Command & Control of Aggregated Marine Expeditionary Units. Is Anyone Available Today

摘要

When required and feasible, MEUs can be aggregated under a single commander to support a single operation. However, US Marine Corps doctrine does not address the command structure once MEUs are aggregated. Once MEUs are aggregated, a Marine Expeditionary (MEB) Command Element (CE) is required to conduct operational-level planning and coordination and command and control because a MAGTF construct must have a CE over all Marine forces to ensure unity of command and effort. Currently, no organization has a task to command and control aggregated MEUs, but since the number of amphibious ships cannot support the embarkation of a doctrinal MEB and maintain MEU deployments and pre-deployments and pre-deployment cycles, a MEB CE can be given the task to command and control aggregated MEUs. Given forward presence, today's force structure, and areas to assigned responsibility, the three standing MEB CEs, Marine Forces Pacific (MARFORPAC), and MARCENT FWD are poised to provide GCC Commanders and the US Marine Corps CE options to command and control aggregated MEUs. The single source solution to this is the 2nd MEB CE.