Blount Island Command (BICmd) is responsible for the
United States Marine Corps' Maritime Prepositioning Ships (MPS) Maintenance Cycle operations and oversight of the
Marine Corps Prepositioning Program-Norway
Stockpiles of United States Marine Corps weapons, vehicles, ammunition and other equipment have been located in Norway since 1981 as part of what is currently designated the Marine Corps Prepositioning Program-Norway (MCPP-N). This material is sto ...
(MCPP-N). It is located on the east side of
Blount Island
Blount Island is an island of approximately on the St. Johns River in Jacksonville, Florida, nine nautical miles (16.7 km) west of the Atlantic Ocean. One of three public cargo facilities at the Port of Jacksonville is located there, and i ...
.
History
The concept of a Maritime Prepositioning Force (MPF) was first envisioned during the late 1970s. The initial program, established in 1979, was called the Near Term Prepositioning Force (NTPF). NTPF used existing operational force equipment and supplies to load on available ships belonging to the
Military Sealift Command (MSC). These ships were based in
Diego Garcia
Diego Garcia is an island of the British Indian Ocean Territory, a disputed overseas territory of the United Kingdom. It is a militarised atoll just south of the equator in the central Indian Ocean, and the largest of the 60 small islands of ...
and initial equipment and ship maintenance was done in
Naha
is the capital city of Okinawa Prefecture, the southernmost prefecture of Japan. As of 1 June 2019, the city has an estimated population of 317,405 and a population density of 7,939 persons per km2 (20,562 persons per sq. mi.). The total area ...
,
Okinawa
is a prefecture of Japan. Okinawa Prefecture is the southernmost and westernmost prefecture of Japan, has a population of 1,457,162 (as of 2 February 2020) and a geographic area of 2,281 km2 (880 sq mi).
Naha is the capital and largest city ...
and
Subic Bay Naval Base
Naval Base Subic Bay was a major ship-repair, supply, and rest and recreation facility of the Spanish Navy and subsequently the United States Navy located in Zambales, Philippines. The base was 262 square miles, about the size of Singapore. Th ...
. The Marine Corps immediately recognized the advantages of prepositioning equipment and seized the opportunity to improve combat readiness.
In March 1983, the
Commandant of the Marine Corps directed
Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany to acquire the assets for the MPF program. MSC leased thirteen ships for the MPF program. The ships were formed into three Maritime Prepositioning Squadrons (MPSRONs). MPSRON 1 and 2 were loaded in
Wilmington, North Carolina
Wilmington is a port city in and the county seat of New Hanover County in coastal southeastern North Carolina, United States.
With a population of 115,451 at the 2020 census, it is the eighth most populous city in the state. Wilmington is t ...
and MPSRON 3 was loaded in
Panama City, Florida
Panama City is a city in and the county seat of Bay County, Florida, United States. Located along U.S. Highway 98 (US 98), it is the largest city between Tallahassee and Pensacola. It is the more populated city of the Panama City–Lynn ...
. The ammunition for all three squadrons was loaded at Military Ocean Terminal, Sunny Point, North Carolina.
Property leased
In 1986, the Marine Corps established the Biennial Maintenance Command (BMC) at
Blount Island
Blount Island is an island of approximately on the St. Johns River in Jacksonville, Florida, nine nautical miles (16.7 km) west of the Atlantic Ocean. One of three public cargo facilities at the Port of Jacksonville is located there, and i ...
,
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is a city located on the Atlantic coast of northeast Florida, the most populous city proper in the state and is the List of United States cities by area, largest city by area in the contiguous United States as of 2020. It is the co ...
on leased from
Gate Maritime Properties (GMP) for $11M per year. In 1989, Blount Island Command was established as a subordinate command to Marine Corps Logistics Bases, Albany, Georgia.
