A Marine expeditionary unit is the smallest air-ground task force (MAGTF) in the United States Fleet Marine Force. Each MEU is an expeditionary rapid reaction force ready to answer any crisis, whether it be disaster aid or a combat mission. Marine amphibious unit (MAU) was the name used until the late 1980s.
A group is a military unit or a military formation that is most often associated with military aviation.
Buckley Space Force Base is a United States Space Force base in Aurora, Colorado named after United States Army Air Service First Lieutenant John Harold Buckley. The base is run by Space Base Delta 2, with major units including the U.S. Space Force's Space Delta 4, the Colorado Air National Guard's 140th Wing, the Denver Naval Operations Support Center, and the National Reconnaissance Office's Aerospace Data Facility-Colorado.
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.
The 1st Marine Aircraft Wing is an aviation unit of the United States Marine Corps that serves as the Aviation Combat Element of the III Marine Expeditionary Force. The wing is headquartered at Camp Foster on the island of Okinawa, Japan. Activated in 1940, the wing has seen heavy combat operations during World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War.
The 3rd Marine Logistics Group is the Logistics Combat Element (LCE) for III Marine Expeditionary Force currently headquartered on Camp Kinser, Marine Corps Base Smedley D. Butler, Okinawa, Japan. 3rd MLG provides combat service support (CSS) to III MEF units above the organic capability. CSS is the essential capabilities, functions, activities, and tasks necessary to sustain all elements of operating forces in theater at all levels of war. Combat service support includes, but is not limited, to supply, maintenance, transportation, general engineering, health services, and other services required by aviation and ground combat forces to permit those units to accomplish their missions.
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.
Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 16 (MALS-16) is an aviation logistics support unit of the United States Marine Corps. Known as the Immortals, they are currently based at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar and fall under the command of Marine Aircraft Group 16 (MAG-16) and the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing.
Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 13 (MALS-13) is an aviation logistics support unit of the United States Marine Corps. Known as the "Black Widows", it is currently based at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, as part of Marine Aircraft Group 13 and the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing.
Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 29 (MALS-29) is an aviation logistics support unit of the United States Marine Corps. Known as the "Wolverines", they fall under the command of Marine Aircraft Group 29 and the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing and are currently based at Marine Corps Air Station New River. MALS 29 supports multiple types of aircraft and provides detachments to aviation combat elements operating globally in support the United States National Defense Strategy.
Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 39 (MALS-39) is an aviation logistics support unit of the United States Marine Corps. Once known as the "Magicians," they are now known as the "Hellhounds", and they fall under the command of Marine Aircraft Group 39 (MAG-39) and the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing and are currently based at Marine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton, California.
Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 42 was a reserve aviation logistics support unit of the United States Marine Corps. They fell under the command of Marine Aircraft Group 42 and 4th Marine Aircraft Wing and were based at Naval Air Station Atlanta. MALS-42 provided direct support to VMFA-142 and HMLA-773 and Navy squadrons VAW-77 and VR-46 and indirect support to two tactical Marine squadrons HMLA-773 Det A and HMM-774. Due to a re-organization within Marine aviation, MALS-42 was deactivated in 2008.
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 Army, the term combat support refers to units that provide fire support and operational assistance to combat elements. Combat support units provide specialized support functions to combat units in the following areas
Combat Logistics Regiment 15 (CLR-15) was a logistics regiment of the United States Marine Corps. When active, it fell under the command of the 1st Marine Logistics Group and I Marine Expeditionary Force. The unit was based out of Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, United States.
The United States Marine Corps Aviation (USMCA) is the aircraft arm of the United States Marine Corps. Aviation units within the Marine Corps are assigned to support the Marine Air-Ground Task Force, as the aviation combat element, by providing six functions: assault support, antiair warfare, close air support, electronic warfare, control of aircraft and missiles, and aerial reconnaissance. The Corps operates rotary-wing, tiltrotor, and fixed-wing aircraft mainly to provide transport and close air support to its ground forces. Other aircraft types are also used in a variety of support and special-purpose roles. All Marine Corps aviation falls under the influence of the Deputy Commandant for Aviation, whose job is to advise the Commandant of the Marine Corps in all matters relating to aviation, especially acquisition of new assets, conversions of current aircraft, maintenance, operation, and command.
Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 49 (MALS-49) is a reserve aviation logistics support unit of the United States Marine Corps. They are currently based at Stewart Air National Guard Base in Newburgh, New York and fall under the command of Marine Aircraft Group 49 (MAG-49) and the 4th Marine Aircraft Wing. The squadron 49 is the only MALS in the 4th MAW with an active duty core of maintenance and aviation supply personnel. MALS-49 is currently structured with six separate and distinct divisions of maintenance, supporting three separate and distinct sites, along with five flying squadrons.
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.
