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thedrifter
11-28-05, 05:54 AM
22nd MEU (SOC) passes through the 'gateway to combat'
www.22meu.usmc.mil
Story by Gunnery Sgt. Keith A. Milks

ABOARD THE USS NASSAU (Nov. 28, 2005) -- In the early morning hours of November 26, long before most of their embarked Marines and sailors were awake, the ships of Expeditionary Strike Group 8 (ESG- began their 18-hour passage through the Suez Canal.

Consisting of the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) and Nassau Strike Group, the ESG’s Suez transit marked its entry into the Central Command theater of operations. CENTCOM is a vast operational area that encompasses nearly 30 countries throughout the Middle East, Horn of Africa, and south and central Asian regions.

Commonly known in Marine and Navy circles as ‘the ditch,’ the Suez Canal is a 101 mile-long artificial waterway that connects the Mediterranean Sea and the Gulf of Suez, the northern arm of the Red Sea. With a minimum bottom width of 197 feet, the Suez Canal can accommodate practically every ship sailing the oceans today, and has been in near constant use since 1888.

The November 26 transit was Cpl. Manuel B. Amoguis’ third Suez passage, and the Kalihi, Hawaii native still marvels at the opportunity presented by the unique journey.

“This isn’t something everyone gets to see,” said the administrative clerk assigned to the MEU’s Command Element. “Not only as Americans, but having been at sea for so long, it’s unusual to see land, especially so close and on both sides.”

In recent years the Suez Canal has earned the unofficial moniker as ‘the gateway to combat,’ reflecting the ongoing security and stability operations in the CENTCOM theater. For example, the 22nd MEU (SOC)’s most recent deployments have seen it pass through the Suez to conduct operations throughout the region, including Djibouti, Pakistan, and Afghanistan.

While the crew of the USS Nassau prepared their ship for the transit and assisted the ship in its navigation of the waterway, the ship’s embarked Marines marked the occasion by donning their desert digital camouflage utilities. This simple act provided a tangible reminder that they were drawing ever closer to possible employment in the region

Although security concerns kept most of the Marines inside the skin of the ship, Cpl. Joe C. McGowan, a native of Batavia, N.Y., did manage to catch a glimpse of the desert sands and Egyptian townships slipping by the ship.

“It was definitely exciting, and helps bring everything into perspective seeing as how we are now so close to the fight,” said McGowan, a disbursing agent with MEU Service Support Group 22.

In addition to its Command Element and MSSG-22, the 22nd MEU (SOC) consists of Battalion Landing Team 1st Bn., 2nd Marines and Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 261 (Reinforced). The MEU’s exact mission in CENTCOM has yet to be determined as the unit continues to train and prepare for any operational contingency.

For more information on the MEU and its role in the war on terror, visit the unit’s web site at www.22meu.usmc.mil.

Ellie