The last half of the 24th MEU 's 2012 deployment focused on their duties as an expeditionary crisis response force . After the attack on the U.S. embassy in Benghazi , Libya , the MEU began extensive planning for potential missions to aid and/or evacuate U.S. citizens throughout the region in a number of countries that included Sudan , Lebanon , Egypt , Yemen , Tunisia , Syria and Pakistan . The threat of regional unrest resulted in an extension in the 5th Fleet area of responsibility . The MEU was later extended in November to continue serving as a ready , crisis response force throughout the Mediterranean region in 6th Fleet . This second extension led to the MEU returning home a month later than originally scheduled . They returned to North Carolina on 20 December 2012 The 24th MEU 's inherent task organization and flexibility allowed them to adapt to an ever-changing security environment and generate concurrent mission plans . The MEU/ARG even prepared to conduct disaggregated operations so the ships and staffs could be separated physically but still execute missions with " Alpha " and " Bravo " command and control elements , therefore maximizing efficiency and economy of MEU organic assets
U.S. embassy in Benghazi , Libya
2012 Benghazi attack
24th Marine Expeditionary Unit