103 United States Marine Corps Mission And Organization Fundamentals Flashcards
Seven elements of the Marine Corps Mission
Provide Fleet Marine Forces with combined arms and supporting air components for service with the United States Fleet in the seizure or defense of advanced naval bases and for the conduct of such land operations as may be essential to the execution of a naval campaign.
Provide detachments and organizations for service on armed vessels of the Navy and security detachments for the protection of naval property at naval stations and bases.
Develop, in coordination with the Army, Navy, and Air Force, the doctrine, tactics, techniques, and equipment employed by landing forces in amphibious operations
Provide Marine forces for airborne operations, in coordination with the Army, Navy, and Air Force, according to the doctrine established by the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Develop, in coordination with the Army, Navy, and Air Force, the doctrine, procedures, and equipment for airborne operations.
Expand peacetime components to meet wartime needs according to the joint mobilization plans.
Perform such other duties as the President may direct.
Two parallel chains of command
Service and Operational
Service Chain of command consists of
President, Secretary of Defense Secretary of the Navy, and Commandant of the Marine Corps
Operational Chain of Command Consist of
President, Secretary of Defense, then directly to Commanders of Combatant Commands for missions and forces assigned to their commands.
Marine Corps Forces (MARFOR)
MARFOR are organized as MAGTFs and are either employed as part of naval expeditionary forces or separately as part of larger joint or combined force. The commanders of MARFOR Atlantic and Pacific serve as Marine Corps component commanders to their respective Combatant Commanders and may also serve as Commanding Generals of Fleet Marine Forces (FMFs) Atlantic, Pacific, and Europe. As Commanding Generals, with the status of a naval type Commander, they provide forces for service with Commander US Atlantic Fleet, Commander US Pacific Fleet, and Commander US Naval Forces Europe, respectively.
Marine Corps Security Forces (MCSF)
The MCSF include approximately 3,400 Marines who protect key naval installations and facilities worldwide. Although not assigned to combatant commands, they are part of the Operating Forces of the Marine Corps as well as Marine detachments afloat.
Marine Security Guard (MSG)
Detachments at embassies and consulates around the globe. The Marine security guard battalion provides forces to the Department of State for embassy security. These Marines are currently assigned to 171 posts in 135 countries throughout the world
Purpose of Headquarters Marine Corps
Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps, consists of the Commandant of the Marine Corps and those staff agencies that advise and assist the Commandant in discharging those responsibilities prescribed by law and higher authority
The Commandant of the Marine Corps is directly responsible to the Secretary of the Navy for the administration, discipline, internal organization, training, requirements, efficiency, and readiness of the Marine Corps; the operation of the Marine Corps materiel support system; and the total performance of the Marine Corps.
Marine Air Ground Task Force MAGTF
The MAGTF is the Marine Corps’ principle organization for the conduct of all missions across the range of military operations. MAGTFs are task-organized, combined-arms forces with organic ground, aviation, and sustainment elements that can respond rapidly to a contingency anywhere in the world.
The MAGTF provides a combatant commander or other operational commander with a versatile expeditionary force that is capable of multinational major operations and/or campaigns.
MAGTFs are organized, trained, and equipped to perform shore-or sea-based missions ranging from humanitarian assistance to peacekeeping to intense combat and can operate in permissive, uncertain, and hostile environments.
When deployed aboard amphibious shipping, MAGTFs maintain a continuous presence at strategic locations around the globe and can be rapidly moved to and indefinitely stationed at the scene of potential trouble.
The MAGTF provides the JFC with the capability of reconstitution, which is the ability of an expeditionary force to regenerate, reorganize, replenish, and reorient itself for a new mission without having to return to its home base
Command Element of the MEF
Is the MAGTF Headquarters. It is task organized to provide command and control capabilities (including intelligence and communications) necessary for effective planning, direction, and execution of all operations.
G-1 Division (Personnel and Administration)
G-2 Division (Intelligence and Counterintelligence)
G-3 Division (Operations and Training)
G-4 Division (Logistics)
G-5 Division (Plans)
G-6 Division (Communications and Information Systems)
Command Section
Comptroller Division
Communication Security Management Office
Special Operations Training Group
Staff Judge Advocate Branch
Public Affairs Office Branch
The mission of MEF CE
to provide command, control, direction, planning and coordination of corps-level air, ground, and logistical operations of assigned forces, normally consisting of one or more Marine Divisions, Marine Aircraft Wings, and force service support groups, and other separate units.
Mission of Marine Headquarters Group
Provides administrative, training, and logistical support while in CONUS and forward deployed to the MEF and MEB Command Elements. Additionally, function as Higher Headquarters for the four Major Subordinate Elements in order to allow MEF CE to execute war fighting functions in support of service and COCOM initiatives as required
MARCENT
Is designated as the Marine Corps service component for U.S. Central Command. MARCENT is responsible for all Marines Corps forces in the CENTCOM area of responsibility
Marine Corps Reserve
Is designated to augment and reinforce active Marine forces in time of war, national emergency or contingency operations, provide personnel and operational tempo relief for the active forces in peacetime, and provide service to the community (for example, through Toys for Tots).
