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The United States Marine Corps (USMC) is a branch of the U.S. military, which along with the U.S. Navy, is under the United States Department of the Navy.

Originally organized as the Continental Marines in 1775 for ship-to-ship fighting, shipboard security and to assist in landing forces, by the early 20th century, the Marine Corps had grown both institutionally and organizationally into the dominant advocate for amphibious warfare as well as its key component. With service in every war in U.S. history including on-going operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Marine Corps has evolved into a multi-purpose role in the current United States military.

The Marine Corps is the second smallest of the five branches (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard) of the U.S. military, with 180,000 active and 40,000 reserve Marines as of 2005. Only the United States Coast Guard, part of the Department of Homeland Security, is smaller. In absolute terms, the U.S. Marine Corps is nonetheless larger than the armed forces of many major nations; for example, it is larger than the British Army or all of the Canadian Forces put together.

Mission

The Marine Corps serves as an amphibious force in readiness. It was initially composed of infantry combat forces serving aboard naval vessels, responsible for security of the ship, its captain and officers, offensive and defensive combat during boarding actions, by acting as sharpshooters, and carrying out amphibious assaults. The Marines fully developed and used the tactics of amphibious assault in World War II, most notably in the Pacific Island Campaign.

Since its creation in 1775, the Corps' role has expanded significantly. The Marines have a unique mission statement, and, alone among the branches of the U.S. armed forces, "shall, at any time, be liable to do duty in the forts and garrisons of the United States, on the seacoast, or any other duty on shore, as the President, at his discretion, shall direct." Because of this, the Marine Corps is referred to as "The President's Own." In this special capacity, charged with carrying out duties given to them directly by the President of the United States, the Marine Corps serves as an all-purpose, fast-response task force, capable of quick action in areas requiring emergency intervention.

While the Marine Corps does not necessarily fill unique combat roles, only when combined do the Army, Navy, and Air Force overlap every area that the Marine Corps covers. As a force, the Marines consistently use all essential elements of combat (air, ground, sea) together. While the creation of joint commands under the Goldwater-Nichols Act has improved interservice coordination between the larger services, the Marine Corps' ability to permanently maintain integrated multi-element task forces under a single command provides a special ability to respond to flexibility and urgency requirements.

The Marine Corps possesses organic ground and air combat elements, and relies upon the Navy to provide sea combat elements to fulfill its mission as "America's 9-1-1 Force". Marine combat forces are largely contained in three Marine Expeditionary Forces, or MEF's. The 1st MEF is based out of Camp Pendleton, California, the 2nd out of Camp LeJeune, North Carolina, while the third is based on Okinawa, Japan. Within the MEF's are the individual Marine Divisions (MARDIVS), Marine Logistics Groups (MLG's) and Marine Aircraft Wings (MAWs). Force Reconnaissance companies are composed of Marines specially trained in covert insertion, reconnaissance, and surveillance tactics, and some have even received special operations training. The "Recon Marines" basic mission is to scout out the enemy and report what they find.

The Marines also maintain an operational and training culture dedicated to emphasizing the infantry combat abilities of every Marine. All Marines receive training first and foremost as basic riflemen, and thus the Marine Corps at heart functions culturally as an infantry corps. The Marine Corps is famous for the saying "Every Marine a rifleman."

Marine tactics and doctrine emphasize aggressiveness and the offensive. The Marines have been central in developing groundbreaking tactics for modern amphibious assault and maneuver warfare and they can be credited with the development of helicopter insertion doctrine.

The amphibious assault is the most complex military maneuver in all of warfare. The doctrines that the U.S. Marines developed for this maneuver are complex in their details. These doctrines acknowledge the complexity of the maneuver and they rely on the twin spears of instant obedience to given orders, and flexibility in execution. The initiative of individuals in taking the fight to the enemy is valued and exemplified. This initiative displayed by individual leaders is crucial to the success of any amphibious assault.

The maneuver warfare doctrine upon which the Corps is organized and the nature of the operations of which the Corps has traditionally been a part causes it to place a premium on decentralized decision-making and the individual abilities of leaders at all levels. This is accomplished through the use of commander's intent as the guiding principle for leaders. Commander's intent specifies the end state the commander wants achieved and other certain parameters he may lay out. This allows the lowest possible tactical units to determine how they wish to execute their mission to fulfill this intent. As a result, a large degree of initiative and autonomy is expected of junior Marines, particularly the NCOs (Corporals and Sergeants) as compared to many other military organizations. The Marine Corps pushes authority and responsibility downward to a greater degree than the other services.

The Marines argue that they do not and should not take the place of the other services, any more than an ambulance takes the place of a hospital. Nonetheless, when a pressing emergency develops, the Marines essentially act as a stopgap, to get into and hold an area until the larger machinery can be mobilized. The opinions of other military men and politicians have, at times, differed, and President Harry S. Truman considered abolishing the Corps as part of the 1948 reorganization of the military. As Truman said, "The only propaganda machine that rivals that of Stalin is that of the United States Marine Corps." Truman, a former U.S. Army artillery captain in World War I, held some resentment of the Marines for the high degree of praise bestowed upon them after the war, mostly at the expense of Army units. He also believed that the Army proved that they could do amphibious landings with the actions in North Africa, Italy and Normandy, so there was no need for a separate service to fulfill this function.

An example of this coordinated, time-sensitive capability could be seen in 1990, when the 22nd and 26th Marine Expeditionary Units conducted Operation Sharp Edge, a noncombatant evacuation operation, or NEO, in the west African city of Monrovia, Liberia. Liberia suffered from civil war at the time, and civilian citizens of the United States and other countries could not leave via conventional means. Sharp Edge ended in success. Only one reconnaissance team came under fire, with no casualties incurred on either side, and the Marines evacuated several hundred civilians within hours to U.S. Navy vessels waiting offshore.

Another example of Marine Corps capabilities may be seen in Operation Desert Storm during the Gulf War. General Norman Schwarzkopf, Jr., commander of United States Central Command, landed in Saudi Arabia to assess what was needed to prevent forces from Iraq under Saddam Hussein from invading Saudi Arabia. He was informed that a Marine Expeditionary Unit was offshore and could be in place for defensive combat operations within a day. General Schwarzkopf inquired when significant United States Army tank assets could be made available, and he was told that deploying these units from the United States would take six months. It is of note that the ground war started almost six months to the day from the date of that assessment.

History

Creation

The first American Marine unit was Gooch's Marines, the 61st Foot, which was raised in the American colonies for the War of Jenkins Ear in 1739. This American Marine regiment in the British Army served alongside British Marines at Cartegena, Columbia and Guantanamo, Cuba in 1741. Among its officers was Lawrence Washington, the half-brother of George Washington. It was disbanded as a regiment in 1742 and the remaining independent companies were merged with another regiment in 1746. Nobel Jones' Company of Marine Boatmen of the Georgia militia also fought in the War of Jenkins Ear, helping defeat a Spanish amphibious landing on St. Simons Island in the Battle of Gully Hole Creek and the Battle of Bloody Marsh. Other Marines were raised for the various state navies that came into existence shortly before the Revolutionary War.