Property purchased
The lease between GMP and the Marine Corps was due to end in 2004, and in 2000, the Corps stated their intentions to purchase the property when the lease expired. The Marine Corps budget included $115.7 million for the acquisition, but extended negotiations did not result in an agreement. GMP contended that the land was worth between $160 million and $200 million, so in August 2004, the Marine Corps seized on Blount Island (GMP's entire Blount Island holdings) by
eminent domain
Eminent domain (United States, Philippines), land acquisition (India, Malaysia, Singapore), compulsory purchase/acquisition (Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, United Kingdom), resumption (Hong Kong, Uganda), resumption/compulsory acquisition (Austr ...
and initially paid $101 million. When land is seized by eminent domain for uses that benefit the public, the government is required to pay landowners "just compensation", so GMP asked for a jury to decide the land's value. On November 14, 2005, a jury determined that the government must pay $160 million for the parcel.
Facility
The base falls under the command of the
Marine Corps Logistics Command
Marine Corps Logistics Command (MARCORLOGCOM) is a major command of the United States Marine Corps responsible for support for fielded weapons systems and support services and supplies.
Mission
To provide worldwide, integrated logistics/supply ...
located at
Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany,
Georgia
Georgia most commonly refers to:
* Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia
* Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States
Georgia may also refer to:
Places
Historical states and entities
* Related to the ...
. The portion of the Blount Island currently occupied by Blount Island Command began transitioning to become a Marine Corps Logistics Base in 2005. As of 2010, $55 million had been spent on projects to expand capabilities and improve security, including better fencing and gate access.
[ Blount Island offered a variety of advantages not available at any other site, including:
* A private ]slipway
A slipway, also known as boat ramp or launch or boat deployer, is a ramp on the shore by which ships or boats can be moved to and from the water. They are used for building and repairing ships and boats, and for launching and retrieving small ...
with 5 large vessel berths located only from the St. Johns River outlet
* Proximity to Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany, Georgia
* Access to a large industrial base and Navy support structure in Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is a city located on the Atlantic coast of northeast Florida, the most populous city proper in the state and is the List of United States cities by area, largest city by area in the contiguous United States as of 2020. It is the co ...
.
* Over of staging immediately adjacent to the pier and maintenance area.
* Overflow staging and maintenance capacity for MPS offload and throughput training.
Operation
Each Maritime Prepositioning Ship (MPS) can supply a Marine Expeditionary Unit
A Marine expeditionary unit (MEU, pronounced as one syllable "" IPA: ) is the smallest air-ground task force (MAGTF) in the United States Fleet Marine Force.[Marine Corps Prepositioning Program-Norway
Stockpiles of United States Marine Corps weapons, vehicles, ammunition and other equipment have been located in Norway since 1981 as part of what is currently designated the Marine Corps Prepositioning Program-Norway (MCPP-N). This material is sto ...]
(MCPP-N) programs.
Maritime Prepositioning Force (MPF)
The MPF concept provides for rapid deployment of personnel and equipment of a Marine Air Ground Task Force
Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF, pronounced MAG-TAF) is a term used by the United States Marine Corps to describe the principal organization for all missions across the range of military operations. MAGTFs are a balanced air-ground, combined ar ...
(MAGTF), by aircraft, to link up with prepositioned equipment and supplies embarked aboard forward deployed Maritime Prepositioning Ships (MPS). They do require an airfield for air delivery of MAGTF personnel close to a benign port and/or beach for offload of equipment. MPS have no inherent forcible entry capability; however, they can reinforce amphibious operations. These equipment and supplies reduces strategic lift requirements, reduce force deployment time and provides an immediate, creditable force in time of crisis.
Maritime Prepositioning Forces serve as a naval power projection capability that significantly supports the deployment and employment of Naval expeditionary forces worldwide. The three current MPS squadrons, composed of 16 ships, provide a unique, strategic warfighting capability. Employment of MPS assets during Operation Desert Storm
Operation or Operations may refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media
* ''Operation'' (game), a battery-operated board game that challenges dexterity
* Operation (music), a term used in musical set theory
* ''Operations'' (magazine), Multi-Ma ...
, Operation Vigilant Sentinel, Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom against Afghanistan
Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...
and Iraq
Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to the north, Iran to the east, the Persian Gulf and K ...
