MEU deployment

[CalahanD]

Well we officially became the 24th MEU today in a long a$$ ceremony. Can anybody tell me what to expect from a MEU? Any stories of there times on a MEU would be cool...thanks. I know so far most of our time is in Afghanistan but we do get to go to other countries.

Thanks Marines

[Sergeant M]

Alot of time on a boat and deployments more often if you're stationed out here.

[Petz]

so um.... ship is ok if you're a mech.... otherwise I'd hate it.

[dhenderson88]

Hey, one of my friends is going to be with you, he works in Combat Camera.

[CalahanD]

No, I am not a mech, I am an 0331....and what is your friends name?

[irizavrima]

I am with a Regiment so I can't answer this first hand. However, a lot of my friends are currently with the 22nd MEU. They tell me a lot of things about living on a boat. From what I understand, you can be in line for an hour or longer waiting for food sometimes. You will also have special duties. Everybody on the ship is responsible for one thing or another ranging from laundry to watch etc...Other then that it is basically a long training evolution. I can tell you first hand that your better off there then here in Iraq. Iraq is getting pretty ridiculous nowadays...

[Alisium]

No, I am not a mech, I am an 0331....and what is your friends name?

0311,

You do just about the same things on ship you do in garrison. PT, have classes, eat, pt, sleep, train and so on. Mostly eat and sleep and pt.

Boots and shytebirds get duties like mess duty, laundary, garbage and so forth. You'll field day still. Lines can be horrible. Just get all the card colors. (make friends with sailors).

You're probably going to go to Afghanistan, but in peace time you stop off at a libbo port every 20 days or so for about four days. And then there are also training ports, like Australia, Thailand, Signapore and various places in the ME.

Your time overseas is what you make it. Ship can be lots of fun. Lots of time if you have a hobby, like to read, play computer games. Make friends with the sailor. Poke some of the Navy chicks. Food isn't bad.

[8th&I Marine]

My nephew is about to head out also I do believe he is making that float. Good luck Marines Semper Fi!!!!


Cantrell:flag:

[Pete0331]

You just picked up with a MEU so you will see SOTG, maybe SOTG Assault Leaders Course, at sea periods, and lots of other training.
Be prepared for a lot of cross training with pogues.
Each unit is given an ammo allotment, battalions try to use their allotment up before they shift to a MEU.
Being on a MEU will give your battalion another allotment of ammo and more unit funds.
Units try to hold off to buy all the cool toys until they get onto a MEU.

It depends on what the big picture is for your MEU.
You many float on the ocean, occasionally stopping for training and libo, or you may go strait to 3rd fleet/CENTCOM.

I don't want to know specifics.
Watch your OPSEC in this thread.

[Alisium]

They'll also be picking the TRAP platoon. Cross your fingers.

[sapper01]

Don't be surprised if you spend your whole tour in Afghanistan. I was with the 24th MEU last year and never seen a ship except on work-ups.

[Supersquishy]

Fire Fighting class.....fun..... then you get to do the drills on the ship evan more fun...not...LOL. I actually liked the ship, it was peaceful looking over the water on the deck, I don't know if grunts are allowed topside or not when not training. Be prepared to do humps up and down the cat walk.

[00101010]

Anything can happen, two years ago with 22 we were supposed to go to Iraq. As we got closer to landing in Kuwait we were hearing that it changed to Afghanistan. We finally hit Kuwait, only to spend 5 weeks there and go to neither. The whole deployment turned out to be a Med Float. We did do some humanitarian work in Bangladesh after a typhoon hit them, then we did anti-pirate things (stayed in the area and looked big and mean), but the rest was port visits.

Your BN will be split up between several ships. We had 3 companies on the big ship (LHD/LHA) and the other two split between two smaller ships. The only time we saw each other the whole deployment was in Kuwait. We all had different libo ports and different missions (we helped out Bangladesh while another company trained in Djibouti).

