Nearly 400 Sailors serving in the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) will deploy Feb. 9.

The dock landing ship USS Oak Hill (LSD 51) will depart from Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story, Virginia Beach and join with USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7) and USS New York (LPD 19) to conduct a scheduled six-month deployment in support of maritime security operations and theater security cooperation, while also providing a forward naval presence in Europe and the Middle East.

Oak Hill will embark components of the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) off the coast of North Carolina.

Components of Fleet Surgical Team (FST) 4 and FST-8, Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 28, Tactical Air Control Squadron 22, Naval Beach Group 2 and the staff of Amphibious Squadron 4 make up the Iwo Jima ARG.

The 26th MEU is comprised of approximately 2,500 Marines and Sailors, and includes a command element, ground combat element, aviation combat element and logistics combat element.

Iwo Jima and New York departed Mayport, Florida, Feb. 7.

Media interested in covering the departure Friday, Feb. 9, should contact Commander, Expeditionary Strike Group 2 Public Affairs at 757-462-1282 or 757-652-3457 no later than 3 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 8, to arrange for an escort.

Media should be prepared to meet at the Joint Expeditionary Base-Little Creek pass and ID office at Gate 3 no later than 9:45 a.m., Friday, Feb. 9.