Here's how you know
 **Official websites use .mil** .mil
 **Secure .mil websites use HTTPS** lock () https://


Skip to main content (Press Enter).
 **

        
        ABOUT
                        Our Core Values
                Our Core Attributes
                Mission
                Our Heritage

                            About
                    LEADERSHIP
                        Secretary of the Navy
                Chief of Naval Operations
                    America's Warfighting Navy
                Vice Chief of Naval Operations
                Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy
                Chief of Naval Personnel
                Senior Executives
                Flag Officer Biographies

                            Leadership
                    PRESS OFFICE
                        Press Briefings
                Press Releases
                Testimony
                Speeches
                Statements
                News Stories

                            Press Office
                    ALL HANDS
                    PAY & PERSONNEL
                        MyNavy HR
                Contact MyNavy Career Center
                Military Careers
                Civilian Careers

                            Pay & Personnel
                    RESOURCES
                        Photo Gallery
                Videos
                Graphics Gallery
                Social Media Directory & Guidance
                App Locker
                Browse by Topic
                Podcasts
                Plan of the Month
                CNO Professional Reading Program
                DUSN Intelligence and Security
                Strategic Library
                Fact Files
                RSS Feeds
                Frequently Asked Questions
                COVID-19 Updates
                NAVADMINs
                ALNAVs
                Contact Us

                            Resources
                    TRANSLATE

        **
                SearchHome

    
            Press Office

News Stories

Home

    
            Press Office

News Stories



ABOUT
                                Our Core Values
                    Our Core Attributes
                    Mission
                    Our Heritage
                    LEADERSHIP
                                Secretary of the Navy
                    Chief of Naval Operations
                                America's Warfighting Navy
                    Vice Chief of Naval Operations
                    Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy
                    Chief of Naval Personnel
                    Senior Executives
                    Flag Officer Biographies
                    PRESS OFFICE
                                Press Briefings
                    Press Releases
                    Testimony
                    Speeches
                    Statements
                    News Stories
                    ALL HANDS
                    PAY & PERSONNEL
                                MyNavy HR
                    Contact MyNavy Career Center
                    Military Careers
                    Civilian Careers
                    RESOURCES
                                Photo Gallery
                    Videos
                    Graphics Gallery
                    Social Media Directory & Guidance
                    App Locker
                    Browse by Topic
                    Podcasts
                    Plan of the Month
                    CNO Professional Reading Program
                    DUSN Intelligence and Security
                    Strategic Library
                    Fact Files
                    RSS Feeds
                    Frequently Asked Questions
                    COVID-19 Updates
                    NAVADMINs
                    ALNAVs
                    Contact Us
                    TRANSLATE  Collapse All

            Keyword
                
                Categories

                    CategoriesAll Navy CategoriesCapabilities and CommunitiesCareerAdvancement & PromotionAwards, Honors & RecognitionLeadershipCNOMCPONNavy FamilyPersonal SafetyOutreachCNPSECNAVUNDERSECNSWG2NSWG2AIRLANTAIRPACBLUESBUMEDC10FC2FC3FC4FC5FC6FC7FCFAYCHAPCORPSCLFCLOCNFJCNFKCNICCNPCNSPCONSTITCPFCSG4CTF63CTF64CTF65CTF67CTF68CTF69CVN68CVN69CVN70CVN71CVN72CVN73CVN74CVN75CVN76CVN77CVN78CYBERAWAREDESRON40EOD1FRSEGREATLAKESGTMOGUAMIDMLCC19LCC20LHA6LHD1LHD2LHD3LHD4LHD5LHD7LHD8LOGRUWPLPD17LPD19LPD21LPD24MOH_BYERSMOH_MONSMOH_MURPHMOH_SLABMSCN7NASJAXNAVAFNAVAIRNAVCONAVEURNAVFACNAVSEANAVSUPNBSDNCISNECCNETCNPSNRFNSCNSWNSWCDDNSWG2NWCNWDCPSNSRIMPACSAPRSUBASEKBSUBLANTSUBPACSURFLANTTAH19TAH20TMTRFUSNACNONavy HeadlinesChaplain CorpsBrowse by TopicAircraft CarriersAmphibious ShipsAviationChaplain CorpsCommunitiesCurrent NewsDeckplatesEducation and TrainingEnvironmentExercisesGraphicsHumanitarian AssistanceMedicalMyNavyHRNaval HistoryNavy LeadershipNavy SportsOutreachPeopleResearch and DevelopmentShore FacilitiesSTEMSubmarinesSurface ShipsOLAOLAPartnershipsVCNOterm
                
                Start and End Date
            Iwo Jima ARG and 24th MEU Reach Milestone, 60 days COVID-Free

                    

                    29 April 2021
                    
                    From Lt. Eric Uhden

                    
                    ATLANTIC OCEAN – The Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group (IWOARG) and the embarked 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) reached the milestone of 60 days underway with no COVID-19 cases, April 20.

