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{{Short description|Military unit of the United States Marine Corps}}{{more footnotes|date=March 2018}}{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2020}}

factoids

present! NATO Symbol| {{Mil Map Symbol| UNIT SHORT NAME = I| PARENT SHORT NAME = | UNIT ICON = Military Symbol - Friendly Unit (Solid Light 1.5x1 Frame)- Marine Air Ground Task Force (USMC) (ADRP 1-02, 2015 Dec 07).svg| UNIT SIZE ICON = NATO Map Symbol - Unit Size - Corps Expiditionary Force.svg| ICON SIZE = 100}}

United States of America}}|allegiance=	United States Marine Corps}}|type= Marine Air-Ground Task Force|role= Expeditionary combat force	United States Marine Corps Forces, Pacific>U.S. Marine Forces Pacific	Lieutenant general (United States)>LtGen Michael S. Cederholm|notable_commanders=Gen Joseph F. Dunford, Jr., Gen Anthony Zinni, Gen Michael Hagee, Gen James T. Conway, Gen James Mattis, Gen John F. Sattler	Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton>MCB Camp Pendleton, California, U.S.|ceremonial_chief=|colonel_of_the_regiment=|nickname= |patron=|motto= |colors=|march=|mascot=	Operation Desert StormWar on Terror>Global War on Terrorism Operation Enduring Freedom Iraq War Invasion of Iraq First Battle of Fallujah Second Battle of Fallujah|anniversaries= }}The I Marine Expeditionary Force ("I" pronounced "One") is a Marine Air Ground Task Force (MAGTF) of the United States Marine Corps primarily composed of the 1st Marine Division, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, and 1st Marine Logistics Group. It is based at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton.I Marine Expeditionary Force is the largest of the three MEFs in the Fleet Marine Force and is often referred to as the "Warfighting MEF" for its consistent involvement and contributions in major armed conflicts. It is presently commanded by Lieutenant General Michael Cederholm. The deputy commander is Brigadier General Robert C. Fulford. Etymology Pronunciation of the Roman numeral designator: As a Roman numeral the capital letter "I", representing one, is properly pronounced as "One". However, there are some who erroneously pronounce the number as either "First", or either intentionally, or unknowingly, pronounce it as "Eye", as in the letter "I".The convention of using Roman numerals to designate a MEF, which is itself the Marine Corps equivalent organization to an Army corps, stems from the U.S. Army practice that began in the American Civil War, and continues today, of numbering corps (two or more divisions with supporting troops, and sometimes including separate brigades, regiments, groups, or battalions, all under a unified corps headquarters, usually commanded by a lieutenant general) with Roman numerals. Corps, themselves being the first-level sub-unit of a "field army", or a numbered, or named, army (e.g., First U.S. Army, or the Army of the Potomac).During the First World War, the 4th Marine Brigade, as part of the U.S. Army 2nd Infantry Division, came under the U.S. Army I Corps, American Expeditionary Forces. With the expansion of the Marine Corps to six divisions and five air wings during the Second World War, the Marine Corps created two "Amphibious Corps", I Marine Amphibious Corps (later re-designated as III Amphibious Corps) and V Amphibious Corps, continuing the custom begun by the Army. Modern Marine Expeditionary Forces, or MEFs (for a time known as Marine Amphibious [italics added] Forces, or MABs) continue the U.S. Marine Corps legacy as corps-equivalent organizations designated by Roman numerals. Mission When directed, I MEF deploys and is employed as a Marine Air Ground Task Force (MAGTF) in support of Combatant Commander (COCOM) requirements for contingency response or Major Theater War; with appropriate augmentation, serves as the core element of a Joint Task Force (JTF); prepares and deploys combat-ready MAGTF's to support COCOM presence and crisis response; and supports service and COCOM initiatives as required. Lineage{| style"border:1px solid black; background:white;float: right;text-align: center" cellpadding"3"

• Activated on 8 November 1969 at Okinawa, Japan as the I Marine Expeditionary Force
• Redesignated on 18 August 1970 as the I Marine Amphibious Force (I MAF)
• Relocated in April 1971 to Camp Pendleton, California
• Redesignated on 5 February 1988 as the "I Marine Expeditionary Force"

Structure

(File:1st Marine Expeditionary Force.png|thumb|center|800px|I Marine Expeditionary Force organization March 2024Í (click to enlarge))

Units

• Ground combat element: 1st Marine Division
• Aviation combat element: 3rd Marine Air Wing
• Logistics combat element: 1st Marine Logistics Group
• I Marine Expeditionary Force Information Group
  • I MEF Support BattalionWEB, I MEF Support Battalion,weblink I MEF Information Group, 28 September 2022,
  • 1st Intelligence Battalion
  • 1st Radio Battalion
  • 9th Communication Battalion
  • 1st Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company (ANGLICO)
• 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit
• 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit
• 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit

