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Tag: Marines

The Amphibious dock landing ship USS Gunston Hall gets underway from Virginia Beach.

July 9, 2018

Southern Seas 2018 deployment begins

MAYPORT, Fla. (NNS) - The Whidbey Island-class amphibious dock landing ship USS Gunston Hall (LSD 44) with Destroyer Squadron Four Zero (DESRON 40) has deployed to the waters surrounding Latin America and the Caribbean to conduct Southern Seas 2018.

U.S. Army Staff Sgt.Tyrone Hamilton, left, the forward support noncommissioned officer in charge with Joint Task Force - Bravo's 1st Battalion, 228th Aviation Regiment, and U.S. Marine Cpl. Tyler Slaggert, a field radio operator with Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force - Southern Command, link their communications equipment together to secure reliable voice communication during a communications exercise aboard Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras, to prepare for future joint-level operations, June 19, 2018. The Marines and sailors of SPMAGTF-SC are conducting security cooperation training and engineering projects alongside partner nation military forces in Central and South America. The unit is also on standby to provide humanitarian assistance and disaster relief in the event of a hurricane or other emergency in the region.

June 21, 2018

Comm links up: SPMAGTF-SC, JTF-Bravo communicators learn to work together

SANTO CANO AIR BASE, Honduras — Marines with Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force - Southern Command’s communications section met up with their counterparts in Joint Task Force Bravo's 1st Battalion, 228th Aviation Regiment communications section to sync their equipment in preparation for future joint-level operations in Latin America and the Caribbean, June 19.

U.S. Marine Sgt. Jordan Becker, left, a cyber network specialist with Joint Task Force Matthew, offloads a generator from a CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter with the help of the Brazilian service members at Jeremie, Haiti, Oct. 15, 2016. After eight days of supply drop operations JTF Matthew has delivered over 478,000 pounds of supplies utilizing various military aircraft. JTF Matthew, a U.S. Southern Command-directed team comprised of Marines, soldiers, sailors and airmen, is providing critical airlift capabilities during the initial stages of the U.S. Agency for International Development's disaster relief operations in Haiti while the international response builds.

May 22, 2018

Laying the groundwork for a multinational amphibious task force

MIAMI, Fl. — Personnel, aircraft, and equipment from key partner nations working shoulder to shoulder while serving together in a multinational amphibious task force within maritime areas of Latin America and the Caribbean – this is what the future looks like in the minds of Marines and Sailors from U.S. Marine Corps Forces, South and several other regional military forces.

U.S. Col. Michael V. Samarov, the commander of Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force - Southern Command, answers questions from Honduran press members after a closing ceremony at Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras, Nov. 8, 2017. The unit held a closing ceremony to wrap up their six-month deployment to Central America and to thank interagency and international partners for their support. The Marines and sailors of SPMAGTF-SC have completed a successful deployment in Central America and are scheduled to return to the United States in mid-November 2017.

Nov. 21, 2017

SPMAGTF-SC Marines conclude their deployment in Central America

U.S. Marines and Sailors with Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force - Southern Command held a final formation at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, Nov. 18.

U.S. Marine Lance Cpl. Trai Pelletier, a welder with the Logistics Combat Element, Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force - Southern Command, greets a child at the ribbon cutting ceremony for the Taufick Bendeck Elementary School in Trujillo, Honduras, July 27, 2017. The Marines are conducting infrastructure improvement projects at local schools in Trujillo at the request of the government of Honduras. The Marines and sailors of SPMAGTF-SC are deployed to Central America to conduct security cooperation training and engineering projects with their counterparts in several Central American and Caribbean nations.

Oct. 16, 2017

U.S. Marines complete school projects in Honduras

TRUJILLO, HONDURAS — U.S. Marines with the Logistics Combat Element, Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force - Southern Command, attended a closing ceremony at Once de Febrero School, Trujillo, Honduras, Oct. 13, to celebrate the completion of their renovation project at the school.

U.S. Marine CH-53E Super Stallion helicopters belonging to Joint Task Force - Leeward Islands take off from Muñiz Air National Guard Base in Carolina, Puerto Rico, Sept. 18, 2017.

Sept. 19, 2017

Joint Task Force - Leeward Islands prepares for Hurricane Maria

U.S. service members with Joint Task Force - Leeward Islands moved their aircraft from San Juan to Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, Sept. 18, 2017, in preparation for the arrival of Hurricane Maria so they can continue their humanitarian assistance and disaster relief mission once the storm passes.

U.S. Marine Cpl. Kyler S. Barrett, a landing support specialist with Joint Task Force - Leeward Islands, assembles the Lightweight Water Purification System at Orient Beach, Saint Martin, Sept. 16, 2017. The Marines arrived to assess possible locations to set up their LWPS in order to produce potable water for communities on the island most affected by Hurricane Irma. At the request of partner nations, JTF-LI deployed aircraft and service members to areas in the eastern Caribbean Sea impacted by the storm. The task force is a U.S. military unit composed of Marines, Soldiers, Sailors, and Airmen, and represents U.S. Southern Command’s primary response to Hurricane Irma.

Sept. 19, 2017

Joint Task Force - Leeward Islands distributes water to the people of Saint Martin

ST. MARTIN, Leeward Islands — U.S. service members with Joint Task Force - Leeward Islands began water purification projects on Saint Martin, Sept. 14, in response to the aftermath of Hurricane Irma.

U.S. Marines prepare their CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter for takeoff from La Aurora International Airport in Guatemala City, Guatemala, Aug. 1, 2017.

Aug. 7, 2017

SPMAGTF-SC aviation Marines arrive in Guatemala

GUATEMALA CITY, Guatemala — U.S. Marines with the Aviation Combat Element, Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force - Southern Command, kicked off their arrival to Guatemala with a media day at the La Aurora International Airport in Guatemala City, Guatemala, July 31, 2017.

U.S. Marine Sgt. Dustin J. Houghton, an infantry trainer with the Belize Detachment, Ground Combat Element, Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force - Southern Command, trains service members with the Belize Defence Force in basic combat marksmanship near Ladyville, Belize, July 20, 2017. The training was part of basic infantry skills course taught by the detachment to members of the BDF. The Marines and sailors of SPMAGTF-SC are deployed to Central America from June to November 2017 to conduct security cooperation training and engineering projects with their counterparts in Belize, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras.

Aug. 3, 2017

SPMAGTF-SC Marines conduct security cooperation training across Central America

SOTO CANO AIR BASE, Honduras — U.S. Marines with the Ground Combat Element, Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force - Southern Command, are conducting training with host nation militaries while deployed in Central America, June - November, 2017.

PACIFIC OCEAN - (Jul. 23, 2017) -- U.S. Marine Corps Assault Amphibious Vehicles (AAV/P7-A1) depart the amphibious transport dock ship USS Somerset (LPD 25) in support of UNITAS LVIII. UNITAS is an annual, multi-national exercise that focuses on strengthening our existing regional partnerships and encourages establishing new relationships through the exchange of maritime mission-focused knowledge and expertise during multinational training operations. (U.S. Navy Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Jacob I. Allison/RELEASED)

July 28, 2017

UNITAS 2017 Concludes in Peru

LIMA, Peru (NNS) -- After two weeks of multinational exercises and events at-sea and in port, UNITAS 2017 concluded with a debrief and closing ceremony held on the oceanfront July 26, in Lima, Peru.