I am of course only listing the big overall stuff you remember. The 1 - 2 hour wait for chow is normal, they also rotated our gym hours (Navy/Marines) which sucks as you have to leave the gym at the end of Marine hours only to have the Navy not use it. It is cramped and smells horrible. Everyone else on the ship (the big ship) hates the grunts because we had nothing to do, no jobs to work, no where to be most of the time. Humps on the flight deck just walking around and around in circles for hours. Getting shell backed was interesting. Just be careful in those foreign ports if you get to go. We had several guys get in A LOT of trouble for doing the wrong thing in the wrong country.

Oh and the work ups are terrible. Just the schedule of all the coming and going, my family grew very tiered of it, and just wished I would deploy already and get it over with.

Maybe I listed too many negatives here, but it was a great experience looking back.

[Devildogg99]

Take up lines and space on the boat HAHA! Sorry had to give you a bad time coming from the wing side. I haven't seen you guys do much really but clean your rifles and maybe pme. I made the joke because since there isn't much to do you guys are always in a line i.e. chow, px...Lucky for us when we have flight ops we get front of the line because we have to hurry up, eat and make it back up for flights coming in and out...Overall the MEU is awesome!! I love being on the boat. My last one was the 26th MEU 4 years ago

[Accord]

I was on the 24th MEU last year with BLT. The training workup was a long, drawn out, complete waste of time and resources. 3 weeks before our deployment we were told that we were flying to Afghanistan and we never saw the ships ever again. We spent so much time during the workup rotting away on the boats doing Navy working parties instead of doing what Marines do and that's training for war. And what happened? We received the toughest combat deployment since the Fallujah/Ramadi days and were completely unprepared for it because we wasted so much time trying to learn what ship life was like. Our ONLY real training was one or two trips to Fort Pickett where we just did a bunch of ranges and humps which was a waste as well, all other training consisted on working on adjusting to ship life, and that sort of thing. Then we get sent as the first Marines back in Afghanistan in 4 years and our battalion was completely unprepared for it because of our lack of training during the workup. We never did CAX, Mojave Viper, anything. We just rotted on Navy ships. If we didn't have such the good amount of quality NCO's with combat experience that we did, we would have suffered more KIA than 2/7. Most of the MEU workup was training for the high level officers and whatnot while us lowly enlisted were relegated to sitting in berthing areas of the boat not allowed to do anything.

I'm sure MEU's back in the 80's and 90's during peace time were fun, but not these days. "Let no 2ndMARDIV ghost say he died because his leaders failed to train him" yeah right, whatever helps the guys with brass on their collars sleep at night.

Am I bitter? ****ing-A right i'm bitter, I lost friends over there because our leaders had their heads of their asses too worried about MEF level B.S. instead of training us to do what Marines do best.

Be prepared for a lot of bull**** over the next year of your life.

[SSgt Ramsey]

A MEU can be a lot of fun, at least bearable, but it's what you want to do with your time that will dictate that....

I was on a MEU in 96/97 and worked on flight-deck Combat Cargo on the Nassau and went into Tirana, Albania and also Sierra Leon, Africa during combat ops....

Yes, there are long lines, classes, PT, but you can also knock out a lot of MCI's, get a college course or 2 in if you have the time....it's not all a negative experience....

Accord...you ought to research past history of the 80's and 90's of "peacetime" MEU's and all the "good times" Marine's had back then....you act like you're the only guy on this site that went into a combat situation as either a combatant or other role...get over yourself....this site isn't about YOU and all the evil's that have befallen you since you joined the Marine's...I know both myself and Sgt Leprechaun were in the same AOR's off the coast of Albania and it was not all puppie's and flowers, Marine's fought, died, and were horribly wounded doing their jobs during "peacetime" missions....

You may be able to volunteer for Combat Cargo...I dunno....it's a lot of work, very long hours, usually fairly dangerous on the flight deck, and if you go in-country, don't expect comforts being a "white-coat"...but you won't be bored, get head of line privelidges, and stay busy at least....

