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The United States Marine Corps (USMC) is a branch of the U.S. military. While concerned almost exclusively with shipboard security service and amphibious warfare in its formative years, the Marine Corps has evolved to fill a unique, multi-purpose role within the modern United States military.

The Marine Corps is the second smallest of the five branches (Navy, Marine Corps, Army, Air Force, Coast Guard) of the U.S. military, with 176,000 active and 40,000 reserve Marines as of 2005. Only the United States Coast Guard, part of the Department of Homeland Security, is smaller. In absolute terms, the US Marine Corps is nonetheless larger than the armed forces of many major nations; for example, it is larger than the British Army.

Contents 1 Mission 2 History 2.1 Creation 2.2 World War I 2.3 World War II 2.4 In Korea 2.5 Vietnam War 2.6 Cold War era 2.7 Operation Restore Hope 2.8 Serbo-Yugoslavian Aggression 2.9 Afghanistan & Operation Enduring Freedom 2.10 Iraq War 3 Reputation of the Marine Corps 4 Organization 4.1 Air-ground task forces 4.2 Ground Combat Elements 4.3 Air Combat Elements 4.4 Combat Service Support Element 4.5 Participation in Joint Operations 5 Rank structure 6 Commandants 7 Appearance 7.1 Utility uniform 7.2 Mess Dress 7.3 Dress uniform 8 Culture 8.1 Colors and insignia 8.2 Swords 8.3 Nicknames 8.4 Motivation Cry 8.5 Former Marines and ex-Marines 9 Initial training 10 Martial arts program 11 Equipment 11.1 Infantry Weapons 11.2 Anti-Armor Weapons 11.3 Ground Vehicles 11.4 Aircraft 12 Marine bases and stations 13 Relationship with the US Navy 14 Miscellaneous 15 See also 16 References 17 External links 18 Other Military links

Mission

The Marine Corps serves as a versatile combat element, and is adapted to a wide variety of combat operations. The Marine Corps was initially composed of infantry combat forces serving aboard naval vessels, responsible for security of the ship, its captain and officers, offensive and defensive combat during boarding actions, by acting as sharpshooters, and carrying out amphibious assaults. The Marines fully developed and used the tactics of amphibious assault in World War II, most notably in the Pacific Island Campaign.

Since its creation in 1775, the Corps' role has expanded significantly. The Marines have a unique mission statement, and, alone among the branches of the U.S. armed forces, "shall, at any time, be liable to do duty in the forts and garrisons of the United States, on the seacoast, or any other duty on shore, as the President, at his discretion, shall direct." Because of this, the Marine Corps is referred to as "The President's Own." In this special capacity, charged with carrying out duties given to them directly by the President of the United States, the Marine Corps serves as an all-purpose, fast-response task force, capable of quick action in areas requiring emergency intervention.

While the Marine Corps does not necessarily fill unique combat roles, only when combined do the US Army, US Navy, and US Air Force overlap every area that the Marine Corps covers. As a force, the Marines consistently use all essential elements of combat (air, ground, sea) together. While the creation of joint commands under the Goldwater-Nichols Act has improved interservice coordination between the larger services, the Marine Corps' ability to permanently maintain integrated multi-element task forces under a single command provides a special ability to respond to flexibility and urgency requirements.

The Marine Corps possesses organic ground and air combat elements, and relies upon the US Navy to provide sea combat elements to fulfill its mission as "America's 9-1-1 Force". Marine combat forces are largely contained in three Marine Expeditionary Forces, or "MEF's". The 1st MEF is based out of Camp Pendleton, California, the 2nd out of Camp LeJeune, North Carolina, while the third is based on Okinawa, Japan. Within the MEF's are the individual Marine Divisions (MARDIVS), Marine Logistics Groups(MLG's) and Marine Aircraft Wings (MAWs). Force Reconnaissance companies are composed of Marines specially trained in covert insertion, reconnaissance, and surveillance tactics, and some have even received special operations training. The "Recon Marines" basic mission is to scout out the enemy and report what they find.

The Marines also maintain an operational and training culture dedicated to emphasizing the infantry combat abilities of every Marine. All Marines receive training first and foremost as basic riflemen, and thus the Marine Corps at heart functions culturally as an infantry corps. The Marine Corps is famous for the saying "Every Marine is a basic rifleman."

Marine tactics and doctrine emphasize aggressiveness and the offensive. The Marines have been central in developing groundbreaking tactics for modern amphibious assault and maneuver warfare and they can be credited with the development of helicopter insertion doctrine.

The amphibious assault is the most complex military maneuver in all of warfare. The doctrines that the US Marines developed for this maneuver are complex in their details. These doctrines acknowledge the complexity of the maneuver and they rely on the twin spears of instant obedience to given orders, and flexibility in execution. The initiative of individuals in taking the fight to the enemy is valued and exemplified. This initiative displayed by individual leaders is crucial to the success of any amphibious assault.

