2,000 Marines Arrive in Haiti

The 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) has deployed to Haiti to assist in disaster relief efforts.
2,000 Marines Arrive in Haiti
Members of Africa Partnership Station West and U.S. Marines move lumber on the flight deck of USS Gunston Hall. Gunston Hall was diverted from her scheduled deployment to Africa to Haiti to assist in Operation Unified Response. (Navy Visual News Service/Shawn Mestres)
1/18/2010
Updated:
10/1/2015
<a><img src="https://www.theepochtimes.com/assets/uploads/2015/09/Marinescopy.jpg" alt="Members of Africa Partnership Station West and U.S. Marines move lumber on the flight deck of USS Gunston Hall. Gunston Hall was diverted from her scheduled deployment to Africa to Haiti to assist in Operation Unified Response. (Navy Visual News Service/Shawn Mestres)" title="Members of Africa Partnership Station West and U.S. Marines move lumber on the flight deck of USS Gunston Hall. Gunston Hall was diverted from her scheduled deployment to Africa to Haiti to assist in Operation Unified Response. (Navy Visual News Service/Shawn Mestres)" width="320" class="size-medium wp-image-1823908"/></a>
Members of Africa Partnership Station West and U.S. Marines move lumber on the flight deck of USS Gunston Hall. Gunston Hall was diverted from her scheduled deployment to Africa to Haiti to assist in Operation Unified Response. (Navy Visual News Service/Shawn Mestres)
The Camp Lejeune, N.C.-based 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) deployed to Haiti to assist in disaster relief efforts.

The deployment includes approximately 2,200 Marines and sailors who recently returned from a seven-month deployment to U.S., European, and Central Commands. They were sent to Haiti to aid in the humanitarian effort, and help prevent further looting.

“Our Marines and sailors are trained and ready to make a difference,” stated Col. Gareth F. Brandl, commanding officer of the 22nd MEU, in a press release. The 22nd MEU arrived in Haiti on Monday aboard the amphibious ships USS Bataan, USS Fort McHenry, and USS Carter Hall.

The MEU is skilled in providing disaster relief and humanitarian assistance including but not limited to engineering support, medical aid, and water purification. It consists of the Battalion Landing Team 3rd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment; Combat Logistics Battalion 22; Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 461; and its Command Element.

Camp Lejeune-area Marines have worked in Haiti several times in recent years. Past operations included stability and support operations in 1994 and 2004, support to Haitian refugees in the early 1990s, and providing humanitarian aid in the wake of storms that killed hundreds of Haitian citizens in 2008.