[PaidinBlood]

Accord...you ought to research past history of the 80's and 90's of "peacetime" MEU's and all the "good times" Marine's had back then....you act like you're the only guy on this site that went into a combat situation as either a combatant or other role...get over yourself....this site isn't about YOU and all the evil's that have befallen you since you joined the Marine's...I know both myself and Sgt Leprechaun were in the same AOR's off the coast of Albania and it was not all puppie's and flowers, Marine's fought, died, and were horribly wounded doing their jobs during "peacetime" missions....



SSgt I thought you were here when the consensus was to understand John's perspective and help him to work with his experiences. He came across strong at times but I understand and remember what that was like and I didn't see a tenth of what he did. I'm just glad to see him back and doing well. However, if you see the need to spank him that's your prerogative-you've certainly earned it. SF :usmc:

[SSgt Ramsey]

I don't think I "spanked" Accord...by no means....

I'm no better nor worse than any other member of this site, many have a lot more combat time and experience than I ever did.....I have't earned any special priveledges or perks for any reason...I'm a Marine just like everybody else here who has earned the title and worn the uniform....no better or worse...

I simply reacted and replied to some of his statments and inneundo, period...a LOT of Marine's in the 80's and 90's deployed with MEU's and reacted to real-world events and situations during "peacetime" and to not recognize that fact is a slap in the face of all of them, I just referenced Sgt Lep and myself as both of us were there but on different MEU's....and we definitely seen a lot of the same AOR's.

The Officer remark kinda irritated me also....yeah, I'm sure there are some Officers that are incompetent, but every Officer I ever met, liked, or respected was a human, just like I....and not one of them I ever personally dealt with ever took their rank or station lightly especially in real-world situations....nobody ever want's to put Marine's into jeopardy needlessly or to come home with fewer than they deployed with....the conscience remark irked me...

I never met a perfect leader of Marine's....although I met and had the pleasure of working with many outstanding leaders in my time....we all learn, make mistakes, apply what we've been taught, and go on with our career's however long that may last....

I bear Accord no ill-will....some of his statement's have been spot-on....some I have disagreed with....but I thought this was a discussion vice decision forum here?? What makes his posts immune to other's respectfully disagreeing with as his peers?? I'm not immune to anybody disagreeing with me and my posts....far from it....I've been wrong before and I'm sure I will be again in the future.

[PaidinBlood]

I bear Accord no ill-will....some of his statement's have been spot-on....some I have disagreed with....but I thought this was a discussion vice decision forum here?? What makes his posts immune to other's respectfully disagreeing with as his peers??


Fair enough..apologies for the digression.

[SSgt Ramsey]

All is well Paidinblood...I'd have a beer with you anytime bro :beer:

[PaidinBlood]

I always felt lost when Marines from other Bns started telling MEU stories....like a meatball...

[Accord]

I don't think I "spanked" Accord...by no means....

I'm no better nor worse than any other member of this site, many have a lot more combat time and experience than I ever did.....I have't earned any special priveledges or perks for any reason...I'm a Marine just like everybody else here who has earned the title and worn the uniform....no better or worse...

I simply reacted and replied to some of his statments and inneundo, period...a LOT of Marine's in the 80's and 90's deployed with MEU's and reacted to real-world events and situations during "peacetime" and to not recognize that fact is a slap in the face of all of them, I just referenced Sgt Lep and myself as both of us were there but on different MEU's....and we definitely seen a lot of the same AOR's.

The Officer remark kinda irritated me also....yeah, I'm sure there are some Officers that are incompetent, but every Officer I ever met, liked, or respected was a human, just like I....and not one of them I ever personally dealt with ever took their rank or station lightly especially in real-world situations....nobody ever want's to put Marine's into jeopardy needlessly or to come home with fewer than they deployed with....the conscience remark irked me...