The maneuver warfare doctrine upon which the Corps is organized and the nature of the operations of which the Corps has traditionally been a part causes it to place a premium on decentralized decision-making and the individual abilities of leaders at all levels. This is accomplished through the use of commander's intent as the guiding principle for leaders. Commander's intent specifies the end state the commander wants achieved and other certain parameters he may lay out. This allows the lowest possible tactical units to determine how they wish to execute their mission to fulfill this intent. As a result, a large degree of initiative and autonomy is expected of junior Marines, particularly the NCO's (Corporals and Sergeants) as compared to many other military organizations. The Marine Corps pushes authority and responsibility downward to a greater degree than the other services.

The Marines argue that they do not and should not take the place of the other services, any more than an ambulance takes the place of a hospital. Nonetheless, when a pressing emergency develops, the Marines essentially act as a stopgap, to get into and hold an area until the larger machinery can be mobilized. The opinions of other military men and politicians have, at times, differed, and President Harry S. Truman considered abolishing the Corps as part of the 1948 reorganization of the military. As Truman said, "The only propaganda machine that rivals that of Stalin is that of the United States Marine Corps." Truman, a former U.S. Army artillery captain in World War I, held some resentment of the Marines for the high degree of praise bestowed upon them after the war, mostly at the expense of Army units. He also believed that the Army proved that they could do amphibious landings with the actions in North Africa, Italy and Normandy, so there was no need for a separate service to fulfill this function.

An example of this coordinated, time-sensitive capability could be seen in 1990, when the 22nd and 26th Marine Expeditionary Units conducted Operation Sharp Edge, a noncombatant evacuation operation, or NEO, in the west African city of Monrovia, Liberia. Liberia suffered from civil war at the time, and civilian citizens of the United States and other countries could not leave via conventional means. Sharp Edge ended in success. Only one reconnaissance team came under fire, with no casualties incurred on either side, and the Marines evacuated several hundred civilians within hours to U.S. Navy vessels waiting offshore.

Another example of Marine Corps capabilities may be seen in Operation Desert Storm during the Gulf War. General Norman Schwarzkopf, Jr., commander of United States Central Command, landed in Saudi Arabia to assess what was needed to prevent forces from Iraq under Saddam Hussein from invading Saudi Arabia. He was informed that a Marine expeditionary unit was offshore and could be in place for defensive combat operations within a day. General Schwarzkopf inquired when significant United States Army tank assets could be made available, and he was told that deploying these units from the United States would take six months. It is of note that the ground war started almost six months to the day from the date of that assessment.

History

Creation

The Marine Corps, originally created as the "Continental Marines" during the American Revolutionary War, was formed by a resolution of the Continental Congress on November 10, 1775, and first recruited at Tun Tavern in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania by Samuel Nicholas. They served as landing troops for the recently created Continental Navy. The Continental Marines were disbanded at the end of the war in April 1783 but re-formed on July 11, 1798. Despite the gap, Marines worldwide celebrate November 10 as the Marine Corps Birthday.

Historically, the United States Marine Corps has achieved fame in several campaigns, as referenced in the first line of the Marines' Hymn: "From the halls of Montezuma to the shores of Tripoli". In the early 19th century, First Lieutenant Presley O'Bannon led a group of eight Marines and 300 Arab and European mercenaries in capturing Tripoli. Separately, the Marines took part in the Mexican-American War (1846–1848) and assaulted the Castillo de Chapultepec, or the Chapultepec Palace, which overlooked Mexico City. The Marines were placed on guard duty at the Mexican Presidential Palace, "The Halls of Montezuma".

After these early 19th-century engagements, the Marine Corps occupied a small role in American military history. They saw little significant action in the American Civil War, but later become prominent due to their deployment in small wars around the world. During the latter half of the 19th century, the Marines saw action in Korea, Cuba (1899), the Philippines (1899-1913), and China. During the years before and after World War I, the Marines saw action throughout the Caribbean in places such as Haiti (1915-1934) and Nicaragua. These actions became known as "The Banana Wars", and the experiences gained in counter-insurgency and guerrilla operations during this period were consolidated into the Small Wars Manual.

