Profile Facts: United States Marine Corps

The United States Marine Corps (USMC) is a branch of the United States armed forces responsible for providing force projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to rapidly deliver combined-arms task forces. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States. In the civilian leadership structure of the United States military, the Marine Corps is a component of the United States Department of the Navy, often working closely with U.S. naval forces for training, transportation, and logistic purposes; however, in the military leadership structure the Marine Corps is a separate branch.

Captain Samuel Nicholas formed two battalions of Continental Marines on 10 November 1775 in Philadelphia as naval infantry. Since then, the mission of the Marine Corps has evolved with changing military doctrine and American foreign policy. The Marine Corps has served in every American armed conflict and attained prominence in the 20th century when its theories and practices of amphibious warfare proved prescient and ultimately formed the cornerstone of the Pacific campaign of World War II. By the mid-20th century, the Marine Corps had become the dominant theorist and practitioner of amphibious warfare. Its ability to rapidly respond on short notice to expeditionary crises gives it a strong role in the implementation and execution of American foreign policy.

The United States Marine Corps includes just over 203,000 active duty Marines (as of October 2009) and just under 40,000 reserve Marines. It is the smallest of the United States' armed forces in the Department of Defense (the United States Coast Guard is smaller, about one-fifth the size of the Marine Corps, but is normally under the Department of Homeland Security). The Marine Corps is nonetheless larger than the armed forces of many significant military powers; for example, it is larger than the active duty Israel Defense Forces, or the entire British Army.

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Photo credit: LCpl Andres J. Lugo, Feb 22, 2010.

Operation Moshtarak (Together or Joint) is an ongoing ISAF offensive in Helmand Province with a focus on the Nad Ali and Lashkargah districts, part of the War in Afghanistan (2001–present). Sometimes known as the "Marjah Offensive" due to the comabt in Marja, it began on February 12, 2010 to root out Taliban insurgency and opium trafficking. With the majority of forces from the Afghan National Army, most of the Regional Command South forces were drawn from Task Force Leatherneck, U.S. Army, British, Canadian, and other international forces.

Read more about the Operation Moshtarak. For previous articles, see Archive.

Selected picture

Photo credit: Cpl. James L. Yarboro, USMC, 28 March 2005.

A Marine guides the driver of a High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV or Humvee) through a river as they negotiate through the rugged terrain of Khost Province, Afghanistan, on March 28, 2005. The Marines of Kilo Company, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, conducted security and stabilization operations in the Khost Province in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

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Quotes

"Retreat? Hell, we just got here!"

— Lloyd W. Williams, June 1, 1918 when advised to withdraw from the Battle of Belleau Wood; later the motto of 2nd Battalion 5th Marines

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New articles relating to the United States Marine Corps

Marble Mountain Air Facility —15 Sept 2010

Gordon D. Gayle—07 June 2010

Lewis G. Merritt—07 June 2010

Combat Logistics Battalion 46—09 Feb 2010

United States Marine Corps History Division—2 February 2010

3rd Intelligence Battalion—23 January 2010

James M. Masters, Sr.—11 January 2010

MALS-40—17 Jan 2010

Archive

Marines in the news

James Conway's tenure as Commandant will end Nov. 13, 2010. The sitting Assistant Commandant, James F. Amos, was nominated by President Barack Obama on July 20th to succeed Conway. If confirmed by the Senate Armed Services Committee, his appointment would break the tradition of the Commandant being held by an infantry officer.

The first MV-22 Osprey to be permanently stationed on the west coast was delivered to VMM-161 at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar. The squadron will be the first of 10 within 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing to transfer to the Osprey, with 8 at Miramar, the remaining two at Marine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton. The five east coast squadrons from 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing included VMMs -162, -261, -263, -264, -266, and -365.

Marine special operators at MARSOC may receive a unique Military Occupational Specialty to reflect their status.(Marine Corps Times, Dec 7 2009 issue, p. 18)

More USMC-related news can be found at usmc.mil or Marine Corps Times.

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Did you know...

...that the Marine Corps accounts for approximately six percent of the military budget of the United States?

...that Cpl Matt Bradford was the first blind double amputee to reenlist in the Corps?

...that reservist LtCol Rob Riggle's only deployment to Iraq has been as a correspondant for The Daily Show?

...that Marine aviation began on May 22, 1912, when Lt Alfred Cunningham reported to Naval Aviation Camp at Annapolis, Maryland to become the first Marine Naval Aviator?

This month in Marine history

On October 16, 1820, Commandant Anthony Gale was found guilty of conduct unbecoming an officer at a court-martial, fired from his post, and removed from the Corps.

On October 18, 1859, Marines, under the command of Robert E. Lee, quelled John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry.

On October 21, 1944, V Amphibious Corps supported the Army at the Battle of Leyte.

On October 23, 1983, 241 Marines, sailors, and soldiers from 1st Battalion 8th Marines were killed in a bombing of their barracks at Beirut International Airport.

On October 25, 1983, the 22nd Marine Amphibious Unit invaded Grenada during Operation Urgent Fury.

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