The US Marine Corps, originally created as the "Continental Marines" during the American Revolutionary War, was formed by a resolution of the Continental Congress on November 10, 1775, and first recruited at Tun Tavern in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania by Samuel Nicholas. They served as landing troops for the recently created Continental Navy. The Continental Marines were disbanded at the end of the war in April 1783 and the current US Marine Corps was formed on July 11 1798 as part of the mobilization for the Naval or Quasi-War with France. Despite the gap, Marines worldwide celebrate November 10 as the Marine Corps Birthday. This is traditional in Marine units and is similar to the practice of the British and Netherlands Royal Marines.

Historically, the United States Marine Corps has achieved fame in many campaigns, as referenced in the first line of the Marines' Hymn: "From the halls of Montezuma to the shores of Tripoli".

In the Naval or Quasi-War with France (1798-1800), in addition to their service aboard ships of the US Navy and the US Revenue-Marine, the Marines fought ashore in Haiti and Curaçao.

Their most famous action in the First Barbary War (1801-1805) occurred when William Eaton and First Lieutenant Presley O'Bannon led a group of eight Marines and 300 Arab and European mercenaries in an attempt to capture Tripoli. Though they only made it as far as Derna, Tripoli has been immortalized in the hymn. They also took part in the small boat actions of the Battle of Tripoli Harbor.

In May 1811, 2 officers and 47 Marines established an advanced base on Cumberland Island, Georgia to be used for actions against pirates in Spanish Florida and captured Fernandino in Spanish Florida on March 18, 1812. They occupied it until May 1813. This was the first peacetime overseas base of the United States.

The Marine Corps' first land action of the War of 1812 was for 63 Marines to establish an advanced base at Sacketts Harbor, New York. They would also establish another base at Erie, Pennsylvania. Other detachments would serve both ashore and afloat. They participated in Colonel Winfield Scott's amphibious landing at York (now Toronto). Under Commodore Barney and Captain Samuel Miller, USMC, they acted to delay the British invasion of Washington, DC and served honorably in the Battle of Bladensburg after the militia had run away. Both Barney and Miller were severely wounded. The Marines also served in the defenses of Baltimore and at the Battle of New Orleans. By the end of the war they had a reputation as marksmen, especially in ship to ship actions.

Together with sailors and US Army troops, they again captured Fernandino in Spanish Florida on December 23, 1817. Fernandino was occupied until Spain ceded Florida to the US in 1821. In 1823 Marines also established an advanced base on Thompson's Island, now called Key West, for use against pirates around the island of Cuba. They garrisoned Pensacola, Florida in 1825 to use it as a base against pirates in the West Indies.

Marines also fought in the Second Seminole War. They garrisoned Fort Brooke in Tampa Bay, Florida and held off an Indian attack on 22 January 1836. The Colonel-Commandant of the Marine Corps, Col. Archibald Henderson commanded the mixed USMC-US Army Second Brigade at the Battle of Hatcheelustee on 27 January 1837.

The Marines took part in the Mexican-American War (1846–1848) and assaulted the Castillo de Chapultepec, or the Chapultepec Palace, which overlooked Mexico City. The Marines were placed on guard duty at the Mexican Presidential Palace, "The Halls of Montezuma". Marines landed at several ports in California and were instrumental in seizing it for the United States. Also, detachments of sailors and Marines landed and captured ports along the Mexican coast as part of the Navy's blockade of Mexico that successfully prevented overseas arms and munitions from reaching the Mexican forces.

In the Civil War, blockade duty would be again be the most important task of the Marine Corps. Congress only slightly enlarged the Marines and the Regular Army and after filling the detachments for the ships of the Navy, the Marine Corps was only able to field about one battalion at a time as a larger force for service ashore. The battalion of recruits formed for the First Battle of Bull Run (First Manassas) performed poorly, running away like the rest of the Union forces. Marines from ship's detachments as well as scratch battalions took part in the landing operations necessary to capture bases for blockade duty. These were mostly successful, but on September 8, 1863, the Marines tried an amphibious landing to capture Fort Sumter in Charlestown harbor and failed. This was probably the first and last failed landing of the USMC. Due to a shortage of officers, the Marine battalion of Commander Preble's naval brigade that fought at Honey Hill, SC in 1864 started the battle with a 1st Lt. as Battalion Commander. He was the only officer in the battalion. All the Company Commanders and other battalion "officers" were sergeants. In January 1865, the Marines took part in the assault on Fort Fisher. They were tasked with acting as riflemen on the flank of the attack to shoot any Confederate troops that appeared on the ramparts of the fort. Even thogh they were ordered from their firing positions by Admiral Porter's second in command, Porter blamed the Marines for the failure of the naval portion of the assault to take the fort.

During the latter half of the 19th century, the Marines saw action in Formosa (1867)and Korea (1871). The current Eagle, Globe and Anchor Marine Corps emblem was adopted in 1868. The Marines took part in naval brigade landing exercises in Key West in 1875 after the Virginius Affair, a war with Spain scare. Around 1883, the Marines adopted their current motto "Semper Fidelis". The Marines took part in more naval brigade exercises on Gardiner's Island in August 1884 and Newport, RI in November 1887. In 1885 1st Lt. H.K. Gilman USMC wrote the first manual for enlisted Marines Marines’ manual : prepared for the use of the enlisted men of the U.S. Marine Corps and in 1886 the first landing manual The naval brigade and operations ashore. Previous to this, the only landing instuctions available were those in the Ordnance instructions for the United States Navy.

During the Spanish-American War, The 1st or Huntington's Battalion captured Guantanamo, Cuba in order to set up an advanced base and coaling station for the fleet. In the Battle of Cuzco Well, a Spanish counterattack was aided by mistaken naval gunfire from the USS Dolphin and two Marines received Medals of Honor for braving both Spanish rifle fire and US Navy shells and signalling the Dolphin to stop. Marine detachments under Lt. John A. LeJeune landed in Fajardo, Puerto Rico in order to seize boats for a subsequent landing by Army forces. While they were waiting for the Army, they were attacked by strong Spanish forces in a night attack. Upon a prearranged signal, the Marines and sailors who were occupying the town's lighthouse, took cover while the Navy ships bombarded the area around the lighthouse. They left the next day when they found out that the Army commander had changed his mind and landed on the other end of the island at Guánica. There Marines and Bluejackets landed first in order to capture boats and lighters for the Army landing.

Marines also served in the the Philippines (1899–1913), and the Boxer Rebellion in China.

The successful landing at Guantanamo and the readiness of the Marines for the Spanish-American War were in contrast to the slow mobilization of the US Army in the war. In 1900 the General Board of the US Navy decided to give the USMC primary responsiblity for the seizure and defense of advanced naval bases. The USMC formed an expeditionary battalion to be permanently based in the Caribbean. This battalion and Marine detachments in the Caribbean practiced landings in 1902 in preparation for war with Germany over Venezuela. Under Major John LeJuene in 1903 it also undertook landing exercises with the Army in Maine, and in November 1903, blocked Columbian Army forces sent to quash a Panamanian rebellion, an action which led to the independence of Panama.

