11th Marine Expeditionary Unit Changes Command

By Lance Cpl. Demetrius Morgan, 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit

Maj. Michael N. Estes, commanding officer of the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, relinquished his command of the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit to Col. Matthew G. Trollinger as part of a change of command ceremony on base Thursday.

Originally slated to be the MEU operations officer, Estes assumed duties as the executive officer and, eventually, the commanding officer of the MEU. As the commanding officer, Estes oversaw daily operations and guided the unit for seven months, an unprecedented tour for a major.

“It was hard to mess up," said Estes. "I was dealt a winning hand with the personnel I was given. The number of accolades that this unit has earned during my time is impressive and there have been some big ones."

Estes will now move back to his original role as the operations officer and will use his experience as a commander to shape his contributions to the unit.

Trollinger arrives at the MEU after a tour as the Military Assistant to the Deputy Under Secretary of the Navy for Plans, Policy, Oversight and Integration. He assumes command of the MEU during the post-deployment period, leaving ample time to shape the unit for its next deployment.

Trollinger is now responsible for leading his new Marines into the next training cycle and the next deployment.