The San Antonio-class dock landing ship USS Arlington (LPD 24) arrived in Greece to participate in exercise Alexander the Great 2022 under the command and control of Task Force 61/2.
The amphibious assault ship, attached to the Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group (ARG), arrives in Volos, Greece for a scheduled port visit in support of the U.S.- Greek (Hellenic) bilateral training exercise Alexander the Great 2022 (ATG22), May 4, 2022.
While in vicinity of Volos, Greece, USS Arlington and elements of the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) conducted ship-to-shore and air operations to off-load U.S. Marine Corps equipment and vehicles in support of ATG22 to strengthen interoperability with a key NATO ally.
“Exercise Alexander the Great is a fantastic opportunity for the Marines of the 22nd MEU to train with our NATO allies here in Volos,” said Lt. Col. Christopher Myette, executive officer of the 22nd MEU. “The training that we execute together during this exercise will strengthen the existing relationship and interoperability between the U.S. Marines and Hellenic Armed Forces.”
ATG22 is an amphibious training event conducted in Volos, Greece and the Aegean Sea, May 2-31, 2022. ATG22 will exercise battalion-level command and control and company-level combined arms training to increase interoperability between the U.S. Navy-Marine Corps team and Hellenic Armed Forces. U.S. forces will be under the command and control of Task Force 61/2, with participating units include elements from the Kearsarge ARG, 22nd MEU and CTF 61/2’s Task Group 61/2.4 (Reconnaissance Counter-Reconnaissance Forces). The forces will train alongside Greece’s 32nd Hellenic Marine Brigade as well as the Hellenic Army’s Special Warfare Command.
Once the Marine Corps equipment off-load concludes, the USS Arlington’s leadership and crew will experience Volos’ rich history and culture as part of its port visit.
The Kearsarge ARG and embarked 22nd MEU are under the command and control of Task Force 61/2. The ARG consists of USS Kearsarge; the San-Antonio class amphibious transport dock ship USS Arlington (LPD 24); and the Whidbey Island-class dock landing ship USS Gunston Hall (LSD 44).
Embarked commands with the Kearsarge ARG include Amphibious Squadron SIX, Fleet Surgical Team 4, Tactical Air Control Squadron 22, Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 28, Assault Craft Unit 2, Assault Craft Unit 4, Naval Beach Group 2, Beach Master Unit 2, and 22 MEU.
The 22nd MEU includes the command element; the aviation combat element, Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 263 (Reinforced); the ground combat element, Battalion Landing Team 2/6 (Reinforced); and the logistics combat element, Combat Logistics Battalion 26.
Amphibious ready groups and larger amphibious task forces provide military commanders a wide range of flexible capabilities including maritime security operations, expeditionary power projection, strike operations, forward naval presence, crisis response, sea control, deterrence, counter-terrorism, information operations, security cooperation and counter-proliferation, and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.
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, to advance U.S. national interests, security, and stability in Europe and Africa.
