OS-506 -- US Marines

LESSON OBJECTIVES

506.1 Comprehend the capabilities and limitations of US military forces [I.1 (a)].

506.11 Describe the roles and missions of the US Marine Corps.

HISTORY:

• Created by Congress on 10 Nov 1775. The phrase, "maritime affairs as to be able to serve to advantage by sea when required" was in the text.
• Almost disbanded after Revolutionary War.
• Recreated in Naval Act of 1794.
• Marine Corps Act of 1798, President John Adams recognized that sea-based forces were a means of conflict resolution short of war. By using Marines for lesser conflicts, a robust corps would neither compete with the Army nor constitute a second land army. The phrase "any duty on shore as the president, at his discretion, may direct" was also added.
• Marines have been responded 209 times since WWII (OS506r3.doc).
  

Marine Corps Roles and Missions (FMFM 1-2)Version #1

Marine Corps composition and functions are detailed in 10 S. C. 5063: The Marine Corps, within the Department of the Navy, shall be so organized as to include not less than 3 combat divisions and 3 aircraft wings, and such other land combat, aviation, and other services as may be organic therein.

The Marine Corps shall be organized, trained, and equipped to provide Fleet Marine Forces of combined arms, together with supporting air components, for service with the fleet in the seizure or defense of advanced naval bases and for the conduct of such land operations as may be essential to the prosecution of a naval campaign.

In addition, the Marine Corps shall provide detachments and organizations for service on armed vessels of the Navy, hall provide security detachments for the protection of naval property at naval stations and bases, and shall perform such other duties as the President may direct. However, these additional duties may not detract from or interfere with the operations for which the Marine Corps is primarily organized.

The Marine Corps shall develop, in coordination with the Army and the Air Force, those phases of amphibious operations that pertain to the tactics, techniques, and equipment used by landing forces.

The Marine Corps is responsible, in accordance with integrated joint mobilization plans, for the expansion of peacetime components of the Marine Corps to meet the needs of war.

Department of Defense Directive 5100.1 expands on the statutory guidance for Marine Corps primary combatant functions as follows (note: These functions do not contemplate the creation of a second land Army):

• The Marine Corps shall have primary interest in the development of those landing force doctrines, tactics, techniques, and equipment that are of common interest to the Army and Marine Corps.
• Marine forces shall be trained and equipped, as required, for airborne operations in coordination with the other military Services and in accordance with doctrines established by the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
• The Marine Corps shall develop, in coordination with the other military Services, doctrines, procedures, and equipment of interest to the Marine Corps for airborne operations not provided by the Army which has primary interest in matters of common interest to both Services.
  

And for the Navy and Marine Corps:

• Organize, train, and equip Navy and Marine Corps forces for the conduct of prompt and sustained combat operations at sea, including operations of sea-based aircraft and land-based naval air components, specifically, forces to seek out and destroy enemy naval forces and to suppress enemy sea commerce, to gain and maintain general naval supremacy, to control vital sea area, to protect vital sea lines of communication, to establish and maintain local superiority (including air) in an area of naval operations, to seize and defend advanced naval bases, and to conduct such land and air operations as may be essential to the prosecution of a naval campaign.
• Organize and equip, in coordination with the other military Services, and provide naval forces, including naval close air support forces, for the conduct of joint amphibious operations, and be responsible for the amphibious training of all forces assigned to joint amphibious operations, in accordance with doctrines established by the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
• Develop, in coordination with the other military Services, the doctrines, procedures, and equipment of naval forces for amphibious operations, and the doctrines and procedures for joint amphibious operations.
• Furnish adequate, timely, and reliable intelligence for the Navy and Marine Corps.
• Organize, train, and equip naval forces for naval reconnaissance, antisubmarine warfare, and the protection of shipping and mine laying, including the air aspects thereof, and controlled minefield operations.
• Provide air support essential for naval operations.
• Provide sea-based air defense and the sea-based means for coordinating control for defense against air attack, coordinating with the other military Services in matters of joint concern.
• Provide naval forces, including naval air forces, for the defense of the United States against air attack, in accordance with doctrines established by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
• Furnish aerial photography, as necessary, for Navy and Marine Corps operations.

