24 SASEBO, Japan (March 12, 2021) – The Navy’s only forward-deployed amphibious ready group, the blue-green team of USS America (LHA 6) and the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), have been recognized among the best the Navy has to offer. “To say I am proud of this team would be a drastic understatement, but to say I am surprised just wouldn’t be true,” said Capt. Richard LeBron, Commodore of Amphibious Squadron 11. “It’s been said before that the America and the 31st MEU are greater than the sum of their parts in all aspects of amphibious operations. Whether our partners in the Indo-Pacific need combat-ready support against a common adversary, or humanitarian assistance in the wake of disaster, our flexible force is always here, always ready, to fight and deliver results.”