II Marine Expeditionary Force
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The II Marine Expeditionary Force (II MEF) is a Marine Air-Ground Task Force consisting of ground, air and logistics forces capable of projecting offensive combat power ashore while sustaining itself in combat without external assistance for a period of 60 days. The II Marine Expeditionary Force is commanded by a
lieutenant general Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the ...
, who serves under U.S. Marine Corps Forces Command, providing Marine fighting formations and units to
European Command The United States European Command (EUCOM) is one of the eleven unified combatant commands of the United States military, headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany. Its area of focus covers and 51 countries and territories, including Europe, Russia ...
, Central Command and Southern Command. The current Commanding General is Lieutenant General David A. Ottignon. The Deputy Commanding General is Brigadier General Andrew T. Priddy.


Higher headquarters

II MEF falls under the command of U.S. Marine Corps Forces Command (MARFORCOM), and is a service retained force, meaning it is not assigned or allocated to any of the Geographic Combatant Commands. However, II MEF regularly provides subordinate units in support of operations and exercises throughout the U.S. European Command, U.S. Africa Command, and U.S. Southern Command Areas of Responsibility, as well as in support of other U.S. unified and
NATO The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO, ; french: Organisation du traité de l'Atlantique nord, ), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 member states – 28 European and two No ...
commands. II MEF units are available for and prepared to respond to contingency requirements worldwide.


Employment

In addition to the option of being employed in its entirety as a MEF-sized unit, II MEF has the capability of forming task-organized
Marine Air-Ground Task Forces 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) of lesser size such as a MEF (Forward), a brigade-sized MAGTF (Marine Expeditionary Brigade or "MEB") about one-third the size of a MEF or 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.MAGTF 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 ...
will be dependent upon the mission assigned. One mission that could be assigned to the MEB would be assignment for planning, deployment and utilization of equipment stored aboard Maritime Prepositioning Ships (MPS). The MPS program involves the forward deployment of the MPS Squadron of four or five ships loaded with a brigade's worth of combat equipment and supplies and the airlifting of the MEB to the designated objective area to link up with the MPS Squadron. At the same time, tactical aircraft of the MEB are flight ferried to an airfield in or near the area of operation. The MEB can be sustained for 30 days by the supplies aboard the ships. The only routinely deployed
MAGTFs 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 ...
, the 22d, 24th and 26th MEUs deploy on a rotating basis to the Mediterranean Sea area to serve as the landing force for the Commander, 6th Fleet. The
MEU The Meu () is an long river in the Côtes-d'Armor and Ille-et-Vilaine '' départements'', north western France. Its source is at Saint-Vran, west of the village. It flows generally southeast. It is a right tributary of the Vilaine into which i ...
consists of approximately 2,200 Marines and Sailors, is capable of rapid response in a variety of possible contingencies, and if the situation requires, can serve as the forward element of a larger MAGTF.


Structure


Units

* II Marine Expeditionary Force Information Group: Command element ** II MEF Support Battalion **
2nd Intelligence Battalion The 2d Intelligence Battalion (2d Intel) is a Marine Corps Intelligence military intelligence and counterintelligence unit based at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune. They provide the II Marine Expeditionary Force with intelligence products and anal ...
**
2nd Radio Battalion Radio Battalions are tactical signals intelligence units of Marine Corps Intelligence. There are currently three operational Radio Battalions in the Marine Corps organization: 1st, 2nd, and 3rd. In fleet operations, teams from Radio Battalions are ...
**
8th Communications Battalion 8th Communication Battalion (8th Comm) is a communications battalion in the United States Marine Corps. It is part of the II Marine Expeditionary Force (II MEF) and is headquartered at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. Mission On ...
** 2nd Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company (ANGLICO) *
2nd Marine Division The 2nd Marine Division (2nd MARDIV) is a division of the United States Marine Corps, which forms the ground combat element of the II Marine Expeditionary Force (II MEF). The division is based at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Caroli ...
: Ground combat element * 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing: Aviation combat element * 2nd Marine Logistics Group: Logistics combat element * 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade * 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit *
24th Marine Expeditionary Unit The 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit (24th MEU) is one of seven Marine Expeditionary Units currently in existence in the United States Marine Corps. The Marine Expeditionary Unit is a Marine Air Ground Task Force (MAGTF) with a strength of about ...
*
26th Marine Expeditionary Unit The 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (26th MEU) is one of seven such units currently in existence in the United States Marine Corps. It is an air-ground task force with a strength of about 2,400 personnel when at full strength during a deployment. ...


List of commanders


See also

* Julian C. Smith Hall


References


Globalsecurity.org


External links


II MEF's official website
{{USMCmajorcommands Corps of the United States Marine Corps