8th ESB Named 2026 Engineer Support Battalion of the Year
MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. – U.S. Marines and Sailors with 8th Engineer Support Battalion, Combat Logistics Regiment 27, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, were recognized as the 2026 Engineer Support Battalion of the Year by the Marine Corps Engineer Association during a ceremony Sept. 18, 2026, in Sacramento, California.
Established in 1995, the MCEA promotes fellowship among U.S. Marines and Marine Corps engineer organizations, Department of War personnel, and military engineers from allied nations who served alongside them. The Engineer Support Battalion of the Year award recognizes exemplary performance across several engineering functions including general, geospatial, and combat engineering throughout the year.
From April 2025 to March 2026, 8th ESB demonstrated unmatched proficiency and versatility in mobility, counter mobility, survivability, and general engineering while supporting operations and exercises across the Fleet Marine Force, Joint Force, and with Allies and partners around the world. These missions ranged from multinational exercises in Europe and the Middle East to security operations along the U.S. southern border.
“Look across the battalion. We have Marines on [Marine Rotational Force Europe]. We have Marines at [Territorial Integrity of the United States]. We have Marines at Native Fury. We have Marines everywhere, and they're all doing the same thing, just accomplishing the mission,” said Cpl. Trenton Chambers, a bulk fuel specialist with Company A., 8th ESB.
In April 2025, the battalion deployed to the Kingdom of Norway for exercise Swift Response 25, where Marines and Sailors operated alongside joint and international forces across Scandinavia and the Baltic region, conducting engineering and survivability operations designed to strengthen interoperability with allied forces. Simultaneously in California, Marines and Sailors with 8th ESB executed Service-level training at Weapons and Tactics Instructor Course 1-26 by providing utilities support to 2nd Distribution Support Battalion, enabling life support, force protection, and command and control for the exercise force’s logistics combat element.
In June 2025, an engineer equipment detachment deployed to Camp Titin, Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, for exercise Native Fury 25, to provide road construction and ammunition supply point improvements. As conflict escalated in the region, 8th ESB rapidly transitioned to support Operation SPARTAN SHIELD. The battalion conducted mobility and survivability missions alongside Jordanian forces while waiting for additional combat engineers to arrive. U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Mark Laudano, Jr, was one of 30 combat engineers quickly deployed by 8th ESB in response to the changing mission. “At first, they were going to send a just a squad of combat engineers and then the threat level got bumped up, and then they made it a platoon,” said Laudano. “Our main job was to repair the helipads that were out there, now that ended up getting recast because [the exercise] was already winding down by the time we got there, and our mission became reinforcing Camp Titin.” The Marines already present at Camp Titin were relieved to receive Laudano and his Marines as they arrived with the tools and expertise required to reinforce the camp. The increased threat of Iranian missile attacks prompted the ships storing the necessary supplies and resources for the detachment to be diverted. The following days required Marines of all backgrounds and fields of expertise to adapt and work together with the newly arrived Marines to fortify the camp. “We didn't have a lot of good material to work with, we brought out stuff that was necessary for airfield damage repair, not for wood-frame construction. We had to adapt on the fly and get some tools and materials that would work,” said Laudano. “[The Marines] handled it great, and they honestly did a good job.”
Later in 2025, 8th ESB assumed planning responsibilities on behalf of 2nd MLG in support of Joint Task Force-Southern Border. Charlie Company conducted route improvements and placed more than 50 kilometers of reinforcing wire obstacles along the border while coordinating material procurement and sustainment requirements with I and II Marine Expeditionary Force.
For Sgt. Oswald Murray, a combat engineer working in the battalion's operations section, the performance by Marines and Sailors throughout a year of high operational tempo reflected the trust placed in members throughout the unit, stating; “The Marines going to the first iteration of [supporting border efforts] were brand-new combat engineers coming to the Fleet, but because they were relied upon by their leadership, they were able to go out there and perform at a higher level.”
Meanwhile, the battalion's operational reach continued to extend through its Explosive Ordnance Disposal Company, which supported joint and international training, exercise Arctic Edge 26, Marine Forces Special Operations Command operations in the Philippines, and missions in support of the U.S. Secret Service. Notably, the company planned and executed the first-ever Unit Enhancement Training with the United Arab Emirates’ Presidential Guard, expanding partner forces’ capabilities and approaches to neutralizing and exploiting explosive hazards.
Even when operations pulled the unit all over the world, Marines and Sailors still made time to focus efforts at home. The battalion participated in community engagement with students at Coastal Carolina Elementary School through their Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics initiatives. The Marines and Sailors also worked to share their knowledge and experience with entry and career level officers attending the Logistics Officers Course and Marine Corps University’s Expeditionary Warfare School, helping shape their perspectives as future Marine Air-Ground Task Force officers.
The battalion's Marines and Sailors ultimately demonstrated their ability to provide engineer support across diverse missions, environments and geographic regions throughout the award period, while giving back to Allies and partners, future generations and each other.
“The Marines and Sailors of 8th ESB consistently provide reliable, comprehensive engineer support to higher and adjacent units throughout II Marine Expeditionary Force, the Joint Force, and regional partners globally,” said U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. Will Riordon, commanding officer of 8th ESB. “The ‘Pioneers of the [Fleet Marine Force]’ should be proud of what they have accomplished in the past year and are looking forward to what they will be called on to do in the future.”
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