United States Marine Corps Forces Central Command

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United States Marine Corps Forces Central Command
MARCENT insignia.
Country United States
TypeMarine Combined arms
RoleAmphibious and expeditionary warfare
Part ofUnited States Central Command
Garrison/HQMacDill AFB
Commanders
CommanderMajor General Christopher A. McPhillips
Sergeant MajorSergeant Major Jay D. Williamson

The United States Marine Corps Forces Central Command is headquartered at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida. The Commander, U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Central Command (COMUSMARCENT), is designated as the Marine Corps service component commander for Commander, U.S. Central Command (COMUSCENTCOM). MARCENT is responsible for all Marine Corps Forces in the CENTCOM Area of Responsibility (AOR), except for those assigned to the U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM), and Special Operations Command, Central Command (SOCCENT).

The AOR, which includes 20 countries and over 500 million people, features mountain ranges with elevations of more than 24,000 feet and desert areas below sea level and temperatures ranging from below freezing to 130 °F (54 °C). The Arabian Sea, Red Sea, Persian Gulf, and part of the Indian Ocean are included in this region. Three of the world's major religions, Christianity, Judaism and Islam have their roots here. The region contains the major maritime trade routes which link the Middle East, Europe, Asia and the Western Hemisphere. Petroleum products which fuel the economies of European and Asian allies pass through three maritime choke points in the region: the Strait of Hormuz, the Suez Canal and the Bab-el-Mandeb.

COMUSMARCENT provides Marine Expeditionary Forces capable of conducting a wide range of operations, offering the command a responsive and unique set of capabilities. Marines embarked aboard U.S. Navy amphibious ships deploy regularly to the region, organized as Marine Air Ground Task Forces (MAGTF). These forces provide a potent mix of capabilities that can project combat power rapidly to any location in the region. While afloat in the CENTCOM AOR, they serve as a visible deterrent force, train continuously, and participate in a wide range of engagement activities.

In addition to providing MAGTFs deployed aboard U.S. Navy ships, MARCENT has the proven capability to deploy MAGTFs to the CENTCOM AOR by air and marry-up with prepositioned equipment. This provides COMUSCENTCOM with a rapid response capability across the range of military operations. Though there have been Marines stationed at CENTCOM Headquarters since September 1982, MARCENT, as a service component command, did not come into existence until 1990, when Marine Corps forces were preparing for Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm in Southwest Asia. Beginning in 2001, under the command of Commander, Marine Corps Forces Pacific, MARCENT participated in multiple operations, including Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and Pakistan, operations in the Central Asian States as well as the Horn of Africa, and Operation Iraqi Freedom.

On 3 August 2005, Headquarters Marine Corps designated MARCENT as a force headquarters, under the command of Commanding General, I Marine Expeditionary Force, separating it from the office of Commander, Marine Corps Forces Pacific (MARFORPAC). Until 2005, the head of MARFORPAC was dual-hatted as the head of MARCENT. In 2012 MARCENT was made a free standing command, being separated from I MEF.

History[edit]

The Marine Corps did not have a service component command at the Central Command headquarters until 1990. During the Gulf War, the Commanding General of I Marine Expeditionary Force (I MEF) was also titled as Commander, Marine Corps Forces Central Command (MARCENT). In 1992, the Marine Corps gave this role to the Commander of U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific, though the title was only to be used as needed. In 1996 a Marine Liaison Office was opened at CENTCOM headquarters, MacDill Air Force Base, being known as MARCENT, and in 1999 this office was upgraded to Headquarters Marine Corps Forces Central Command. At this point the Deputy Commander of MARFORPAC was responsible for overseeing MARCENT. In 2001, the Commander of MARFORPAC formally took on the role of leading MARCENT.[1] Having one officer commanding both the Central Command and Pacific Command service components was too much, and in 2005 the Marine Corps gave the role of MARCENT commander to the Commanding General of I MEF. The decision to create a free standing MARCENT headquarters was made as the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan continued.[1] In 2012, Lieutenant General Robert Neller became the first dedicated head of MARCENT at MacDill AFB, fully focused on the Middle East.[2]

List of commanders[edit]

