In the
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines or simply the Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is responsible for conducting expeditionar ...
, the command element (CE) is the
command and control force of a
Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF). It provides
C3I for the MAGTF.
__TOC__
Role within the MAGTF
The Command Element (CE), a
headquarters
Headquarters (often referred to as HQ) notes the location where most or all of the important functions of an organization are coordinated. The term is used in a wide variety of situations, including private sector corporations, non-profits, mil ...
unit organized into a MAGTF (MEU, MEB, MEF) headquarters (HQ) group, that exercises command and control (management and planning for manpower, intelligence, operations and training, and logistics functions) over the other elements of the MAGTF. The HQ group consists of
communication
Communication is commonly defined as the transmission of information. Its precise definition is disputed and there are disagreements about whether Intention, unintentional or failed transmissions are included and whether communication not onl ...
s, intelligence, surveillance, and law enforcement (i.e., military police) detachments, companies, and battalions, and reconnaissance (Force Reconnaissance), and liaison (ANGLICO) platoons, detachments, and companies.
Organization
The size of the CE varies in proportion to the size of the MAGTF. A
Marine Expeditionary Force has a MEF Information Group, approximately the size of a regiment. A
Marine Expeditionary Brigade holds a battalion-sized MEB Information Group. The various
Marine Expeditionary Units command a company-sized MEU Information Group. Generally, MEF postings are permanent, while MEBs and MEUs rotate their GCE, ACE, and LCE twice annually.
Hierarchy of Marine command units
I Marine Expeditionary Force Information Group
II Marine Expeditionary Force Information Group
III Marine Expeditionary Force Information Group
Marine Forces Reserve CE units
See also
*
Marine Expeditionary Force
*
Marine Air-Ground Task Force
References
:
;Web
I MHG official websiteII MHG official websiteMFR official website
{{US Marine Corps navbox
United States Marine Corps organization