I. Marine Expeditionary Force
The I. Marine Expeditionary Force ( I MEF ) is a large unit of the US Marine Corps within the Marine-Air-Ground-Task-Force-Concept (MAGTF). This association is primarily composed of the 1st US Marine Division , the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing and the 1st Marine Logistics Group. Usually the association is spelled like this: "Eye MEF" (because of the pronunciation of the I in English), "First MEF" or "ONE MEF". As an association at corps level, the I MEF is commanded by a Lieutenant General . The current commander is General Thomas D. Waldhauser , who is also the commander of the Marine Corps Forces Central of the US Central Command .
Emergence
The association was set up on November 8, 1969 in Okinawa ( Japan ) as the I. Marine Expeditionary Force . The association was renamed I. Marine Amphibious Force on August 18, 1970 and relocated to Camp Pendleton in April 1971 . On February 5, 1988 it was renamed the I. Marine Expeditionary Force .
General
Mission groups according to the MAGTF concept basically contain four basic components: a staff component ( Command Element ), a ground combat component ( Ground Combat Element ), an air combat component ( Aviation Combat Element ) and a supply component ( Combat Service Support Element ).
The three Marine Expeditionary Forces make up the Fleet Marine Force , a global crisis reaction force that operates from the five US Navy fleets. The I MEF and III MEF are deployed in the Pacific and the II MEF in the Atlantic.
The headquarters of the I MEF is Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton , California . She is regionally responsible for the west coast of the United States . You are subordinate to the following units within the framework of the MAGTF concept:
- Ground combat component: 1st U.S. Marine Division
- Air combat component: 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing
- Supply component: 1. Marine Logistics Group
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Staff component: I Marine Expeditionary Force Headquarters Group
- 1st Intelligence Battalion
- 9th Communication Battalion
- 1st Radio Battalion
- 1. Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company
- 1st Marine Expeditionary Brigade
- 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit
- 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit
- 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit
The mission of the I MEF is the deployment on the front line or the high command of mixed units of the US Marines and paramedics of the US Navy.
Calls
The I MEF was part of the following U.S. Forces operations :
- Operation Desert Shield - Southwest Asia - August 1990 - April 1991
- Operation Desert Storm - Southwest Asia - August 1990 - April 1991
- Operation Restore Hope - December 1992 - May 1993
- Operation Southern Watch - Iraq - January 1998 - February 1998
- Operation Desert Thunder - Iraq - February 1998 - June 1998
- Operation Enduring Freedom - Kuwait , Afghanistan - November 2002
- Operation Iraqi Freedom - Iraq - March 2003 - still deployed there
- Operation Vigilant Resolve - Iraq - April 2004
- Operation Phantom Fury - Iraq - November 2004
List of commanders
Surname | Beginning of the appointment | End of appointment |
---|---|---|
Thomas D. Waldhauser | 2010 | --- |
Joseph F. Dunford, Jr. | 2009 | 2010 |
Samuel T. Helland | 2007 | 2009 |
James N. Mattis | 2006 | 2007 |
John F. Sattler | 2004 | 2006 |
James T. Conway | 2002 | 2004 |
Michael W. Hagee | 2000 | 2002 |
... | ||
Anthony Zinni | 1994 | 1996 |
... |
Web links
- Official website of the I MEF (English)