United States Marine Corps

==Organization==
{{main|Organization of the United States Marine Corps}}
[[File:Organization of U.S. Space Force.svg|thumb|Organization of the United States Marine Corps within the Department of Defense]]

===Department of the Navy===
The [[United States Department of the Navy|Department of the Navy]], led by the [[United States Secretary of the Navy|Secretary of the Navy]], is a military department of the cabinet-level U.S. Department of Defense that oversees the Marine Corps and the Navy. The most senior Marine officer is the [[Commandant of the United States Marine Corps|Commandant]] (unless a Marine officer is the [[Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff|Chairman of the Joint Chiefs]] or [[Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff|Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs]]), responsible to the Secretary of the Navy for organizing, recruiting, training, and equipping the Marine Corps so that its forces are ready for deployment under the operational command of the [[Unified combatant command|combatant commanders]]. The Marine Corps is organized into four principal subdivisions: [[Headquarters Marine Corps]] (HQMC), the Operating Forces, the Supporting Establishment, and the [[United States Marine Corps Reserve|Marine Forces Reserve]] (MARFORRES or USMCR).{{Citation needed|date=March 2021}}

===Headquarters Marine Corps===
{{main|Headquarters Marine Corps}}

The Headquarters Marine Corps (HQMC) consists of the [[Commandant of the United States Marine Corps|Commandant of the Marine Corps]], the [[Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps]], the Director Marine Corps Staff, the several Deputy Commandants, the [[Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps]], and various special staff officers and Marine Corps agency heads that report directly to either the Commandant or Assistant Commandant. HQMC is supported by the Headquarters and Service Battalion, USMC providing administrative, supply, logistics, training, and services support to the Commandant and his staff.{{Citation needed|date=March 2021}} Additionally, Marine Corps' aircraft arm and intelligence arm are both organized under HQMC; those being the [[United States Marine Corps Aviation|Marine Corps Aviation]] and [[Marine Corps Intelligence]] respectively.

===Operating Forces===
The Operating Forces are divided into three categories: Marine Corps Forces (MARFOR) assigned to unified combatant commands, namely, the [[Fleet Marine Force]]s (FMF); [[Marine Corps Security Force Regiment|Security Forces]] guarding high-risk naval installations; and [[Marine Corps Security Guard|Security Guard]] detachments at [[list of American embassies|American embassies]]. Under the "Forces for Unified Commands" memo, in accordance with the [[Unified Command Plan]], Marine Corps Forces are assigned to each of the combatant commands at the discretion of the secretary of defense. Since 1991, the Marine Corps has maintained component headquarters at each of the regional unified combatant commands.<ref>{{cite book|title=Marine Corps Operations |author =United States Marine Corps|page=19|publisher =Cosimo, Inc|year=2007 |isbn =978-1-60206-062-3}}</ref>

Marine Corps Forces are divided into [[United States Marine Corps Forces Command|Forces Command]] (MARFORCOM) and [[United States Marine Corps Forces, Pacific|Pacific Command]] (MARFORPAC), each headed by a [[Lieutenant general (United States)|lieutenant general]] dual-posted as the commanding general of either [[Fleet Marine Force, Atlantic|FMF Atlantic (FMFLANT)]] or [[Fleet Marine Force, Pacific|FMF Pacific (FMFPAC)]], respectively. MARFORCOM/FMFLANT has operational control of the [[II Marine Expeditionary Force]]; MARFORPAC/FMFPAC has operational control of the [[I Marine Expeditionary Force]] and [[III Marine Expeditionary Force]].<ref name="ChenowethNihart"/>

====Marine Air-Ground Task Force====
{{main|Marine Air-Ground Task Force}}

The basic framework for deployable Marine units is the [[Marine Air-Ground Task Force]] (MAGTF), a flexible structure of varying size. A MAGTF integrates a [[ground combat element]] (GCE), an [[aviation combat element]] (ACE), and a [[logistics combat element]] (LCE) under a common [[Command element (United States Marine Corps)|command element]] (CE), capable of operating independently or as part of a larger coalition. The MAGTF structure reflects a strong preference in the Corps toward self-sufficiency and a commitment to [[combined arms]], both essential assets to an [[Expeditionary warfare|expeditionary force]]. The Marine Corps has a wariness and distrust of reliance on its sister services and towards joint operations in general.<ref name="Warren"/>

