Approximately 2,400 Pendleton Marines and sailors set sail Friday for a seven-month deployment across the Western Pacific and the Middle East.

The 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit -- the 'Pride of the Pacific' -- embarked on three Navy ships of the Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group out of Naval Station San Diego to begin a crisis response mission through the 3rd, 5th and 7th Fleet areas of operation.

"As we sail across the globe, we will be the nation's crisis response force; demonstrating the United States is willing to defend its interests and allies, and is able to do so with a significantly powerful force on extremely short notice," 11th MEU commander Col. Clay Tipton said in a statement.

The 11th MEU air-ground task force -- with 1st Battalion, 4th Marines forming the ground combat element, Combat Logistics Battalion 11, the logistics combat element and Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 163 (Reinforced) as the aviation combat element -- has spent the last six months working up for the assignment.

The Marines will be on station throughout the float to conduct a wide range of operations as needed, from maritime security to humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, partner nation security training as well as combat operations, according to Tipton.

"I am confident we are ready to handle any missions our country may need us to accomplish," Tipton said.

The ARG consists of the amphibious assault ship Makin Island, the amphibious transport dock ship Somerset and the amphibious landing ship Comstock.

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