Command element (United States Marine Corps)


In the United States Marine Corps, the command element is the command and control force of a Marine Air-Ground Task Force. It provides C3I for the MAGTF.

Role within the MAGTF

The Command Element, a headquarters unit organized into a MAGTF headquarters group, that exercises command and control over the other elements of the MAGTF. The HQ group consists of communications, intelligence, surveillance, and law enforcement detachments, companies, and battalions, and reconnaissance, and liaison 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

CE of I Marine Expeditionary Force

Insignia NameLocation
1st Intelligence Battalion
Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California
1st Law Enforcement Battalion
Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California
1st Radio Battalion
Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California
9th Communication Battalion
Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California
1st Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company
Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California

II Marine Expeditionary Force Information Group

CE of II Marine Expeditionary Force

Insignia NameLocation
2nd Intelligence Battalion
Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina
2nd Law Enforcement Battalion
Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina
2nd Radio Battalion
Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina
8th Communications Battalion
Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina
Chemical Biological Incident Response Force
Indian Head Naval Surface Warfare Center, Maryland
2nd Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company
Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina

III Marine Expeditionary Force Information Group

CE of III Marine Expeditionary Force

Insignia NameLocation
3rd Intelligence Battalion
Camp Hansen, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan
3rd Law Enforcement Battalion
Camp Hansen, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan
3rd Radio Battalion
Marine Corps Base Hawaii
7th Communication Battalion
Camp Hansen, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan
5th Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company
Camp Hansen, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan

[Marine Forces Reserve] CE units

Force Headquarters Group

Insignia NameLocation
Intelligence Support Battalion
New Orleans, Louisiana
4th Law Enforcement Battalion
6th Communications Battalion
Note: also fall under 4th Marine Logistics Group
New York City, New York
1st Civil Affairs Group
Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California
2nd Civil Affairs Group
Naval Support Facility Anacostia, Washington, D.C.
3rd Civil Affairs Group
Naval Station Great Lakes, Illinois
4th Civil Affairs Group
Hialeah, Florida
3rd Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company
Long Beach, California
4th Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company
West Palm Beach, Florida
6th Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company
Concord, California
3rd Force Reconnaissance Company
Note: Operational Control to II Marine Expeditionary Force
Mobile, Alabama
4th Force Reconnaissance Company
Note: Operational Control to I Marine Expeditionary Force
Marine Corps Base Hawaii