World War I

In World War I, the battle-tested, veteran Marines served a central role in the U.S. entry into the conflict, and at the Battle of Belleau Wood, Marine units were in the front, earning the Marines a reputation as the "First to Fight". This battle marked the creation of the Marines' reputation in modern history. Rallying under the battle cries of "Retreat? Hell, we just got here!" (Captain Lloyd Williams) and "Come on, you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?" (then Gunnery Sergeant, later Sergeant Major Dan Daly, two time Medal of Honor recipient), the Marines drove German forces from the area. American media coverage stated that captured prisoners and German letters referred to the Marines in the battle as "Teufelshunde", literally "Devil Dogs", a nickname Marines proudly hold to this day. However, there is no proof to this legend.^[1]

The French government renamed Belleau Wood "Bois de la Brigade de Marine", or "Wood of the Marine Brigade," and decorated both the 5th and 6th Regiments with the Croix de Guerre. Franklin Delano Roosevelt, then Secretary of the Navy, stated that enlisted Marines would henceforth wear the Eagle, Globe, and Anchor on their uniform collar.

World War II

In World War II, the Marines played a central role in the Pacific War, and the war saw the expansion of the Corps from two brigades to two corps with six divisions and five air wings with 132 squadrons. The battles of Guadalcanal, Tarawa, Saipan, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa saw fierce fighting between US Marines and the Imperial Japanese Army. The secrecy afforded their communications by the now-famous Navajo code talkers program is widely seen as having contributed significantly to their success.

During the battle of Iwo Jima, Raising of the Flag on Iwo Jima, a famous photograph of five Marines and one Navy corpsman raising the US flag on Mt. Suribachi, was taken. Secretary of the Navy James Forrestal, who had come ashore earlier that day to observe the progress of the troops, said of the flag raising on Iwo Jima, "...the raising of that flag on Suribachi means a Marine Corps for the next five hundred years". The acts of the Marines during the war added to their already significant popular reputation, and the USMC War Memorial in Arlington, VA was dedicated in 1954.

In Korea

The Korean War saw the hastily formed Provisional Marine Brigade holding the line at the Pusan Perimeter, then landing at Inchon and assaulting north into North Korea along with the Army. As U.S. forces approached the Yalu River, the People's Republic of China, fearing an incursion by American forces, sent armies over the river to engage American forces within Korea.

At the Battle of Chosin Reservoir, the 1st Marine Division, vastly outnumbered but vastly better equipped and trained, fought Chinese forces in the winter of 1950. Although surrounded, the Marines regrouped, assaulted the Chinese, and inflicted heavy casualties during their fighting withdrawal to the coast. Following the Chosin Reservoir campaign the Marines continued to slug it out with Chinese and North Korean forces until the armistice was signed in 1953.

Vietnam War

The Marines also played an important role in the Vietnam War at battles such as Da Nang, Hué City, and Khe Sanh. On March 8, 1965, 3,500 Marines were the first American combat troops deployed to Vietnam. The Marines operated in the northern I Corps regions of South Vietnam and fought both a constant guerilla war against the NLF and an off and on conventional war against NVA regulars. Marine forces were the last to leave Vietnam during the evacuation of the American embassy in Saigon on April 30, 1975,.

Cold War era

After Vietnam, Marines served in a number of important events and places. On October 23, 1983, a Marine barracks in Lebanon was bombed, causing the highest peacetime losses to the Corps in its history (220 Marines killed) and leading to the American withdrawal from Lebanon. Marines were also responsible for liberating Kuwait during the Persian Gulf War, as the Army made an attack to the west directly into Iraq.

Operation Restore Hope

U.S. Marines participated in combat operations in Somalia (1992–1995) during Operations Restore Hope, Restore Hope II, and United Shield. While Operation Restore Hope was designated as a humanitarian relief effort, Marine ground forces frequently engaged Somali militiamen in combat. Elements of the 2nd Battalion, 9th Marines were among the first troops of the United Nations effort to land in Somalia in December, 1992, while Marines of 3rd Battalion 1st Marines participated in the final withdrawal of United Nations troops from Somalia in 1995.

Serbo-Yugoslavian Aggression

In 1995, Marines performed a successful mission in Bosnia, rescuing Captain Scott O'Grady, a downed Air Force fighter pilot, in what is called a TRAP (Tactical Recovery of Aircraft and Personnel).

Afghanistan & Operation Enduring Freedom

Marines of the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit and 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit were the first conventional forces into Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in November of 2001. Since then Marine battalions and flying squadrons have been rotating through on seven month tours engaging leftover Taliban and Al Queda forces and also helping to rebuild the war torn country.

Iraq War

Most recently, the Marines served prominently in the 2003 invasion of Iraq and the subsequent occupation, where a light, mobile force was and is especially needed. Perhaps most notably, the Marines spearheaded both assaults on the city of Fallujah in April and November 2004.

