Marines honored for humanitarian mission
By Dan Lamothe - Staff writerPosted : Thursday Jan 29, 2009 22:02:17 EST

The Corps has authorized a variety of awards for service, including the Humanitarian Service Medal for Marines who served in the nation of Georgia during its brief, bloody war last year with Russia.
The HSM was approved for service members who participated in Operation Assured Delivery, Marine officials said in Marine administrative message 046/09. Launched Aug. 14, 2008, the mission delivered medical supplies, shelter, food and personal hygiene items to civilians in Georgia.
Officials did not say which units Marines eligible for the award were assigned to, but not every Marine who played a role in the operation will receive the medal.
“Only those Marines who directly participated in the immediate humanitarian relief operation in the republic of Georgia for the period of [Aug. 14, 2008] to [Sept. 10, 2008] may be eligible,” the message said. “Deployment to the area of humanitarian assistance in and of itself does not constitute HSM entitlement.”
The Corps also authorized a Joint Meritorious Unit Award to the following:
• Headquarters, Combined Joint Special Operations Air Component, Balad Air Base, Iraq, for service from July 1, 2006 to May 31, 2008
• Headquarters, Iraq Assistance Group, Baghdad, Iraq, for service from May 16, 2007 to May 15, 2008
• Headquarters, Special Operations Command Korea, Camp Kim, Korea, for service from May 1, 2004, to March 31, 2008
• Headquarters, Special Operation Command South, Homestead Air Reserve Base, Fla., for service from Sept. 1, 2006 to July 2, 2008
• Joint Area Support Group-Central, U.S. Embassy Annex, International Zone, Baghdad, for service from Feb 29, 2008 to Oct. 1, 2008
• Headquarters, U.S. Joint Forces Command, Norfolk Va., for service from Jan 1, 2005, to Dec. 31, 2006
• NATO School, Oberammergau, Germany (no dates of service were released).
The following have received the Meritorious Unit Commendation:
• I Marine Expeditionary Force, Mojave Viper Support Detachment, for service from Oct. 1, 2005, to Sept. 30, 2006
• Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, Calif., for service from Oct. 1, 2006, to Sept. 30, 2007
Additionally, the following elements of the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit have been approved for the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal for service from June 13 to Sept. 23, 2008:
• 15th MEU Command Element to include detachments from 9th Communication Battalion, 1st Intelligence Battalion and 1st Radio Battalion.
• Battalion Landing Team, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, to include 1st Platoon, Alpha Company, 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion; 2nd Platoon, Alpha Company, 1st Reconnaissance Battalion; 3rd Platoon, Echo Company, 3rd Amphibious Assault Battalion; 3rd Platoon, Alpha Company, 1st Combat Engineer Battalion; 1st Platoon, Delta Company, 1st Tank Battalion; India Company, 3/12.
• Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 165, to include detachments from Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 267, Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 465, Marine Attack Squadron 311, Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 13, MALS-16, MALS-39 and Marine Air Control Group 38.
• Combat Logistics Battalion 15.