JUNE 5, 2026 – Marines and sailors assigned to the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit began returning home to Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, in waves June 1 after completing a nearly 10‑month deployment in support of Operation Southern Spear and U.S. Southern Command’s priorities of countering illicit threats, strengthening regional partnerships and protecting the homeland.
The unit comprises Battalion Landing Team 3/6, Combat Logistics Battalion 26 and Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 263. The unit was embarked aboard the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group, which included the amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima, the amphibious transport dock ship USS San Antonio and the amphibious transport dock ship USS Fort Lauderdale.
Initially slated for deployment to the U.S. 5th and 6th Fleet areas of responsibility, the team pivoted south shortly after departing Norfolk, Virginia, answering Southcom’s call for a flexible, sea‑based formation capable of responding across the competition continuum.
During the deployment, the unit executed five distinct mission-essential tasks, demonstrating its operational flexibility. Embassy reinforcement missions in Haiti and Venezuela provided security during periods of regional instability; five maritime interception operations disrupted illicit trafficking networks across the Caribbean; integration with special operations forces during Operation Absolute Resolve showcased the expeditionary unit’s ability to set the theater for sensitive joint missions; and foreign humanitarian assistance operations in Jamaica highlighted the team’s capacity to rapidly project aid from the sea.
Together, these accomplishments underscored the strategic value of a forward‑postured naval expeditionary force.
“This deployment proved a fundamental truth about our naval expeditionary forces: nobody can do what an [amphibious ready group/ marine expeditionary unit] can do organically, across all warfighting functions and all domains,” said Marine Corps Col. Tom Trimble, commanding officer of the unit. “I am incredibly proud of this blue‑green team. Watching them pivot from high‑stakes power projection one day, to embassy reinforcement and a massive humanitarian relief effort the next was nothing short of eye‑watering.”
The deployment included several operational milestones for the team. During Operation Absolute Resolve, they operated alongside joint and interagency partners to open the theater and prepare it for special operations forces. Additionally, they enhanced security at U.S. embassies in Port‑au‑Prince, Haiti, and Caracas, Venezuela. The unit played a key security role during the raising of the American flag at the U.S. Embassy in Venezuela, March 14, and months later, executed a quick‑reaction force and casualty‑evacuation rehearsal in Caracas that included transporting the Southcom commander.
“The Navy and Marine Corps team demonstrated its flexibility and operational reach,” said Navy Capt. Chris Farricker, commodore of the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group. “Together, the Iwo Jima ARG and [22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit] showcased the United States’ ability to maintain a persistent maritime presence and respond effectively from the sea to meet regional challenges, with zero reliance on foreign basing.”
The unit spent more than 90% of its deployment in the central Caribbean, steaming over 130,000 nautical miles.
“Our ability to create our own training opportunities, both from the sea and ashore, was a critical factor in our sustained readiness,” Trimble said. “Our Marines and sailors built a logistical hub where none existed and improved Camp Santiago, [Puerto Rico], to the point that the [battalion landing team] was able to employ nearly every weapon in its arsenal. That ensured we maintained our tactical edge through month 10.”
When natural disaster struck the region, the unit rapidly transitioned to humanitarian assistance operations. From Oct. 31 to Nov. 13, 2025, in partnership with Joint Task Force Bravo, the team delivered large‑scale relief to Jamaica following Hurricane Melissa.
Leveraging amphibious readiness group shipping, organic aviation and sea‑based sustainment, the force reached isolated communities cut off by storm damage. Working alongside the Jamaica Defense Force and the U.S. State Department’s Disaster Assistance Response Team, the unit delivered more than 780,000 pounds of supplies, dispensed 6,190 pounds of fuel at forward refueling points, and mapped 72 hasty landing zones using organic intelligence and reconnaissance assets.
Beyond crisis response, the unit strengthened regional partnerships and reinforced deterrence across the Caribbean. Marines and sailors conducted two military exchanges with the Trinidad and Tobago Defense Force, focusing on infantry skills, tactical combat casualty care and live‑fire mortar employment. Regional interoperability expanded further through a major bilateral exercise in Ecuador and participation in Exercise Tres Kolos alongside French and Dutch forces in Martinique.
As the unit returns home, it set the stage for the incoming 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, deploying as the 24th Littoral Combat Force, to continue Southcom’s mission in the Caribbean. This deliberate transition ensures the region maintains a continuous, capable and ready joint force in the Western Hemisphere.
By Marine Corps 1st Lt. Cailin Duffy
22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit