Introduction to the United States Marine Corps

1. Introduction to the United States Marine Corps

2. Our Culture

3. Core Values • Honor • Courage • Commitment Our most important attributes. This is what we stand for.

4. Mission • Make Marines • Win Battles • Create Quality Citizens Mission accomplishment is the foundation of our reputation This is what we do.

5. Priority #1 • Our Marines and Sailors in combat Our top priority is a reflection of our warrior ethos: “…the stuff of which heroes are made.” This is who we are.

6. Elite Warriors • The Corps and individual Marine strive to be the epitome of military virtue • Smart, tough, warriors who gain strength of mind, body, and character through earning a place in an elite and proud organization This is what we aspire to be.

7. Every Marine a Rifleman • All Marines are basic riflemen first, regardless of specialty • 25% of enlisted recruit training is dedicated to rifle marksmanship • TBS trains officers to be infantry platoon commanders • Our history is full of examples of pilots, logisticians, & administrators assigned infantry duties

8. Naval Character • The Marine Corps is fundamentally a naval service • “Soldiers of the Sea” • Sea provides avenue for projecting power practically anywhere • Today the Navy-Marine Corps team has the unique ability to provide forward-deployed expeditionary combat forces in response to crises

9. Expeditionary Mindset • “Word came on May 27 that another revolution was in full swing at Bluefields, on the east coast of Nicaragua. We received orders to leave at eight thirty in the morning and by eleven thirty were on our way—two hundred and fifty officers and men. Mrs. Butler had [gone] . . . to do some shopping. When she returned at noon, I was gone . . .” — Smedley D. Butler • Being expeditionary is a state of mind • “Bags packed”… ready to deploy on a moment’s notice • Spartan attitude: willingness to endure hardship and austere conditions

10. Korea, September 1951 Innovative • Close Air Support • Amphibious Operations • Naval Gunfire Support • Vertical envelopment • Maritime Prepositioning “The Marines’ combatant function was and is unique. Nobody has ever been interested in providing the necessary operating techniques of hardware for them, so they have had to do it themselves.” - LtGen Victor H. Krulak, First to Fight

11. Warfighting Philosophy

12. Doctrine • MCDP-1 Warfighting • Cornerstone doctrinal publication • The nature and theory of warfare, how to prepare for it, and how to conduct it • Read by all ranks

13. Warfighting Philosophy • Maneuver Warfare • “… a warfighting philosophy that seeks to shatter the enemy’s cohesion through a variety of rapid, focused, and unexpected actions which create a turbulent and rapidly deteriorating situation with which the enemy cannot cope.” (MCDP-1) • Aims to shatter enemy system rather than completely destroy his forces • Maneuver in space (positional) and time (temporal)

14. Warfighting Philosophy • Key Ingredients of Maneuver Warfare • Speed • Establish pace the enemy can’t maintain • Focus • Against enemy’s critical vulnerabilities • Ruthless Opportunism • Seek out weakness • Surprise • Strike at unexpected time and place

15. Warfighting Philosophy • Maneuver Warfare requires leaders with a flexibility and independence of mind • Initiative and judgment crucial at all levels • USMC is the youngest military service • About 2/3 are 25 or younger • Officer to Enlisted Ratios • Air Force 1:4 • Army 1:5 • Navy 1:6 • Marines 1:8.5

16. Warfighting Philosophy • Philosophy of Command • Must be decentralized • Not just equipment and procedures • Human element of command is critical • Boldness, initiative, personality, strength of will, imagination • Lead from the front • Where you can best influence the action • Show willingness to share danger and privation

17. Warfighting Philosophy • Mission Tactics • Subordinates tasked to accomplish a mission without specifying “how” • Small unit leaders expected to adapt to changing situations rather than wait for seniors’ permission • Freedom for initiative permits high tempo ops

18. Warfighting Philosophy • Combined Arms • The full integration of arms in such a way that to counteract one, the enemy must become more vulnerable to another • Takes advantage of complimentary characteristics of different types of units • Pose the enemy not just with a problem, but with a dilemma — a no-win situation

19. Organization

20. Marine Air Ground Task Force • MAGTF is a balanced, air-ground combined arms task organization of Marine Corps forces under a single commander, structured to accomplish a specific mission. • What does that mean? • Ground Marines, aircraft, and support • Put them all under a single Headquarters Element • They fight together for one common mission.

