Marine Forces Pacific [MarForPac]
US Marine Forces Central Command (MARCENT)
The Marine Corps has established two combatant command-level Service component commands: Marine Corps Forces, Atlantic, and Marine Corps Forces, Pacific. The I and III Marine Expeditionary Forces are provided by Commander, Marine Corps Forces, Pacific, to the Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Command. This assignment reflects the peacetime disposition of Marine Corps forces. Marine expeditionary forces are apportioned to the remaining geographic combatant commands for contingency planning and are provided to the combatant commands when directed by the Secretary of Defense. From a strictly military standpoint, America's only identified major regional contingencies -- Korea, and Southwest Asia -- lie within MARFORPAC's area and scope of responsibility.
MARFORPAC, headquartered at Camp H. M. Smith in Hawaii, is the largest field command in the U.S. Marine Corps. Like MarForLant on the United States’ east coast, MarForPac commands all Marine bases and stations on the west coast and throughout the Pacific. MarForPac reflects three primary focuses of Service componency: planning for and responding to CinC taskings, providing a deployable component headquarters for an MTW, and representing subordinate commands’ Service-specific, Title X issues. MarForPac commands two-thirds of the Corps’ combat power and is responsible to two geographical CinCs (Pacific and Central Command) and one subunified CinC (Korea). Its forces are based in the Pacific, a geographical area widely recognized as the future strategic focus. MarForPac executes extensive Title X functions. The combination of MarForPac’s Operating Forces, Title X, and Fleet Marine Force Pacific (FMFPac) command and bases/stations responsibilities provide unity of command for over 80,000 Marines and sailors. For these reasons, MarForPac’s responsibilities are markedly broader than other Marine Corps components.
Forward deployed forces both ashore and afloat, and forces stationed in the United States are led by the Force Commander. MARFORPAC has two major subordinate commands. First Marine Expeditionary Force -- or I MEF, is headquartered at Camp Pendleton, California. Third Marine Expeditionary Force -- or III MEF, is headquartered on the island of Okinawa, Japan. Most of III MEF is in Japan. However, an Air-Ground-Logistics Team of 6,800 is located in Hawaii.
MARFORPAC is also Commander, Marine Corps Bases Pacific. As such, he commands the Marine Corps bases and stations from Arizona and California, through Hawaii and Japan that have operational forces assigned. The dual command of operational forces and supporting installations ensures unity of effort for such issues as mobilization and deployment for contingencies, disaster response, and prioritization of military construction and other major funding programs.
Gen. Holland M. Smith established the Headquarters for Fleet Marine Forces Pacific in 1944 to command and resource Pacific Marine Forces of nearly 500,000. At that time, FMFPAC included six Marine divisions and five Aircraft Wings. MarForPac moved into the present Headquarters -- an abandoned World War II Hospital -- in 1955. This Camp is dedicated to General Smith. At that time, as FMFPAC, this Headquarters worked for the Navy -- the U.S. Pacific Fleet. . However, in 1992, Marine Forces Pacific was designated a Service Component Headquarters. Today MarForPac has three operational bosses: the Commander-in-Chief Pacific Command, Commander-in-Chief Central Command and Commander, U.S. Forces Korea. MarForPac is also responsible to the Commandant of the Marine Corps.
When MARFORPAC provides forces to the CINCs, they are provided as Task-Organized Air, Ground and Logistics Teams. The size of a Task Force may vary, but it's usually a balanced force of Air, Ground, and Combat Service Support Elements -- organized around a Command Element. This structure is unique to the Marine Corps and results in a Combined Arms Team that gives the Commander maximum flexibility and firepower in his A-O-R. MARFORPAC bases and stations are the "Fifth Element" of the MAGTF. They provide the means by which MARFORPAC develops, trains and maintains a modern force, and serve as the platforms from which MARFORPAC projects expeditionary power by deploying and maintaining MAGTFs.
U.S. Marine Forces Pacific exercises Executive Agency over two of the Marine Corps' three M-P-S Squadrons -- MPS-2 based at Diego Garcia, and MPS-3 based on Guam. Both provide a quick-response sail time to Southwest Asia, Korea and a wide range of potential trouble spots. Additionally, there are two aviation logistics ships with the capability to provide our MAGTFs an intermediate aviation maintenance facility afloat. These ships are set aside to be rapidly loaded with the same aviation test equipment, mobile facilities, and spare parts used every day by operating forces. The Maritime Prepositioning Force Concept calls for Marines and Sailors to fly into a benign or secured airfield to link up with the ships. More than 17,000 Marines and Sailors can be flown in on fewer than 250 aircraft sorties. If the equipment on the ships had to be flown in with the Marines and Sailors, it would take more than 3,000 sorties.
There are two peacetime Marine Component Headquarters, located with the U.S. Central Command at Mac Dill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida, and with the U.S. Forces Command in Korea. These headquarters function primarily as planning and liaison headquarters to support peacetime engagement and wartime missions in those theaters. A forward coordination element is located in Bahrain to coordinate engagement activities in the Middle East.
US Marine Forces Central Command (MARCENT)
Although there are five Marine Corps components, there are only two Marine Corps component commands. The Commander, Marine Corps Forces, Pacific, is assigned to the Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Command. The Commander, Marine Corps Forces, Pacific, is designated as the Marine Corps component commander to the Commander in Chief, U.S. Central Command (CINCUSCENTCOM). MARFORPAC is responsible for the MARCENT A-O-R. It includes 25 nations of diverse political, economic, cultural and geographic make ups. The Central Region is an area larger than the Continental U-S, stretching more than 3,100 miles East-to-West and 3,400 miles North-to-South.
It features mountain ranges with elevations of more than 24,000 feet -- desert areas below sea level and temperatures ranging from below freezing to 130 degrees Fahrenheit. The Arabian Sea -- Red Sea -- Arabian Gulf and part of the Indian Ocean are included in this region. Three of the world's major religions -- Christianity, Judaism and Islam -- have their roots here. The region contains the major maritime trade routes which link the Middle East, Europe, Asia and the Western Hemisphere. Petroleum products which fuel the economies of European and Asian allies pass through three maritime choke points in the region: the Strait of Hormuz, the Suez Canal and the Bab El Mandab.
Commander, United States Marine Forces Central Command (MARCENT) located at Camp Smith, Hawaii, provides Marine expeditionary forces capable of conducting a wide range of operations, offering the Command a responsive and unique set of capabilities. Marines embarked aboard U.S. Navy amphibious ships deploy regularly to the region, organized as Marine Air Ground Task Forces (MAGTF). As Marine Expeditionary Units (Special Operations Capable), these forces provide a potent mix of capabilities that can project expeditionary combat power rapidly to any location in the region. While afloat in the Central Region, they serve as a visible deterrent force, train continuously, and participate in a wide range of engagement activites.
In addition to providing MAGTFs deployed aboard U.S. Navy ships, MARCENT has the proven capability to deploy MAGTFs to the Central Region by air or fast sea transport. These Marines can marry-up with prepositioned equipment, providing USCENTCOM with a rapid response capability across the spectrum of military operations.
In late January 2002 Lt. Gen. Earl B. Hailston, the commander of Marine Forces Pacific [MarForPac] and US Marine Forces Central Command (MARCENT), moved along with nearly half his staff of 500 Marines to Bahrain. This was the first time the Marine Corps commander had his headquarters there, other than for training exercises. General Hailston kept more than 200 members of the staff at Camp H. M. Smith, and shuttled between Hawaii and Bahrain.
