102. USMC Mission and Organizational Fundamentals

Question 1

State the mission of the USMC.

Answer 1

Marines are trained, organized and equipped for offensive amphibious employment and as a “force of readiness”. The official mission of the US Marine Corps was established by the National Security Act of 1947 and amended in 1952.

Question 2

Discuss the MAGTF organization and its four functional components

Answer 2

Command Element (CE)
Air Combat Element (ACE)
Ground Combat Element (GCE)
Logistics Combat Element (LCE)

Question 3

Identify the elements that comprise a MEF

Answer 3

CE: MEF HQ Group (MHG)
ACE: MAW
GCE: Division
LCE: MLG

Question 4

Describe the mission and purpose of the Maritime Prepositioning Force (MPF)

Answer 4

To directly support our national maritime strategy of protecting key naval chokepoints and sea lines of communication via:

1. Airlift of MAGTF and Naval elements, the so-called fly-in-echelon (FIE) to the arrival and assembly area (AAA)
2. Join the FIE with the equipment and supplies aboard maritime prepositioning ships (“black bottoms”)

Question 5

State the mission of MCCDC.

Answer 5

To develop USMC warfighting concepts and to determine associated required capabilities in the areas of DOCTRINE, ORGANIZATION, TRAINING & EDUCATION, MATERIAL, LEADERSHIP, PERSONNEL and FACILITIES to enable the Marine Corps to field combat-ready forces.

Question 6

Identify the elements that comprise a MEB

Answer 6

ACE: Marine Aircraft Group
GCE: Marine Infantry Regiment
LCE: Combat Logistics Regiment

Question 7

How many MEFs are there and where are they located?

Answer 7

There are three standing MEFs:
I Marine Expeditionary Force (I MEF) - Southern CA & AZ.
II Marine Expeditionary Force (II MEF) - NC & SC.
III Marine Expeditionary Force (III MEF) - Japan & HI.

Question 8

Where are the Marine Divisions located?

Answer 8

1st Marine Division (1st MARDIV)- HQ at MCB Camp Pendleton, CA, with units at MCB Twentynine Palms.
2nd Marine Marine Division (2d MARDIV)- HQ at MCB Camp Lejeune, NC.
3rd Marine Division (3rd MARDIV)- HQ at Camp Courtney, Okinawa, Japan, with units located at MCB Kaneohe Bay, HI.
4th Marine Division (4th MARDIV)- HQ at New Orleans, LA, with units located in San Bruno, CA; Kansas City, MO; Fort Devens, MA; and Fort Worth, TX.

Question 9

Where are the Marine Air Wings located?

Answer 9

1st Marine Aircraft Wing (1st MAW)- HQ at Camp Foster, Okinawa with units in Futenma & Iwakuni, Japan and Kaneohe Bay, HI.
2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (2d MAW)- HQ at MCAS Cherry Point, NC with units in New River, NC and Beaufort, SC.
3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (3rd MAW)- HQ at MCAS Miramar, CA with units located at MCAS Yuma, AZ and Camp Pendleton, CA.
4th Marine Aircraft Wing (4th MAW)- HQ at New Orleans, LA with units located in Fort Worth, TX; Willow Grove, PA; Selfridge Air Base, MI; Fort Sheridan, IL.

Question 10

Where are the Marine Logistic Groups located?

Answer 10

1st Marine Logistics Group (1st MLG)- HQ at MCB Camp Pendleton, CA, with detachments located at MCAS Yuma, MCAS Miramar and the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms.
2nd Marine Logistics Group (2d MLG)- HQ at MCB Camp Lejeune, NC.
3rd Marine Logistics Group (3rd MLG)- HQ at Camp Smedley Butler, Okinawa, Japan.
4th Marine Logistics Group (4th MLG)- HQ at New Orleans, LA.

Question 11

Define the acronym MAGTF.

Answer 11

• Balanced, air-ground, combined arms formation under a single commander.
• the principal organization for all Marine Corps missions across the range of military operations.
• Expeditionary by nature, MAGTFs vary in size and capability according to their assigned or likely missions and are specifically equipped for rapid deployment by air or sea.

Question 12

What is a Special Purpose MAGTF?

Answer 12

• A non-standing MAGTF temporarily formed to conduct a specific mission.
• may be any size—but normally no larger than a MEU— . - It may be task-organized from non-deployed Marine Corps forces or formed on a contingency basis from a portion of a deployed MAGTF.

Question 13

What rank is the Commanding Officer for the following different-sized MAGTFs?
MEU
MEB
MEF

Answer 13

MEU: A MEU is commanded by a Colonel MEB: Normally commanded by a Brigadier General MEF: Normally commanded by a Lieutenant General

Question 14

Identify the elements that comprise a MEU

Answer 14

ACE: Reinforced combat assault transport helicopter/tilt-rotor squadron
GCE: Infantry Battalion (Battalion Landing Team)
LCE: Combat Logistics Battalion

Question 15

Identify the current standing MEUs and their locations.

Answer 15

• 11th, 13th and 15th (Camp Pendleton)
• 22d, 24th, and 26th (Camp Lejeune)
• 31st MEU is permanently forward-deployed at Okinawa, Japan.