Modern Spearhead includes the order of battle for a large number of forces in the world, from the US Army - Great Britain - West Germany - the Mid-East to the Soviet Union. Missing from this listing is one unit that has been and will continue to be the United States forward deployed force in the “danger zone”; the United States Marine Corps (USMC). The USMC deploys its units in battalion sized formations known as MEU or Marine Expeditionary Forces. What is a MEU. The USMC web site has an excellent description. “AIR, LAND and SEA” When they say “Send in the Marines,” a Marine Expeditionary Unit is usually the first on scene.What is a MEU? America’s small, unique, powerful force in readiness. With a strength of about 2,200 personnel, the MEU is normally built around a reinforced battalion, a composite aircraft squadron, and a MEU Service Support group. Commanded by a colonel, the MEU is employed to fulfill routine forward deployments with fleets in the Mediterranean, the Western Pacific, and periodically, the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. The MEU is deployed on up to four Naval amphibious ships. The ground combat element (GCE) is the battalion landing team (BLT), an infantry battalion reinforced with artillery, amphibious assault vehicles, light armored reconnaissance assets and other units as the mission and circumstances require. The aviation combat element (ACE) is a Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron augmented with four types of helicopters into a composite squadron. These units include CH-53E “Super Stallions,” CH-46E “Sea Knights,” UH-1N “Hueys,” and AH-1W “Super Cobras.” ACE assets may also include fixed-wing aircraft such as the AV-8B “Harrier” jet. The combat service support element is the MEU Service Support Group (MSSG) formed primarily from force service support groups assets. The MSSG contains all the logistics specialists necessary to keep the GCE, ACE and organic equipment functioning. Included within the MSSG are medical, dental, maintenance, engineering, and other technical experts. The command element (CE) provides command and control of the other three elements. In addition to the MEU commander and his supporting staff, the CE includes specialized detachments providing a direct action capability, naval gunfire liaison capability, reconnaissance, and surveillance and specialized communications and electronics warfare capabilities. The MEU is unique in that its air and ground combat elements are combined with combat service support under one commander. This air/ground task force concept is designed to thoroughly exploit the combat power inherent in air and ground assets by closely integrating them into a single force. The MEU brings all the supplies it needs to sustain itself for quick mission accomplishment or to pave the way for any follow-on forces. The MEU is an expeditionary intervention force with the ability to rapidly organize for combat operations in virtually any environment.” “Composition Marine Expeditionary Units are built much like an athletic team whose coaching and training staff remain permanently intact and receive athletes only for the season. The Command Element serves as the “coaching staff” for the combat and combat service support units under its command. These units are referred to as Major Subordinate Elements or MSEs. They serve on this “team” for one year. All elements of the MEU come together for six months of training then deploy for six months as a forward-deployed, self-sustaining Marine Air-Ground Task Force. Stand-down/Stand-up Periods Upon completion of one deployment, the MEU maintains control of its MSEs and remains “Special Operations Capable” for approximately one month. During the month the MEU is on stand-by to respond to events around the world. Following this period, the MEU “stands down,” reducing to just the Command Element, for approximately two months. During the stand-down period, the Command Element receives incoming personnel and prepares for the upcoming training cycle. Following the stand-down the MEU acquires new MSEs and begins the “work-up” process all over again. There are seven MEU’s in the Corps, three on each coast of the United States and one in Okinawa, Japan. The East Coast MEUs maintain a near-constant presence in the Mediterranean. Each MEU follows a similar work-up/deployment cycle. Work-Up Period The MSEs are assigned to the MEU’s command approximately six months prior to the scheduled Mediterranean Deployment. During this six month “work-up” period, referred to as a “crawl, walk, run period,” intensive training in individual, small unit, and unit training progresses to complete integrated training for the MSEs. This training is accomplished through completing a number of courses and work-up exercises. Some courses conducted include: Urban Sniper, Mechanical and Boat Raids, Noncombatant Evacuation Operations, Humanitarian Assistance, Mass Casualty, Scout Swimmer and Mountain Warfare. Exercises conducted during the work-up include: Phibron/MEU Integration Training (PMINT), Training in an Urban Environment Exercise (TRUEX), Marine Expeditionary Unit Training (MEUEX), Joint Task Force