===Supporting Establishment===
The Supporting Establishment includes the [[Marine Corps Combat Development Command|Combat Development Command]], the [[Marine Corps Logistics Command|Logistics Command]], the [[Marine Corps Systems Command|Systems Command]], the [[United States Marine Corps Training and Education Command| Training and Education Command]], the [[Marine Corps Installations Command|Installations Command]], the [[United States Marine Band|Marine Band]], and the [[United States Marine Drum and Bugle Corps|Marine Drum and Bugle Corps]].{{Citation needed|date=March 2021}}

====Marine Corps bases and stations====
{{main|List of United States Marine Corps installations}}

The Marine Corps operates many major bases, 14 of which host operating forces, seven support and training installations, as well as satellite facilities.<ref name="BGenWilliams">{{Cite news |last= Williams |first= BGen Willie J. |title= Bases and Stations Are They Relevant? |journal= Marine Corps Gazette |volume= 88 |issue= 10 |pages= 12–16 |publisher= Marine Corps Association |date=October 2004}}</ref> Marine Corps bases are concentrated around the locations of the Marine Expeditionary Forces, though reserve units are scattered throughout the United States. 
The principal bases are [[Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton|Camp Pendleton]] on the West Coast, home to I Marine Expeditionary Force;<ref>{{Cite web |title=About |url=https://www.imef.marines.mil/About/ |access-date=2023-12-16 |website=www.imef.marines.mil}}</ref> [[Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune|Camp Lejeune]] on the East Coast, home to II Marine Expeditionary Force;<ref>{{Cite web |title=What is II MEF? |url=https://www.iimef.marines.mil/About/What-is-II-MEF/ |access-date=2023-12-16 |website=www.iimef.marines.mil}}</ref> and [[Marine Corps Base Camp Smedley D. Butler|Camp Butler]] in [[Okinawa Prefecture|Okinawa, Japan]], home to III Marine Expeditionary Force.<ref>{{Cite web |title=About |url=https://www.okinawa.usmc-mccs.org/about |access-date=2023-12-16 |website=www.okinawa.usmc-mccs.org |language=en}}</ref>

Other important bases include air stations, recruit depots, logistics bases, and training commands. [[Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms]] in California is the Marine Corps's largest base and home to the Corps's most complex combined-arms live-fire training.{{Citation needed|date=January 2022}} [[Marine Corps Base Quantico]] in Virginia is home to [[Marine Corps Combat Development Command]] and nicknamed the "Crossroads of the Marine Corps".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.quantico.usmc.mil/activities/display.aspx?PID=1685&Section=BaseInfo |title=About MCB Quantico |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110428123457/http://www.quantico.usmc.mil/activities/display.aspx?PID=1685&Section=BaseInfo |archive-date=28 April 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title= About Marine Corps University |publisher= U.S. Marine Corps |url= http://www.mcuf.org/about.asp |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20070927174929/http://www.mcuf.org/about.asp |archive-date=27 September 2007 |access-date=27 September 2007}}</ref>
The Marine Corps maintains a significant presence in the [[National Capital Region (United States)|National Capital Region]], with [[Headquarters Marine Corps]] scattered amongst [[the Pentagon]], [[Henderson Hall (Arlington, Virginia)|Henderson Hall]], [[Washington Navy Yard]], and [[Marine Barracks, Washington, D.C.]] Additionally, Marines operate [[Detachment (military)|detachments]] at many installations owned by other branches to better share resources, such as specialty schools. Marines are also present at and operate many forward bases during expeditionary operations.{{Citation needed|date=March 2021}}

===Marine Forces Reserve===
{{main|Marine Forces Reserve}}

The Marine Forces Reserve (MARFORRES/USMCR) consists of the [[Force Headquarters Group]], [[4th Marine Division (United States)|4th Marine Division]], [[4th Marine Aircraft Wing]], and the [[4th Marine Logistics Group]]. The MARFORRES/USMCR is capable of forming a 4th Marine Expeditionary Force or reinforcing/augmenting active-duty forces.{{cn|date=January 2024}}