WEBVTT 00:09.819 --> 00:12.369 Time and time again . History has 00:12.380 --> 00:14.529 proven the necessity of having four 00:14.539 --> 00:16.590 deployed marines embarked aboard 00:16.600 --> 00:19.100 amphibious ships . Today is no 00:19.110 --> 00:20.110 different . 00:23.219 --> 00:25.330 We're getting new information tonight 00:25.330 --> 00:27.459 about us plans to deploy marines on 00:27.469 --> 00:29.610 board commercial ships . Secretary of 00:29.620 --> 00:31.989 defense sent marines and more warships 00:32.000 --> 00:34.430 to the Middle East at Charly to visited 00:34.580 --> 00:37.110 the USS Baton , one of the navy ships 00:37.119 --> 00:39.341 patrolling the region hoping to protect 00:39.341 --> 00:40.849 against a wider war . 00:48.619 --> 00:51.259 Four deployed . Arg MS serve as the 00:51.270 --> 00:53.360 nation's immediate response force . 00:56.189 --> 01:00.009 The mua when coupled with the yard is 01:00.020 --> 01:02.759 truly the premier crisis response force 01:02.770 --> 01:04.489 with all domain operational 01:04.500 --> 01:08.080 capabilities necessary to exploit the 01:08.089 --> 01:10.750 asymmetric advantages the sea provides 01:10.879 --> 01:13.660 as maneuver space over our potential 01:13.669 --> 01:14.589 adversaries . 01:20.400 --> 01:23.199 Our nation demands that its premier 01:23.209 --> 01:25.519 rapid response force . The marine 01:25.529 --> 01:28.319 expeditionary unit be ready , relevant 01:28.330 --> 01:30.779 and capable because the current and 01:30.790 --> 01:33.660 anticipated future security environment 01:33.669 --> 01:36.519 is plagued with complex challenges and 01:36.529 --> 01:40.000 uncertainties . Your new 01:40.010 --> 01:42.769 team is the Christ and Response force 01:42.779 --> 01:43.449 of choice 01:46.669 --> 01:49.489 from raids to parades . The marines and 01:49.500 --> 01:53.250 sailors of the 26 Musa continue to 01:53.260 --> 01:55.482 honor the legacy of those who have gone 01:55.482 --> 01:59.110 before us . We as marines and sailors 01:59.120 --> 02:01.430 take pride in being ready to fight and 02:01.440 --> 02:03.430 win in any climb or place . 02:05.819 --> 02:08.190 Regional adversaries in the fifth fleet 02:08.500 --> 02:10.589 area of operations were uh 02:10.860 --> 02:14.289 threatening uh maritime security and 02:14.300 --> 02:17.410 freedom of navigation in and around the 02:17.419 --> 02:19.729 Arabian Gulf in the straits of Hormuz , 02:19.860 --> 02:21.804 which led to some decisions by our 02:21.804 --> 02:24.529 senior leaders on uh how do you deter 02:24.539 --> 02:26.850 that activity based on ? I think the 02:26.860 --> 02:30.119 reputation that the 206 mu built during 02:30.130 --> 02:32.399 our work up and the unique capabilities 02:32.410 --> 02:34.639 that the MAG TF provides with well 02:34.649 --> 02:37.440 trained ground combat forces , aircraft 02:37.449 --> 02:39.671 and logistics support , able to operate 02:39.671 --> 02:41.560 from the sea and use the sea as a 02:41.560 --> 02:43.505 maneuver space . We were a natural 02:43.505 --> 02:45.710 choice to be that deterrence force 02:45.720 --> 02:48.330 which enabled us to develop creative 02:48.339 --> 02:50.729 concepts , to deter our actors , to 02:50.740 --> 02:53.229 integrate and enable soft forces in the 02:53.240 --> 02:56.360 environment and make an impact and 02:56.369 --> 02:58.860 reduce the ability of that adversary to 02:58.869 --> 03:00.425 threaten those sea lines of 03:00.425 --> 03:01.425 communications . 03:12.679 --> 03:15.500 I think our relevancy was on 03:16.050 --> 03:19.100 display from day one . because senior 03:19.110 --> 03:21.479 leaders , whether it was in fifth or 03:21.490 --> 03:23.601 sixth lead or whether it was U com or 03:23.601 --> 03:26.910 simcom all wanted the 26 year . So uh 03:26.919 --> 03:29.030 because of the capabilities that we , 03:29.030 --> 03:30.363 we bring to the fight , 03:33.240 --> 03:35.296 we bring the six functions of marine 03:35.296 --> 03:38.929 aviation to the mag T . We provide a 03:38.940 --> 03:41.330 lot of flexibility with our long range . 