Recent service

{{command structure|name= I MEF composition for Operation Iraqi Freedom|parent=I Marine Expeditionary Force Headquarters Group, 1st Marine Division (United States)>1st Marine Division, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, 1st Force Service Support Group, I MEF Engineering Group, Task Force Tarawa, 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit, 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit>24th MEU, 1st Armoured Division .Reynolds Baghdad, Basrah and Beyond, pg. 169.}}

• Operation Desert Shield – Southwest Asia – August 1990 – April 1991
• Operation Desert Storm – Southwest Asia – August 1990 – April 1991
• Operation Restore Hope- December 1992 – May 1993
• Operation Southern Watch – Iraq – January 1998 – February 1998
• Operation Desert Thunder – Iraq – February 1998 – June 1998
• Operation Enduring Freedom – Kuwait, Afghanistan – November 2002
• Operation Iraqi Freedom – Iraq – March 2003 – 2010

List of commanders

{{incomplete list|date=April 2021}}(File:I MEF Change of Command Ceremony 2021 210923-M-MN384-0048.jpg|thumb|Lt. Gen. Karsten S. Heckl, former commanding general, I Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF), passes the colors to Lt. Gen. George W. Smith Jr., signifying the change of command of I MEF during a formal ceremony on September 23, 2021.){| class="wikitable sortable"!rowspan=2|{{abbr|No.|Number}}!colspan=2|Commander!colspan=3|Term!rowspan=2|Ref!Portrait!Name!Took office!Left office!Term length{{Officeholder table| order = -| military_rank = Lieutenant General| image = Walter E. Boomer.jpg| officeholder = Walter E. Boomer| officeholder_sort = | born_year = 1938| died_year = | term_start = 15 August 1990| term_end = 6 September 199115 August 1990|6 September 1991}}| ref = -}}{{Officeholder table| order = -| military_rank = Lieutenant General| image = LtGenRbtBJohnston USMC.jpg| officeholder = Robert B. Johnston| officeholder_sort = | born_year = 1937| died_year = | term_start = 6 September 1991| term_end = July 19936 September 1991|1 July 1993}}| ref = -}}{{Officeholder table| order = -| military_rank = Lieutenant General| image = LtGenChristmas adjusted.jpg| officeholder = George R. Christmas| officeholder_sort = | born_year = 1940| died_year = | term_start = July 1993| term_end = July 19941 July 1993|1 July 1994}}| ref = -}}{{Officeholder table| order = -| military_rank = Lieutenant General| image = Anthony Zinni, official military photo portrait.jpg| officeholder = Anthony Zinni| officeholder_sort = | born_year = 1943| died_year = | term_start = July 1994| term_end = October 19961 July 1994|1 October 1996}}| ref = -}}{{Officeholder table| order = -| military_rank = Lieutenant General| image = Carlton W. Fulford, Jr. - November 20, 1997.JPEG| officeholder = Carlton W. Fulford Jr.| officeholder_sort = | born_year = 1944| died_year = | term_start = October 1996| term_end = April 19981 October 1996|1 April 1998}}| ref = -}}{{Officeholder table| order = -| military_rank = Lieutenant General| image = Official Portrait of Lt. Gen. Bruce B. Knutson, Jr., USMC.jpg| officeholder = Bruce B. Knutson Jr.| officeholder_sort = | born_year = 1946| died_year = | term_start = April 1998| term_end = 7 July 20001 April 1998|7 July 2000}}| ref = -}}{{Officeholder table| order = -| military_rank = Lieutenant General| image = LtGen Michael W. Hagee.jpg| officeholder = Michael W. Hagee| officeholder_sort = | born_year = 1944| died_year = | term_start = 7 July 2000| term_end = 18 November 20027 July 2000|18 November 2002}}ARCHIVE-URL=HTTPS://WEB.ARCHIVE.ORG/WEB/20011129215623/HTTP://WWW.USMC.MIL/GENBIOS2.NSF/BIOGRAPHIES/FC581F1066787E96852568080044377E?OPENDOCUMENTWEBSITE=U.S. MARINE CORPS, }}{{Officeholder table| order = -| military_rank = Lieutenant General| image = LtGen James T. Conway (2).jpg| officeholder = James T. Conway| officeholder_sort = | born_year = 1947| died_year = | term_start = 18 November 2002| term_end = 12 September 200418 November 2002|12 September 2004}}| ref = -}}{{Officeholder table| order = -| military_rank = Lieutenant General| image = John F. Sattler.jpg| officeholder = John F. Sattler| officeholder_sort = | born_year = 1949| died_year = | term_start = 12 September 2004| term_end = 14 August 200612 September 2004|14 August 2006}}TITLE=LT. GEN. SATTLER TAKES COMMAND OF I MEFACCESS-DATE=16 MAY 2021, U.S. Marine Corps, }}{{Officeholder table| order = -| military_rank = Lieutenant General| image = James Mattis.jpgJim Mattis>James Mattis| officeholder_sort = | born_year = 1950| died_year = | term_start = 14 August 2006| term_end = 5 November 200714 August 2006|5 November 2007}}URL=HTTPS://WWW.SANDIEGOUNIONTRIBUNE.COM/SDUT-MATTIS-ASSUMES-COMMAND-OF-I-MARINE-EXPEDITIONARY-2006AUG15-STORY.HTMLDATE=15 AUGUST 2006WEBSITE=THE SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, }}{{Officeholder table| order = -| military_rank = Lieutenant General| image = Samuel T. Helland LTGEN.jpg| officeholder = Samuel T. Helland| officeholder_sort = | born_year = 1947/1948| died_year = | term_start = 5 November 2007| term_end = 16 October 20095 November 2007|19 October 2010}}TITLE=MARINE GENERAL CAPS A 41-YEAR CAREER AT CAMP LEJEUNEACCESS-DATE=16 MAY 2021, Dvidshub.net, }}{{Officeholder table| order = -| military_rank = Lieutenant General| image = LtGen Joseph F. Dunford, Jr. USMC.jpg| officeholder = Joseph Dunford| officeholder_sort = | born_year = 1953| died_year = | term_start = 16 October 2009| term_end = 19 October 201016 October 2009|19 October 2010}}| ref = }}{{Officeholder table| order = -| military_rank = Lieutenant General| image = Lieutenant General Thomas D. Waldhauser.JPG| officeholder = Thomas D. Waldhauser| officeholder_sort = | born_year = 1955| died_year = | term_start = 19 October 2010| term_end = 12 September 201219 October 2010|12 September 2012}}TITLE=DUNFORD PASSES I MEF TO WALDHAUSERACCESS-DATE=16 MAY 2021, Dvidshub.net, }}{{Officeholder table| order = -| military_rank = Lieutenant General| image = Lieutenant General John A. Toolan.JPG| officeholder = John A. Toolan| officeholder_sort = | born_year = 1954| died_year = | term_start = 12 September 2012| term_end = 11 July 201412 September 2012|11 July 2014}}TITLE=I MEF, MARCENT WELCOME NEW LEADERSACCESS-DATE=16 MAY 2021, I MEF, }}{{Officeholder table| order = -| military_rank = Lieutenant General| image = Lieutenant General David H. Berger.JPG| officeholder = David H. Berger| officeholder_sort = | born_year = 1959| died_year = | term_start = 11 July 2014| term_end = 27 July 201611 July 2014|27 July 2016}}URL=HTTPS://WWW.STRIPES.COM/NEWS/MARINE-CORPS/CHANGE-OF-COMMAND-AT-CAMP-PENDLETON-S-1ST-MARINE-EXPEDITIONARY-FORCE-1.293038DATE=12 JULY 2014WEBSITE=STRIPES, }}{{Officeholder table| order = -| military_rank = Lieutenant General| image = Lieutenant General L. A. Craparotta.jpg| officeholder = Lewis A. Craparotta| officeholder_sort = | born_year = 1959| died_year = | term_start = 27 July 2016| term_end = 30 July 201827 July 2016|30 July 2018}}URL=HTTPS://NEWS.USNI.ORG/2016/07/28/MARINE-CORPS-LARGEST-FIGHTING-MEF-CHANGES-HANDSDATE=28 JULY 2016WEBSITE=USNI NEWS, }}{{Officeholder table| order = -| military_rank = Lieutenant General| image = Lt. Gen. Joseph L. Osterman(2) (cropped).jpg| officeholder = Joseph Osterman| officeholder_sort = | born_year = 1959| died_year = | term_start = 30 July 2018| term_end = 31 July 202030 July 2018|31 July 2020}}DATE=24 JULY 2018WEBSITE=U.S. MARINE CORPS, }}{{Officeholder table| order = -| military_rank = Lieutenant General| image = Lt. Gen. Karsten S. Heckl (2).jpg| officeholder = Karsten Heckl| officeholder_sort = | born_year = 1964| died_year = | term_start = 31 July 2020| term_end = 23 September 202131 July 2020|23 September 2021}}ACCESS-DATE=17 MAY 2021, U.S. Marine Corps, }}{{Officeholder table| order = -| military_rank = Lieutenant General| image = Lt. Gen. George W. Smith, Jr.jpg| officeholder = George W. Smith Jr.| officeholder_sort = | born_year = | died_year = | term_start = 23 September 2021| term_end = 18 August 202323 September 2021|18 August 2023}}ACCESS-DATE=27 SEPTEMBER 2021, DVIDS, }}{{Officeholder table| order = -| military_rank = Major General| image = Bradford J. Gering (2).jpg| officeholder = Bradford J. Gering| officeholder_sort = | born_year = | died_year = | term_start = 18 August 2023| term_end = 16 February 202418 August 2023|16 February 2024}}DATE=2023-08-18WEBSITE=DVIDS, | acting = y}}{{Officeholder table| order = -| military_rank = Lieutenant General| image = LtGen Michael S. Cederholm.jpg| officeholder = Michael S. Cederholm| officeholder_sort = | born_year = | died_year = | term_start = 16 February 202416 February 2024}}ACCESS-DATE=2023-01-27, DVIDS, }}

References

{{reflist}}

External links

{{Commons category}}

• I MEF official website

{{US Marine Corps navbox}}{{USMCmajorcommands}}