Additionally, Department of Defense Directive 5100.1 defines collateral functions for all Services. The collateral functions of the Navy and the Marine Corps are to train forces to:

• Interdict enemy land and air power and communications through operations at sea.
• Conduct close air and naval support for land operations.
• Furnish aerial photography for cartographic purposes.
• Participate in the overall air effort, when directed.
• Establish military government, as directed, pending transfer of this responsibility to other authority.
  

Joint Pub. 0-2, Unified Action Armed Forces (UNAAF), provides additional amplification regarding Marine Corps responsibilities, which include:

• Designation of an appropriate command or agency responsible to the Commandant of the Marine Corps to develop, in coordination with the other Services, the doctrines, tactics, techniques, and equipment employed by landing forces in amphibious operations.
• Limitation of training and equipment for airborne operations to the transportation of Marine Corps forces by air, unless otherwise authorized by the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
  

The Marine Corps Manual adds three additional functions:

• Maintain a Marine Corps Reserve for the purpose of providing trained units and qualified individuals to be available for active duty in the Marine Corps in time of war or national emergency and at such other times as the national security may require. This derives from 10 U.S.C. 261 and 5252 which designate and provide for the administration of the Marine Corps Reserve.
• Provide Marine officer and enlisted personnel in support of the Department of State security program overseas. This derives from a Secretary of the Navy tasking based on the provisions of 10 U.S.C. 5983.
• Organize Marine aviation, as a collateral function, to participate as an integral component of naval aviation in the execution of such other Navy functions as the fleet commanders may direct.
• Marines and those who employ them must view these roles and missions in the light of prevailing circumstances, insofar as the national strategic requirements can be foreseen. Ultimately, the Marine Corps must develop operational capabilities which provide maximum utility to the United States today while ensuring adaptive flexibility for prospective requirements beyond the current visualization of the world scene. These capabilities (which include service on land, at sea, and in the air) must serve the nation both in peace (or more accurately, circumstances short of war) as well as limited or general war.
  

Accordingly, Marine operating forces must be prepared for:

• Naval campaigns.
• Continental campaigns.
• Naval political reinforcement operations.
• Amphibious operations as they relate to all the foregoing.
• Military support to other organizations and agencies.

Roles and Functions (as per 506.ppt) Version #2

Provide:

1. Fleet Marine Forces of combined arms for service with the fleet in the seizure of defense of advanced Naval Bases and for the conduct of such land operations as may be essential to the prosecution of a Naval campaign
2. Detachments and organizations for service on armed vessels of the Navy
   

Develop:

1. Tactics, techniques, and equipment used by landing forces
2. Nonlethal technology
   

Perform:

Such other duties as the president may direct

506.12 Describe the organization of the US Marine Corps.

Figure 1 - Organization of the Marine Corps

506.13 Describe the expeditionary capabilities of the US Marine Corps.

Fleet Marine Forces Responsibilities and Relationships

The Fleet Marine Forces are integral parts of the United States Fleets or naval forces to which assigned. They have the status of a fleet type command and are subject to the operational control of the respective fleet commanders except for individual and unit training, control of which is retained by the Commandant of the Marine Corps, who also exercises administrative control. The Commandants authority over the Fleet Marine Forces is described as command less operational control.

A Fleet Marine Force consists normally of a command element, appropriate command support organizations, one or more divisions, one or more aircraft wings, and one or more force service support groups. Forces assigned to one Fleet Marine Force and the unified command of which the Fleet Marine Force is part may not be reassigned to another without approval of the National Command Authorities. The specific missions of the Fleet Marine Forces are:

Marine Air Ground Task Forces (MAGTF) are Organized for combat:

• Task organized
• Combined arms team
• Under the leadership of a single commander
• Self-sustaining
• C4 I2 - equipped for joint/combined operations

All organizations have one of the following:

• Command Element
• Air Combat Element (ACE)
• Ground Combat Element (GCE)
• Combat Service Support Element (CSS?) ** last letter of CSS? depends on the size of the unit
  

Normal MAGTF organizations:

1. Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF)
2. Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward) **note: old Marine Expeditionary Brigade (MEB)
3. Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU)
4. Special Purpose MAGTF (SPMAGTF)
   

Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF)

