3rd Civil Affairs Group (3D CAG) is a civil affairs (CA) unit of the

United States Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through combi ...

based at

Naval Station Great Lakes Naval Station Great Lakes (NAVSTA Great Lakes) is the home of the United States Navy's only recruit training, boot camp, located near North Chicago, Illinois, North Chicago, in Lake County, Illinois. Important tenant commands include the Recruit ...

, Illinois. The Marine Corps assigns civil affairs as a primary military specialty for enlisted and additional specialty for officers. The Marine Corps uses its own civil affairs doctrine and runs the Marine Corps Civil-Military Operations School at

Marine Corps Base Quantico Marine Corps Base Quantico (commonly abbreviated MCB Quantico) is a United States Marine Corps installation located near Triangle, Virginia, covering nearly of southern Prince William County, Virginia, northern Stafford County, and southeaster ...

to train civil affairs Marines. Commanding Officer of 3rd CAG i
Colonel Sean Day
wit
Sergeant Major Craig Carstens
as the 3rd CAG Sergeant Major. 3D CAG has taken part in Operation Balikitan, Cobra Gold, Korea United, and various other global operations. The CAG is made up of 3 detachments made up of Marines from all backgrounds.

History

3D CAG as it exists today was founded in 2012. Originally, 3rd CAG was stood up in 1985 at

Chavez Ravine Chavez Ravine is a shallow L-shaped canyon in Los Angeles, California. It sits in a large promontory of hills north of downtown Los Angeles, next to Major League Baseball's Dodger Stadium. Chavez Ravine was named for Julian A. Chavez, Julian Cha ...

the location of

Naval and Marine Corps Reserve Center The Naval and Marine Corps Reserve Center was built between 1938 and 1941 by the Works Progress Administration (WPA) in the Art Deco style as part of the "New Deal". The Naval and Marine Corps Reserve Center was designated a California Historic ...

, Los Angeles, California. The unit relocated to Camp Pendleton following the Northridge earthquake in January 1993. Some of its history is associated with 1st Civil Affairs Group.

Mission

3D CAG's mission is as follows: "Plan and execute civil military operations while serving as the liaison between military forces and civil authorities, the local population and non-governmental organizations. Conduct activities which enhance the relationship between the military and host nation personnel and organizations facilitated through application of civil affairs specialty skills in areas normally the responsibility of civil governments."

Notes

{{Reflist Civil affairs groups of the United States Marine Corps Force Headquarters Group Military units and formations in Illinois 2012 establishments in Illinois