2nd LAI Battalion

The 2nd Light Armored Infantry (LAI) Battalion, later redesignated as the 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance (LAR) Battalion, was activated on May 1, 1985 at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, as part of the U.S. Marine Corps’ expansion of mobile reconnaissance capabilities. Equipped with the LAV-25, the battalion quickly became proficient in providing armored reconnaissance and security for larger Marine Air-Ground Task Forces. The 2nd LAI Battalion saw its first major deployment during Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm in 1990-1991, conducting screening and reconnaissance missions across the Kuwaiti desert. Over the years, the battalion continued to serve with distinction in various operations, including in Iraq and Afghanistan, providing fast, flexible, and lethal support to Marine Corps operations.