Making Marines... Winning Battles... - GlobalSecurity.org

Marine Air Ground
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MEU Overview
Since World War II, in nearly every crisis the United States has deployed
projection forces, the first military units to move ashore one of America’s Fleet
Marine Forces. These forces, with sufficient sustainability for prolonged operations,
have been organized into Marine Air Ground Task Forces (MAGTF) — a combination
of air, ground and support assets.
MAGTFs are established for
specific missions, or in anticipation
of a wide range of possible
missions. Combining air, ground
and logistic assets maximizes the
combat power of each of the war
fighting elements.
MAGTFs have long provided
the United States with a broad
spectrum of response options
when U.S. and allied interests have
been threatened and in noncombat
situations which require instant
response to crisis. Selective, timely and credible commitment of air-ground units
have, on many occasions, helped bring stability to a region and sent signals
worldwide to aggressors that the United States is not only willing to defend its
interests, but able to do so with a significantly powerful force on extremely short
notice.
The Marine Expeditionary
Unit (MEU) is the
smallest of the MAGTFs.
Together with its Navy
brethren, they serve as
the nation’s forward
deployed, quick-response
team, capable of accomplishing
numerous
missions around the
globe.
The MEU, directed
by a single commander, is
comprised of approximately
2,100 Marines and
Sailors, embarked aboard
three ships configured as an amphibious ready group (ARG), which is commanded
by an amphibious squadron (PHIBRON).
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