Quiz 2 Marine Warfare

Preparing for War
• Expeditionary Force-in-Readiness
- “Any clime and place”
- Moment’s notice
- Any fight
- Flexibility
- Combat readiness
• Force Planning
- Clearly defined objectives
- Concept-based Matching capabilities with the mission set
- Unity of effort
(Training/Education/Doctrine/Personnel/Equipment
Requisition)

Preparing for War
• Organization
- Capable of responding immediately to most types of
crisis/conflict
- Combat Mindset
- MAGTF Combined Arms Task Force under a single
Commander (Scalable)
• Doctrine
- Way of thinking, not prescriptive
- Philosophy for leading Marines in combat
- Mandate for professionalism
- Common language to gain mutual understanding

Preparing for War
• Professionalism
- Marine leaders must be true experts in the
conduct of war
- Responsibility: Resources expended are
human lives
• Boldness
- Avoid zero defect mentality
- Deal severely with inaction
• Trust
- Confidence and familiarity Must be earned

Preparing for War
• Professionalism
• Honesty and frankness
- Seniors should encourage candor, no “yes-men”
• Acceptance of orders
- Own it  Unity of Command

Preparing for War
• Training
- “Train like you fight,” train to win in combat
- Basic combat skills – Taught at entry level regardless of
occupation Hardest application is unit skills
- Lessons learned, admit mistakes, focus on why
• PME (Science)
- Students of our profession
(ApprenticeshipOperationalMAGTF)
- Develop talent for military judgement
- As you progress in your career, you should become an expert in
all levels of war, and not just in your specialty. (Tact/Op/Strat)
- Mind is the officer’s principle weapon

Preparing for War
• PME (Continued)
- Foster an environment where you are pushing all your Marines to develop
their tactical/technical/decision-making skills
- Wargames, Tactical Decision Games, Battle Studies, Map
Exercises, Continuing Education etc.
• Manning and equipping Part of the “business side” of the Corps
- Promote and award those who exercise initiative for the greater good of the
unit.
- Put people in the positions to ensure mission accomplishment (Cross-
Train)
- Equipment
• Readiness
• Interoperability and expanding capabilities (Avoid specialization)
• Avoid overreliance (Brilliance in the Basics!)

Next Class
• Conduct of War
- MCDP 1 ch. 4
• Warfighting Functions
- MCDP 1-0 Appendix B (Posted on Canvas)

• Marine Air Ground Task Force (MAGTF)
• MAGTF is a balanced, air-ground combined arms task organization
of Marine Corps forces under a single commander, structured to
accomplish a specific mission.
Command Element
(CE)
Ground Combat Element
(GCE)
Air Combat Element
(ACE)
Logistics Combat Element
(LCE)

• Headquarters integrates the ACE, GCE, and LCE
together to accomplish a mission
• Command and Control (C2) functions

Ground Combat Element (GCE)

• Ground combat power
• May include:
• Infantry
• Artillery
• Tanks
• Amphibious Assault Vehicles (AAV)
• Light Armored Recon (LAR)
• Combat Engineers
• Reconnaissance

Air Combat Element (ACE)

• Air and lift capabilities
• May include:
• Fixed & rotary wing
• Attack
• Assault
• Marine air control
• Air Traffic Control (ATC)
• Air defense
• Aviation logistics and support

(LCE

• Logistical sustainment
• Functions include:
• Transportation
• Supply (food, fuel, ammo)
• Maintenance
• General engineering
• Health services (medical/dental)
• General Services

MAGTF Strengths

• Leverages strengths of different units + weapon
systems to achieve combined arms effect
• MAGTF commander has a “joint” type force
• Scalable
• Task-organized based on mission
• Flexible
• Wide range of capabilities and weapon systems
• In a JTF, Marine aviation assets remain under
control of MAGTF commander vice JFACC

MAGTF capabitlies

• Forcible entry
(Amphibious
Assault)
• Deterrence
• Demonstrations
• Amphibious Raids
• Limited Objective
attacks
• 3-Block Warfare
• Seizure of terrain,
bases, territory
• Disaster Relief
• Non-Combatant
Evacuation Op (NEO)
• Stability/Peace keeping
• TRAP
• Humanitarian
• Visit, Board, Search &
Seizure (VBSS)
• Mass Casualty

Four types of Magtf

• Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF) – large
• Marine Expeditionary Brigade (MEB) – medium
• Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) – small
• Special Purpose MAGTF (SPMAGTF) – varies

MEF

• The largest and principal MAGTF
• 35,000-55,000 Marines + Sailors
• 60 days sustainment
• Only standing MAGTF
Commanded by:
Lt General

MEB

Commanded by:
Brig. General
MEB HQ
(CE)
Infantry Regiment (rein)
(GCE)
Aircraft Group
(ACE)
Combat Logistics
Regiment (LCE)

MEU

• 2,200 Marines + Sailors
• 15 days sustainment
• Forward deployed on
amphibious ships
• 6 hour response
• Can reach 75% of
world’s littorals in about
5 days
Commanded by:

Colonel