How many Active MEFs? 3 (1 MEF, II MEF, III MEF):

How many reserve MEFs? 1 (4th MEF)

IMEF: (Active)

HQ Section (1stMADIV) @ Camp Pendleton, CA

1st Marine Division (1st MARDIV) @ Camp Pendleton

3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (3rd MAW) @ EL Toro, CA

1st Service Support Group (1st FSSG) & Camp Pendleton, CA

IIMEF: (Active)

HQ Section (2ndMADIV) @ Camp Lejune, NC

2nd Marine Division (2nd MARDIV) @ Camp Lejune, NC

2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (2nd MAW) @ Cherry Point, NC

2nd Service Support Group (2nd FSSG) @ Camp Lejune, NC

IIIMEF: (Active)

HQ Section (3rdMADIV) @ Okinawa, Japan

3rd Marine Division (3rd MARDIV) @ Okinawa, Japan

1st Marine Aircraft Wing (1st MAW) @ Okinawa, Japan

3rd Force Service Support Group (3rd FSSG) @ Okinawa, Japan

IV MEF: (Reserve)

HQ Section (4thMADIV) @ New Orleans, LA

4th Marine Division (4th MARDIV) @ New Orleans, LA

4th Marine Aircraft Wing (4th MAW) @ New Orleans, LA

4th Force Service Support Group (4th FSSG) @ Atlanta, GA

Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward) **Brigade sized

How many MEFs (FWD "MEBs"? 0 (only constructed as needed)

Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU)

How many MEUs?---seven

11th,13th,15th----West Coast

22nd, 24th, 26th --East Coast

31st-------------Okinawa

MEU (SOC) SPECIAL OPERATIONS:

RECENT OPERATIONS

• UNITAS
• Operation Earnest Will
• JTF-4 (Drug Interdiction)
• Operation Restore Democracy
  

506.14 Describe the unique capabilities the Marine Air-Ground Task Force provides a theater commander.

1. Rapid deployment across entire spectrum of strategic mobility without sacrificing critical capabilities.
2. Logistical self sustainment & maritime prepositioning.
3. Forward deployed units with special operational capability.
4. Ability to operate indefinitely from the sea lanes & transition immediately to shore based when required. (Milops.tbk)
   

506.15 Describe how the Marine Corps employs organic Marine air assets.

Marines employ their organic air assets within their assigned MAGTF under the authority of their assigned CinC (i.e. CinCPacFlt).

Six Functions of Marine Aviation:

1. Antiair Warfare
2. Offensive Air Support
3. Assault Support
4. Air Reconnaissance
5. Electronic Warfare
6. Control of Aircraft and Missiles

506.2 Comprehend the relationship between Service doctrine and joint doctrine [I.2(d)].

506.21 Describe how the Marine Corps organization is designed to support the US National Military Strategy and objectives.

Fleet Organization

Figure 2 - Fleet Organization

Figure 3 - Operational Organization of the Operating Forces

Fleet Marine Forces Responsibilities and Relationships

The Fleet Marine Forces are integral parts of the United States Fleets or naval forces to which assigned. They have the status of a fleet type command and are subject to the operational control of the respective fleet commanders except for individual and unit training, control of which is retained by the Commandant of the Marine Corps, who also exercises administrative control. The Commandants authority over the Fleet Marine Forces is described as command less operational control.

A Fleet Marine Force consists normally of a command element, appropriate command support organizations, one or more divisions, one or more aircraft wings, and one or more force service support groups. Forces assigned to one Fleet Marine Force and the unified command of which the Fleet Marine Force is part may not be reassigned to another without approval of the National Command Authorities. The specific missions of the Fleet Marine Forces are:

1. To serve with the fleets in the seizure or defense of advanced naval bases and in the conduct of such land operations as may be essential to the prosecution of a naval operation or campaign.
2. To participate, as directed by the Commandant of the Marine Corps, in the development of doctrine, tactics, techniques, and equipment used by Fleet Marine Forces.
3. To train and equip Fleet Marine Forces for amphibious operations, air movement/pre-positioned deployment, naval political reinforcement operations, and land operations associated with naval warfare and naval support of continental warfare.
4. To maintain forces in readiness for operational commitment commensurate with the strategic situation, the unified commanders requirements, and the training time required to ensure tactical success when committed.
5. To advise higher fleet, joint, and combined commanders on the proper employment of Fleet Marine Forces, to participate in associated planning, and to accomplish such operational missions as may be assigned by competent authority.
6. To provide command and command support for the tactical employment of Fleet Marine Forces.
7. To provide for Service administration, discipline, intelligence, and logistic functions for assigned forces.
8. To identify requirements for support from the Marine Corps supporting establishment.
9. To perform such other duties as may be directed.
   

