The Chaplain Religious Enrichment Development Operation (CREDO) holds three to four marriage retreats per month in the Camp Lejeune/New River area for military couples. (Courtesy graphic by CREDO Camp Lejeune/Released) - The Chaplain Religious Enrichment Development Operation (CREDO) holds three to four marriage retreats per month in the Camp Lejeune/New River area for military couples. (Courtesy graphic by CREDO Camp Lejeune/Released)

U.S. Marines sort through more than 4,200 pounds of mail aboard the USS Bataan (LHD 5) after a replenishment at sea with the USNS Richard E. Byrd (T-AKE 4) dry cargo/ammunition ship. The 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit is deployed with the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group as a theater reserve and crisis response force throughout U.S. Central Command and the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility. - U.S. Marines sort through more than 4,200 pounds of mail aboard the USS Bataan (LHD 5) after a replenishment at sea with the USNS Richard E. Byrd (T-AKE 4) dry cargo/ammunition ship. The 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit is deployed with the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group as a theater reserve and crisis response force throughout U.S. Central Command and the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility.

U.S. Marines with Battalion Landing Team 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), quickly form a security parameter after arriving at the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) National Training Center, Israel, in support of an amphibious assault exercise, March 10, 2014, as part of Exercise Noble Shirley 2014. Noble Shirley is a recurring, scheduled bilateral training exercise with the IDF. The MEU is deployed to the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations with the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group as a sea-based, expeditionary crisis response force capable of conducting amphibious missions across the full range of military operations. - U.S. Marines with Battalion Landing Team 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), quickly form a security parameter after arriving at the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) National Training Center, Israel, in support of an amphibious assault exercise, March 10, 2014, as part of Exercise Noble Shirley 2014. Noble Shirley is a recurring, scheduled bilateral training exercise with the IDF. The MEU is deployed to the U.S. 6th Fleet area of operations with the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group as a sea-based, expeditionary crisis response force capable of conducting amphibious missions across the full range of military operations.

U.S. Marines with Battalion Landing Team 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), exit a U.S. Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey aircraft with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 263 (Reinforced), at a training range in Sierra del Retín, Spain, during Spanish Amphibious Bilateral Exercise (PHIBLEX) 2014 Feb. 24, 2014. Spanish PHIBLEX is an annual exercise designed to improve interoperability, increase readiness and develop professional and personal relationships between U.S. forces and participating nations. The MEU is deployed to the U.S. 6th Fleet area of responsibility with the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group as a sea-based, expeditionary crisis response force capable of conducting amphibious missions across the full range of military operations. - U.S. Marines with Battalion Landing Team 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), exit a U.S. Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey aircraft with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 263 (Reinforced), at a training range in Sierra del Retín, Spain, during Spanish Amphibious Bilateral Exercise (PHIBLEX) 2014 Feb. 24, 2014. Spanish PHIBLEX is an annual exercise designed to improve interoperability, increase readiness and develop professional and personal relationships between U.S. forces and participating nations. The MEU is deployed to the U.S. 6th Fleet area of responsibility with the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group as a sea-based, expeditionary crisis response force capable of conducting amphibious missions across the full range of military operations.

U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Tyler Deckard, Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 263 (Reinforced), 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), corrosion control noncommissioned officer in charge and native of Bartlesville, Okla., touches up some chips and scratches in the paint of an MV-22 Osprey aircraft to protect the aircraft from corrosion aboard the USS Bataan (LHD 5). Many of the aircraft’s markings were hand painted or custom created by Deckard and other MEU Marines, including the squadron’s logo on the tail of the Ospreys. The MEU is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations with the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group as a sea-based, expeditionary crisis response force capable of conducting amphibious missions across the full range of military operations. - U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Tyler Deckard, Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 263 (Reinforced), 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), corrosion control noncommissioned officer in charge and native of Bartlesville, Okla., touches up some chips and scratches in the paint of an MV-22 Osprey aircraft to protect the aircraft from corrosion aboard the USS Bataan (LHD 5). Many of the aircraft’s markings were hand painted or custom created by Deckard and other MEU Marines, including the squadron’s logo on the tail of the Ospreys. The MEU is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations with the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group as a sea-based, expeditionary crisis response force capable of conducting amphibious missions across the full range of military operations.