During the years before and after World War I, the Marines saw action in other places throughout the Caribbean such as Haiti and Nicaragua. These actions became known as "The Banana Wars", and the experiences gained in counter-insurgency and guerrilla operations during this period were consolidated into the Small Wars Manual.

World War I

In World War I, the battle-tested, veteran Marines served a central role in the U.S. entry into the conflict, and at the Battle of Belleau Wood, Marine units were in the front, earning the Marines a reputation as the "First to Fight". This battle marked the creation of the Marines' reputation in modern history. Rallying under the battle cries of "Retreat? Hell, we just got here!" (Captain Lloyd Williams) and "Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?" (then Gunnery Sergeant, later Sergeant Major Dan Daly, two time Medal of Honor recipient), the Marines drove German forces from the area. American media coverage stated that captured prisoners and German letters referred to the Marines in the battle as "Teufelshunde", or "Devil Dogs", a nickname Marines proudly use to this day. However, the veracity of this legend is questioned.

The French government renamed Belleau Wood "Bois de la Brigade de Marine", or "Wood of the Marine Brigade", and decorated both the 5th and 6th Regiments with the Croix de Guerre. Franklin Delano Roosevelt, then Secretary of the Navy, stated that enlisted Marines would henceforth wear the Eagle, Globe, and Anchor on their uniform collar.

The Marine Corps had entered the war with 511 officers and 13,214 enlisted personnel and, by November 11, 1918, had reached a strength of 2,400 officers and 70,000 men.

World War II

In World War II, the Marines played a central role in the Pacific War, and the war saw the expansion of the Corps from two brigades to two corps with six divisions and five air wings with 132 squadrons. In addition, 20 Defense Battalions were also set up, as well as a Parachute Battalion. . The battles of Guadalcanal, Tarawa, Saipan, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa saw fierce fighting between U.S. Marines and the Imperial Japanese Army. The secrecy afforded their communications by the now-famous Navajo code talkers program is widely seen as having contributed significantly to their success.

During the battle of Iwo Jima, Raising of the Flag on Iwo Jima, a famous photograph of five Marines and one Navy corpsman raising the American flag on Mt. Suribachi, was taken. Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal, who had come ashore earlier that day to observe the progress of the troops, said of the flag raising on Iwo Jima, "...the raising of that flag on Suribachi means a Marine Corps for the next five hundred years." The acts of the Marines during the war added to their already significant popular reputation, and the USMC War Memorial in Arlington, Virginia was dedicated in 1954.

By the war’s end, the Corps had grown to include six divisions, five air wings and supporting troops totaling about 485,000 Marines. Nearly 87,000 Marines were killed or wounded during WWII and 82 received the Medal of Honor.

In Korea

The Korean War saw the hastily formed Provisional Marine Brigade holding the line at the Pusan Perimeter, then landing at Inchon and assaulting north into North Korea along with the Army. As U.S. forces approached the Yalu River, the People's Republic of China sent armies over the river to engage American forces within Korea.

At the Battle of Chosin Reservoir, the 1st Marine Division, vastly outnumbered but vastly better equipped and trained, fought Chinese forces in the winter of 1950. Although surrounded, the Marines regrouped, assaulted the Chinese, and inflicted heavy casualties during their fighting withdrawal to the coast. Following the Chosin Reservoir campaign the Marines continued to slug it out with Chinese and North Korean forces until the armistice was signed in 1953.

The Korean War saw the Marine Corps expand from 75,000 regulars to a force, by the end of the conflict in 1953, of 261,000 Marines, most of whom were Reservists. 30,544 Marines were killed or wounded during the war and 42 were awarded the Medal of Honor. .

Vietnam War

The Marines also played an important role in the Vietnam War at battles such as Da Nang, Hué City, and Khe Sanh. On March 8, 1965, 3,500 Marines were the first American combat troops deployed to Vietnam. The Marines operated in the northern I Corps regions of South Vietnam and fought both a constant guerilla war against the NLF and an off and on conventional war against NVA regulars. Marine forces were the last to leave Vietnam during the evacuation of the American embassy in Saigon on April 30, 1975. Marines were also involved in the May 15, 1975 attempt to rescue US merchant marine crewmen in the Mayagüez incident off the coast of Cambodia.

Cold War era

After Vietnam, Marines served in a number of important events and places. While enroute to Lebanon, in October of 1983, the 22nd Marine Amphibious Unit was diverted to the Caribbean island of Grenada where they invaded the island nation alongside Army forces. On October 23, 1983, a Marine barracks in Lebanon was bombed, causing the highest peacetime losses to the Corps in its history (220 Marines of the 24th MAU were killed) and leading to the American withdrawal from Lebanon. Marines served in Panama prior to and during Operation Just Cause. Marines were also responsible for liberating Kuwait during the Persian Gulf War, as the Army made an attack to the west directly into Iraq.

Operation Restore Hope

U.S. Marines participated in combat operations in Somalia (1992–1995) during Operations Restore Hope , Restore Hope II, and United Shield. While Operation Restore Hope was designated as a humanitarian relief effort, Marine ground forces frequently engaged Somali militiamen in combat. Elements of Battalion Landing Team 2/9 (2nd Battalion, 9th Marines) with 15th MEU were among the first troops of the United Nations effort to land in Somalia in December, 1992, while Marines of 3rd Battalion 1st Marines participated in the final withdrawal of United Nations troops from Somalia in 1995.

Bosnian War

In 1995, Marines performed a successful mission in Bosnia, rescuing Captain Scott O'Grady, a downed Air Force fighter pilot, in what is called a TRAP (Tactical Recovery of Aircraft and Personnel).

Afghanistan & Operation Enduring Freedom

Marines of the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit and 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit were the first conventional forces into Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in November of 2001. Since then Marine battalions and flying squadrons have been rotating through on seven month tours engaging leftover Taliban and Al Queda forces and also helping to rebuild the war torn country.

Iraq War

Most recently, the Marines have served prominently in Operation Iraqi Freedom where a light, mobile force was and is especially needed. I MEF along with the Army's 3rd Infantry Division spearheaded the 2003 invasion of Iraq and perhaps most notably, the Marines spearheaded both assaults on the city of Fallujah in April and November 2004. They are also under investigation for the Haditha incident of November 19, 2005 and the Hamadiya incident of April 26, 2006.

Reputation of the Marine Corps

The Marine Corps has a widely held reputation as a fierce and effective fighting force and the Marines take pride in their gung-ho attitude. They are indoctrinated with a strong belief in their chain of command and the importance of esprit de corps, a spirit of enthusiasm and pride in themselves and the Corps. The Marine Corps is popularly seen as possessing a degree of fame and infamy among the enemies they fight, and examples of this effect are readily seized upon and publicized by the Corps and its supporters.

In World War I the Marine Corps distinguished itself on the battlefields of France as the 4th Marine Brigade earned the title of "Devil Dogs" for heroic action at Belleau Wood, Soissons, St. Michiel, Blanc Mont, and in the final Meuse-Argonne offensive (1918).

During the 1991 Gulf War, after Iraqi forces had already been bloodied by the Corps in the first ground engagement of the war at Khafji, U.S. Army General Norman Schwarzkopf used a public demonstration of a Marine landing on Kuwait and the Iraqi port of Umm Qasr to pin down Iraqi units, while the Army then executed a sweep from the West. In December 1992, the preannounced landing of U.S. Marines on the beaches of Mogadishu was watched on American broadcasting stations on U.S. primetime.

Most recently, Iraqis in the Persian Gulf War and 2003 invasion of Iraq were said to have taken special note of Marine Cobra helicopters and the distinctive look of the Marine combat uniform . The Marines have taken steps to build on this psychological advantage by, for instance, developing a new utility uniform that makes Marines easier to distinguish from other U.S. servicemen. See the Web site of the Permanent Marine Corps Uniform Board (PMCUB) for illustrations of the various Marine uniforms.

In many conflicts, members of the other armed forces of the United States have complained that the Marine Corps often emphasizes its prowess at the expense of the reputation of Army or Navy units which are nearby. Additionally, the aggressive tradition of the Marine Corps, and the public perception of the Corps as both an aggressive organization and an elite force within the U.S. military, has at times led to public relations issues surrounding accusations of bullying, harassment, and hazing since WWII.

In its post-World War II history, the Marine Corps' reputation has been damaged several times. The first major event was the Ribbon Creek Incident on April 8, 1956, when the junior Drill Instructor, Staff Sergeant Matthew McKeon, led his assigned platoon into a tidal stream on Parris Island in the purpose of disciplining his platoon, while violating several basic Marine and training regulations. Six recruits died. SSgt McKeon was court-martialed, and, with significant media coverage, an extensive Congressional investigation took place.

In recent years, following incidents of hazing in various Marine Corps units, such as 2nd ANGLICO and the Silent Drill Platoon, incidents involving civilians in Status of Forces Agreement countries or residing near Marine Corps installations and other public relations issues that could cast the Corps into disrepute, increasingly further-reaching measures have been taken to prevent such incidents and protect the public image of the Marine Corps. Standing orders prohibit hazing and initiation rituals of any kind, at least officially. Marines on Okinawa and at other posts are regularly subject to restrictions and curfews, particularly following incidents between Marines and civilians. Marines are regularly admonished from the time that they are recruits in boot camp that their conduct, even while on liberty, leave, or after they are discharged, can and will reflect upon the Corps. Marines today are also discouraged from publicly disparaging other branches of service. These and other measures reflect a realization that the Marine Corps is generally more visible and higher profile than the other branches of service in all that it does, and that it relies upon the goodwill of the American people and Congress to a much greater degree for its survival.

Organization

Air-ground task forces

The Marine Corps organization is flexible, and task forces can be formed of any size. Modern deployable Marine units are based upon the doctrine of the Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF). A MAGTF can generally be of any of three sizes, based upon the amount of force required in the given situation; however, all MAGTFs have a similar organization. A MAGTF is comprised of four elements: the command element (CE), the ground combat element (GCE), the air combat element (ACE) and the combat service support element (CSSE). A MAGTF can operate independently or as part of a larger coalition.

The command element is a headquarters unit that directs the other elements. The ground combat element usually comprises infantry, supported by armor (tanks), and artillery, but may also include special units such as scouts or Force Reconnaissance, snipers, and forward air controllers. An air combat element contributes the air power to the MAGTF. The ACE includes all aircraft (both fixed wing and helicopters), their pilots and maintenance personnel, and those units necessary for aviation command and control. Finally, combat service support elements include all of the support units for the MAGTF: communications, combat engineers, motor transport, medical, supply units, and certain specialized groups such as air delivery and landing support teams.

The smallest type of MAGTF is the Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) (Special Operations Capable) (SOC). The command element is the standing headquarters for the MEU, usually headed by a colonel. The ground combat element is a battalion landing team (BLT), which is composed of an infantry battalion reinforced with tanks, artillery, engineers, amphibious vehicles, light armored vehicles, and other ground combat assets. The air combat element is composed of a composite squadron of fixed and rotary-wing aircraft and an ATC and command and control detachment. The combat service support element consists of a Combat Logistics Battalion (CLB) which handles the logistics and administration needs of the MEU. The specific makeup of the MEU can be customized based upon the task at hand; additional artillery, armor, or air units can be attached, including squadrons of F/A-18 Hornet and Harrier jets.

There are usually three MEUs assigned to each of the U.S. Navy Atlantic and Pacific Fleets, with another MEU based on Okinawa. While one MEU is on deployment, one MEU is training to deploy and one is standing down, resting its Marines, and refitting. Each MEU is rated as capable of performing special operations.

A Marine Expeditionary Brigade (MEB) is larger than a MEU, and is based upon a Marine regiment, with larger air and support contingents.

A Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF), is comprised of a MEF Headquarters Group, Marine division, Marine Air Wing and Marine Logistics Group. Two notable deployments of an entire MEF were when I Marine Expeditionary Force deployed in support of Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. I MEF ultimately consisted of the 1st and 2nd Marine Divisions as well as considerable Marine air and support units. I MEF also deployed to Kuwait beginning in 2002 and took part in the 2003 Invasion of Iraq

The three Marine Expeditionary Forces are:

• 1st Marine Expeditionary Force located at Camp Pendleton, California
• 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force located at Camp Lejuene, North Carolina
• 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force located at Camp Courtney, Okinawa, Japan

Ground Combat Elements

There is a typical organization for Marine Corps infantry units, from smallest to largest. The organization and weapons are from the Marine Corps Table of Organization and Equipment standard. Any Marine Corps unit might be organized differently under their own SOP and specialized units, such as Force Reconnaissance, could certainly carry different weapons:

The basic element of a GCE is the fire team. It consists of four Marines: a team leader (M16A4 with M203 attachment), an automatic rifleman (M249), an assistant automatic rifleman(M16A4), and a rifleman (M16A4).

A squad is made up of three fire teams and a corporal or sergeant as squad leader.

Generally, there are two kinds of platoons, the next-level element: A rifle platoon consists of three squads, a Navy corpsman, a platoon sergeant (staff sergeant), and a lieutenant as platoon commander. However, a weapons platoon will see its structure in a 60 mm mortar section, an assault section, a medium machine gun section (using M240G 7.62 mm machine guns), a Navy corpsman, a platoon sergeant (gunnery sergeant), and a lieutenant as platoon commander

A company’s structure may also not be unitary, since a rifle company has three rifle platoons, a weapons platoon, a Navy corpsman, an administrative clerk, a police sergeant (corporal or sergeant), a training NCO, a company gunnery sergeant, first sergeant, a first lieutenant as executive officer, and captain as commander, whereas a weapons company: an 81 mm mortar platoon, an anti-armor platoon, and a heavy machine gun platoon.

The following part depicts the structure of a headquarters and support company:

A battalion consists of three or four companies, commanded by a lieutenant colonel. A colonel will command a regiment, usually made up of three or four battalions. A brigade, commanded by a brigadier general, is less common in the Marine Corps, but typically made up of one or more regiments Finally, a division comprises of three or four regiments, officers and others, commanded by a major general.

