 The MEU was called on to provide support to International Forces, East Timor (INTERFET) delivering more than 1.5 million pounds of food and supplies to the Australian-led peacekeeping forces and East Timorese.The 11th MEU formed the main portion of the Command Element of the reconstituted 5th Marine Expeditionary Brigade and participated in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, Southwest Asia, from January-April 1991.The 11th MEU was an integral component of the Amphibious deception plan that fixed a number of Iraqi divisions on the coast to defend against an expected amphibious assault.