The Role of the Marine Corps in Rapid Deployment Forces,
Abstract
Since 1 October 1979, when President Carter announced that rapid deployment forces would be used to meet contingencies anywhere in the world, the sense of urgency surrounding such forces has become more pronounced. On 1 March 1980, the headquarters for the Rapid Deployment Joint Task Force was established at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, with forces assigned from all the services. In early 1983, this task force took on the status of a unified command when it became the US Central Command (CENTCOM), with the mission of directing rapid deployments of elements assigned from the various armed services. At each stage, the concept of rapid deployment forces has been controversial. The creation of CENTCOM, although significant, did not necessarily mean the resolution of the many issues surrounding the worldwide rapid deployment concept. Although written before the establishment of CENTCOM, this essay remains valuable for its addressal of rapid deployment issues from a US Marine Corps perspective. After analyzing the evolution of the concept and the characteristics of and constraints on rapid deployment forces, the essay concludes that the Marine Corps is uniquely qualified for certain rapid deployment missions.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 1983
- Accession Number
- ADA140827
Entities
People
- D. A. Quinlan
Organizations
- National Defense University