506.22 Explain how the Marine Corps envisions the employment of the Marine Corps Air-Ground Task Force in support of a theater campaign today.

In particular interest to the naval Services is the fact that some 60 percent of politically significant urban areas (those whose political/economic activity have warranted establishment of a U.S. embassy, legation, or other U.S. agency) outside allied or former Warsaw Pact territory are located along or within 25 miles of a coastline; 75 percent are within 150 miles of the sea, 87 percent within 300 miles, 95 percent within 600 miles, and all within 800 miles. While urban areas provide significant advantages to a prepared defender, they are exceedingly vulnerable to surprise attack. The 1940 German coup de main at Copenhagen and occupations of Narvik, Trondheim, Bergen, Kristiansand, and Oslo with light forces and air and naval support essentially paralyzed Danish and Norwegian response. Those efforts as well as Soviet military actions in Budapest (1956), Prague (1968), and Kabul (1980) underscore the importance of rapid seizure of the political and economic center of gravity of a nation-state. In each of these cases, that occupation was the prelude to occupation of the country as a whole, a policy which, in the case of the Danish, Norwegian, and Afghan situations, created significant problems for the occupier further downstream.

Nonetheless, as a military act to achieve paralysis of governmental and significant military response, they were a successful. How that success is exploited requires as much careful planning, both political and military, as the initial intervention itself. While the United States has also employed urban intervention operations, they differ in that there was never an intention to remain in permanent possession. Military force was employed to support a limited political objective and then was withdrawn.

Urban intervention operations of necessity must often be planned and executed in a matter of hours and days (rather than weeks or months) to take advantage of the internal turmoil surrounding a developing crisis before opposing political and military power is consolidated. Such operations embassy defense, evacuations, friendly government reinforcement, coup de main in urban areas will require an entirely different approach than set-piece urban operations normally encountered in conventional land warfare. Urban terrain provides significant advantages to the defending force; accordingly, surprise occupation of the vital area necessary for mission accomplishment, and the areas controlling the approaches to that vital area, is the key if resistance is anticipated. In that fashion, the defensive advantages accrue to the occupier, and the resident opposition is obliged to organize a response to dislodge the intervening forces.

While urban terrain may be the most probable for political reinforcement operations, it is by no means exclusively so. The wide range of missions which may be assigned for policy reinforcement can dictate diverse tactical requirements and restrictions, environmental considerations, and duration of commitment. Each must be planned and executed within the framework of U.S. strategic objectives, allied support, local and worldwide opposition, and politico-military restrictions existent at the time of the crisis. Clear-cut mission analysis, thorough intelligence, unit discipline, and coordination with U.S. diplomatic efforts are the keys to success. In summary, political reinforcement is the most probable commitment that the Fleet and its Marines can anticipate from day-to-day and year-to-year. Both the nations history and current trends underscore that. As part of the Fleet (10 U.S.C. 5063), the Marine Corps responsibility for and contribution to political reinforcement is well established. This requires the capability for both measured and decisive employment of afloat-deployed Marine forces as well as

for their rapid reinforcement by air and sealifted forces. Accordingly, afloat forward-deployed Marine forces should be capable of performing the following, either unilaterally or as part of a larger follow-on force:

1. Humanitarian assistance.
2. Show of force.
3. Reinforcement of U.S. embassy security.
4. Protection of U.S. citizens and property.
5. Evacuation of U.S. citizens under permissive or forcible conditions.
6. Reinforcement of friendly governments threatened externally or within.
7. Control of lawlessness and civil unrest.
8. Raids.
9. Seizure of areas for leverage to obtain negotiated concessions or policy modifications. (FMFM 1-2)

506.23 Explain how the Marine Corps envisions the employment of the Marine Corps Air-Ground Task Force in support of a theater campaign in the future.

