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II Marine Expeditionary Force | |||||
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Founded | 23 October 1962 | ||||
Country | United States | ||||
Branch | United States Marine Corps | ||||
Type | Marine Air-Ground Task Force | ||||
Role | Expeditionary combat forces | ||||
Part of | United States Marine Corps Forces Command | ||||
Garrison/HQ | Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune | ||||
Engagements | |||||
Commanders | |||||
Current commander | Lieutenant General Calvert L. Worth Jr. | ||||
Command Sergeant Major | Sergeant Major David Wilson | ||||
Notable commanders | Alfred M. Gray Jr. | ||||
Insignia | |||||
NATO Map Symbol |
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The II Marine Expeditionary Force (II MEF) is a Marine Air-Ground Task Force consisting of ground, air and logistics forces capable of projecting offensive combat power ashore while sustaining itself in combat without external assistance for a period of 60 days. The II Marine Expeditionary Force is commanded by a lieutenant general, who serves under U.S. Marine Corps Forces Command, providing Marine fighting formations and units to European Command, Central Command and Southern Command.
II MEF falls under the command of U.S. Marine Corps Forces Command (MARFORCOM), and is a service retained force, meaning it is not assigned or allocated to any of the Geographic Combatant Commands. However, II MEF regularly provides subordinate units in support of operations and exercises throughout the U.S. European Command, U.S. Africa Command, and U.S. Southern Command Areas of Responsibility, as well as in support of other U.S. unified and NATO commands. II MEF units are available for and prepared to respond to contingency requirements worldwide. [1]
In addition to the option of being employed in its entirety as a MEF-sized unit, II MEF has the capability of forming task-organized Marine Air-Ground Task Forces (MAGTF) of lesser size such as a MEF (Forward), a brigade-sized MAGTF (Marine Expeditionary Brigade or "MEB") about one-third the size of a MEF or a Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), about one-third the size of a MEB. The size and composition of any MAGTF will be dependent upon the mission assigned. One mission that could be assigned to the MEB would be assignment for planning, deployment and utilization of equipment stored aboard Maritime Prepositioning Ships (MPS). The MPS program involves the forward deployment of the MPS Squadron of four or five ships loaded with a brigade's worth of combat equipment and supplies and the airlifting of the MEB to the designated objective area to link up with the MPS Squadron. At the same time, tactical aircraft of the MEB are flight ferried to an airfield in or near the area of operation. The MEB can be sustained for 30 days by the supplies aboard the ships.
The only routinely deployed MAGTFs, the 22d, 24th and 26th MEUs deploy on a rotating basis to the Mediterranean Sea area to serve as the landing force for the Commander, 6th Fleet. The MEU consists of approximately 2,200 Marines and Sailors, is capable of rapid response in a variety of possible contingencies, and if the situation requires, can serve as the forward element of a larger MAGTF. [2]
No. | Commander | Term | Ref | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Portrait | Name | Took office | Left office | Term length | ||
- | Lieutenant General Henry P. Osman (born 1947) | 12 August 2002 | 23 July 2004 | 1 year, 346 days | - | |
- | Lieutenant General James F. Amos (born 1946) | 23 July 2004 | 2 August 2006 | 2 years, 10 days | [4] | |
- | Lieutenant General Keith J. Stalder | 2 August 2006 | 25 July 2008 | 1 year, 358 days | [4] | |
- | Lieutenant General Dennis Hejlik (born 1947) | 25 July 2008 | 6 August 2010 | 2 years, 12 days | [5] | |
- | Major General John A. Toolan (born 1954) Acting | 6 August 2010 | 18 January 2011 | 165 days | [6] | |
- | Lieutenant General John M. Paxton Jr. (born 1951) | 18 January 2011 | 13 July 2012 | 1 year, 177 days | [7] | |
- | Major General Raymond C. Fox | 13 July 2012 | 17 July 2014 | 2 years, 4 days | [8] | |
- | Major General William D. Beydler | 17 July 2014 | 22 October 2015 | 1 year, 97 days | [9] | |
- | Major General Walter Lee Miller Jr. | 22 October 2015 | 12 May 2017 | 1 year, 202 days | [10] | |
- | Lieutenant General Robert F. Hedelund (born 1961) | 12 May 2017 | 13 July 2019 | 2 years, 62 days | [11] | |
- | Lieutenant General Brian Beaudreault (born 1960) | 13 July 2019 | 8 July 2021 | 1 year, 360 days | [12] | |
- | Lieutenant General William M. Jurney | 8 July 2021 | 18 August 2022 | 1 year, 41 days | [13] | |
- | Lieutenant General David A. Ottignon | 18 August 2022 | 2 August 2024 | 1 year, 350 days | [14] | |
- | Lieutenant General Calvert L. Worth Jr. | 2 August 2024 | Incumbent | 0 days |
A brigade is a major tactical military formation that typically comprises three to six battalions plus supporting elements. It is roughly equivalent to an enlarged or reinforced regiment. Two or more brigades may constitute a division.
