United States Marine Forces, Europe
Encyclopedia
United States Marine Corps Forces Europe (also known as MARFOREUR), headquartered in Panzerkaserne-Barracks
in Böblingen
, Germany
, is the U.S. Marine Corps component of the U.S. European Command.
and the Chief of Naval Operations
revised the operational task sharing between both referring branches of the armed forces in a memorandum
. Hitherto the USMC had a supporting role within the United States Naval Forces Europe (NAVEUR)
. When that agreement came into effect on July 1, 1980, Headquarters, Fleet Marine Force
Europe, the predecessor of the present unit, was founded in London
including an independent 40-person staff as a Designed Component Command, to act as a Command Unit for further formations to be put under EUCOM-Command in case of a crisis situation. That staff immediately began preparing operation plans for optimal replenishment and deployment when required. FMF Europe arranged Marine support for Operation Provide Comfort
, Operation Provide Promise, and Operation Deny Flight
. To match increasing challenges better, headquarters were transferred to Böblingen near Stuttgart
on November 8, 1993. In February 1994 the headquarters was renamed MARFOREUR.
MARFOREUR is now dual-hatted as Marine Corps Forces, Africa, since November 2008.
MARFOREUR serves as a headquarters and liaison organization for USMC efforts in the EUCOM area of responsibility. In normal circumstances Marine elements in the theatre are few - routinely, the Marine Expeditionary Unit
attached to United States Sixth Fleet, and possibly other small units and detachments. Yet the HQ makes it possible to call upon forces from II Marine Expeditionary Force (II MEF), based at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. This force comprises the 2nd Marine Division, the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing
, and the 2nd Marine Logistics Group
, formerly known as the 2nd Force Service Support Group.
II MEF would also supply forces for the Norway Air-Landed Marine Expeditionary Brigade (NALMEB). NALMEB is a remnant NATO Cold War
reinforcement organization, and would have come under command of Allied Forces Northern Europe
. Significant equipment storage for a MEB is located in northern Norway, and administered in the continental United States by Blount Island Command
. The Norwegian Government has integrated the presence of a MEB into its defense planning, and thus has probably slightly reduced the size of its armed forces in consequence.
Yet the tasking is now more theoretical than real, as the last confirmed deployment was Exercise Battle Griffin in 1991, in which the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, made up from USMCR reserve units due to Operation Desert Storm, made the first test of the concept. The exercise was conducted in February and March 1991 and the Brigade was made up of the 25th Marines regimental headquarters, 3rd Battalion, 25th Marines (infantry), Company E, 4th Reconnaissance Battalion, and 1st Battalion, 14th Marines (artillery).
Barracks
Barracks are specialised buildings for permanent military accommodation; the word may apply to separate housing blocks or to complete complexes. Their main object is to separate soldiers from the civilian population and reinforce discipline, training and esprit de corps. They were sometimes called...
in Böblingen
Böblingen
Böblingen is a town in Baden-Württemberg, Germany, seat of Böblingen District. Physically Sindelfingen and Böblingen are continuous.-History:Böblingen was founded by Count Wilhelm von Tübingen-Böblingen in 1253. Württemberg acquired the town in 1357, and on 12 May 1525 one of the bloodiest battles...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, is the U.S. Marine Corps component of the U.S. European Command.
History
In February 1980 the Commandant of the Marine CorpsCommandant of the Marine Corps
The Commandant of the Marine Corps is normally the highest ranking officer in the United States Marine Corps and is a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff...
and the Chief of Naval Operations
Chief of Naval Operations
The Chief of Naval Operations is a statutory office held by a four-star admiral in the United States Navy, and is the most senior uniformed officer assigned to serve in the Department of the Navy. The office is a military adviser and deputy to the Secretary of the Navy...
revised the operational task sharing between both referring branches of the armed forces in a memorandum
Memorandum
A memorandum is from the Latin verbal phrase memorandum est, the gerundive form of the verb memoro, "to mention, call to mind, recount, relate", which means "It must be remembered ..."...
