United States Marine Corps Forces Command Explained

Unit Name:	United States Marine Corps Forces Command
Dates:	13 July 1992 – present (as Marine Corps Forces Atlantic)
Commander1 Label:	Commander
Commander2 Label:	Deputy Commander
Commander3:	SgtMaj Aaron G. McDonald
Commander3 Label:	Sergeant Major
Identification Symbol Label:	Marine Corps Forces Northern Command

The Commander, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Command (COMMARFORCOM), headquartered at the Naval Support Activity Hampton Roads in Norfolk, Virginia, commands service retained-operating forces; executes force sourcing and synchronization to affect force generation actions in the provisioning of joint capable Marine Corps forces, and directs deployment planning and execution of service retained-operating forces in support of Combatant Commander (CCDR) and service requirements; serves as Commanding General, Fleet Marine Force, Atlantic (CG FMFLANT) and commands embarked Marine Corps forces; coordinates Marine Corps-Navy integration of operational initiatives and advises CDR U.S. Fleet Forces Command (USFF) on support to Marine Corps forces assigned to naval ships, bases, and installations; conducts Service directed operational tasks as required. COMMARFORCOM is also the Commander, Marine Corps Forces Northern Command (MARFORNORTH), the Marine service component command of U.S. Northern Command.

History

It was established on 13 July 1992 as Marine Corps Forces, Atlantic (MARFORLANT), and was renamed Marine Corps Forces Command on 30 December 2005. Between 1994 and 1997 its headquarters was briefly moved to Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, before returning to Norfolk. The Commander of Marine Forces Atlantic (since 2005 the Marine Corps Forces Command) is also simultaneously the Commanding General, Fleet Marine Force, Atlantic (FMFLANT).^[1]

During the 1990s, Marine Forces Atlantic was one of the two active field commands of the Marine Corps, along with the U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific (MARFORPAC). The Commander of MARFORLANT (and later MARFORCOM) was also simultaneously the Commander-designate of Marine Corps Forces Europe (MARFOREUR) and Marine Corps Forces South (MARFORSOUTH), while the Commander of MARFORPAC was the Commander-designate for Marine Corps Forces Central Command (MARCENT) and Marine Corps Forces Korea (MARFORK).^[2] The "designate" commands had a minimal staff during peacetime that would be activated and become part of a larger component command in the event of a war.^[3]

In 2015, both Marine Forces Europe/Africa and Marine Forces South became fully independent headquarters with dedicated commanders.^{[4] [5]}

In 2020, the responsibility for leading Marine Corps Forces Northern Command (MARFORNORTH) was transferred to the commander of MARFORCOM, after previously being held by the commander of the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve.^{[6] [7]}

Organization

As COMMARFORCOM, commands Service retained-operational forces. As CG FMFLANT, commands Service retained-operational forces embarked aboard Naval shipping. As COMMARFORNORTH, advises the U.S. Northern Command on the usage of Marine Corps forces in homeland defense operations.

• Status and Command Relationships. MARFORCOM is a Service retained component headquarters with the following command relationships.
  • COMMARFORCOM reports to the Commandant of the Marine Corps (CMC).
  • COMMARFORCOM commands and exercises administrative control (ADCON) of the following subordinate commands:
    • II Marine Expeditionary Force (II MEF)
    • Headquarters and Service Battalion, U.S. Marine Corps Forces Command (HQSVCBN)
    • Marine Corps Security Cooperation Group (MCSCG)
    • Marine Corps Security Force Regiment (MCSFR)
    • Marine Corps Embassy Security Group (MCESG)
    • Chemical Biological Incident Response Force (CBIRF)
    • Marine Corps Information Command (MARCOR INFOCOM). The Commander of Marine Corps Forces Cyberspace Command serves as the Commanding General (CG) of MARCOR INFOCOM.

See also

U.S. Armed Forces operations commands

• United States Army Forces Command
• United States Fleet Forces Command
• Air Combat Command
• Space Operations Command

References

This article incorporates text in the public domain from the United States Marine Corps.

• Web site: Marine Forces Command website. 14 September 2011. United States Marine Corps.

Notes and References

1. https://www.usmcu.edu/Portals/218/MARINE%20CORPS%20FORCES%20COMMAND.pdf MARINE CORPS FORCES COMMAND
2. https://www.usmcu.edu/Portals/218/HD/Status%20of%20Forces/1986-2000/March%201998.pdf?ver=2019-03-27-093555-500&timestamp=1553780712849 Current Operations
3. https://www.marforeur.marines.mil/About/History/ History of Marine Forces Europe and Africa
4. Hodge Seck, Hope (30 June 2015). 1-star becomes first dedicated commander of Marine Forces South. Military Times. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
5. Beardsley, Steven (18 August 2015). Marines to place Europe-Africa command under 2-star in Germany. Stars and Stripes. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
6. https://www.marines.mil/News/Messages/Messages-Display/Article/2439490/transfer-of-authority-of-marfornorth-from-commarforres-to-commarforcom/ TRANSFER OF AUTHORITY OF MARFORNORTH FROM COMMARFORRES TO COMMARFORCOM
7. https://www.dvidshub.net/image/6448581/us-marine-corps-forces-northern-command-transfer-authority-us-marine-corps-forces-command U.S. Marine Corps Forces Northern Command Transfer of Authority to U.S. Marine Corps Forces Command
8. Web site: Former Commanders. 1 February 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20010702211652/http://www.marforlant.usmc.mil/bios/MFLComdrs.htm. 2 July 2001. United States Marine Corps Forces, Atlantic.