A U.S. Navy MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter with Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 22 air lifts supplies from the USNS Robert E. Peary (T-AKE 5) dry cargo/ammunition ship to the USS Bataan (LHD 5) during a replenishment at sea off the East Coast Nov. 6, 2013. The 22nd MEU is currently taking part in the Amphibious Ready Group (ARG)/MEU Exercise in preparation for its scheduled 2014 deployment to the U.S. 5th and 6th Fleet areas of responsibility with the Bataan ARG as a sea-based, expeditionary crisis response force capable of conducting amphibious missions across the full range of military operations. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Austin Hazard/Released) - A U.S. Navy MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter with Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 22 air lifts supplies from the USNS Robert E. Peary (T-AKE 5) dry cargo/ammunition ship to the USS Bataan (LHD 5) during a replenishment at sea off the East Coast Nov. 6, 2013. The 22nd MEU is currently taking part in the Amphibious Ready Group (ARG)/MEU Exercise in preparation for its scheduled 2014 deployment to the U.S. 5th and 6th Fleet areas of responsibility with the Bataan ARG as a sea-based, expeditionary crisis response force capable of conducting amphibious missions across the full range of military operations. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Austin Hazard/Released)

U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Chad Rudisill, left, Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 263 (Reinforced), 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), AH-1W Super Cobra pilot and native of Killeen, Texas, and Capt. Brett Collins, Super Cobra pilot and native of Portland, Ore., take off in support of the MEU’s Realistic Urban Training exercise at Fort Pickett, Va., Sept. 3, 2013. The MEU is scheduled to deploy in early 2014 to the U.S. 5th and 6th Fleet areas of responsibility with the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group as a sea-based, expeditionary crisis response force capable of conducting amphibious missions across the full range of military operations. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Austin Hazard/Released) - U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Chad Rudisill, left, Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 263 (Reinforced), 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), AH-1W Super Cobra pilot and native of Killeen, Texas, and Capt. Brett Collins, Super Cobra pilot and native of Portland, Ore., take off in support of the MEU’s Realistic Urban Training exercise at Fort Pickett, Va., Sept. 3, 2013. The MEU is scheduled to deploy in early 2014 to the U.S. 5th and 6th Fleet areas of responsibility with the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group as a sea-based, expeditionary crisis response force capable of conducting amphibious missions across the full range of military operations. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Austin Hazard/Released)

A U.S. Marine with Battalion Landing Team 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), attempts to cross an obstacle on a makeshift rope bridge during a leadership reaction course at Fort Pickett, Va., Aug. 27, 2013. The Marines completed the course in order to increase their small-unit leadership skills as part of the MEU’s Realistic Urban Training exercise. The MEU is scheduled to deploy in early 2014 to the U.S. 5th and 6th Fleet areas of responsibility with the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group as a sea-based, expeditionary crisis response force capable of conducting amphibious missions across the full range of military operations. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Austin Hazard/Released) - A U.S. Marine with Battalion Landing Team 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), attempts to cross an obstacle on a makeshift rope bridge during a leadership reaction course at Fort Pickett, Va., Aug. 27, 2013. The Marines completed the course in order to increase their small-unit leadership skills as part of the MEU’s Realistic Urban Training exercise. The MEU is scheduled to deploy in early 2014 to the U.S. 5th and 6th Fleet areas of responsibility with the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group as a sea-based, expeditionary crisis response force capable of conducting amphibious missions across the full range of military operations. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Austin Hazard/Released)

Two U.S. Marines with Battalion Landing Team (BLT) 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), provide cover fire as Marines carry a simulated casualty to medical aid while conducting a platoon-sized raid on a simulated town during urban tactics training as part of the MEU’s Realistic Urban Training exercise at Fort Pickett, Va., Aug. 31, 2013. More than 160 Marines from the BLT practiced fire team and squad-level room and building clearings before progressing to platoon-sized raids on the town. The MEU is scheduled to deploy in early 2014 to the U.S. 5th and 6th Fleet areas of responsibility with the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group as a sea-based, expeditionary crisis response force capable of conducting amphibious missions across the full range of military operations. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Austin Hazard/Released) - Two U.S. Marines with Battalion Landing Team (BLT) 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), provide cover fire as Marines carry a simulated casualty to medical aid while conducting a platoon-sized raid on a simulated town during urban tactics training as part of the MEU’s Realistic Urban Training exercise at Fort Pickett, Va., Aug. 31, 2013. More than 160 Marines from the BLT practiced fire team and squad-level room and building clearings before progressing to platoon-sized raids on the town. The MEU is scheduled to deploy in early 2014 to the U.S. 5th and 6th Fleet areas of responsibility with the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group as a sea-based, expeditionary crisis response force capable of conducting amphibious missions across the full range of military operations. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Austin Hazard/Released)