Today and for the future, Marine Corps roles and missions must be reviewed in the context of the evolving world scene; adaptation must be predicated on the strategic needs of the nation and the tactical and logistical wherewithal to meet them. Adaptation also requires a review of current practice in order to preserve proven approaches which continue valid.

The Marine Corps roles and missions in todays strategic context highlight the following operational tasks, stated and derived, for which the Marine Corps is expected to focus force and doctrine development as well as associated training:

1. Amphibious warfare (landing force matters).
2. MPF deployment and employment.
3. Land operations contributing to a naval campaign, including seizure and defense of advanced bases, attack of enemy naval support facilities, seizure of areas blocking passage by enemy naval forces, and landbased air operations in support of the fleet.
4. Naval political reinforcement operations up to and including intervention using forward and CONUS-based Marine forces.
5. Naval support-amphibious or otherwise-of continental campaigns.
6. Naval aviation support of fleet operations using afloat deployed elements.
7. Joint and combined operations where the Marine component operates as part of a joint/combined task force, either as an inclusive element or as the principal framework (i.e., joint landing force).
8. Security support for certain Navy ships.
9. Security support for certain naval bases and stations or areas thereof.
10. Security support for certain U.S. embassies, legations, and consulates.
11. Such other duties as the President may direct.

Each Service structures and trains for unique and distinctly separate tasks. However, there is considerable latitude for employment of forces. According to Joint Pub 0-2, the forces developed and trained to perform the primary functions assigned to one Service by the Functions Paper shall be employed to support and supplement the other Services in carrying out their primary functions wherever and whenever such participation will result in increased effectiveness and will contribute to the accomplishment of the overall military objectives.

Course Objectives

1. Comprehend the capabilities and limitations of US military forces across the range of military operations, to include command relationships, force development and organization, and the concepts of deployment, employment, sustainment, and redeployment (OPMEP Learning Area 1).

READINGS

1. FMFM 1-2 </S>The Role of the Marine Corps in the National Defense,</T> US Government Printing Office, 1991. A bit dry, but a good reading (os506r1.doc).
2. Marine Toolbook. Short and very informative (milops.tbk).
3. Once and Future Marines, Linn and Neimeyer. A short history of the Marine Corps from 1775 through current history, but not much on the learning objectives (os506r3.doc).

OPTIONAL READINGS (non-testable material):

For more information on current Marine issues, we suggest you visit the following web site:

Marine Homepage (www.usmc.mil)

READING RATIONALE
FMFM 1-2 discusses, in general terms, the strategic environment, organization, and purpose of the Marine Corps.

The toolbooks provide a basic understanding of the combined arms warfare concept used by the Marine Corps and the composition, employment, roles, and missions of the Marine Corps expeditionary units.

The Linn and Neimeyer article reviews the historical employment of the Marine Corps and addresses the need for the continued existence of the Marine Corps in order to meet future national security objectives.

LESSON OUTLINE

Thesis: United States Marine Corps forces provide the National Command Authority and theater commanders with unique capabilities for rapid response to a wide variety of crises. Full understanding of the roles, missions, and capabilities of the US Marine Corps is essential to the joint staff operational and campaign planners in responding to regional crises that arise around the world.

Main Point I: Review and discuss the roles, missions, capabilities, doctrine, and force structure used by the US Marine Corps to support the National Security Strategy, National Military Strategy, and theater commanders objectives.

Main Point II: Review and discuss the future roles, missions, capabilities, doctrine, and force structure that may be used by the US Marine Corps into the 21st century.

LESSON INTEGRATION AND RATIONALE
This lesson presents the basic elements of the roles and missions, doctrine, strategy, and force structure used by the United States Marine Corps to execute the National Security Strategy, National Military Strategy, and theater commanders objectives. This lesson is one of the required cornerstones for understanding joint military operations and planning. Concepts and knowledge gained in this lesson will be applied in the Air Campaign, Joint Operations and Force 2025 courses as well as in the Joint Warrior Wargame and operational exercises used to support the overall curriculum.

LESSON OPR: War/Theater Level Studies Department