                    
                    
                    Download Icon Download
                    
                    Download Icon Download
                                
                                
                                Share
                                    PRINT

                                    RSSTags
                                    TagUSS Iwo Jima (LHD 7)



Tag24th MEU



TagIWOARG



Tagcovid



Tagvaccine
                        “The IWOARG is at maximum readiness when it comes to combating COVID-19,” said U.S. Navy Capt. Darren Nelson, commodore Amphibious Squadron Four. “Our operational readiness allows us to maintain regional stability and maritime security during a time of international crisis.”More Details
    
    
    210424-N-AZ467-1013

ROTA, Spain (April 24, 2021) Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Christina Essigmann, left, assigned to the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7), administers the COVID-19 vaccination to Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Isaac Rodriguez in the ship’s medical ward, April 24, 2021. Iwo Jima is on a scheduled port visit in Rota, Spain with Amphibious Squadron 4 and the 24th Marine Expedition Unit (24th MEU) as part of the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Travis Baley)




NA
        210424-N-AZ467-1013
            210424-N-AZ467-1013

ROTA, Spain (April 24, 2021) Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Christina Essigmann, left, assigned to the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7), administers the COVID-19 vaccination to Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Isaac Rodriguez in the ship’s medical ward, April 24, 2021. Iwo Jima is on a scheduled port visit in Rota, Spain with Amphibious Squadron 4 and the 24th Marine Expedition Unit (24th MEU) as part of the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Travis Baley)
        
            SHARE IMAGE:
                
                Download Image
                    Image Details          
                    
                    Photo By: Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Travis Baley
                    
                    VIRIN: 210424-N-AZ467-999



 












The combined IWOARG and 24th MEU of roughly 4,300 Sailors and Marines dispersed among three warships and several locations ashore across the Sixth Fleet area of operations have had no cases of COVID-19 in the past two months. Many of the ARG/MEU personnel on ground across Europe are Marines conducting training.
“Our Marines’ and Sailors’ adherence to the established COVID-19 prevention and mitigation measures demonstrates the strength and impact of a unified effort,” said U.S. Marine Corps Col. Eric D. Cloutier, commanding officer, 24th MEU. “As we continue to operate as a forward deployed naval task force, having a healthy force allows us to maintain our high state of readiness and focus on the tasks at hand.”
After 30 days underway with zero COVID-19 cases the entire ARG/MEU relaxed some COVID mitigations, including mandatory mask wearing. Gyms and barbershops have been re-opened and distancing restrictions during meal hours have been reduced.
Prior to embarkation on the warships every Sailor and Marine participated in a mandatory restriction-of-movement (ROM) for 14 days. Additionally over 90% of the ARG/MEU voluntarily opted to be vaccinated against COVID-19.
“We found that Sailors and Marines were more open to being vaccinated after exhaustively educating them on the benefits and safety of the vaccine,” said Capt. William Wallace, officer in charge of Fleet Surgical Team Six. “If a case of COVID were to occur within the units we will return to the strict COVID mitigations we had in place which has proven to work.”
The combined IWOARG and 24th MEU have roughly 4,300 Sailors and Marines. The ARG-MEU is deployed to SIXTHFLT in support of regional NATO Allies and partners as well as U.S. national security interests in Europe and Africa.
The IWOARG consists of the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7), Carter Hall (LSD 50), and the amphibious transport dock ship USS San Antonio (LPD 17). Embarked detachments for the Iwo Jima ARG include Amphibious Squadron Four, Fleet Surgical Team (FST) Six, Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 26, Tactical Air Control Squadron (TACRON) 21, Naval Beach Group (NBG) Two, Beach Master Unit (BMU) Two, Assault Craft Unit (ACU) Two and Four, and Sailors from Amphibious Construction Battalion (ACB) Two.
The 24th MEU mission is to provide the United States with a forward-deployed, amphibious force-in-readiness capable of executing missions across the full spectrum of combat and military operations other than war, and consists of four basic elements, the Command Element, Ground Combat Element, Air Combat Element and the Logistics Combat Element. The unit consists of a ground combat element, Battalion Landing Team (BLT) 1/8, a logistics combat element, Combat Logistics Battalion (CLB) 24, and an aviation combat element, Marine Medium Tilt-Rotor Squadron (VMM) 162 Reinforced.
U.S. Sixth Fleet, headquartered in Naples, Italy, conducts the full spectrum of joint and naval operations, often in concert with allied and interagency partners, in order to advance U.S. national interests and security and stability in Europe and Africa.

            
            


            Share
                        PRINT

                        RSS


Press Briefings

 Subject specific information for the media
 Press Releases

 Events or announcements of note for the media
 Statements

 Official Navy statements
 Speeches

 Given by Navy leadership
 Testimony

 HASC, SASC and Congressional testimonyGoogle Translation Disclaimer LEGAL & ADMINISTRATIVE LINKS
        Site MapFOIANavy.comPrivacy PolicyNo Fear Act DataUSA.govSection 508SAPRVeterans Crisis LineNCIS TipsInformation QualityOpen GovernmentPlain WritingPrivacy ProgramDOD Strategic and Performance PlansVA Vet CenterFVAPSmall Business Office
    
    United States Navy
                                Chief of InformationAttn: US Navy1200 Navy PentagonWashington DC 20350-1200
        Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil