Marines assigned to the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) board a landing craft, utility in the well deck of the San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship USS Portland (LPD-27) on March 2, 2022. US Navy Photo
Amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD-2) pulled into San Diego Naval Base, Calif., on Friday morning to wrap up a seven-month deployment that took the three-ship force and embarked 11th Marine Expeditionary Force to the Persian Gulf and Western Pacific regions. Read More
A Marine assigned to 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) provides over-watch during an evacuation at Hamid Karzai International Airport, Kabul, Afghanistan on Aug. 21, 2021. US Marine Corps Photo
One explosive device detonation caused the death of 13 U.S. troops in an attack during the United States withdrawal from Afghanistan, according to U.S. Central Command officials.
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USS Essex (LHD-2), front, transits the Indian Ocean with the guided-missile destroyer USS O’Kane (DDG-77) on Jan. 9, 2022. US Navy Photo
The three-ship Essex Amphibious Ready Group and the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit left the Middle East last week after operating in the region since late September, according to USNI News’s Fleet and Marine Tracker. Read More
The Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7) arrives at its homeport of Naval Station Mayport, Florida, Oct. 11, 2021. US Navy Photo
This story has been updated to correct that USS San Antonio (LPD-17) pulled into its homeport on Friday, not Saturday.
The three ships that make up the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group pulled into their respective homeports the last few days, ending a deployment that supported the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.
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USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76) steams in the Arabian Sea on Sept. 6, 2021. US Navy Photo
This post has been updated to show the Reagan Carrier Strike Group has left U.S. Central Command.
The Japan-based Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group has left the Middle East after operating in the region since June, a Navy official confirmed to USNI News on Thursday. Read More
Sailors render honors to the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD-2) from the flight deck of the Freedom-variant littoral combat ship USS Freedom (LCS-1) on April 12, 2021. US Navy Photo
The Essex Amphibious Ready Group entered the U.S. 5th Fleet after quietly deploying from California last month, Navy officials confirmed to USNI News on Monday. Read More
Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin speaks with reporters on Afghanistan, at the Pentagon on Aug. 18, 2021. DoD Photo
This post has been updated with a statement from President Joe Biden.
The U.S. doesn’t have enough troops in Kabul to secure safe passage for tens of thousands of Americans and Afghan allies seeking to leave the country, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said in a press conference on Wednesday. Read More
Afghanistan civililans attempt on the airfield as a C-17 attempts to take off from the Kabul airport.
This post has been updated with additional comments from President Biden and Pentagon officials.
The mass exodus of U.S. citizens and American allies from Afghanistan is now a military-assisted non-combatant evacuation operation as the security situation in the capital of Kabul has continued to devolve, a Pentagon spokesman said on Monday. Read More
A U.S. Marine with Task Force Southwest (TFSW) provides security for Marine advisors during an advising mission with 1st Brigade, Afghan National Army (ANA) 215th Corps as the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces conduct Operation Maiwand 12 at Camp Shorserack, Afghanistan, March 12, 2018. US Marine Corps Photo
The Pentagon is sending 3,000 troops – including two Marine Corps battalions – to Afghanistan to support the evacuation of the U.S. embassy in Kabul. Read More
USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76) steams ahead, followed by Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force guided-missile destroyer JS Maya (DDG-179) on May 16, 2021. US Navy Photo
The Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group is now operating in the Middle East after transiting the Suez Canal on Tuesday, U.S. 5th Fleet officials told USNI News. Read More
