II Marine Expeditionary Force
II MEF insignia
Founded23 October 1962
Country United States of America
Branch United States Marine Corps
TypeMarine Air-Ground Task Force
RoleExpeditionary combat forces
Part ofUnited States Marine Corps Forces Command
Garrison/HQMarine Corps Base Camp Lejeune
Engagements
Persian Gulf War
Global War on Terror
Commanders
Current
commander		Lieutenant General David A. Ottignon
Command Sergeant MajorSergeant Major Lonnie Travis
Notable
commanders		Alfred M. Gray Jr.
Insignia
NATO Map Symbol
II

The II Marine Expeditionary Force (II MEF) is a Marine Air-Ground Task Force consisting of ground, air and logistics forces capable of projecting offensive combat power ashore while sustaining itself in combat without external assistance for a period of 60 days. The II Marine Expeditionary Force is commanded by a lieutenant general, who serves under U.S. Marine Corps Forces Command, providing Marine fighting formations and units to European Command, Central Command and Southern Command. The current Commanding General is Lieutenant General David A. Ottignon. The Deputy Commanding General is Brigadier General Andrew T. Priddy and the Senior Enlisted Leader is Sergeant Major David A. Wilson.[1]

Higher headquarters

II MEF falls under the command of U.S. Marine Corps Forces Command (MARFORCOM), and is a service retained force, meaning it is not assigned or allocated to any of the Geographic Combatant Commands. However, II MEF regularly provides subordinate units in support of operations and exercises throughout the U.S. European Command, U.S. Africa Command, and U.S. Southern Command Areas of Responsibility, as well as in support of other U.S. unified and NATO commands. II MEF units are available for and prepared to respond to contingency requirements worldwide.[2]

Employment

In addition to the option of being employed in its entirety as a MEF-sized unit, II MEF has the capability of forming task-organized Marine Air-Ground Task Forces (MAGTF) of lesser size such as a MEF (Forward), a brigade-sized MAGTF (Marine Expeditionary Brigade or "MEB") about one-third the size of a MEF or a Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), about one-third the size of a MEB. The size and composition of any MAGTF will be dependent upon the mission assigned. One mission that could be assigned to the MEB would be assignment for planning, deployment and utilization of equipment stored aboard Maritime Prepositioning Ships (MPS). The MPS program involves the forward deployment of the MPS Squadron of four or five ships loaded with a brigade's worth of combat equipment and supplies and the airlifting of the MEB to the designated objective area to link up with the MPS Squadron. At the same time, tactical aircraft of the MEB are flight ferried to an airfield in or near the area of operation. The MEB can be sustained for 30 days by the supplies aboard the ships.

The only routinely deployed MAGTFs, the 22d, 24th and 26th MEUs deploy on a rotating basis to the Mediterranean Sea area to serve as the landing force for the Commander, 6th Fleet. The MEU consists of approximately 2,200 Marines and Sailors, is capable of rapid response in a variety of possible contingencies, and if the situation requires, can serve as the forward element of a larger MAGTF.[3]

Structure

II Marine Expeditionary Force organization September 2022 (click to enlarge)

Units

List of commanders

No. Commander Term Ref
Portrait Name Took office Left office Term length
-
Henry P. Osman
Lieutenant General
Henry P. Osman
(born 1947)		12 August 200223 July 20041 year, 346 days-
-
James F. Amos
Lieutenant General
James F. Amos
(born 1946)		23 July 20042 August 20062 years, 10 days[5]
-
Keith J. Stalder
Lieutenant General
Keith J. Stalder		2 August 200625 July 20081 year, 358 days[5]
-
Dennis Hejlik
Lieutenant General
Dennis Hejlik
(born 1947)		25 July 20086 August 20102 years, 12 days[6]
-
John A. Toolan
Major General
John A. Toolan
(born 1954)
Acting		6 August 201018 January 2011165 days[7]
-
John M. Paxton Jr.
Lieutenant General
John M. Paxton Jr.
(born 1951)		18 January 201113 July 20121 year, 177 days[8]
-
Raymond C. Fox
Major General
Raymond C. Fox		13 July 201217 July 20142 years, 4 days[9]
-
William D. Beydler
Major General
William D. Beydler		17 July 201422 October 20151 year, 97 days[10]
-
Walter Lee Miller Jr.
Major General
Walter Lee Miller Jr.		22 October 201512 May 20171 year, 202 days[11]
-
Robert F. Hedelund
Lieutenant General
Robert F. Hedelund
(born 1961)		12 May 201713 July 20192 years, 62 days[12]
-
Brian Beaudreault
Lieutenant General
Brian Beaudreault
(born 1960)		13 July 20198 July 20211 year, 360 days[13]
-
William M. Jurney
Lieutenant General
William M. Jurney		8 July 202118 August 20221 year, 41 days[14]
-
David A. Ottignon
Lieutenant General
David A. Ottignon		18 August 2022Incumbent1 year, 132 days[15]
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See also

References

  1. ↑ "Leaders". II MEF Leadership. Retrieved 27 November 2023.
  2. ↑ "About". iimef.marines.mil. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
  3. ↑ "U.S. Marine Corps Concepts & Programs > Organization > MAGTF > Types of MAGTFs". candp.marines.mil. Archived from the original on 27 October 2020. Retrieved 6 October 2020.
  4. ↑ "II MEF Support Battalion". II MEF Information Group. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
  5. 1 2 "II MEF Change Of Command". Marine Corps Gazette. Archived from the original on 22 November 2008. Retrieved 23 August 2008.
  6. ↑ Biello, Peter (24 July 2008). "Camp Lejeune's II MEF Gets New Commander". WHQR Public Media. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
  7. ↑ Staff Sgt. Jayson Price (6 August 2010). "COMMANDER OF II MEF RELINQUISHES COMMAND". II MEF. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
  8. ↑ "LtGen John M. Paxton". II MEF. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
  9. ↑ "II MEF changes hands". II MEF. 13 July 2011. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
  10. ↑ "II MEF welcomes new commanding general". dvidshub.net. 17 July 2014. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
  11. ↑ "Lt. Gen. Beaudreault takes command of II Marine Expeditionary Force". dvidshub.net. 22 October 2015. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
  12. ↑ Sgt. Gabrielle Petticrew (17 July 2017). "PASSING THE TORCH: II MEF BIDS FAREWELL TO COMMANDER". U.S. Marine Corps. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
  13. ↑ Sgt. Sean Berry (13 June 2019). "Lt. Gen. Beaudreault takes command of II Marine Expeditionary Force". dvidshub.net. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
  14. ↑ "Commanding General, II Marine Expeditionary Force". Retrieved 8 July 2021.
  15. ↑ "Webcast: II Marine Expeditionary Force Change of Command". DVIDS. 18 August 2022.
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