United States Marine Corps Forces Space Command | |
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Active | 1 October 2020 – present |
Country | United States |
Branch | United States Marine Corps |
Part of | U.S. Space Command |
Garrison/HQ | Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado |
Commanders | |
Commander | Maj Gen Joseph Matos |
The U.S. Marine Corps Forces Space Command (abbreviated MARFORSPACE) is the Marine Corps service component of the United States Space Command. It is tasked with providing support to the Fleet Marine Force using space assets, including in communications, targeting, and navigation, to increase warfighter lethality.
The command was activated on 1 October 2020. The commander of MARFORSPACE is dual-hatted as the commander of Marine Corps Forces Cyberspace Command, though the two organizations are separate commands with their own structure. Many members of MARFORSPACE were formerly part of Marine Corps Forces Strategic Command (MARFORSTRAT). The purpose of Marine Forces Space Command is to provide space operational support and capabilities to the Fleet Marine Force. [1] [2] The first Marine personnel of MARFORSPACE received training from the 1st Space Brigade of the United States Army Space and Missile Defense Command. [3]
Although the Marine Corps does not operate any spacecraft, the Marines also use the capabilities of these systems, and previously relied on the Army's 1st Space Brigade for planning and coordinating space support capabilities during operations in Iraq. The Marine Corps had its own space operations officers that were part of Marine Corps Forces Strategic Command (MARFORSTRAT), [4] who became part of MARFORSPACE upon its creation. [1]
In October 2021, the headquarters of MARFORSPACE relocated from Offut Air Force Base in Nebraska to the Peterson Space Force Base in Colorado. The Marine Space Support Team also conducted its first deployments that year, in support of U.S. European Command and the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit. In 2022, a new MOS, 1706 – Maritime Space Officer, was created, with specialized training for the space domain. [5]
No. | Commander | Term | |||
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Portrait | Name | Took office | Left office | Term length | |
1 | Major General Matthew Glavy | 1 October 2020 | 7 July 2021 | 279 days | |
2 | Major General Ryan P. Heritage | 7 July 2021 | 22 March 2024 | 2 years, 259 days | |
3 | Major General Joseph Matos | 22 March 2024 | Incumbent | 9 days |
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The structure of the United States Navy consists of four main bodies: the Office of the Secretary of the Navy, the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, the operating forces, and the Shore Establishment.
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The Fleet Marine Force, Atlantic (FMFLANT) is an American maritime landing force that is spread across the Atlantic Ocean. It is headquartered at Naval Station Norfolk and directs and commands all the subordinate elements of the Navy Expeditionary Strike Force and Marine Air-Ground Task Force components that follow under the 2nd, 4th, and 6th Fleet and the Marine Forces Command (MarForCom). The Commanding General of Marine Forces Command is dual-posted as the Commanding General of the Fleet Marine Force, Atlantic. FMFLANT is under operational control of the Commander-in-Chief, United States Fleet Forces Command, when deployed.
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