Exercise (JTFEX), and the Special Operations Capable Exercise (SOCEX). Deployment Following the work-up the MEU deploys for a period of six months. During this time, the MEU is a ready, forward-deployed, self-sustaining force that the European Command can direct to accomplish a variety of special operations and conventional missions in 82 countries throughout its area of responsibility. This includes most of Europe and Africa. These missions may include: Conventional Operations; Tactical Recovery of Aircraft and Personnel (TRAP); Humanitarian Assistance (HA); Non-Combatant Evacuation Operations (NEO); Security Operations. MSH RULE MODIFICATIONS for a MEU A MEU consists of a single battalion with attachments (a LOT OF ATTACHMENTS). This follows the standard rules in MSH in Section 2. A USMC is a NATO 1 unit - 2/3 Veterans 1/3 Regulars. There is only one change that has to be made, and this is due to the unique deployment of the companies in a MEU. The MEU has the capacity to land a company by amphibious tracked landing craft, a company by helicopter, a company by landing craft as well as bring in the support units, mostly all at once. USMC MEU Battalions 1. A USMC MEU may flank march with a Company by carrying it in the AAV7 or CH-46 helicopters. Attachments may move with this company - for example the LAV-25 Recon Platoon and M1A1 Tank Platoon with the AAV7 mounted USMC Rifle Company, or the 155mm FH and truck can be landed by the SH-53 helicopters with the USMC Rifle Company coming in by CH-46. 2. A USMC MEU command zone is 24”. RECON units use the 36” command zone distance. 3. A USMC MEU may use more than one kind of transport to move its units ashore and once on shore may use the attached transport to move companies. Transport must move a company at a time. 4. The “standard” naval gun support may be augmented by the scenario. U.S. Seals: These guys tend to really get in your way. The USMC player, for any ONE successful order change by his opponent during a game, may change that successful order change to an unsuccessful one by rolling on a D6, representing the SEALS getting in and messing up its opposition. Chance for success: If NATO 1 or WARPAC 1; 4+. If NATO 2 or WARPAC 2; 3+. If Third World, chance is 2+. Number of Marines: 171,142 (active) 39,535 (selected reserve) | Number of Marines deployed: 29,763 (includes Marines forward stationed) MEU Organization for Modern Spearhead BATTALION HQ: 1-HQ Stand 3-RIFLE COMPANIES, each with: 3xInf Std HEAVY WEAPONS COMPANY: Mortar PLT: 1-81mm Mortar Stand/Hummer ATGM PLT: 2-Hummer TOW AGL PLT: 1-Hummer Recon HMG PLT: 1-Hummer Recon BATTALION SUPPORT UNITS: Recon PLT: 1-Infantry Stand* Engr PLT: 1-Combat Engineer Stand FO PLT: 1-FO Std (Navy) AA: 1-Stinger AA Stand ATTACHED BATTALION HEAVY SUPPORT UNITS: Tank Plt: 1-M1A1 MBT Stand Recon PLT: 1-LAV-25** Landing PLT: 3-AAV/LVTP-7** Arty Battery: 1-155mm FH/5-ton Truck Air Support: 2-AV-8B Harrier Jump Jets Air Support: 2-AH-1 Super Cobra Helicopters BATTALION LANDING ASSETS 4 CH-46E Helicopters Carry a rifle company of Marines. 2 CH-53 S/Stallion These can carry the 155mm FH battery AND the truck (1 per load). 1 UH-1N Huey Often used to carry the USN FO team. 1 LCU Carry a rifle company of Marines. 1 LCM Carries the platoon of tanks. 1 LCAC Carries the tanks or the LAV-25. 1 “Boat” This represents several powered rubber boats used for sneaking in, usually by Recon PLT. SHIP SUPPORT: 1 CG with 2-155mm FH batteries**** 1 DDG with 1-155mm FH battery**** NOTES * This may be mounted in a FAV stand or deployed by “boat”. ** This is not the same unit as the Battalion support RECON Plt. *** To transport 1 Rifle Company, converting them into an LVTP-7 Combat Team. **** FO is the Navy FO Stand or the UH-1N Helicopter Stand. 1. This battalion has twice the regular number of CH-53 and AH-1 as a normal BLT. 2. PHIBRON 4 carries this unit and consists of the WASP (LHD-1), WHIDBEY ISLAND (LSD-41) and SHREVEPORT (LHD-1). 3. This unit also has a SEAL platoon attached which is not listed above. 4. The actual Navy escort group that teamed with 26th MEU (SOC) in the MED was the USS AMERICA (CV-66), USS SOUTH CAROLINA (CGN-37), the USS NORMANDY (CG-60), the USS MONTEREY (CG-61), the USS SCOTT (DDG-995), the USS DEWERT (FFG-45), the USS BOONE (FFG-28), the BUTTE (AE-27 an ammunition ship), and the fleet oiler MONONGAHELA (A0-178), plus the SSN-767 HAMPTON and SSN-723 OKLAHOMA CITY. The SHIP SUPPORT above is a reasonable shore support group. Note that the CV-66 has 14 F-14A, 36 F/A-18C, 4 EA-6B Prowlers, 4 E-2C Hawkeyes, 8 S-3B Vikings, 8 SH-60F, 4 HH-60H, and 2 ES-3A Shadows. This adds some air support to the Harriers. 5. Current ships (year 2000) carrying 26th MEU (SOC) (2000) are: USS SAIPAN, USS AUSTIN, USS ASHLAND. References From http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/ind.nsf/meus (1) USMC Battalion Landing Team (BLT) 2/6 Marines 26th MEU (SOC) 1996, Source: Marines by Tom Clancy USMC Deployment Map Back to Table of Contents -- Courier # 83 To Courier List of Issues To MagWeb Master Magazine List © Copyright 2002 by The Courier Publishing Company. This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com