Marines and Sailors assigned to the 26th Marine

Marines and Sailors assigned to the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) offload gear from buses on a pier in front of the USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) aboard Naval Station Norfolk, Va., Jan. 22, 2013. The MEU and Amphibious Squadron (PHIBRON) 4 are conducting PHIBRON-MEU Integration in preparation for their Composite Training Unit Exercise, the final phase of a six-month pre-deployment training program. The 26th MEU operates continuously across the globe, providing the president and unified combatant commanders with a forward-deployed, sea-based quick reaction force. The MEU is a Marine Air-Ground Task Force capable of conducting amphibious operations, crisis response and limited contingency operations. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Christopher Q. Stone/Released)