SAN DIEGO COUNTY, Calif. — More than 5,000 sailors and Marines of the Essex Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) returned to their San Diego homeport Friday, concluding a seven-month deployment to the U.S. 3rd, 5th, and 7th Fleet areas of operation.
Last week, hundreds of soldiers and sailors with the USS Essex Amphibious Ready Group returned home at Camp Pendleton. The Marines and Navy worked closely together on this deployment to make sure they’re ready for anything.
During their time at sea, they made stops in several countries that included Saudi Arabia, Israel, and Guam - where they got a little free time to explore.
It was Cpl. Triana Munevar’s first deployment. So, how did she spend her time at sea?
“My favorite one is Guam,” said Cpl. Munevar. “Went to Guam. Went to cave waters. It's a little hike and you go down the cave and there's this open, clear, super clear water, no fish... just you and the cave.”
This deployment only provided training, but those coming home say they were ready to quickly switch modes for an operation - especially with what's happening right now in Ukraine.
Because of maintenance and logistics, it’s not clear when the soldiers and sailors will be deployed again, but for now, they’re looking forward to spending time with family and friends.