Battalions and larger units have a sergeant major, and an executive officer as second in command, plus officers and others for: Administration (S-1), Intelligence (S-2), Operations (S-3), Logistics (S-4), Civil Affairs (wartime only) (S-5), and Communications (S-6).

Units of battalion size or larger may be reinforced by the addition of supporting tank or artillery units, as in the Battalion Landing Teams comprising the GCEs of Marine Expeditionary Units.

The four Marine divisions are:

• 1st Marine Division at Camp Pendleton, California
• 2nd Marine Division at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina
• 3rd Marine Division at Camp Courtney in Okinawa, Japan
• 4th Marine Division, a reserve unit headquartered in New Orleans, Louisiana, with units scattered throughout the United States.

In World War II, two more Marine Divisions were formed: the Fifth and Sixth, which fought in the Pacific War. These divisions were disbanded after the end of the war.

Air Combat Elements

The mission of Marine Corps aviation is to provide the MAGTF commander with an Aviation Combat Element (ACE) capable of conducting air operations in support of the seizure and defense of advanced Naval bases, and conducting such land operations as may be directed by the Joint Force commander.

The ACE supports the MAGTF by providing the six functions of Marine aviation: assault support, anti-air warfare, offensive air support, electronic warfare, control of aircraft and missiles, and aerial reconnaissance.

Typical aviation units are squadrons, groups and wings.

The four Marine aircraft wings are:

• 1st Marine Aircraft Wing at Marine Corps Air Station Futenma,Okinawa, Japan
• 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina
• 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California
• 4th Marine Aircraft Wing, a reserve unit, headquartered in New Orleans, Louisiana, with units scattered throughout the United States

Combat Service Support Element

The four Marine logistics groups are:

• 1st Marine Logistics Group at Camp Pendleton, California
• 2nd Marine Logistics Group at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina
• 3rd Marine Logistics Group at Camp Kinser, Okinawa, Japan
• 4th Marine Logistics Group, a reserve unit, headquartered in New Orleans, Louisiana, with units scattered throughout the United States.

Participation in Joint Operations

The MAGTF structure reflects a strong tradition in the Corps towards self-sufficiency and a commitment to combined arms, both essential assets to an expeditionary force often called upon to act independently in discrete, time-sensitive situations. The history of the Marine Corps as well has led to a wariness towards relying too much on its sister services, and towards joint operations in general. During WWII, Marines at times viewed the support which they received from the Navy during the Pacific island battles as insufficient. During most of the Korean War, the Corps was forced to fight as "leg infantry" under Army command, and their unique potential advantage as an amphibious force operating in a peninsular country was ignored.

Historically, the Corps has viewed itself as being particularly vulnerable to the old tendencies toward inter-service rivalries and competition for resources, an issue that relates to the sensitivity of the Corps' reputation as described above. This is not entirely without justification, as efforts to divert resources or missions from the Corps towards other services have at times met with success. In recent years, this tendency has relaxed somewhat as the Corps has come to cooperate more and more closely with the other service branches under the Joint Command Structure. The current Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Peter Pace, is a Marine. In October 2005, the establishment of Marine Forces Special Operations Command (MARSOC) within the joint U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) was announced, a move which the Corps eschewed when SOCOM was founded in 1986. MARSOC was activated in February 2006.

Rank structure

The following table provide the rank structure of the Marine Corps, in descending order. It includes abbreviations in the style used by the Marine Corps, pay grades, and rank insignia:

Field-grade Officers
Colonel	Lieutenant Colonel	Major
Col	LtCol	Maj
O-6	O-5	O-4
		File:USMC MAJOR.jpg
Company-grade Officers
Captain	First Lieutenant	Second Lieutenant
Capt	1stLt	2ndLt
O-3	O-2	O-1
File:USMC CAPTAIN.jpg

NOTE 1

A Chief Warrant Officer, CWO2-CWO5, serving in the MOS 0306 "Infantry Weapons Officer" carries a special title, "Marine Gunner" (not a rank). A Marine Gunner replaces the Chief Warrant Officer insignia on the LEFT collar with a bursting bomb insignia. Other warrant officers are sometimes informally also referred to as "Gunner" but this usage is not correct.

NOTE 2

The Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps is the senior enlisted Marine of the entire Marine Corps, personally selected by the Commandant of the Marine Corps.

NOTE 3

The E-8 and E-9 levels each have two ranks per pay grade, each with different responsibilities. Gunnery Sergeants (E-7) indicate on their annual evaluations, called "fitness reports", or "fitreps" for short, their preferred promotional track: Master Sergeant or First Sergeant. The First Sergeant and Sergeant Major ranks are command-oriented, with Marines of these ranks serving as the senior enlisted Marines in a unit, charged to assist the commanding officer in matter of discipline, administration and the morale and welfare of the unit. Master Sergeants and Master Gunnery Sergeants provide technical leadership as occupational specialists in their specific MOS. First Sergeants typically serve as the senior enlisted Marine in a company, battery or other unit at similar echelon, while Sergeants Major serve the same role in battalions, squadrons or larger units.

NOTE 4

Some enlisted ranks have commonly used nicknames, though they are not official and technically improper. For instance, a Master Sergeant is commonly called "Top," and a Master Gunnery Sergeant is "Master Guns." A First Sergeant is always refered to by his/her proper rank. A Master Sergeant can be refered to as "Top." A Gunnery Sergeant is typically called "Gunny," and (much less often) "Guns."

Likewise, Lance Corporals are often referred to (derisively) as "Lance Coolies." They are not usually called by rank due to their status as "non-NCOs."

The rank of Sergeant is never referred to as "Sarge."

NCOs above Sergeant, despite having sergeant in their name, are never shortened to Sergeant; instead, they are referred to by either the full rank name or the rank nickname, e.g., "Gunnery Sergeant Smith" or "Gunny Smith."

During recruit training, recruits are indoctrinated to respond to every question by ending their answers with "sir."

Commandants

The Commandant of the Marine Corps functions as the highest-ranking officer of the Marine Corps, though may not be the senior officer in time and grade. He is the symbolic and functional head of the Corps, and holds a position of very high esteem among Marines. The commandant is responsible for keeping the Marine Corps in fighting condition and does not serve as a direct battlefield commander. The commandant is a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and reports to the Secretary of the Navy, but not to the Chief of Naval Operations.

The current and 33rd Commandant of the Marine Corps is General Michael W. Hagee, who assumed the command in January of 2003. As of October 2005, Marine Generals Peter Pace (Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff) and James L. Jones (Commander of the United States European Command; NATO Supreme Allied Commander, Europe; and a former commandant of the Marine Corps) are senior in time and grade to the commandant.

