26th MEU cleans up to come home
NAVAL STATION ROTA, Spain (June 21, 2007) -- After spending six months abroad as the landing force for U.S. Naval Forces Fifth Fleet and Sixth Fleet, Marines and sailors of the 26th MEU completed their deployment with a wash down in Rota, Spain, from June 14-20.
http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/main5/B64C7B791A4177068525730100274D75?opendocument
June 21, 2007; Submitted on: 06/21/2007 03:09:17 AM ; Story ID#: 20076213917
By Cpl. Aaron J. Rock, 26th MEU
The ships of the Bataan Expeditionary Strike Group pulled into port and off-loaded all of the vehicles and equipment used during deployment.
During the seven days in port, all of the equipment was cleaned and inspected before being reloaded back onto the ships for the final trip across the Atlantic.
Paul Skinner, a Customs Border Clearance Agent for the United States government, said washdown is a very important step in the process of returning home.
"Agriculturally speaking, there are a lot of very nasty things in the world that have the potential to harm the agriculture of the U.S.," he said.
Skinner said anytime a unit is re-deploying back to the United States it must pass an agricultural inspection to make sure it doesn't bring back things like seeds, eggs or any diseases.
Although cleaning was the priority, units still took advantage of some of the recreation opportunities in the area.
The Marines and sailors, many of whom hadn't seen a liberty port in months, played soccer, softball, video games, attended a bullfight and took tours of the area in order to decompress after the long deployment at sea.
Chief Warrant Officer 3 Todd L. McAllister, maintenance officer for the 26th MEU's Combat Logistics Element, Combat Logistics Batallion-26, said the washdown process went smoothly.
"The Marines worked faster than the inspector's could inspect," he said.
Some may think a unit at the end of a six month-deployment would be slacking off in its work a little. Not so, said McAllister.
"You could tell by how hard the Marines are working that they are ready to go home," he said, adding, "They know the next step after this is getting off at the beach in North Carolina."
Upon completing the cleaning and re-embarkation of the equipment, community relations projects and some much deserved recreation time, the Marines and sailors of the 26th MEU embarked their respective ships for the voyage home.
For more information, news, and video about the 26th MEU, please visit www.usmc.mil/26thmeu