No. Commander Term Ref
Portrait Name Took office Left office Term length
Commander MARCENT / Commanding General I MEF
1
Walter E. Boomer
Lieutenant General
Walter E. Boomer
(born 1938)		15 August 19906 September 1991250 days[3]
Commander MARCENT / Commander MARFORPAC / Commanding General FMFPAC
2
Earl B. Hailston
Hailston, Earl B.Lieutenant General
Earl B. Hailston
(born 1947)		16 August 20011 August 20031 year, 350 days[4]
3
Wallace C. Gregson
Gregson, Wallace C.Lieutenant General
Wallace C. Gregson
(born 1946)		1 August 20035 August 20052 years, 4 days[5][6]
Commander MARCENT / Commanding General I MEF
4
John F. Sattler
Lieutenant General
John F. Sattler
(born 1949)		3 August 200514 August 20061 year, 11 days[7]
5
James Mattis
Lieutenant General
James Mattis
(born 1950)		14 August 20065 November 20071 year, 83 days[8]
6
Samuel T. Helland
Lieutenant General
Samuel T. Helland
(born 1947/1948)		5 November 200716 October 20092 years, 348 days[9]
7
Joseph Dunford
Lieutenant General
Joseph Dunford
(born 1953)		16 October 200919 October 20101 year, 3 days[9]
8
Thomas D. Waldhauser
Lieutenant General
Thomas D. Waldhauser
(born 1955)		19 October 201012 September 20121 year, 329 days[10]
Commander MARCENT
9
Robert Neller
Lieutenant General
Robert Neller
(born 1953)		12 September 201218 June 20141 year, 279 days[11]
10
Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr.
Lieutenant General
Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr.
(born 1956/1957)		18 June 201427 October 20151 year, 131 days[12]
11
William D. Beydler
Lieutenant General
William D. Beydler		27 October 201511 July 20182 years, 257 days[13]
12
Carl E. Mundy III
Lieutenant General
Carl E. Mundy III
(born 1960)		11 July 2018October 2021~3 years, 82 days[14]
13
Paul J. Rock
Major General
Paul J. Rock		October 20211 August 2023~1 year, 304 days[15]
14
Christopher A. McPhillips
Major General
Christopher A. McPhillips		1 August 2023Incumbent261 days[16]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Dawson, David A. (12 May 2010). The Evolution of U.S. Central Command from Operational to Strategic Headquarters. U.S. Army War College – p. 28. Retrieved 29 September 2023.
  2. ^ Marine Corps designates standalone command at MacDill. Tampa Bay Times. Published 17 September 2012. Retrieved 29 September 2023.
  3. ^ General Walter E. Boomer. Marine Corps University. Retrieved 29 September 2023.
  4. ^ MarForPac changes command. Hawaii Marine, Vo. 30, No. 32. Published 16 August 2001.
  5. ^ Force leadership change. Hawaii Marine, Vol. 32. No. 30. Published 1 August 2003.
  6. ^ Allen, David (16 May 2003). Bush taps Gregson for top Pacific Marine slot. Stars and Stripes. Retrieved 28 September 2023.
  7. ^ Sgt. Luis R. Agostini (10 August 2005). "Lt. Gen. Sattler assumes MARCENT command". U.S. Marine Corps Camp Pendleton. Retrieved 16 May 2021.
  8. ^ Walker, Mark (15 August 2006). "Mattis assumes command of I Marine Expeditionary Force". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved 16 May 2021.
  9. ^ a b Cpl. Bobbie Curtis (22 October 2009). "Marine general caps a 41-year career at Camp Lejeune". Dvidshub.net. Retrieved 16 May 2021.
  10. ^ Cpl. Monty Burton (19 October 2010). "Dunford passes I MEF to Waldhauser". Dvidshub.net. Retrieved 16 May 2021.
  11. ^ Cpl. Jennifer Pirante (12 September 2012). "I MEF, MARCENT WELCOME NEW LEADERS". I MEF. Retrieved 16 May 2021.
  12. ^ Sgt. Frederick J. Coleman (18 June 2014). "New MARCENT commander promoted, welcomed". Dvidshub.net. Retrieved 16 May 2021.
  13. ^ Master Sgt. William Price (28 October 2015). "MARCENT welcomes new commander". U.S. Central Command. Retrieved 16 May 2021.
  14. ^ Master Sgt. Stephen Traynham (11 July 2018). "MARCENT welcomes new commander". Dvidshub.net. Retrieved 16 May 2021.
  15. ^ "Major General Paul J. Rock Jr". Retrieved 28 October 2021.
  16. ^ "Webcast: 2023 MARCENT Change of Command". DVIDS. Retrieved 27 July 2023.

External links[edit]

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