Appearance

Marines are often confused with Soldiers, who are members of United States Army. Both have significant differences in appearance: Marines do not wear berets, they wear boots only with their utility uniform and reflecting their naval heritage, Marines do not salute indoors, in the field, or when they are not wearing a "cover" (hat), however, if the Marine is "under arms" (carrying a weapon) the cover is worn indoors and thus would salute. The Marine service uniform, roughly equivalent to business attire, has a long- or short-sleeve khaki button-up shirt and olive-green trousers. The long-sleeved version is worn with a double Windsor knotted necktie. The equivalent Army uniform has a light-green long- or short-sleeve button-up shirt with forest-green trousers. Enlisted Marines wear their rank insignia on the sleeve of the service shirt, but Army privates and specialists wear their rank on the collar, and NCOs wear theirs on shoulder epaulets. Marine officers wear rank insignia on the collar, whereas Army officers wear their rank insignia in a similar manner as that of NCOs. In both cases, the shirt has a pointed collar and two front button-flap pockets; the tails are tucked in. The Marine class "A" service coat is olive green (as opposed to forest green for the Army) and has a waist-belt, formerly a Garrison belt for enlisted Marines and the Sam Browne belt for officers. The Marine service uniform is worn with either a barracks (service) cover, which has a bill and a round top, or a garrison cover, which comes to a peak. Marines are less generous with awards and unit identification; the rationale behind this being that as a member of an elite force, it is enough to be identified simply as a Marine. For example, with the exception of breast insignia denoting a few specialized qualifications such as airborne (parachute), pilot or scuba/rebreather qualification, and small red patches sewn on the utility trouser legs and covers of Landing Support Marines, Marines do not normally wear any insignia or device on their utility uniforms denoting their unit, MOS (military occupational specialty), or training.

Traditionally, Marine officers eschew the wearing of rank insignia in combat, on the theory that it simply makes them targets (as in Vietnam) and do not allow saluting in these situations. Enlisted Marines are supposed to know who their leaders are, regardless of whether they are wearing rank insignia. This attitude supports the conduct of amphibious operations, the most complex of all military maneuvers. During such a maneuver, units are typically scattered and without a traditional command structure. Leaders are anyone who takes the initiative to lead, an attribute that is stressed throughout Marine Corps training and doctrine.

Uniforms

Utility uniform

Differences in the utility uniform between U.S. Army soldiers and Marines tend to be seen by outsiders as very subtle. These differences include the following points:

• The cover (hat) of the utility uniform is constructed differently: Marine covers have eight sides and corners, and are generally worn "blocked," that is, creased and peaked, while the headgear of soldiers is left in its "natural" state.
• Marines wear cotton olive green-colored "skivvie" undershirts with their utility uniform, even in the desert (though brown "skivvie" shirts are now becoming more common due to the lengthy deployment in Iraq), whereas Soldiers wear brown undershirts with BDUs/DCUs and pale green undershirts with the ACU.
• Soldiers roll up the sleeves of their utility uniform so the camouflage is facing out. Marines tightly fold their sleeves so that the lighter-colored underside faces out (known as "white-side out").
• Marines "blouse" their boots, that is, they roll the cuffs of their trousers back inside and tighten them over the boots with an elastic cord or spring known as a boot band. On the other hand, Soldiers either blouse their boots or tuck their trousers directly into their boots. The blousing of boots tends to be an issue of military distinction, since some U.S. Army units, particularly Airborne forces, blouse their boots even when wearing dress uniforms.
• Marines do not wear any rank insignia or other device on the utility cover. The front of the utility cover has instead the Marine Corps Eagle, Globe, and Anchor emblem, and since the introduction of the MARPAT pattern, this insignia has been embroidered directly on the front--not ironed on as on previous covers.
• On their utility uniforms, Marine officers typically wear their rank insignia on both collars, while Army officers wear their rank insignia on their right collar and their branch insignia (such as infantry, armor, etc.) on their left collar. But since the introduction of the new Army Combat Uniform, wear their rank insignia on a flap located on the front of the ACU blouse. On the ACU, there is no branch insignia except for chaplains.
• In garrison, Marine officers typically wear collar insignia made of shiny metal, as opposed to the subdued stitched-on cloth insignia worn by Army officers. In combat, however, Marine officers typically choose to wear subdued versions of the collar insignia, in order to not draw unnecessary enemy attention on the battlefield.
• Marines wear a colored belt, often referred to as a "rigger's belt", that is color coded to represent their specific qualification under the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program.
• Marines used to wear black combat boots with the utility uniform, as do the Army and Air Force. However, in 2002, light-brown "rough-side out" (i.e., suede) leather combat boots were introduced, along with a new type of camouflage, the MARPAT uniform. (See photo.) Effective 1 October 2004, black combat boots were declared obsolete and no longer authorized for general wear by Marines. Exceptions are made for black safety boots worn for certain tasks, such as parachuting.

As of 1 October 2006, the old-style camouflage utility uniform worn by the Army and Air Force will be declared obsolete. The only utility uniform authorized for Marines will be the woodland and desert MARPAT (Marine Pattern) uniform. In 2004, both the Army and the Air Force announced plans to replace their old-style "pickle suit" camouflage utility uniforms with newer ACU and ABU designs similar to the Marine Corps pixelated MARPAT design. Many Soldiers have adopted the new uniforms, which, like the Marines, are paired with tan roughside-out full grain leather and nylon boots. In 2006, the Navy adopted a uniform identical to the Marines, except that the camoflague is worn only onboard ships or shore detachments where service uniforms are not appropriate, and have no tactical purpose.

Dress uniform

Marine's Dress uniform is the most elaborate of the United States armed forces. The most formal of a Marine's uniforms, due to its color it is often referred to as "Dress Blues," as opposed to the green and khaki service uniforms. Dress Blues have many forms. It is the only U.S. Military uniform that incorporates all three colors of the U.S. flag.

• Dress Blue "A" has a long-sleeved midnight blue (black) outer blouse with a standing collar, white barracks cover, with all medals and ribbons. A Mameluke Sword or NCO sword may be worn by officers, SNCOs and NCOs as authorized.
• Dress Blue "B" is the same as "A", but ribbons are worn instead of medals, and badges, whilst these are optional.
• Dress Blue "C" is same as "B" but without the outer blue coat. A khaki long sleeve shirt and tie are worn instead. Ribbons and badges are normally worn on the shirt.
• Dress Blue "D" is same as "C", but with a short sleeve khaki shirt and no tie. This may be worn with a khaki waist-length jacket.

All the blues have the same trousers, cover and shoes, and although the shoes do not have to be of one brand, they do have to be uniform. General officers have a two-inch wide scarlet blood stripe down the outer seam of each leg of their blue dress trousers; field and company grade officers have a 1 1/2-inch wide scarlet stripe down the outer seam of each leg of their blue dress trousers; and SNCOs and NCOs have a 1 1/8-inch wide scarlet stripe down the outer seam of each leg of their blue dress trousers. Like the U.S. Army, General officers wear trousers that are the same color as the coat, while other officers, SNCOs, and NCO's wear medium (sky) blue trousers.

Prior to 1998, only certain ceremonial Marine units, such as the Silent Drill Platoon, wore a blue and white dress uniform, in which white trousers were worn while performing ceremonial functions. This uniform is now authorized as the summer dress uniform for officers and SNCOs, unless they are in formation with NCOs and enlisted personnel, except for ceremonial units.

