A sailor of the amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima reunites with his wife and daughter during a homecoming event on Saturday, June 6, 2026 at Naval Station Norfolk in Virginia. (Kaylyn Barnhart Batista/Stars and Stripes)
After a deployment that extended twice, Yeoman Chief Petty Officer Dominic Allen stepped off amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima on Saturday and said it felt surreal to finally be home.
“I’m overwhelmed with joy. We’re all just very grateful and blessed to be back home,” said Allen, 32, of Waldorf, Md.
Allen, who had completed five previous deployments, said the 10 months aboard Iwo Jima was the longest he has ever spent at sea.
“I’m ready to play catch up with everything that I’ve missed and reintegrate back into society, and hopefully get to take a long break,” Allen said.
Sailors and Marines of the Iwo Jima reunited with their loved ones on the pier at Naval Station Norfolk after a lengthy deployment in the Caribbean and Latin America.
Families hold welcome home signs during a homecoming event at Naval Station Norfolk in Virginia, on Saturday, June 6, 2026. (Kaylyn Barnhart Batista/Stars and Stripes)
A sailor embraces his significant other during a homecoming event at Naval Station Norfolk in Virginia, on Saturday, June 6, 2026. (Kaylyn Barnhart Batista/Stars and Stripes)
A sailor makes a heart with her hands from the amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima as they return to Naval Station Norfolk in Virginia on Saturday, June 6, 2026. (Kaylyn Barnhart Batista/Stars and Stripes)
Sarah Bugbee of Carrolton, Va., holds her baby during a homecoming event at Naval Station Norfolk in Virginia, on Saturday, June 6, 2026. (Kaylyn Barnhart Batista/Stars and Stripes)
A sailor kisses his significant other during a homecoming event at Naval Station Norfolk in Virginia, on Saturday, June 6, 2026. (Kaylyn Barnhart Batista/Stars and Stripes)
Children hold welcome home signs during a homecoming event at Naval Station Norfolk in Virginia, on Saturday, June 6, 2026. (Kaylyn Barnhart Batista/Stars and Stripes)
Navy Damage Controlman Fireman Emma Tripp greets her partner during a homecoming event at Naval Station Norfolk in Virginia, on Saturday, June 6, 2026. (Greggory Fisher/U.S. Navy)
A sailor holds his baby during a homecoming event at Naval Station Norfolk in Virginia, on Saturday, June 6, 2026. (Kaylyn Barnhart Batista/Stars and Stripes)
A sailor hugs his significant other during a homecoming event at Naval Station Norfolk in Virginia, on Saturday, June 6, 2026. (Kaylyn Barnhart Batista/Stars and Stripes)
Sailors wave from the amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima as they return to Naval Station Norfolk in Virginia on Saturday, June 6, 2026. (Kaylyn Barnhart Batista/Stars and Stripes)
The Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group and its embarked 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit deployed to the Caribbean in August as the first wave of naval forces to support Operation Southern Spear, the U.S. campaign against narcoterrorism and illicit maritime networks.
“During this deployment, our presence and our capabilities demonstrated the United States’ enduring commitment to deterring aggression and malign actors, maintaining regional stability, ensuring the prosperity of the Western Hemisphere and supporting our neighbor nations in the Caribbean,” said Capt. Rick Haley, commanding officer of the Iwo Jima.
As the family of AS1 Jazmin Montanez waited on the pier with a handmade sign and photo cutouts of her face, they excitedly discussed plans to take her out to dinner, go shopping and spend time together once she returned, depending on how she was feeling. They said this would be the first homecoming where the entire family would be there to welcome her back.
“She’s gonna be so excited to see us. It has been a long time,” said Jazmin’s mother, Brenda Montanez of Buffalo, N.Y.
The family of AS1 Jazmin Montanez wait on the pier with handmade signs and photo cutouts of her face during a homecoming event at Naval Station Norfolk in Virginia, on Saturday, June 6, 2026. (Kaylyn Barnhart Batista/Stars and Stripes)
The Pentagon announced last week that the more than 4,500 Marines and sailors in the group will be heading home after months of supporting the operation, which involved a buildup of naval and air assets to target alleged drug traffickers.
The Iwo Jima ARG worked alongside other ships in the region, including the Ford Carrier Strike Group. The aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford, two of its destroyers, USS Bainbridge and USS Mahan, and the carrier’s air wing squadrons returned to Norfolk last month after a record-setting deployment. Ford was deployed twice to the Middle East during its time at sea.
Iwo Jima’s deployment saw elements of the ARG involved in the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores during a nighttime operation on Jan. 3. The couple were transported to the Iwo Jima off the coast of Venezuela and later sent to New York, where they face federal drug, weapons and conspiracy charges. Maduro and his wife have pleaded not guilty.
Iwo Jima offloaded the embarked Marines on Monday, who returned to Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune in North Carolina. The 24th MEU now serves as the primary force supporting Marine operations in the Caribbean.
“These sailors and Marines have executed their duties with excellence, reinforcing our nation’s security and stability at home and abroad,” Haley said.
The Iwo Jima ARG includes the USS San Antonio, which returned to Norfolk in April, and the USS Fort Lauderdale, which remains deployed, according to the Navy.
The amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima returns to Naval Station Norfolk in Virginia on Saturday, June 6, 2026 after a 10-month deployment to the Caribbean Sea. (Kaylyn Barnhart Batista/Stars and Stripes)
