MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. -- Marines with 2nd Marine Division took a moment this week to reflect on several of the year’s milestones and accomplishments. Throughout the year there have been several noteworthy events, but a few have stood out in the minds of the division’s senior leadership supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
The theme for the division this year seemed to be deployment and training, as several of the regiments and individual battalions within the unit took their turn in Iraq.
“Essentially, if you take a look at deployments, every battalion and every company has been deployed in support of the Global War on Terrorism,” said Lt. Col. John M. Reed, the division’s assistant chief of staff for operations. “We have been at capacity for the deployment tempo and we can continue to maintain that.”
The ‘Follow Me’ division is comprised of 2nd Assault Amphibian Battalion, 2nd Tank Battalion, 2nd Reconnaissance Battalion, 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion, 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 10th Marine Regiment, 8th Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Regiment and 6th Marine Regiment. Second and 6th Marines are forward deployed as Regimental Combat Teams 2 and 6, respectively.
“At the beginning of 2007, in January, we deployed many of the division staff members as the core of Multi-National Forces-West, which took authority over Al Anbar Province for one year,” Reed said. “Later, in February, we celebrated our 66th birthday as a division, which was the same day our commanding general, (Maj. Gen. Walter E. Gaskin Sr.) deployed forward to Iraq.”
In addition to the deployments, the division also stood up a few new units, such as Military Police Company, which was disbanded several years ago due to consolidation with II Marine Expeditionary Force.
“We also stood up 1st Battalion, 9th Marines, and 2nd Battalion, 9th Marines,” said Brig. Gen. David H. Berger, the assistant division commander. “We participated in the 2nd Marine Division Association birthday and reunions, as well as involvement with pending changes in family readiness and support, which are a big deal.”
All year long, Marines have been deploying, returning from deployment, and preparing to deploy. Division training has been ongoing in places such as Fort Bragg, N.C., Mojave Viper in Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, Calif., and Cajun Viper at Fort Polk, La.
“It has been a busy year for the division,” said Sgt. Maj. Michael Jones, the division sergeant major for the remain behind element. “It has been a year of learning and the units have branched out and embraced the training.”
Berger and Jones both anticipate a new year of the division preparing to welcome back the forward deployed staff, celebrate its’ 67th birthday, and will set aside a time of mourning for the leathernecks who gave the ultimate sacrifice.
“I have an appreciation for the sacrifices the Marines have been asked to make and amazement at their ability to meet those demands,” Berger said. “Like the commandant keeps saying, the strength of the Marine Corps is in the people, not gear or specific training. The people will always be the strength of the Marine Corps, and by ‘people’ I mean Marines, sailors, and their families.”