Culture

The Marine motto "Semper Fidelis" means "Always faithful" in Latin. This motto often appears in the shortened form "Semper Fi" It is also the name of the official march of the Corps, composed by John Phillip Sousa. Another motto commonly used in recruiting is The Few. The Proud. The Marines.

Colors and insignia

The colors of the Marine Corps are scarlet and gold. They appear on the flag of the United States Marine Corps, along with the Marine Corps emblem: the eagle, globe, and anchor, with the eagle representing service to the country, the globe representing worldwide service, and the anchor representing naval traditions. The emblem, adopted in its present form in 1868, derives partially from ornaments worn by the Continental Marines and the British Royal Marines, and is usually topped with a ribbon reading "Semper Fidelis". It is interesting to note that the eagle on the original design for the Marine Corps insignia was not a bald eagle, but a crested eagle. It was selected because while bald eagles are found only in North America crested eagles are found (like Marines) through out the world. The current Marine seal consists of the Marine Corps emblem in bronze but with a bald eagle instead of the crested eagle. The eagle is standing on the western hemisphere and is a holding a scroll with the Marine Corps motto, Semper Fidelis, on it. It is inscribed with gold letters, “Department of the Navy, United States Marine Corps.

Swords

Two styles of swords are worn by Marines. The Marine Corps officer sword is a Mameluke sword, similar to the Persian shamshir presented to Lt. Presley O'Bannon after the Battle of Derna during the First Barbary War. After its adoption in 1825 and initial distribution in 1826, Mameluke swords have been worn by Marine officers ever since, except during the period 1859-1875, when they were required to wear the Army's Model 1850 foot officers' sword.

Since 1859, Noncommissioned officers have worn a different style of sword, similar to the U.S. Army's foot officers' sword of the Civil War, making Marine NCOs along with U.S. Cavalry NCOs the only enlisted service members in the U.S. Armed Forces authorized to carry a sword.

Nicknames

Marines have several generic nicknames, mildly derogatory when used by outsiders but complimentary when used by Marines themselves. They include "jarhead" (it was said their hats on their uniform made them look like mason jars, or that the regulation "high and tight" haircut gave the appearance of a jar-lid), "gyrene" (perhaps a combination of "G.I." and "Marine"), "leatherneck", referring to the leather collar that was a part of the Marine uniform during the Revolutionary War period, and "Devil Dog" (German: Teufelhund) after the Battle of Belleau Wood.

This nicknaming extends to the Corps itself. The acronym 'USMC' is regularly reworked into "Uncle Sam's Misguided Children," or sometimes the "University of Science, Music, and Culture." Even Marines themselves have semi-derogatory nicknames for their Corps, with Marines during the Vietnam era labeling it "The Crotch" and Cold War era Marines preferring "The Suck."

In the 1991 Gulf War, Iraqi soldiers nicknamed the Marines "Angels of Death." Haitians called Marines participating in relief operations "whitesleeves" because of the way they roll up the sleeves of their utility uniform, colloquially called "cammies." In Somalia, they were referred to as "The Devils in black boots," due to their rapid deployment preventing them from acquiring desert boots.

Motivation Cry

A spirited cry, "Ooh-rah!", is common among Marines, being similar in function and purpose to the Army's "Hooah" cry. "Ooh-rah!" is usually either a reply in the affirmative to a question, an acknowledgment of an order, an expression of enthusiasm (real or false), or a greeting. Usage of the term appears to have begun sometime in the latter half of the 20th century, and there is little agreement or authoritative documentation on where, or why, the practice originated. A large number of apocryphal stories have arisen regarding the origin of the term, including imitations of submarine alarm klaxons, air raid sirens and modifications by english speakers of the word "kill" in languages such as Turkish and Russian.

Former Marines

Marines and those familiar with Marine Corps tradition will often object to the use of the term "ex-Marine," Marines are inculcated with the Marine ethos "Once a Marine, always a Marine." Former Marine refers to an individual that completed their service and has received an honorable or general discharge from the service. Marines who have retired are commonly called "retired Marines" vice "former Marines." While it remains the smallest military service, it has a large number of former members.

Initial training

Training for commissioned officers occurs through NROTC, the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps; OCS, Officer Candidate School, including the Platoon Leaders Class (PLC), or the United States Naval Academy. After that, all officers spend their first six months, regardless of accession route or further training requirements, at The Basic School at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia. The Basic School, solely for freshly commissioned second lieutenants learning the art of infantry and combined arms warfare, is an example of the Corps' approach to furthering the concept that "Every Marine is a rifleman."

Enlisted Marines attend boot camp, at either Marine Corps Recruit Depot (MCRD) San Diego or Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, just outside Beaufort, South Carolina. Women only attend the Parris Island depot, in the Fourth Recruit Training Battalion, while males who train at Parris Island comprise the First through Third Battalions. The Mississippi River serves as the dividing line which delineates who will be trained where (with some minor exceptions), based on what recruiting district the enlistee was recruited from. Marine recruit training is the longest of the other branches of the military with the length of 13 weeks of training compared to the Army's 8 to 9 weeks.

Enlisted Marines then attend School of Infantry training at Camp Lejeune or Camp Pendleton, generally based upon where the Marine received their recruit training. Infantry Marines begin their Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) training immediately with the Infantry Training Battalion (ITB), while all other Marines train with the Marine Combat Training (MCT) Battalion before continuing on to their MOS schools.

In 1997, the Marine Corps changed how it structured the training of female recruits. Prior to the change, female recruits trained at Parris Island two weeks longer than their male counterparts, but did not train in the MCT program. Afterwards, their training at Parris Island was consistent with male training and Camp Lejeune expanded MCT to encompass female Marines.

Martial arts program

In 2001, the Marine Corps initiated an internally designed martial arts program, called Marine Corps Martial Arts Program, or MCMAP for short. The idea was borrowed from the South Korean Marines, who train in martial arts and who, during the Vietnam War, were widely rumored to all hold black belts. Due to an expectation that urban and police-type peacekeeping missions would become more common in the 21st century, placing Marines in even closer contact with unarmed civilians, MCMAP was implemented to provide Marines with a larger and more versatile set of less-than-lethal options for controlling hostile, but unarmed individuals. It is also a stated aim of the program to instill and maintain the "warrior culture" within Marines.

The Marine Corps Martial Arts program is an eclectic mix of different styles of martial arts. MCMAP consists of boxing movements, joint locking techniques, opponent weight transfer (Jujutsu), ground grappling (mostly wrestling), bayonet, knife and baton fighting, noncompliance joint manipulations, and blood restriction chokes.

Marines begin MCMAP training in boot camp. There are 5 levels of MCMAP, signified by the color of a riggers belt. The colors from the lowest to the highest levels; Tan, Grey, Green, Brown, and Black. A minimum level of achievement is set for each rank level, including officers. Recruits and junior officers must earn a tan belt in initial training before being allowed to graduate. After entering the Fleet Marine Forces (FMF), Marines are allowed to progress further in MCMAP. Tan and Grey belts are considered the foundation of the movements in MCMAP, with succeeding belts building on those basic techniques. When a Marine reaches the level of Green belt, he has the opportunity to become an instructor or instructor trainer. This is represented by a tan stripe to the left of the buckle. At the brown belt level, a Marine must be at a minimum an instructor in MCMAP. The highest level in belts is the black belt which has 6 degrees indicated by red stripes to the right of the buckle.

