| Unit Name: | 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade |
| Start Date: | 20 November 2012 |
| Country: |  United States |
| Type: | Marine Air-Ground Task Force |
| Command Structure: | 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force |
| Garrison: | Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune |
| Battles: | Operation Iraqi Freedom |
| Current Commander: | BGen Andrew T. Priddy |
| Notable Commanders: |
The 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade is a brigade of the United States Marine Corps. It is part of II Marine Expeditionary Force (II MEF). It advertises itself as a "middleweight" crises response force of choice in the European and Southern Command Areas of Operation. It is able to "operate independently, as a service component, or to lead a Joint Task Force". Self-sufficient and interoperable, the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade possesses a mix of command and control, combat power and specialized logistics. Operating as part of the greater Marine Corps team and with support from the United States Navy and other services, it can provide operational reach.
In 1991 the 2nd MEB made the first test of the Norway Air-Landed Marine Expeditionary Brigade (NALMEB), comprised completely of Marine Corps Reserve units as Operation Desert Storm was getting under way. The exercise was designated Battle Griffin and took place in February–March 1991. The force comprised HQ Company 25th Marines, 3/25 Marines, Co E, 4th Reconnaissance Battalion, and 1/14 Marine Artillery (Batteries HQ, Alpha, and Bravo).[1]
The 2nd MEB became Task Force Tarawa, commanded by Brigadier General Richard F. Natonski, for Operation Iraqi Freedom, and, as TF Tarawa, was thus part of the 2003 invasion of Iraq under I Marine Expeditionary Force. During the invasion 2nd MEB fought the Battle of Nasiriyah.
The 2nd MEB Command Element was reactivated on 20 Nov 2012 at Camp Lejune, North Carolina.[2] The reactivated unit is designed to be a "scalable, standing, joint-capable, and a deployment-ready headquarters element that can also enable the introduction of follow-on forces if required."