, and Operation Restore Hope
The Unified Task Force (UNITAF) was a United States-led, United Nations-sanctioned multinational force which operated in Somalia from 5 December 1992 until 4 May 1993. A United States initiative (code-named Operation Restore Hope), U ...
and Operation Continue Hope
The Unified Task Force (UNITAF) was a United States-led, United Nations-sanctioned multinational force which operated in Somalia from 5 December 1992 until 4 May 1993. A United States initiative (code-named Operation Restore Hope), U ...
in Somalia
Somalia, , Osmanya script: 𐒈𐒝𐒑𐒛𐒐𐒘𐒕𐒖; ar, الصومال, aṣ-Ṣūmāl officially the Federal Republic of SomaliaThe ''Federal Republic of Somalia'' is the country's name per Article 1 of thProvisional Constituti ...
, demonstrated the value of these expeditionary assets. Humanitarian efforts following the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and the 2010 Haiti earthquake
A catastrophic magnitude 7.0 Mw earthquake struck Haiti at 16:53 local time (21:53 UTC) on Tuesday, 12 January 2010. The epicenter was near the town of Léogâne, Ouest department, approximately west of Port-au-Prince, Haiti's c ...
also utilized the capabilities of the MPF.[Gibbons, Timothy]
“Blount Island takes on bigger role in Marine logistics”
Florida Times-Union, March 30, 2010
MCPP-N is for the storage, maintenance, and prepositioning of equipment and supplies for a MAGTF. The storage facilities to support the preposition assets are located in the Trondheim
Trondheim ( , , ; sma, Tråante), historically Kaupangen, Nidaros and Trondhjem (), is a city and municipality in Trøndelag county, Norway. As of 2020, it had a population of 205,332, was the third most populous municipality in Norway, and ...
region of Norway in six caves and two storage facilities/air stations. Norway provides the logistics infrastructure to support the withdrawal, movement, and recovery of the prepositioned equipment and supplies.
Gallery
File:United States Navy Ship Pfc. Dewayne T. Williams’ at Blount Island Command.jpg, USNS PFC Dewayne T. Williams (T-AK-3009) unloading cargo
File:Flickr - Official U.S. Navy Imagery - Sailors offload equipment from ship..jpg, USNS 1st Lt Harry L. Martin (T-AK 3015) unloading cargo
File:US Navy 100118-N-1522S-006 he Military Sealift Command maritime prepositioning ship USNS 1st Lt. Jack Lummus (T-AK-3011).jpg, USNS 1st Lt. Jack Lummus (T-AK-3011) receives cargo for Operation Unified Response
Operation Unified Response was the United States military's response to the 2010 Haiti earthquake. It was conducted by Joint Task Force Haiti and commanded by United States Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM) Military Deputy Commander Lieutenant Gen ...
due to the 2010 Haiti earthquake
A catastrophic magnitude 7.0 Mw earthquake struck Haiti at 16:53 local time (21:53 UTC) on Tuesday, 12 January 2010. The epicenter was near the town of Léogâne, Ouest department, approximately west of Port-au-Prince, Haiti's c ...
.
File:U.S. Marine Corps Gen. James F. Amos, the commandant of the Marine Corps, addresses Marines, Department of Defense civilians and contractors assigned to Blount Island Command during a visit to Marine Corps 130320-M-LU710-077.jpg, Former Commandant of the Marine Corps General James F. Amos addresses Marines
Marines, or naval infantry, are typically a military force trained to operate in littoral zones in support of naval operations. Historically, tasks undertaken by marines have included helping maintain discipline and order aboard the ship (refle ...
and Department of Defense Department of Defence or Department of Defense may refer to:
Current departments of defence
* Department of Defence (Australia)
* Department of National Defence (Canada)
* Department of Defence (Ireland)
* Department of National Defense (Philipp ...
employees at Blount Island Command.
See also
* List of United States Marine Corps installations
This is a list of installations used by the United States Marine Corps, organized by type and state. Most US states do not have active Marine Corps bases; however, many do have reserve bases and centers. In addition, the Marine Corps Security Fo ...
References
:
*
External links
Blount Island Command"s official website
{{coord missing, Jacksonville
Military in Jacksonville, Florida
Commands of the United States Marine Corps
Military units and formations in Florida
Northside, Jacksonville