03:41.470 --> 03:45.460 With the MB 20 twos , we can lift a lot 03:45.470 --> 03:49.460 of supplies and people with the H mh 03:49.740 --> 03:52.539 of it , which is the CH 53 we can 03:52.550 --> 03:55.250 provide close air support with our H 03:55.259 --> 03:57.880 ONE as well as our A V eight and our A 03:57.889 --> 03:59.722 V eight also give us that strike 03:59.722 --> 04:01.111 capability too as well . 04:04.539 --> 04:06.869 The terrorist attack conducted by Hamas 04:07.039 --> 04:09.910 on the people of Israel on 7 October 04:09.919 --> 04:11.789 created a regional crisis that 04:11.800 --> 04:13.940 threatened American citizens , our 04:13.949 --> 04:16.116 allies as well as our interests in the 04:16.116 --> 04:19.649 region . The ba ar 04:19.660 --> 04:21.827 responded by demonstrating its ability 04:21.827 --> 04:23.940 to operate in a dispersed manner and 04:23.950 --> 04:26.006 quickly repositioned itself from the 04:26.006 --> 04:28.399 Arabian Gulf to the Red Sea where it 04:28.410 --> 04:30.632 prepared for Neo in Southern Israel and 04:30.632 --> 04:32.339 also served in support of the 04:32.350 --> 04:34.959 international task force compiled to 04:34.970 --> 04:37.192 counter the Houthi threat coming out of 04:37.192 --> 04:40.369 Yemen . While simultaneously Mesa Verde 04:40.859 --> 04:42.692 positioned itself in the Eastern 04:42.692 --> 04:45.959 Mediterranean Sea . While they were 04:45.970 --> 04:48.137 there , they deployed to the mountains 04:48.137 --> 04:50.303 of Norway . They trained in Latvia and 04:50.303 --> 04:52.399 Spain with Norwegians , Italians , 04:52.410 --> 04:54.600 Germans , Latvians , and the Spanish 04:54.619 --> 04:56.230 learning from our partners , 04:56.230 --> 04:58.230 strengthening our relationships and 04:58.230 --> 05:00.563 deterring our adversaries in the region . 05:01.309 --> 05:03.309 I would describe this deployment in 05:03.309 --> 05:06.640 three words , resilient , adaptive war 05:06.649 --> 05:08.371 fighting really throughout the 05:08.371 --> 05:10.593 deployment , the marines and sailors of 05:10.593 --> 05:12.529 the 26 new so have demonstrated 05:12.540 --> 05:15.339 tremendous resiliency and flexibility 05:15.399 --> 05:17.410 in an ever changing operational 05:17.420 --> 05:19.476 environment . They were at all times 05:19.476 --> 05:21.839 professional whether conducting 05:21.850 --> 05:24.299 maritime security in the Gulf of Arabia , 05:24.309 --> 05:26.730 freedom of navigation in the Red Sea or 05:26.739 --> 05:28.760 postured for Neo in the Eastern 05:28.769 --> 05:31.100 Mediterranean . Really the range of 05:31.109 --> 05:33.420 combat operational capability that the 05:33.429 --> 05:35.485 marines and sailors of the 206 Musso 05:35.485 --> 05:37.489 displayed was nothing short of 05:37.500 --> 05:40.600 impressive . I would say that this team 05:40.609 --> 05:43.160 is coming together really well . And I 05:43.170 --> 05:45.281 think that's because of leadership at 05:45.281 --> 05:46.948 every level . So we have good 05:46.948 --> 05:48.781 leadership at the top and a good 05:48.781 --> 05:50.948 leadership all the way down to the NCO 05:50.948 --> 05:53.003 level . And the Marines came to work 05:53.003 --> 05:55.059 every day with a positive attitude . 05:55.059 --> 05:57.170 They couldn't control the events that 05:57.170 --> 05:59.281 were going on in the world , but they 05:59.281 --> 05:58.929 could control their attitude and they 05:58.940 --> 06:01.700 continued to show up every day , work 06:01.709 --> 06:04.019 lead and they were just ready . 06:12.809 --> 06:14.890 Our nation demands its premier rapid 06:14.899 --> 06:16.600 response forces . The marine 06:16.609 --> 06:19.510 expeditionary unit be ready , relevant 06:19.519 --> 06:21.660 and capable because the current and 06:21.670 --> 06:23.726 anticipated operating environment is 06:23.726 --> 06:26.029 uncertain and plagued with complex 06:26.040 --> 06:29.109 challenges . Time and again , history 06:29.119 --> 06:31.779 has proven the value and necessity of 06:31.790 --> 06:34.480 four deployed marines embarked aboard 06:34.510 --> 06:36.859 amphibious ships and this deployment 06:36.869 --> 06:39.690 has been no different from the freezing 06:39.700 --> 06:41.811 temperatures of the high north to the 06:41.811 --> 06:43.922 scorching desert , to the Middle East 06:43.922 --> 06:46.144 and all points in between over the past 06:46.144 --> 06:48.089 eight months . This task force has 06:48.089 --> 06:50.033 personified the phrase , no better 06:50.033 --> 06:52.033 friend , no worse enemy and allowed 06:52.033 --> 06:54.311 their countrymen to rest easy at night . 