Blount Island Command

Blount Island Command (BICmd) is responsible for the United States Marine Corps' Maritime Prepositioning Ships (MPS) Maintenance Cycle operations and oversight of the Marine Corps Prepositioning Program-Norway (MCPP-N). It is located on the east side of Blount Island.

History

The concept of a Maritime Prepositioning Force (MPF) was first envisioned during the late 1970s. The initial program, established in 1979, was called the Near Term Prepositioning Force (NTPF). NTPF used existing operational force equipment and supplies to load on available ships belonging to the Military Sealift Command (MSC). These ships were based in Diego Garcia and initial equipment and ship maintenance was done in Naha, Okinawa and Subic Bay Naval Base. The Marine Corps immediately recognized the advantages of prepositioning equipment and seized the opportunity to improve combat readiness.

In March 1983, the Commandant of the Marine Corps directed Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany to acquire the assets for the MPF program. MSC leased thirteen ships for the MPF program. The ships were formed into three Maritime Prepositioning Squadrons (MPSRONs). MPSRON 1 and 2 were loaded in Wilmington, North Carolina and MPSRON 3 was loaded in Panama City, Florida. The ammunition for all three squadrons was loaded at Military Ocean Terminal, Sunny Point, North Carolina.

Property leased

In 1986, the Marine Corps established the Biennial Maintenance Command (BMC) at Blount Island, Jacksonville, Florida on leased from Gate Maritime Properties (GMP) for $11M per year. In 1989, Blount Island Command was established as a subordinate command to Marine Corps Logistics Bases, Albany, Georgia.

Property purchased

The lease between GMP and the Marine Corps was due to end in 2004, and in 2000, the Corps stated their intentions to purchase the property when the lease expired. The Marine Corps budget included $115.7 million for the acquisition, but extended negotiations did not result in an agreement. GMP contended that the land was worth between $160 million and $200 million, so in August 2004, the Marine Corps seized on Blount Island (GMP's entire Blount Island holdings) by eminent domain and initially paid $101 million. When land is seized by eminent domain for uses that benefit the public, the government is required to pay landowners "just compensation", so GMP asked for a jury to decide the land's value. On November 14, 2005, a jury determined that the government must pay $160 million for the parcel.

Facility

The base falls under the command of the Marine Corps Logistics Command located at Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany, Georgia. The portion of the Blount Island currently occupied by Blount Island Command began transitioning to become a Marine Corps Logistics Base in 2005. As of 2010, $55 million had been spent on projects to expand capabilities and improve security, including better fencing and gate access. Blount Island offered a variety of advantages not available at any other site, including:
* A private slipway with 5 large vessel berths located only from the St. Johns River outlet
* Proximity to Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany, Georgia
* Access to a large industrial base and Navy support structure in Jacksonville, Florida.
* Over of staging immediately adjacent to the pier and maintenance area.
* Overflow staging and maintenance capacity for MPS offload and throughput training.

Operation

Each Maritime Prepositioning Ship (MPS) can supply a Marine Expeditionary Unit (MCPP-N) programs.

Maritime Prepositioning Force (MPF)

The MPF concept provides for rapid deployment of personnel and equipment of a Marine Air Ground Task Force (MAGTF), by aircraft, to link up with prepositioned equipment and supplies embarked aboard forward deployed Maritime Prepositioning Ships (MPS). They do require an airfield for air delivery of MAGTF personnel close to a benign port and/or beach for offload of equipment. MPS have no inherent forcible entry capability; however, they can reinforce amphibious operations. These equipment and supplies reduces strategic lift requirements, reduce force deployment time and provides an immediate, creditable force in time of crisis.

Maritime Prepositioning Forces serve as a naval power projection capability that significantly supports the deployment and employment of Naval expeditionary forces worldwide. The three current MPS squadrons, composed of 16 ships, provide a unique, strategic warfighting capability. Employment of MPS assets during Operation Desert Storm, Operation Vigilant Sentinel, Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom against Afghanistan and Iraq, and Operation Restore Hope and Operation Continue Hope in Somalia, demonstrated the value of these expeditionary assets. Humanitarian efforts following the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and the 2010 Haiti earthquake also utilized the capabilities of the MPF.Gibbons, Timothy
“Blount Island takes on bigger role in Marine logistics”
Florida Times-Union, March 30, 2010

MCPP-N is for the storage, maintenance, and prepositioning of equipment and supplies for a MAGTF. The storage facilities to support the preposition assets are located in the Trondheim region of Norway in six caves and two storage facilities/air stations. Norway provides the logistics infrastructure to support the withdrawal, movement, and recovery of the prepositioned equipment and supplies.

Gallery

File:United States Navy Ship Pfc. Dewayne T. Williams’ at Blount Island Command.jpg, USNS PFC Dewayne T. Williams (T-AK-3009) unloading cargo
File:Flickr - Official U.S. Navy Imagery - Sailors offload equipment from ship..jpg, USNS 1st Lt Harry L. Martin (T-AK 3015) unloading cargo
File:US Navy 100118-N-1522S-006 he Military Sealift Command maritime prepositioning ship USNS 1st Lt. Jack Lummus (T-AK-3011).jpg, USNS 1st Lt. Jack Lummus (T-AK-3011) receives cargo for Operation Unified Response due to the 2010 Haiti earthquake.
File:U.S. Marine Corps Gen. James F. Amos, the commandant of the Marine Corps, addresses Marines, Department of Defense civilians and contractors assigned to Blount Island Command during a visit to Marine Corps 130320-M-LU710-077.jpg, Former Commandant of the Marine Corps General James F. Amos addresses Marines and Department of Defense employees at Blount Island Command.

See also

* List of United States Marine Corps installations

References

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External links

Blount Island Command"s official website

{{coord missing, Jacksonville

Military in Jacksonville, Florida
Commands of the United States Marine Corps
Military units and formations in Florida
Northside, Jacksonville