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United States Marine Corps Forces Europe and Africa

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The Marine Corps Forces Europe and Africa (abbreviated as MARFOREUR/AF), headquartered in Panzer Kaserne-Barracks in Böblingen, Germany, is the U.S. Marine Corps component of the U.S. European Command and U.S. Africa Command.

U.S. Marine Corps Forces Europe and Africa
ActiveFebruary 1980 – present
(as Fleet Marine Force Europe)
Country United States
Branch U.S. Marine Corps
TypeService component
RoleHeadquarters element
Size1,500+
Part ofUnited States European Command
Garrison/HQPanzer Kaserne, Böblingen, Germany
Commanders
Current
commander		MajGen Robert Sofge
Notable
commanders		Stephen M. Neary
Russell A. Sanborn
John M. Paxton Jr.
Paul W. Brier
Insignia
Seal of Marine Corps Forces Africa

History

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In February 1980 the Commandant of the Marine Corps and the Chief of Naval Operations revised the operational task sharing between the two branches in a memorandum. Hitherto the USMC had a supporting role within United States Naval Forces Europe (NAVEUR). When that agreement came into effect on July 1, 1980, Headquarters, Fleet Marine Force Europe, the predecessor of the present unit, was founded in London including an independent 40-person staff as a Designed Component Command, to act as a Command Unit for further formations to be put under EUCOM-Command in case of a crisis situation. That staff immediately began preparing operation plans for optimal replenishment and deployment when required. FMF Europe arranged Marine support for Operation Provide Comfort, Operation Provide Promise, and Operation Deny Flight. To meet increasing challenges better, headquarters were transferred to Böblingen near Stuttgart on November 8, 1993. In February 1994 the headquarters was renamed MARFOREUR.

MARFOREUR is now dual-hatted with Marine Corps Forces Africa as Marine Corps Forces Europe / Africa, since November 2008.[1]

Organization

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Vehicles and equipment being offloaded in 2014 as part of the modernization of the US Marine Corps materiel stored in Norway

Currently, MARFOREUR/AF has a manning level of more than 1,500 Marines, of which about 100 serve at headquarters in Böblingen.[2]

MARFOREUR/AF serves as a headquarters and liaison organization for USMC efforts in the EUCOM area of responsibility. In normal circumstances Marine elements in the theater are few – routinely, the Marine Expeditionary Unit attached to United States Sixth Fleet, and possibly other small units and detachments. Yet the HQ makes it possible to call upon forces from II Marine Expeditionary Force (II MEF), based at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. This force comprises the 2nd Marine Division, the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, and the 2nd Marine Logistics Group, formerly known as the 2nd Force Service Support Group.

II MEF would also supply forces for the Norway Air-Landed Marine Expeditionary Brigade (NALMEB).[3] NALMEB is a remnant NATO Cold War reinforcement organization, and would have come under command of Allied Forces Northern Europe. Significant equipment storage for a MEB is located in northern Norway under the Marine Corps Prepositioning Program-Norway,[4] and administered in the contiguous United States by Blount Island Command. The Norwegian Government has integrated the presence of a MEB into its defense planning.

Yet the tasking is now more theoretical than real, as the last confirmed deployment was Exercise Battle Griffin in 1991, in which the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, made up from USMCR reserve units due to Operation Desert Storm, made the first test of the concept. The exercise was conducted in February and March 1991 and the Brigade was made up of the 25th Marines regimental headquarters, 3rd Battalion, 25th Marines (infantry), Company E, 4th Reconnaissance Battalion, and 1st Battalion, 14th Marines (artillery).[5]

In 2014 the USMC added heavy armored vehicles to NALMEB for the first time.[6]

As of January 2017, a rotational force of about 330 (infantry) U.S. Marines from Camp Lejeune, NC, are stationed in Trondheim, Norway on two six-month deployments. [7] Official MARFOREUR writings say that the Marine Rotational Force, Europe (MRF-E) comprises "an infantry company reinforced by enablers and a Marine Coordination Element. [Their] presence in Norway facilitates military exercises that support NATO and USEUCOM operational plans; increases interoperability with Allies and Partners; advances efforts for more naval integration; and enables recuperation of the Marine Corps' cold weather and mountain proficiencies."

