The Operational Implications of the Forward-Deployed MAGTF in a Joint Environment
Abstract
For over 200 years the Unites States has maintained a Navy/Marine team prepared to respond to crisis. During the 20th Century, Marine Corps structure continued to define its forward-deployed presence as an integral part of the national security strategy. This strategy of engagement and enlargement coupled with shrinking budgets, drawdown of forces, and increase in lattoral flashpoints propelled the Navy/Marine team into a keystone role. Future U.S. response to hotspots will likely be in the form of CONUS based joint task forces. However, future joint operations will need to be more than mere multi-service deployments. Future joint operations must demonstrate true interoperability. The ability of these joint task forces to leverage the advantages of the forward-deployed MAGTF may be the difference between success and failure. This monograph explains the background behind the MAGTF concept, and then examines the capabilities and operational implications of the most frequently used MAGTF, the MEU(SOC). The MEU's unique skills, equipment, and sea basing make it ideal for supporting a joint task force in a dangerous and uncertain lattoral environment. The intended result is a document joint planners can use to determine what the MEU(SOC) offers, as well as specific ideas on how to best leverage this capability. This monograph provides answers for planners faced with integrating a forward-deployed MAGTF into joint operations.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 22, 1997
- Accession Number
- ADA331387
Entities
People
- Mastin M. Robeson
Organizations
- United States Army Command and General Staff College