FRIDAY FOTO (September 11, 2020)

Let the Sparks Fly.

(U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Taylor DiMartino)

They may look like golden sequins, but those are sparks flying as a Marine with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) uses a welding torch to simulate breaching a sealed access during a  boarding, search and seizure exercise aboard the amphibious dock landing ship USS Germantown.

An MEU, consists of about 2,200 Marines and Sailors under the command of a Marine Corps colonel. The MEU is built around a 1,200-Marine infantry battalion, armed with medium and heavy machine guns, mortars, combined anti-armor teams and scout snipers. It’s backed up by light armored reconnaissance vehicles, tanks, artillery, combat engineers and amphibious assault vehicles. MEUs also have a mixed aviation element of helicopters and fighter jets that can land vertically on an amphibious assault ship’s flight deck.

The Germantown is part of the America Amphibious Ready Group assigned to Amphibious Squadron 11, along with the 31st MEU. They all serve in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility in the Indo-Pacific region.