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3/10 Marines leave next week for Afghanistan

JACKSONVILLE, N.C. – About 400 Marines with a North Carolina-based artillery battalion are heading to Afghanistan early next week.

Members of 3rd Battalion, 10th Marines, out of Camp Lejeune will join the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade in Helmand province, according to a 2nd Marine Division release.

The battalion is replacing 3/11 out of Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, Calif.

Artillery Marines have been providing support in Afghanistan and Iraq, but 3/11 was the Corps’ first artillery battalion to train for and deploy as a full artillery unit since the Iraq war started in March 2003.

That’s because artillery battalions have been tapped to take on “in lieu of” missions as the war stretched thin military manpower. They’ve taken on a variety of jobs, including civil-affairs work, military police duty, guarding bases, conducting border security and infantry patrols.

Like 3/11, the Lejeune-based battalion will use newer M777A2 lightweight 155mm howitzers during its tour. Marines with 3/10 received the triple sevens when they returned a year ago from their most recent deployment to Iraq, where they conducted MP missions.

The battalion will fall under Regimental Combat Team 7, which took over counterinsurgency operations in the southern portion of the country Oct. 24, relieving RCT-3.