List of commanders

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No. Commander Term Ref
Portrait Name Took office Left office Term length
Commanding General FMFEUR / II MEF / FMFLANT
1Schwenk Adolph G.Lieutenant General
Adolph G. Schwenk
(1922–2004)		1 October 19801 July 19821 year, 273 days[8]
2Miller John H.Lieutenant General
John H. Miller
(born 1925)		1 July 19821 September 19842 years, 62 days[9]
3Gray, Alfred M.Lieutenant General
Alfred M. Gray Jr.
(born 1928)		1 September 19841 July 19872 years, 303 days[10]
-Comfort, Clayton L.Major General
Clayton L. Comfort
(1930–2004)
Acting		1 July 19871 September 198762 days[9]
4Cook Ernest T.Lieutenant General
Ernest T. Cook Jr.
(1935–2000)		1 July 19871 July 19903 years, 0 days[11][12]
5Lieutenant General
Carl E. Mundy Jr.
(1935–2014)		1 July 199025 June 1991359 days[9]
Commander MARFOREUR / MARFORSOUTH / MARFORLANT / Commanding General FMFLANT / II MEF
6Keys, William M.Lieutenant General
William M. Keys
(born 1937)		25 June 19911 September 19943 years, 68 days[13]
7Johnston, Robert B.Lieutenant General
Robert B. Johnston
(1937–2023)		1 September 1994August 1995334 days[14]
8Wilhelm, Charles E.Lieutenant General
Charles E. Wilhelm
(born 1941)		August 199523 November 19972 years, 114 days[15]
Commander MARFOREUR / MARFORSOUTH / MARFORLANT / Commanding General FMFLANT
9Pace, PeterLieutenant General
Peter Pace
(born 1945)		23 November 19978 September 20002 years, 290 days[16]
10Ayres, Raymond P.Lieutenant General
Raymond P. Ayres
(born 1944)		8 September 200015 August 20021 year, 341 days[9]
11Berndt, Martin R.Lieutenant General
Martin R. Berndt
(born 1941)		15 August 200215 August 20053 years, 0 days[17]
Commander MARFOREUR / MARFORSOUTH / MARFORCOM / Commanding General FMFLANT
12Blackman, Robert R. Jr.Lieutenant General
Robert R. Blackman Jr.
(born 1948)		15 August 200518 July 20071 year, 337 days[18]
Commander MARFOREUR/AF
13Wilson, Cornell A.Major General
Cornell A. Wilson Jr.		18 July 200730 September 20081 year, 74 days[19]
14Garrett, Tracy L.Brigadier General
Tracy L. Garrett		30 September 200810 September 2009345 days[20]
15Brier, Paul W.Brigadier General
Paul W. Brier		10 September 200917 August 2010341 days[21]
Commander MARFOREUR/AF / MARFORSOUTH / MARFORCOM / Commanding General FMFLANT
16Hejlik, DennisLieutenant General
Dennis Hejlik		17 August 201020 July 20121 year, 338 days[22]
17Paxton, John M. Jr.Lieutenant General
John M. Paxton Jr.
(born 1951)		20 July 201213 December 2012146 days[23]
-Crowe, W. BlakeBrigadier General
W. Blake Crowe
(born 1967)
Acting		13 December 201228 June 2013197 days
18Tryon, Richard T.Lieutenant General
Richard T. Tryon
(born c. 1954)		28 June 20131 July 20141 year, 3 days[24]
19Neller, Robert B.Lieutenant General
Robert B. Neller
(born 1953)		1 July 201423 September 20151 year, 84 days[25]
Commander MARFOREUR/AF
20Nelson, Niel E.Major General
Niel E. Nelson		23 September 2015July 20171 year, 281 days[25]
21Sanborn, Russell A.Major General
Russell A. Sanborn		July 20177 July 20192 years, 6 days[26]
22Hermesmann, PatrickMajor General
Patrick Hermesmann		7 July 2019July 2020~360 days[26]
23Neary, Stephen M.Major General
Stephen M. Neary		July 202020 October 2020~111 days
24Langley, MichaelMajor General
Michael Langley
(born 1961)		3 November 20206 May 2021184 days
25King, TracyMajor General
Tracy W. King		6 May 202130 June 20232 years, 55 days
26Sofge, RobertMajor General
Robert Sofge		30 June 20231 year, 99 days

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "U.S. Africa Command Home". Archived from the original on 2011-07-20. Retrieved 2008-11-21.
  2. ^ History of United States Marine Corps Forces, Europe
  3. ^ NALMEB on globalsecurity.org
  4. ^ Marine Corps Prepositioning Program-Norway
  5. ^ Thomas D. Dinackus, Order of Battle: Allied Ground Forces of Operation Desert Storm, Hellgate Press, Central Point, Oregon, 2000, Chart 22-3, ISBN 1-55571-493-5
  6. ^ Trevithick, Joseph (16 August 2014). "The Pentagon Is Stuffing Caves in Norway Full of Tanks". medium.com. war-is-boring. Retrieved 16 August 2014.
  7. ^ "New Marine Rotation Arrives In Norway". Retrieved 6 September 2017.
  8. ^ Lieutenant General Adolph G. Schwenk. Marine Corps University. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
  9. ^ a b c d Former Commanders (archived). U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Atlantic. Published 25 June 2001. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
  10. ^ Alfred M. Gray, Jr. (archived). Marine Corps History Division. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
  11. ^ Marine General Nominated. New York Times. Published 15 August 1987. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
  12. ^ LtGen Ernest T. Cook, Jr.. Military Hall of Honor. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
  13. ^ Lieutenant General William M. Keys. Marine Corps University. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
  14. ^ Lieutenant General Robert B. Johnston. U.S. Marines. Retrieved 5 October 2023.
  15. ^ General Charles E. Wilhelm. U.S. Marines. Retrieved 5 October 2023.
  16. ^ General Peter Pace. U.S. Marines. Retrieved 5 October 2023.
  17. ^ Finarelli, Linda (17 August 2011). Martin Berndt, Marine general and Springfield grad, dies at 63. The Reporter Online. Retrieved 5 October 2023.
  18. ^ Col. R.R. Blackman (archived). U.S. Marines. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
  19. ^ Official Biography for Cornell A. Wilson, Jr., Major General USMC Reserve (archived). U.S. Marines. Retrieved 9 October 2023.
  20. ^ MFE welcomes new Commander. Marine Corps Forces Europe. Retrieved 9 October 2023.
  21. ^ MARFOREUR, MARFORAF Welcome New Commander. Marine Corps Forces Europe. Retrieved 9 October 2023.
  22. ^ Commander of II MEF relinquishes command. U.S. Marines. Retrieved 9 October 2023.
  23. ^ McAdam, Scott (13 December 2012). "Paxton Relinquishes Command, MARFORCOM". DVIDS. Retrieved 26 January 2022.
  24. ^ "MARFORCOM change of command".
  25. ^ a b Beardsley, Steven (18 August 2015). Marines to place Europe-Africa command under 2-star in Germany. Stars and Stripes. Retrieved 9 October 2023.
  26. ^ a b New Commander Takes the Reins at U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Europe and Africa. Defense Visual Information Distribution Service. Published 7 July 2019.
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