SANTA RITA, Guam -- USS Boxer (LHD 4) and the embarked 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) arrived at Naval Base Guam for a port visit, Oct. 30.
“Our visit is a chance for our Sailors and Marines to enjoy the beauty, activities and history that Guam has to offer” said Capt. Dale Heinken, commanding officer of USS Boxer. “Our deployment has been successful due to the hard work and dedication of our Sailors and Marines, and they are ready for a well-deserved pause in operations.”
While operating in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations in September they participated in exercise Tiger Strike 2019. During the exercise, Malaysian Armed Forces were joined by U.S. Marines and Sailors in jungle survival, amphibious assault, aerial raids and combat service support training as well as cultural exchanges.
Boxer will be in port at Naval Base Guam, a strategic US naval base located on Apra Harbor.
While in port, Sailors and Marines will have the opportunity to enjoy the island of Guam and will give back to the locals in the area by participating in several community outreach events. Planned activities include beautification, restoration and painting of a park and thrift store.
The Boxer Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) and 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) are deployed to the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations to support regional stability, reassure partners and allies, and maintain a presence to respond to any crisis ranging from humanitarian assistance to contingency operations.