I never met a perfect leader of Marine's....although I met and had the pleasure of working with many outstanding leaders in my time....we all learn, make mistakes, apply what we've been taught, and go on with our career's however long that may last....

I bear Accord no ill-will....some of his statement's have been spot-on....some I have disagreed with....but I thought this was a discussion vice decision forum here?? What makes his posts immune to other's respectfully disagreeing with as his peers?? I'm not immune to anybody disagreeing with me and my posts....far from it....I've been wrong before and I'm sure I will be again in the future.
He asked for personal experiences and stories from a MEU. I told him mine. It's that simple, that cut and dry. Just because mine wasn't some embellished booze cruise like 95% of the other MEU's out there is no reason to lash out. 2/6 just got back from a party cruise while every other unit in the Marine Corps has been getting some in the sand box, they did one humanitarian mission and partied, good on them, they never went to combat.

I'm one of the only Marines on here who tell it like it is and doesn't sugarcoat anything. I mean, you honestly told him to volunteer for combat cargo - are you serious? The CC Marines were the most miserable ones on ship.

He wanted MEU experiences, I told him mine. I'm sure others have different stories, how about instead of trying to cut me down you simply share your own stories and benefit the Marine who asked the questions.

[SSgt Ramsey]

I'm sorry Accord...I guess you do in fact know everything about the Marine Corps and have done it all in your few short years you have graced it and us with your presence and leadership....should I bow now or later??

I will admit, some of my best and worst times I've ever experienced were in Combat Cargo...some I'm still sorting out 12+ years later, but I would not change them for a minute....was it all puppies and flowers and ice cream on Sunday....no, of course not, it's what Marine's do and have done for over 2 centuries as the premier warriors in the world and will continue to do so.

[Accord]

I'm sorry Accord...I guess you do in fact know everything about the Marine Corps and have done it all in your few short years you have graced it and us with your presence and leadership....should I bow now or later??

I will admit, some of my best and worst times I've ever experienced were in Combat Cargo...some I'm still sorting out 12+ years later, but I would not change them for a minute....was it all puppies and flowers and ice cream on Sunday....no, of course not, it's what Marine's do and have done for over 2 centuries as the premier warriors in the world and will continue to do so.
Let me reiterate that the he wanted MEU experiences, I told him mine, nothing more, nothing less - so how about instead of trying to cut me down because you don't like the fact that I had something negative to say, you simply share your own stories for the Marine who asked the question.

[Sgt Leprechaun]

I saw this thread earlier but didn't comment because, well, quite frankly, my experiences were 10 years ago and quite likely aren't relevant to today. Oh, sure, my ship time will be VERY similiar to yours (not as much boredom for me since I was a radio operator and actually stood watch the entire float in the LFOC when I wasn't ashore...but even during liberty port calls we stood watch..that was the down side). I did Albania (the end of 'Silver Wake') embassy evac, a bunch of excercises in Isreal (which as I understand it, they no longer do, pity), Spain (Sierra del Retain) and Christmas in Malaga, Spain, New Years in Lisbon, Portgual (Dirtiest city I ever saw). Feb/March/April were spent back and forth from various places in Greece to doing Gator squares (45 days at one point) in the Adriatic, supporting the bombing campaign in Kosovo. Landed at Thessoliniki, Greece and drove up to there prepping for the 'invasion'. (pfffft.) Fed refugees in Skopje, Macedonia.

Lots of down time, fixing broken equipment, preppping for landings and excercises, etc.

I made friends that I still keep in contact to this day. You live that close to Marines, all cooped up for six months, you tell and hear alot of stories. Some good times and some bad times. No real 'combat' like the Marines of today, but not exactly a 'booze cruise' either. (Since we went out at Xmas, it was SUPPOSED to be a booze cruise, with liberty ports in Spain, Isreal, Casablanca, France...but it didn't go down that way LOL).