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Camp Lejeune Marines return from deployment off the coast of Israel

PRE News & Ideas | By Annette Weston
Published March 8, 2024 at 6:36 AM EST
U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. Carlos A. Ruiz, Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps, addresses Marines and Sailors with the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit during an all-hands formation aboard the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Bataan in Souda Bay, Greece, on March 1, 2024.
Sgt. Nayelly Nieves-Nieves
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26th Marine Expeditionary Unit
U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. Carlos A. Ruiz, Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps, addresses Marines and Sailors with the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit during an all-hands formation aboard the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Bataan in Souda Bay, Greece, on March 1, 2024.

The USS Bataan, USS Carter Hall and the USS Mesa Verde and their Marines are headed home from the Mediterranean after a nearly eight-month deployment.

The ships will dock at in Norfolk in the coming weeks. The 26th MEU is based at Camp Lejeune.

The 4,000 sailors and Marines of the Amphibious Ready Group were most recently stationed off the coast of Israel, where the Navy has had a heightened presence since war broke out in Gaza in October.

The Norfolk-based carrier USS Eisenhower remains in the region.
Annette Weston
Annette is originally a Midwest gal, born and raised in Michigan, but with career stops in many surrounding states, the Pacific Northwest, and various parts of the southeast. An award-winning journalist and mother of four, Annette moved to eastern North Carolina in 2019 to be closer to family – in particular, her two young grandchildren. It’s possible that a -27 day with a -68 windchill in Minnesota may have also played a role in that decision. In her spare time, Annette does a lot of kiddo cuddling, reading, and producing the coolest Halloween costumes anyone has ever seen. She has also worked as a diversity and inclusion facilitator serving school districts and large corporations. It’s the people that make this beautiful area special, and she wants to share those stories that touch the hearts of others. If you have a story idea to share, please reach out by email to westona@cravencc.edu.
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