MAY 19, 2025 – The 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) conducted training to prepare the unit for future warfighting capabilities. Immersive, scenario-based evolutions focused on lethality, readiness, and interoperability for an upcoming deployment in the Indo-Pacific Region during a MEU Exercise (MEUEX) in Okinawa, from Apr. 28 to May 9, 2025.
Over two weeks of training, MEUEX prepared approximately 2,400 Marines and sailors in strategies and procedures, as well as lethal and nonlethal operations by simulating a wide range of contingencies.
“MEUEX is two weeks of Marine Air-Ground Task Force integration training, and this event welds together each element of the MAGTF ensuring the MEU fights as a coherent unit,” said Col. Chris P. Niedziocha, the commanding officer of the 31st MEU. “We take a scenario, define the problem, develop and brief a plan, execute the mission, then debrief it and carry the lessons forward into the next event. This generates readiness and prepares to embark the ships of the amphibious ready group where we do it again, this time with the Navy. The ultimate goal is what I like to call “first night of the war” readiness. This ensures that when we’re called, we’re ready. It’s actually part of our logo – ready, partnered, lethal.”
The MEU Exercise is conducted twice a year and provides realistic training events for standing missions such as Personnel Recovery; Company to Platoon-sized reinforcement; Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Crisis Response; Humanitarian Assistance; Expeditionary and Maritime Strikes; Sensor Expeditionary Advanced Base; Forward Arming and Refueling Point; and a Forward Command Element.
The 31st MEU is executing its mission aligned with the National Defense Strategy (NDS), focusing on strengthening U.S. deterrence through integrated deterrence, campaigning, and investments that build enduring advantages. It prioritizes deterring strategic attack and aggression and ensuring the ability to “win” if deterrence fails. The strategy also emphasizes building a resilient joint force and defense ecosystem, as well as defending the United States.
“The 31st MEU is a vital unit with a centralized capability of abilities in our area of operations,” said Maj. James J. Hurton, the operations officer for Battalion Landing Team (BLT) 1st Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 31st MEU. “The MEU is ready to respond to any crisis or conflict when called upon. We conduct this training before each deployment, and it provides us a realistic training scenario to stay ready as America’s most lethal fighting force.”
“We are excited to implement the Amphibious Combat Vehicle with our list of capabilities. We are always looking for methods to implement kinetic and non-kinetic operations, this technology provides new methods to employ the battalion landing team in a multi-domain environment,” said Hurton.
The Amphibious Combat Vehicle (ACV) is being integrated with the 31st MEU for the first time for future operations. The ACV provides the MEU a ship-to-objective amphibious capability, land mobility, survivability and growth capacity and flexibility to incorporate and adapt future technologies according to BAE Systems. This asset is customizable and has the built-in growth capacity to integrate future mission critical technologies, including new battle management capabilities, advanced communications, reconnaissance, electronic warfare, anti-air, and unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), providing flexibility to address additional mission roles.
The III Marine Expeditionary Force commanding general, Lt. Gen. Roger B. Turner, affirmed that the ACVs upgrade the fleet with amphibious combat vehicles capable of supporting sea denial and maritime operations. They further bolster III MEF’s ability to support deterrence efforts and respond to contingencies in the Indo-Pacific.
“The 31st MEU is the tip of the spear. Our job is to be prepared, and ready to fight. These Marines and sailors here operate at an impressive speed and always maintain our warfighting capabilities at the highest standard. The MEU is always innovating to find and create new methods to complete the mission, extending from intelligence gathering, 5th generation fighting capabilities, and implementing the ACV to preserve stability and deter adversaries. ” said Master Gunnery Sgt. Harold R. River, the operations chief for the 31st MEU
The 31st MEU provides a forward deployable, flexible, and sea-based Marine Air Ground Task Force (MAGTF) capable of employing amphibious operations, crisis response and limited contingency operations, to include enabling the introduction of follow-on forces and designated special operations to support U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM), and other geographic combatant commanders when applicable.
“It is important to take full advantage of the repetitions and training events to achieve the best results to heighten mission success,” said Maj. Michael P. Monaghan, the assistant operations officer for the 31st MEU. “The Marines and sailors trained hard and showed their best qualities when it came from the largest training operation to the smallest details. We are a unit that focuses on the inches and seconds.”
This is a major pre-deployment training exercise that validates and reinforces the MEU’s mission capabilities across all MAGTF elements, including the Command Element (CE), Ground Combat Element (GCE), Aviation Combat Element (ACE), and Combat Logistics Battalion (CLB). This exercise prepares the 31st MEU for integration with the three ship, America Amphibious Ready Group (AMAARG) reinforcing the ARG/MEU capacity with more than 5,000 Marines and sailors.
The 31st MEU, the Marine Corps’ only continuously forward-deployed MEU, provides a flexible and lethal force ready to perform a wide range of military operations as the premiere crisis response force in the Indo-Pacific region.
Gunnery Sgt. Devin Nichols
31st Marine Expeditionary Unit