3d Marine Expeditionary Brigade (3 MEB)
The MEB concept has been around since the 1950s. With service in the Korean War, the Dominican Republic, Vietnam, and Desert Shield/Desert Storm, the robust and scalable command and control capability and combat effectiveness of the MEB is unquestioned. Eliminated Marine Corps-wide in the early 1990s, a MEB was activated within each MEF as of January 1, 2000.
The 31st MEU kicks down the door so the 3rd MEB can move deep into the enemy territory. Marines from 1st Stinger Battery, Marine Aircraft Group-18, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, Okinawa teamed up with the 3rd Marine Regiment Ground Combat Element for a field training exercise during the Tandem Thrust/Freedom Banner deployment May 20 through May 24, 2001. The exercise provided the two units the opportunity to train together, which is not possible because of limited space in Okinawa.
In Vietnam, the first substantial commitment of U.S. ground combat forces was on 8 March 1965, when the 9th MEB landed at Da Nang. It had, of course, its aviation element. The 9th MEB was followed on 7 May by the landing of the 3d MEB at Chu Lai, some 55 miles south of Da Nang. Both brigades were then absorbed into the III Marine Expeditionary Force, which quickly had its name changed to the III Marine AMPHIBIOUS Force because it was presumed that the South Vietnamese had unhappy memories of the French EXPEDITIONARY Corps.
Nearly 150 Marines of 3rd Marine Expeditionary Brigade recently departed the mild climate of Okinawa for the frigid temperatures of northern Japan during Yama Sakura 43. The Marines flew there to join the U.S. Army's First Corps and the Japan Ground Self Defense Force's Northern Army for the two-week annual exercise. Yama Sakura is an annual bilateral Command Post Exercise sponsored by U.S. Army, Japan and the Japan Ground Staff Office. Its purpose is to improve U.S./Japan interoperability through computer-generated scenarios, which facilitate staff interaction. The Marines participated primarily as the Non-combatant Evacuation Operations Cell.
