2008 Almanac Highlights

U.S. Marine Corps Organization and Missions

Today’s deployed Marines are often on their third or fourth tours through the combat zones of Iraq and other fronts. The heavy operational tempo has put considerable stress on people and equipment, which the leadership plans to alleviate by increasing the size of the force.

With funding from the fiscal 2007 Iraq War supplemental and the fiscal 2008 budget, the Marine Corps plans to add 27,000 Marines for a total active force level of 202,000. The Marine Corps’ reserve force strength will hold at approximately 39,000.

While manpower readiness has been front and center during the past year, the materiel condition of the force also has presented challenges. According to Assistant Commandant Gen. Robert Magnus, approximately 30 percent of the Marine Corps’ ground equipment — and almost one-quarter of its aircraft — are engaged overseas. Equipment from strategic and prepositioned stocks, home stations and units not in their deployment phase has been appropriated to outfit Marines in Iraq and other priority regions. Combat damage and losses — and the wear and tear of heavy operational use — have stressed the Corps’ ability to sustain and replenish these stocks, which, in turn, threatens readiness for future engagements.

“The cost of [our] success is a decrease in nondeployed unit readiness as well as an increase in the maintenance required per hour of operating time,” Magnus told the House Armed Services Committee in March. “The timely delivery of replacement and reset equipment is crucial to sustaining the high readiness rates for the Marines in-theater, as well as improving the rates for the forces here at home.”
Some new equipment has been arriving in Iraq. For example, the Mine-Resistant, Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles have begun to replace up-armored or unarmored HMMWVs. The MRAP improves ground force survivability against improvised explosive devices, the No. 1 killer in Iraq today.

In October, the Marine Corps began the first operational deployment of the V-22 Osprey tactical transport aircraft. Although its acquisition was beset with challenges and delays, the Osprey tiltrotors will enable 1,000 Marines to deploy within a 300-mile radius within 12 hours, including mission planning time.

As new equipment begins to recapitalize worn materiel, the Corps is taking other steps to manage the operational pressure on personnel. For example, Marine maneuver forces — including infantry and armor units — typically serve shorter, seven-month rotations, contrasted with U.S. Army units, which may serve 15 months before being rotated out. Marine headquarters staff elements typically are on one-year rotations.

According to the service’s leadership, the shorter but more frequent deployments allow Marines to maintain their training readiness while decreasing fatigue and tension on the units and their families.
Meanwhile, the Marine Corps is engaged in creating a new Joint Combatant Command dedicated to operations in Africa. Dubbed AFRICOM, the organization will assume responsibility over U.S. forces operating in Africa.

The U.S. European Command currently has responsibility for all American units operating south of the Mediterranean. Given the geographic expanse of continental Africa, Marine Corps Commandant Gen. James T. Conway envisions even greater reliance on the Marines’ new platforms and capabilities, as well as on closer cooperation with non-military organizations.

“If you simply overlay a map of the United States, you start to get a feel as to how huge Africa really is,” Conway said in an Oct. 15 address to the Center for a New American Security, in Washington. “We think that small numbers of Marines in the back of an Osprey have a place in the future of AFRICOM.”

The Marine Corps Today

Globally deployed and engaged in some of the toughest operational environments around the world, there are 35,000 Marines acting in support of Joint Combatant Commanders. In Iraq, 26,000 Marines of the I Marine Expeditionary Force are wrapping up pacification and stabilization operations in al Anbar province, a dangerous region that surrounds Fallujah, the scene of an intense siege in November-December 2004.

In Afghanistan, approximately 400 Marines are helping to train the Afghan National Army. With the resurgence of Taliban- and al Qaeda-led militant attacks in Afghanistan and Pakistan, the Pentagon’s Joint Chiefs of Staff reportedly are considering redeployment of 25,000 Marines from Iraq to Afghanistan, predicated on the hope of replicating the success in al Anbar province elsewhere in Iraq. However, a Marine Corps spokesman said such consideration was just a part of the free flow of ideas that normally circulate at the Joint Chiefs of Staff level and that any characterization of the idea as a “plan” was premature.

The possible move to Afghanistan has raised some controversy, however, notably from Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee. In an Oct. 11 letter, Hunter urged Conway to reconsider the move.

“Embedding Marines in Afghanistan will reduce the inventory of America’s rapid response forces that are immediately available for such contingency operations,” Hunter wrote. “Secondly, the burden-
sharing in Afghanistan between U.S. forces and our allies needs to be dramatically improved.

“Today, the force inventories in Afghanistan are as follows: 1) U.S. with 25,000 troops; 2) Britain with 5,000 troops; 3) Germany with 3,000 troops; 4) Canada with 2,000 troops; 5) all others with 11,000 troops. This U.S.-heavy force formula reflects the reluctance of our allies to fully support military operations in the global war against terrorism.”

Legacy

In 1775, the second Continental Congress authorized the raising of two battalions of American Marines for service aboard the ships of the Continental navy and ashore during the American Revolution.

What would be known later as the U.S. Marine Corps was established in 1798, during the conflict with North African pirates that also spurred the establishment of the U.S. Navy. According to the July 11, 1798, Act of Congress, “there shall be raised and organized a corps of marines … and the said corps may be formed into as many companies, or detachments, as the president of the United States shall direct.”

For more than 200 years, Marines have distinguished themselves in America’s wars — at the battles of Belleau Wood in World War I, Iwo Jima in World War II, the Chosin Reservoir in Korea and at Khe Sanh in Vietnam. Today, the Marine Corps has become world-renowned as the nation’s “911” rapid-reaction force.

The Commandant of the Marine Corps

The commandant is the service’s highest uniformed official, equal to the chief of naval operations under the secretary of the Navy, and reporting to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The commandant is responsible for the plans, policy, programs, resources and operations that affect the Marine Corps and its components.