21. MAGTF Basic Organization Basic structure never varies, but number, type, and size of units in each of the four elements will be mission-dependent.

22. Command Element (CE) • Headquarters integrates the ACE, GCE, and LCE together to accomplish a mission • Command and Control (C2) functions

23. Ground Combat Element (GCE) • Ground combat power • May include: • Infantry • Artillery • Tanks • Amphibious Assault Vehicles (AAV) • Light Armored Recon (LAR) • Combat Engineers • Reconnaissance

24. Air Combat Element (ACE) • Air and lift capabilities • May include: • Fixed & rotary wing • Attack • Assault • Marine air control • Air Traffic Control (ATC) • Air defense • Aviation logistics and support

25. Logistics Combat Element (LCE) • Logistical sustainment • Functions include: • Transportation • Supply (food, fuel, ammo) • Maintenance • General engineering • Health services (medical/dental) • General Services

26. MAGTF Strengths • Leverages strengths of different units + weapon systems to achieve combined arms effect • MAGTF commander has a “joint” type force • Scalable • Task-organized based on mission • Flexible • Wide range of capabilities and weapon systems • In a JTF, Marine aviation assets remain under control of MAGTF commander vice JFACC

27. Forcible entry (Amphibious Assault) Deterrence Demonstrations Amphibious Raids Limited Objective attacks 3-Block Warfare Seizure of terrain, bases, territory Disaster Relief Non-Combatant Evacuation Op (NEO) Stability/Peace keeping TRAP Humanitarian Visit, Board, Search & Seizure (VBSS) Mass Casualty Some MAGTF Capabilities

28. Four Types of MAGTFs • Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF) – large • Marine Expeditionary Brigade (MEB) – medium • Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) – small • Special Purpose MAGTF (SPMAGTF) – varies

29. Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF) • The largest and principal MAGTF • 35,000-55,000 Marines + Sailors • 60 days sustainment • Only standing MAGTF Commanded by: Lt General

30. MEF Headquarters II MEF III MEF I MEF Camp Lejeune, NC Okinawa, Japan Camp Pendleton, CA

31. Marine Expeditionary Brigade (MEB) • 5,000-15,000 Marines + Sailors • 30 days sustainment Commanded by: Brig. General

32. Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) • 2,200 Marines + Sailors • 15 days sustainment • Forward deployed on amphibious ships • 6 hour response • Can reach 75% of world’s littorals in about 5 days Commanded by: Colonel

33. MEU – Typical Operating Areas • II MEF • 22nd MEU • 24th MEU • 26th MEU • I MEF • 11th MEU • 13th MEU • 15th MEU • III MEF • 31st MEU

34. Special Purpose MAGTF • Anything and everything • Tailored to meet specific missions • Occasionally assembled because no other MAGTF structures are available

35. Recent Examples • MEF • OIF: I MEF (rein with 2nd MarDiv) deployed to Kuwait and attacked 500 miles into Iraq, 2003 • MEB • Desert Storm: 4th + 5th MEBs conducted an amphib demonstration (deception) off Kuwaiti coast, 1991 • MEU • East Timor: 11th MEU (SOC) – humanitarian assistance, 1999 • Liberia: 26th MEU (SOC) landed Marines to support peacekeeping efforts in Monrovia, 2003 • SPMAGTF • New Orleans: Humanitarian assistance ops post Katrina, 2005

36. USMC: What we are… • A forward deployed force • A Truly expeditionary force in readiness • An instrument of real presence • A young force • A lean force • An inexpensive force • An institutionally paranoid force “If we didn’t have a Marine Corps, we would have to invent one.”

37. …and what we are not • An Army • Immense combat power • Logistics for the sustained fight • An Air Force • Strategic Lift • Air-to-Air Refueling • Numbers & Endurance • Strategic Piece • A Special Operations Force • Training • Equipment

38. Bottom Line • The Marine Corps can: • Kick down the front door • Go in the back door (stealth and surprise) • Knock the house down (destroy) • Fix the house (humanitarian-disaster relief) • The Navy-Marine Corps Team can: • Loiter for long periods (threat, diplomatic pressure) • Self sustain

39. Bottom Line • The Marine Corps cannot: • Replace the Army • Replace the Air Force • Replace Special Operations Forces

40. Take Aways • Unique culture • Warfighting philosophy based on maneuver and combined arms • Expeditionary force-in-readiness • Task organized as MAGTFs = Combined arms, air-ground team

41. Questions?