III Marine Expeditionary Force is a formation of the Marine Air-Ground Task Force of the United States Marine Corps. It is forward-deployed and able to rapidly conduct operations across the spectrum from humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HA/DR) to amphibious assault and high-intensity combat.
The I Marine Expeditionary Force is a Marine Air Ground Task Force (MAGTF) of the United States Marine Corps primarily composed of the 1st Marine Division, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, and 1st Marine Logistics Group. It is based at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton.
Combat service support is a topic that is, broadly speaking, a subset of military logistics. However, combat service support is often more limited in depth, as the related groups primarily address factors supporting readiness for combat operations. The United States Department of Defense organizes various agencies providing services such as medical assistance, for example, akin to other nations' militaries.
In the United States Marine Corps, a Marine Air–Ground Task Force is the principal organization for all missions across the range of military operations. MAGTFs are a balanced air–ground, combined arms task organization of Marine Corps forces under a single commander that is structured to accomplish a specific mission. The MAGTF was formalized by the publishing of Marine Corps Order 3120.3 in December 1963, "The Marine Corps in the National Defense, MCDP 1-0". It stated:
A Marine air–ground task force with separate air ground headquarters is normally formed for combat operations and training exercises in which substantial combat forces of both Marine aviation and Marine ground units are included in the task organization of participating Marine forces.
A regimental combat team (RCT) is a provisional major infantry unit which has seen use by branches of the United States Armed Forces. It is formed by augmenting a regular infantry regiment with smaller combat, combat support and combat service support units.
The 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit is one of seven Marine Expeditionary Units currently in existence in the United States Marine Corps. The Marine Expeditionary Unit is a Marine Air Ground Task Force with a strength of about 2,200 personnel. The MEU consists of a command element, a reinforced infantry battalion, a composite helicopter squadron and a logistics combat element. The 11th MEU is currently based out of Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California with headquarters in Camp Del Mar.
The 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit is one of seven such units currently in existence in the United States Marine Corps. The Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) is a Marine Air Ground Task Force (MAGTF) with a strength of about 2,200 personnel. The MEU consists of a command element, a reinforced infantry battalion, a composite helicopter squadron and a combat logistics battalion. The 15th MEU is currently based out of Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California.
A Marine expeditionary force (MEF), formerly known as a Marine amphibious force, is the largest type of a Marine air-ground task force. A MEF is the largest building block of United States Marine Corps combat power.
The United States Marine Corps is organized within the Department of the Navy, which is led by the Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV). The most senior Marine commissioned officer is the Commandant of the Marine Corps, responsible for organizing, recruiting, training, and equipping the Marine Corps so that it is ready for operation under the command of the unified combatant commanders. The Marine Corps is organized into four principal subdivisions: Headquarters Marine Corps, the Operating Forces, the Supporting Establishment, and the Marine Forces Reserve.
In the United States Marine Corps, the ground combat element (GCE) is the land force of a Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF). It provides power projection and force for the MAGTF.
The United States Marine Corps' Anti-Terrorism Battalion was a specialized infantry battalion. The battalion was disbanded in 2013.
The 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade is a brigade of the United States Marine Corps. It is part of II Marine Expeditionary Force. It advertises itself as a "middleweight" crises response force of choice in the European and Southern Command Areas of Operation. It is able to "operate independently, as a service component, or to lead a Joint Task Force". Self-sufficient and interoperable, the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade possesses a mix of command and control, combat power and specialized logistics. Operating as part of the greater Marine Corps team and with support from the United States Navy and other services, it can provide operational reach.
1st Marine Expeditionary Brigade is a unit in the I Marine Expeditionary Force and is the "middleweight" global crisis response force.
In the United States Navy, the expeditionary strike group (ESG) is a coordinated group of surface ships, aircraft, submarines, and other naval assets. In contrast to carrier strike groups (CSGs), which emphasize air power and are led by a supercarrier, ESGs are strongly suited for amphibious warfare and are led by an amphibious assault ship. The ESG concept was introduced in the early 1990s, based on the Naval Expeditionary Task Force. The U.S. Navy fields nine expeditionary strike groups.
In the United States Marine Corps, the aviation combat element or air combat element (ACE) is the aviation component of the Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF). The ACE is task organized to perform the six functions of Marine Corps aviation in support of MAGTF operations. The ACE is led by an aviation headquarters which employs rotary-wing, tiltrotor, and fixed-wing aircraft in conjunction with command and control, maintenance and engineering units.
In the United States Marine Corps, the logistics combat element (LCE), formerly combat service support element, is the portion of the Marine air-ground task force (MAGTF) responsible with providing logistical support. It provides equipment and personnel to keep the MAGTF running logistically.
In the United States Marine Corps, the command element (CE) is the command and control force of a Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF). It provides C3I for the MAGTF.
Headquarters Regiment was a logistics regiment based at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina and falls under the command of the 2nd Marine Logistics Group and the II Marine Expeditionary Force, United States Marine Corps. Headquarters Regiment was redesignated as Combat Logistics Regiment 27.