Friends and family members gathered at Camp Pendleton Sunday to welcome home the first wave of Marines and sailors from the 15th Marine Expeditionary Force.
“Very anxious, very anxious and ready for it to be over," Brittany Naseer said. It's been seven months since she and her three children have seen her husband.
"It's a lot to do on your own and I joke about the endless dishes and laundry because I miss the extra help around the house sometimes," Naseer explained.
Marines and sailors from 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), I Marine Expeditionary Force, returned to San Diego following a seven month deployment.
Little Ethan can't wait to see his Daddy Sgt. Adel Naseer #NBC7 pic.twitter.com/U8oiYJgi87
— Liberty Zabala (@LibertyNBC7SD) December 13, 2015“I've spoken to him 72 hours this whole entire deployment,” military wife Victoria Burris said. “It's hard. It's very hard. It's not easy. It's never easy.”
The members of the sea-based Marine Air-Ground Task Force went to the Western Pacific and Central Command, where they conducted amphibious operations, crisis response and limited contingency operations.
The Blackwells reunite after 7 month deployment with 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit #NBC7 pic.twitter.com/GC70mzjIw1
— Liberty Zabala (@LibertyNBC7SD) December 13, 2015Marines and sailors participated in more than 15 security cooperation and bi-lateral exercises abroad, including Combined Afloat Readiness and Training in Brunei, arms and desert survival training with French forces in Djibouti and multiple Middle East exchanges.
During training in Kuwait, forces also flew flights in support of Operation Inherent Resolve.
In total, the pilots with aviation combat flew 76 sorties and 500 combat flight hours. Those flight lead to 36 strikes against Da'esh positions, equipment and personnel.
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“I do it for my family. I do everything I do for my family so that's just something that keeps me going," Sgt. Adil Naseer told NBC7 after greeting his wife and three kids.
The MEU will officially de-composite on Jan. 15, 2016.
