Commands

II Marine Expeditionary Force
The II Marine Expeditionary Force, one of three MEFs in the Marine Corps, is a combined arms force consisting of four elements: command, ground, aviation and logistics. It possesses the capability for projecting offensive combat power ashore while sustaining itself in combat without external assistance for a period of 60 days. With more than 60,000 Marines and Sailors, II MEF is representative of the largest and most powerful Marine Air-Ground Task Force, a MAGTF. II MEF is comprised of four basic components: (1) II MEF Headquarters Group containing personnel and equipment necessary for effective planning and execution of operations; (2) a ground combat element, the 2nd Marine Division; (3) an aviation combat element, the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing; and (4) logistics combat element, the 2nd Marine Logistics Group.

While II MEF is included within the operational force structure of U.S. Marine Corps Forces Command and engages in operations and exercises throughout the MARFORCOM area, it routinely provides operating forces in support of other U.S. unified and NATO commands. II MEF is, in fact, available for and prepared to respond to contingency requirements worldwide. The MEF can be employed in its entirety or in task-organized MAGTFs of lesser size such as: a Marine Expeditionary Brigade, a MAGTF built around a regimental landing team and about onethird the size of a MEF; or, a Marine Expeditionary Unit, a MAGTF built around a battalion landing team and about one-third the size of a MEB. The size and composition of any MAGTF is 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 Propositioning Ships.

The routinely deployed, forward-presence MAGTFs, the 22nd, 24th and 26th MEUs, deploy on a rotating basis to be a Geographic Combatant Commander's force in readiness. A MEU 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.

2nd Marine Division
The 2nd Marine Division is the ground combat element of II Marine Expeditionary Force. Its backbone is the individual Marine infantryman whose basic mission is to locate, close with and destroy or capture the enemy.

The Division is comprised of more than 15,000 enlisted Marines and Sailors and 1,000 officers who form the 2nd, 6th and 8th Marine Regiments (infantry) and elements of the 9th Regiment, which fall under the 2nd, 6th and 8th Regiments; 10th Marine Regiment (artillery); 2nd Tank Battalion; 2nd Reconnaissance Battalion; 2nd Combat Engineer Battalion; Headquarters Battalion; 2nd Assault Amphibian Battalion; and 2nd Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion.  read more...