26 Aug. 2022. The MEU FEX demonstrated the 26th MEU's ability to transition command and control from ship-to-shore through the echeloning of command capabilities and expeditionary logistics planning.

U.S. Marines and Sailors with the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) participated in Operation Allies Welcome at Fort Pickett, Virginia, Sep. 10th to Dec. 15th, 2021. The 26th MEU deployed to Fort Pickett and assumed the duties as Task Force Pickett. Over the duration of three months, Task force Pickett welcomed 10,000 Afghan Evacuees and departed 5,000 to permanent locations across the U.S. The Department of Defense, through U.S. Northern Command, and in support of the Department of Homeland Security, is providing transportation, temporary housing, medical screening, and general support for at least 50,000 Afghan evacuees at suitable facilities, in permanent or temporary structures, as quickly as possible. This initiative provides Afghan personnel essential support at secure locations outside Afghanistan. (U.S. Marine Corps video by Sgt. Corey Mathews)

Col. Dennis W. Sampson, commanding officer of the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, and Sgt. Maj. James L. Horr, give thanks to the Marines of the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit for their hard work and dedication over the past year. In honor of 246 years of faithful service, the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit carried the U.S. Marine Corps colors 246 miles over the course of 41 hours on Fort Pickett, Virginia, From Nov. 8 to Nov. 10, 2021. Music track courtesy of "Riot" by Target Practice. Disclaimer: The appearance of links does not constitute an endorsement by the Department of Defense of this website or the information, products, or services contained therein. (U.S. Marine Corps video by Lance Cpl. Zachary Zephir, Sgt. Corey Mathews, and Sgt. Jonathon Wiederhold) Music: Target Practice - Riot https://youtu.be/NNm8nVjrTKk