Equipment

Infantry Weapons

• M14 designated marksman rifle
• M16 assault rifle
• M4 carbine
• M 203 grenade launcher
• M9 pistol
• M67 hand grenade
• M249 Squad Automatic Weapon
• M60 machine gun
• M240G machine gun
• M2 .50 Caliber heavy machine gun
• MK19 Automatic Grenade Launcher (40 mm)
• M224 60 mm mortar
• M252 81 mm mortar
• M40A3 Sniper Rifle

Anti-Armor Weapons

• Predator Short-Range Assault Weapon
• AT4 Anti-Tank Missile
• BGM-71 TOW anti-tank missile
• FGM-148 Javelin guided anti-tank missile

Ground vehicles

• M1 Abrams Main Battle Tank
• AAV-7A1 Amphibious Assault Vehicle
• LAV 25 Armoured Personnel Carrier
• High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV)
• MTVR
• D9R (IDF)-armored bulldozer

Aircraft

• AH-1W Super Cobra
• UH-1 Iroquois
• UH-1N Huey
• CH-46 Sea Knight
• CH-53D Sea Stallion
• CH-53E Super Stallion
• AV-8 Harrier II
• F/A-18 Hornet
• EA-6B Prowler
• KC-130 Hercules
• C-12 Huron
• H-3 Sea King
• VH-3D Sea King Presidential Helicopter
• VH-60N Blackhawk Presidential Helicopter
• V-22 Osprey
• RQ-2 Pioneer

Marine bases and stations

Relationship with the U.S. Navy

The U.S. Marine Corps reports to the Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV), head of the Department of the Navy. However, they are not part of the U.S. Navy, but rather a distinct branch of the military. The Commandant of the Marine Corps does not report to a naval officer (unless the chairman of the rotating joint chief of staff happens to be a Navy admiral). However, as the Navy often serves to deliver Marines to their deployments, Marines being transported on a naval vessel must obey the orders of its captain. Marine air squadrons deploy alongside Navy air squadrons on aircraft carriers or in aircraft carrier strike groups, but often have distinct missions and rarely fly on sorties together, except to directly support Marine ground troops.

The Navy's Blue Angels flight team includes at least one Marine pilot.

The United States Naval Academy trains Marine Corps officers, and in return, U.S. Navy officers are trained as Drill Instructors by Marine Corps NCOs, in addition to their Navy Recruit Division Commander.

Since the Marines do not train Chaplains or Hospital Corpsmen, officers and enlisted sailors from the Navy fill these roles, generally wearing Marine uniforms emblazoned with Navy insignia and markings in order to be noticeably distinct to compatriots, but indistinguishable to enemies. Navy Corpsmen and Chaplains are generally accepted as brother Marines and frequently prefer to stay with the Marines (even though the duty is usually harder) because of the "band of brothers" attitude that develops. These sailors operate under Marines' command under the auspices of the Fleet Marine Force.

The Marines also operate a network security team in conjunction with the Navy.

The Marines enjoy a stronger sense of camaraderie with sailors in the Navy compared with other branches of the military, with the sailors often being referred to as "Bluejackets."

Marine Corps Medal of Honor recipients wear the Navy variant of the award. Marines also may be awarded the Navy Cross.

Miscellaneous

• The United States Marines have recently agreed to supply a 2,700-strong unit which will report directly to U.S. Special Operations Command. The move, the result of years-long negotiations between the Defense Department, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld and Marine Corps Commandant General Michael W. Hagee, resulted in the creation of a new organization called Marine Forces Special Operations Command (MARSOC), activated on February 24, 2006.

• Marines guard U.S. embassies (Marine Corps Security Guard) and other foreign missions, in cooperation with the Diplomatic Security Service. Marines also stand guard at the White House.
• The president's helicopter is Marine One, part of HMX-1, at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia.

• The United States Marine Band, known as "The President's Own", is charged with providing music for the President of the United States and often plays during state functions.

• Academy Awards:
  • Four Marines have been nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor:
    • Lee Marvin (won for Cat Ballou)
    • Steve McQueen (nominated for The Sand Pebbles)
    • George C. Scott (won for Patton but returned the statue)
    • Gene Hackman (won for The French Connection). Gene Hackman also won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for Unforgiven.
  • Director Sam Peckinpah was nominated for the Academy Award for Writing Original Screenplay for The Wild Bunch.

See also

• Lists
  • List of weapons of the U.S. Marine Corps
  • List of United States Marine Corps Bases
  • List of famous U.S. Marines
• Force Reconnaissance
• Radio Reconnaissance Platoon
• United States Marine Corps Women's Reserve (USMCWR)
• Commandant's Own Drum and Bugle Corps
• Marine
• General Orders for Sentries
• Five paragraph order
• Rifleman's Creed
• Iron Mike

References

1. Milks, Keith A. "Ensuring 'Every Marine a Rifleman' is more than just a catch-phrase", 22 MEU, USMC, May 8, 2003.
2. The devil dog legend
3. History of Marine Corps Aviation - World War One, AcePilots.com.
4. Marines in World War II Commemorative Series, Marine Corps Historical Center.
5. Marine Corps History, GlobalSecurity.org.
6. USMC Fast Facts, History Division, United States Marine Corps.
7. "The preannounced landing of U.S. Marines was witnessed by millions of U.S. primetime television viewers", United States Naval Aviation, 1910-1995, U.S. Navy publication. (PDF file, see 1992, December 9, p. 16)
8. Rogers, Rick. "Safety's in Fashion:Marines may go back to Iraq in high-visibilty uniforms as psychological move toward reducing attacks", Sign on San Diego.com, January 3, 2004.
9. Allison, John. "Force Protection During Urban Operations"
10. Graham, Bradley. "Elite Marine Unit to Help Fight Terrorism, Force to Be Part of Special Operations", Washington Post, November 2, 2005.

• Marine Corps Uniform Regulations, accessed December 26, 2005
• United States Marine Corps, Report on Marine Corps Duplication of Effort between Army and Navy 17 December 1932. Contains a very detailed account of almost all the actions of the Continental Marines and USMC until 1932. It's available in scanned TIFF format from the archives of the Marine Corps University.

External links

• USMC Official Web site
• United States Marine Corps History and Museums Division
• Marine Corps Heritage Foundation
• Marine Corps League
• Leatherneck.com — Marine Corps community for USMC Veterans
• Marines.com — information on U.S. Marine Corps
• Commandant's Own Drum & Bugle Corps
• History of the Marine Corps Martial Art Program
• Marine Corps Engineer Association

Other military links

• The official website of the United States Department of Defense
• U.S. Army
• U.S. Navy
• U.S. Air Force
• U.S. Coast Guard

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