06:54.311 --> 06:56.478 Knowing the marines and sailors of the 06:56.478 --> 07:00.220 26 new sock stood to watch our major h 07:00.309 --> 07:02.253 and I are extremely proud of every 07:02.253 --> 07:04.420 marine and sailor assigned to the 26th 07:04.420 --> 07:06.660 mute . They're engaged leadership 07:06.670 --> 07:08.781 across the board and at every level , 07:09.059 --> 07:11.880 their positive attitude and flexibility 07:12.380 --> 07:14.750 and their focus on war fighting has 07:14.760 --> 07:16.779 made all the difference and it's 07:16.790 --> 07:19.012 ensured that the Marine Air Ground Task 07:19.012 --> 07:21.234 Force was always ready to fight and win 07:21.234 --> 07:24.559 in any climber place when looking back 07:24.570 --> 07:26.626 at where this team was in October of 07:26.626 --> 07:29.350 2022 in the early stages of our forming 07:29.359 --> 07:31.940 and pre deployment training . It's eye 07:31.950 --> 07:34.609 watering to compare that with the 07:34.619 --> 07:36.675 season team of warriors you see here 07:36.675 --> 07:39.600 today , they are for sure tired after a 07:39.609 --> 07:41.690 long deployment , but remain 07:41.700 --> 07:43.910 disciplined and precise in their 07:43.920 --> 07:46.369 approach and they are performing at the 07:46.380 --> 07:49.489 highest level . I'm very proud to serve 07:49.500 --> 07:52.100 with the 26 new A and to be a part of 07:52.109 --> 07:54.109 this Marine Air Ground task force . 07:57.489 --> 08:00.160 And the 26 Mossack provided our senior 08:00.170 --> 08:02.700 leaders with ready relevant and capable 08:02.709 --> 08:05.799 crisis response options and it was our 08:05.809 --> 08:07.920 integrated activities with our allies 08:07.920 --> 08:10.369 and partners both in uconn and sitcom 08:10.940 --> 08:13.220 that demonstrated our interoperability 08:13.230 --> 08:15.589 and our resolute commitment to our 08:15.600 --> 08:18.209 shared goals of regional stability and 08:18.220 --> 08:20.619 increased maritime security . That's 08:20.630 --> 08:22.820 what we do and it's what muse have 08:22.829 --> 08:23.570 always done 08:26.380 --> 08:28.269 considering the high tempo of our 08:28.269 --> 08:30.491 enhanced pre deployment workups coupled 08:30.491 --> 08:32.769 with the uncertainty of our deployment . 08:32.769 --> 08:34.824 I'd like to highlight the families . 08:35.169 --> 08:37.225 We're blessed to have great families 08:37.225 --> 08:39.590 and friends of the 26 M . So we're very 08:39.599 --> 08:41.549 proud of our families and we're 08:41.559 --> 08:43.520 grateful for the steadfast love , 08:43.530 --> 08:46.559 support and flexibility they've shown 08:46.739 --> 08:49.650 over the past 18 months . It's the 08:49.659 --> 08:52.359 families that make the most sacrifices 08:52.369 --> 08:54.679 during any deployment , especially a 08:54.690 --> 08:56.869 deployment with multiple extensions . 08:57.530 --> 09:00.030 And it's their resiliency and positive 09:00.039 --> 09:02.630 support that has served as a major 09:02.640 --> 09:04.969 source of strength for every marine or 09:04.979 --> 09:06.201 sailor on this team . 09:09.320 --> 09:11.320 The men and women on this team have 09:11.320 --> 09:13.700 truly honored the legacy of those who 09:13.710 --> 09:15.766 have gone before us , those who have 09:15.766 --> 09:18.549 won the 26 new patch and it's their 09:18.559 --> 09:21.469 performance over the eight months 09:21.479 --> 09:24.130 across the tri Coan region that 09:24.140 --> 09:27.140 continues to mark the 26 new as a 09:27.150 --> 09:29.669 certain force in an uncertain world .