Overview

• The Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group and 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit are heading to the southern Caribbean for anti-drug trafficking operations, according to U.S. officials.
• The three-ship group carries more than 4,500 personnel aboard USS Iwo Jima, USS San Antonio and USS Fort Lauderdale after an Aug. 14 departure from Norfolk.
• U.S. forces are also repositioning P-8 Poseidon aircraft, a submarine and other assets to waters around Latin America in a broader show of force.
• A defense official put amphibious ship readiness at 41%, and last year’s GAO report found half of the 32 amphibious ships in poor condition.
• Officials said the Marines lack dedicated drug-interdiction training, and the group was sailing off the Carolinas to avoid Hurricane Erin, delaying entry into the Caribbean.