. Hitherto the USMC had a supporting role within the United States Naval Forces Europe (NAVEUR)
United States Naval Forces Europe
United States Naval Forces Europe is the United States Navy component of the United States European Command and provides forces for United States African Command....
. When that agreement came into effect on July 1, 1980, Headquarters, Fleet Marine Force
Fleet Marine Force
The United States Fleet Marine Forces are combined general and special purpose forces within the United States Department of the Navy that are designed in engaging offensive amphibious or expeditionary warfare and defensive maritime employment...
Europe, the predecessor of the present unit, was founded in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
including an independent 40-person staff as a Designed Component Command, to act as a Command Unit for further formations to be put under EUCOM-Command in case of a crisis situation. That staff immediately began preparing operation plans for optimal replenishment and deployment when required. FMF Europe arranged Marine support for Operation Provide Comfort
Operation Provide Comfort
Operation Provide Comfort and Provide Comfort II were military operations by the United States and some of its Gulf War allies, starting in April 1991, to defend Kurds fleeing their homes in northern Iraq in the aftermath of the Persian Gulf War and deliver humanitarian aid to them.-Operation...
, Operation Provide Promise, and Operation Deny Flight
Operation Deny Flight
Operation Deny Flight was a North Atlantic Treaty Organization operation that began on April 12, 1993 as the enforcement of a United Nations no-fly zone over Bosnia and Herzegovina...
. To match increasing challenges better, headquarters were transferred to Böblingen near Stuttgart
Stuttgart
Stuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million ....
on November 8, 1993. In February 1994 the headquarters was renamed MARFOREUR.
MARFOREUR is now dual-hatted as Marine Corps Forces, Africa, since November 2008.
Organization
Currently, MARFOREUR has a manning level of 1,500 Marines, of which about 100 serve at headquarters in Böblingen.MARFOREUR serves as a headquarters and liaison organization for USMC efforts in the EUCOM area of responsibility. In normal circumstances Marine elements in the theatre are few - routinely, the Marine Expeditionary Unit
Marine Expeditionary Unit
A Marine expeditionary unit , formerly called Marine amphibious unit , is the smallest Marine air-ground task force in the United States Fleet Marine Force...
attached to United States Sixth Fleet, and possibly other small units and detachments. Yet the HQ makes it possible to call upon forces from II Marine Expeditionary Force (II MEF), based at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. This force comprises the 2nd Marine Division, the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing
2nd Marine Aircraft Wing
The 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing is the major east coast aviation unit of the United States Marine Corps and is based at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina...
, and the 2nd Marine Logistics Group
2nd Marine Logistics Group
The 2nd Marine Logistics Group is a logistics unit of the United States Marine Corps and is headquartered at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. 2nd MLG was formerly known as 2nd Force Service Support Group , reorganized with its sister FSSGs into Marine Logistics Groups in 2005...
, formerly known as the 2nd Force Service Support Group.
II MEF would also supply forces for the Norway Air-Landed Marine Expeditionary Brigade (NALMEB). NALMEB is a remnant NATO Cold War
Cold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
reinforcement organization, and would have come under command of Allied Forces Northern Europe
Allied Forces Northern Europe
Allied Forces Northern Europe was the most northern NATO command located at Kolsås outside Oslo. It was part of Allied Command Europe from around 1952 to 2003...
. Significant equipment storage for a MEB is located in northern Norway, and administered in the continental United States by Blount Island Command
Blount Island Command
Blount Island Command is responsible for the United States Marine Corps' Maritime Prepositioning Ships Maintenance Cycle operations and oversight of the Marine Corps Prepositioning Program-Norway .-History:...
. The Norwegian Government has integrated the presence of a MEB into its defense planning, and thus has probably slightly reduced the size of its armed forces in consequence.
Yet the tasking is now more theoretical than real, as the last confirmed deployment was Exercise Battle Griffin in 1991, in which the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, made up from USMCR reserve units due to Operation Desert Storm, made the first test of the concept. The exercise was conducted in February and March 1991 and the Brigade was made up of the 25th Marines regimental headquarters, 3rd Battalion, 25th Marines (infantry), Company E, 4th Reconnaissance Battalion, and 1st Battalion, 14th Marines (artillery).