Conway, an infantry officer with more than 37 years’ experience, is the 34th commandant. He has led the 1st Marine Division and the I Marine Expeditionary Force (I MEF). During Operation Iraqi Freedom, Conway commanded I MEF during two combat tours in Iraq. In 1990-91, he led Battalion Landing Team 3/2 during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. The Marine Air-Ground
Task Force (MAGTF)

Marine Corps operational units are organized as MAGTFs, scalable units that include a ground combat element, an air combat element, a command-and-control element and a combat service support (or logistics) element.

Depending upon the size of the MAGTF, the ground combat element may include infantry, engineers, reconnaissance, headquarters personnel, field artillery and armor. A typical air combat element is the Marine Reinforced Helicopter Squadron, which includes fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft. Marine Corps aviators fly a variety of aircraft, including F/A-18C/D strike fighters, AV-8B short takeoff/vertical landing fighters, CH-46 medium-lift helicopters, CH-53 heavy-lift helicopters, and UH-1 utility helicopters and AH-1 Cobra attack helicopters. An air combat element also may include KC-130 tanker/transports.

The largest MAGTFs are the I, II and III MEFs, which comprise 20,000-90,000 Marines equipped with 60 days’ supply when deployed. The MEFs’ combat forces include the ground combat elements of Marine divisions, and the air combat element of Marine air wings — of which there are three each in active service and one in reserve. Next down the scale in size is the Marine Expeditionary Brigade, a MAGTF with 3,000-20,000 Marines and 30 days’ supply.

The smallest MAGTF is the Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), with 1,500-3,000 Marines and supplies for 10-15 days ashore. MEUs typically deploy embarked aboard the amphibious ships of a Navy Expeditionary Strike Group. The MEU’s flexibility is its greatest strength. During a typical deployment, MEUs complete missions ranging from major theater warfare to peacekeeping, security and stability operations such as humanitarian assistance.

U.S. Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command (MARSOC)

Although for decades MEUs trained for the “Special Operations Capable” designation prior to deployment, Marines officially became part of the U.S. Special Operations Command Feb. 23, 2006. Today, more than 2,500 Marines serve with Special Operations Command.

MARSOC units conduct a variety of missions, including foreign military training, counterterrorism and information operations. Based at Camp Lejeune, N.C., MARSOC consists of a Marine Special Operations Advisor Group, 1st and 2nd Marine Special Operations Battalions, the Marine Special Operations Support Group and the Marine Special Operations School.

Major Commands

Marine Corps Forces Command (MARFORCOM)/U.S. Marine Corps Forces Atlantic; II MEF

Headquartered at Naval Base Norfolk, Va., and led by Lt. Gen. Joseph F. Weber, MARFORCOM is one of three major Marine Corps commands, along with U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific, and U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Reserve. These forces provide, train and equip Marines for fleet deployment to the Areas of Responsibility (AORs) of the Joint Combatant Commands.

The combat element of MARFORCOM is II MEF, which is based at Camp Lejeune and commanded by Lt. Gen. Keith J. Stalder. II MEF is composed of the 2nd Marine Division, 2nd Force Service Support Group and 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing.

U.S. Marine Corps Forces Pacific (MARFORPAC); III MEF

The largest field command in the Corps, MARFORPAC is headquartered at Camp Smith, Hawaii, and led by Lt. Gen. John F. Goodman. MARFORPAC also is the Marine Corps component of U.S. Central Command, which includes in its AOR operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The combat element of MARFORPAC includes I MEF, based at Camp Pendleton, Calif., and is commanded by Lt. Gen. Samuel T. Helland. The I MEF forward element, operating in Iraq and Afghanistan, is commanded by Maj. Gen. John F. Kelly. Additionally, MARFORPAC includes III MEF, which is based at Okinawa, Japan, and commanded by Lt. Gen. Richard C. Zilmer.

U.S. Marine Corps Forces Reserve (MARFORRES); 4th Marine Division

Led by Lt. Gen. John W. Bergman, the reserves include the 4th Marine Division, the 4th Marine Air Wing and the 4th Service Support Group. The Marine Corps has a total force policy under which the active and reserve components are integrated.

MARFORRES units augment and reinforce active-component Marine units and provide Marines for the U.S. Northern Command, which is the Defense Department’s major command for homeland defense. Since 2004, Marine Reserve units have served in Iraq and on other wartime deployments.

Marine Corps Combat Development Command (MCCDC)

Headquartered at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va., MCCDC is led by Lt. Gen. James F. Amos. The command includes directorates for operations analysis and capabilities development and is responsible for improving and integrating new warfighting capabilities, such as weapons systems and countermeasures. MCCDC’s analysis directorate scrutinizes operations to develop recommendations on alternative concepts, plans, programs and related policy and acquisition decisions. The capabilities directorate is responsible for the integration of new platforms, weapon systems and equipment across the Marine Corps.

The Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory, also at Quantico, is the science and technology center for the Corps. Led by Brig. Gen. Thomas M. Murray, who also is vice chief of naval research, it conducts experiments and war games, and employs modeling and simulation to integrate new concepts and technologies into operational capabilities.

Marine Corps Systems Command (MARCORSYSCOM)

From his headquarters at Hospital Point on Marine Corps Base Quantico, Brig. Gen. Michael M. Brogan leads the service’s acquisition organization. MARCORSYSCOM is responsible for the acquisition and lifecycle support of Marine vehicles, weapons and equipment under an average annual budget of $3.6 billion.

MARCORSYSCOM manages a portfolio of programs, including command and control, communications, infantry weapons, armor and fire support, engineer systems and combat support — all aimed at enabling Marines to “shoot straighter, move faster and communicate more effectively,” according to command literature.