Marine Air Wing ACE
Task-organized to support the MAGTF mission by performing some or all of the six functions of Marine aviation.
Normally built around an aviation organization that is augmented with appropriate air command and control, combat, combat support, and CSS units.
Operates effectively from ships, expeditionary airfields, or austere forward operating sites and can readily and routinely transition between sea bases and expeditionary airfields without loss of capability.
Varies in size and composition from an aviation detachment with specific capabilities to one or more MAWs.
Marine Division Ground Combat Element
Task-organized to conduct ground operations in support of the MAGTF mission.
Normally formed around an infantry organization reinforced with requisite artillery, reconnaissance, armor, and engineer forces and can vary in size and composition from a rifle platoon to one or more Marine Divisions.
Marine Logistic Group Logistical combat element
Task-organized to provide the full range of CSS functions and capabilities needed to support the continued readiness and sustainability of the MAGTF as a whole.
It is formed around a CSS headquarters and may vary in size and composition from a support detachment to one or more Marine MLGs.
Location of the three standing MEFs
I Marine Expeditionary Force (I MEF) Southern California and Arizona II Marine Expeditionary Force (II MEF) North and South Carolina III Marine Expeditionary Force (III MEF) Japan and Hawaii
Marine Expeditionary Brigades MEB
A MAGTF built around a reinforced infantry regiment, an aircraft group, and a Combat Logistics Regiment (FWD).
A Brigadier General normally commands the MEB.
As an expeditionary force, it is capable of rapid deployment and employment via amphibious shipping, strategic airlift, marrying with Maritime prepositioned Force (MPF) assets, or any combination thereof
CE of a MEB
Command Element, (CE)
Exercises command and control, is commanded by a general, and contains a SRIG detachment.
ACE of a MEB
Air Combat Element, (ACE)
Marine Aircraft Group
GCE of a MEB
Ground Combat Element, (GCE)
Reinforced Infantry Regiment
LCE of a MEB
Logistics Combat Element, (LCE)
Combat Logistics Regiment (FWD
The Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable (MEU (SOC))
Standard forward-deployed Marine expeditionary organization.
Marine Corps Forces Atlantic and Pacific maintain forward-deployed MEUs (SOC) in the Mediterranean Sea, the Western Pacific, and the Indian Ocean or Arabian Gulf region.
MEU (SOC) can be thought of both as a self- contained operating force capable of missions of limited scope and duration and as a forward-deployed extension of the MEF.
The mission of the MEU (SOC
is to provide the NCA and the combatant commanders with a forward deployed, sea-based, rapid crisis response capability to execute a full range of military operations. It is organized, trained, and equipped as a self-sustaining, general-purpose expeditionary MAGTF that possesses the capability to conduct operations across the spectrum of conflict, from military operations other than war, to amphibious and other conventional operations in support of various contingency requirements
MEU Maritime special operations
Tactical recovery of aircraft and personnel (TRAP).
Reconnaissance and surveillance.
In-extremis hostage recovery.
Visit, board, search, and seizure of vessels.
Specialized demolitions.
Seizure/recovery of offshore energy facilities.
Seizure/recovery of selected personnel or materiel.
The mission of the MEU (SOC) CE
provide command and control to the MEU (SOC). The MEU (SOC) CE is responsible for the command and control, direction, planning, and coordination of air, ground, and logistic operations of assigned forces, consisting of a Marine battalion landing team, Marine composite squadron, MEU service support group, and other separate units. Sections include:
S-1 - Personnel and administration
S-2 - Intelligence and counterintelligence
S-3 - Operations and training
S-4 - Logistics
S-6 - Communications and information systems
Command Section
Chaplain Section
Headquarters Commandant
Public Affairs
Air Combat Element Marine Air wing of a MEU
Reinforced helicopter squadron with transport, utility, and attack helicopters, a detachment of vertical/short takeoff and landing (V/STOL) fixed-wing attack aircraft, and other detachments as required
GCE of a Meu
An Infantry Battalion reinforced with artillery, reconnaissance, engineer, armor, assault amphibian units, and other detachments as required
LCE of a MEU
Combat logistics Batallion
Seven Standing MEUs
I MEF 11th, 13th, and 15th MEUs (SOC); II MEF 22nd, 24th, and 26th MEUs (SOC); III MEF 31st MEU (SOC).
Special Purpose MAGTF (SPMAGTF
A fourth type of MAGTF organization
Normally used for a special purpose (e.g., disaster relief, humanitarian assistance, noncombatant evacuation operation, or security operations)
Unique instances (e.g., Exxon Valdez oil spill containment) where employment of one of the three basic MAGTFs would be inappropriate
CE of a SPMAGTF
A fourth type of MAGTF organization
Normally used for a special purpose (e.g., disaster relief, humanitarian assistance, noncombatant evacuation operation, or security operations)
Unique instances (e.g., Exxon Valdez oil spill containment) where employment of one of the three basic MAGTFs would be inappropriate
ACE of a SPMAGTF
Task organized detachment of aircraft
GCE of a SPMAGTF
Composed of at least a platoon sized element
LCE of SPMAGTF
Task-organized to meet the specific logistics support requirements of the SPMAGTF and is centered on the unit designated to provide most of the logistics support