Reputation of the Marine Corps

The Marine Corps has a widely-held reputation as a fierce and effective fighting force and the Marines take pride in their gung-ho attitude, they are indoctrinated with a strong belief in their chain of command and the importance of esprit de corps, a spirit of enthusiasm and pride in themselves and the Corps. The Marine Corps is popularly seen as possessing a degree of fame and infamy among the enemies they fight, and examples of this effect are readily seized upon and publicized by the Corps and its supporters. During the 1991 Gulf War, after Iraqi forces had already been bloodied by the Corps in the first ground engagement of the war at Khafji, U.S. Army General Norman Schwarzkopf used a public demonstration of a Marine landing on Kuwait and the Iraqi port of Umm Qasr to pin down Iraqi units, while the Army then executed a sweep from the West. In 1993, the preannounced landing of US Marines on the beaches of Mogadishu was watched on American broadcasting stations on US primetime.

Most recently, Iraqis in the Persian Gulf War and 2003 invasion of Iraq were said to have taken special note of Marine Cobra helicopters and the distinctive look of the Marine combat uniform. The Marines have taken steps to build on this psychological advantage by, for instance, developing a new utility uniform that makes Marines easier to distinguish from other US servicemen. See the Web site of the Permanent Marine Corps Uniform Board (PMCUB) for illustrations of the various Marine uniforms.

While the reputation of the Marine Corps has remained largely positive in recent years, at least within the United States, the Corps has still struggled with occasional negative press and perceptions. In many conflicts, members of the other armed forces of the United States have complained that the Marine Corps often emphasizes its prowess at the expense of the reputation of Army or Navy units which are nearby. An example occurred at the Battle of Chosin Reservoir in the Korean War, when many Marines disparaged the undermanned Army infantry regiment which took the initial Chinese attack and was overrun. Additionally, the aggressive tradition of the Marine Corps, and the public perception of the Corps' as both an aggressive organization and an elite force within the US military, has at times led to public relations issues surrounding accusations of bullying, harassment, and hazing since WWII.

In its post-World War II history, the Marine Corps reputation has been damaged several times. The first major event was the Ribbon Creek Incident on April 8, 1956, when the junior Drill Instructor, Staff Sergeant Matthew McKeon, led his assigned platoon into a tidal stream on Parris Island in the purpose of disciplining his platoon, while violating several basic Marine and training regulations. Six recruits died. SSgt McKeon was court-martialed, and, with significant media coverage, an extensive Congressional investigation took place.

In recent years, following incidents of hazing in various Marine Corps units, such as ANGLICO and the Silent Drill Platoon, incidents involving civilians in Status of Forces Agreement countries or residing near Marine Corps installations and other public relations issues that could cast the Corps into disrepute, increasingly further-reaching measures have been taken to prevent such incidents and protect the public image of the Marine Corps. Standing orders prohibit hazing and initiation rituals of any kind, at least officially. Marines on Okinawa and at other posts are regularly subject to restrictions and curfews, particularly following incidents between Marines and civilians. Marines are regularly admonished from the time that they are recruits in boot camp that their conduct, even while on liberty, leave, or after they are discharged, can and will reflect upon the Corps. Marines today are also discouraged from publicly disparaging other branches of service. These and other measures reflect a realization that the Marine Corps is generally more visible and higher profile than the other branches of service in all that it does, and that it relies upon the goodwill of the American people and Congress to a much greater degree for its survival.

Organization

Air-ground task forces

The Marine Corps organization is flexible, and task forces can be formed of any size. Modern deployable Marine units are based upon the doctrine of the Marine air-ground task force (MAGTF). A MAGTF can generally be of any of three sizes, based upon the amount of force required in the given situation; however, all MAGTFs have a similar organization. A MAGTF is comprised of four elements: the command element (CE), the ground combat element (GCE), the air combat element (ACE) and the combat service support element (CSSE). A MAGTF can operate independently or as part of a larger coalition.

The command element is a headquarters unit that directs the other elements. The ground combat element usually comprises of infantry, supported by armor (tanks), and artillery, but may also include special units such as scouts or Force Reconnaissance, snipers, and forward air controllers. An air combat element contributes the air power to the MAGTF. The ACE includes all aircraft (both fixed wing and helicopters), their pilots and maintenance personnel, and those units necessary for aviation command and control. Finally, combat service support elements include all of the support units for the MAGTF: communications, combat engineers, motor transport, medical, supply units, and certain specialized groups such as air delivery and landing support teams.

The smallest type of MAGTF is the Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) (Special Operations Capable) (SOC). The command element is the standing headquarters for the MEU, usually headed by a colonel. The ground combat element is a battalion landing team (BLT), which is composed of an infantry battalion reinforced with tanks, artillery, engineers, amphibious vehicles, light armored vehicles, and other ground combat assets. The air combat element is composed of a composite squadron of fixed and rotary-wing aircraft and an ATC and command and control detachment. The combat service support element consists of a Combat Logistics Battalion (CLB) which handles the logistics and administration needs of the MEU. The specific makeup of the MEU can be customized based upon the task at hand; additional artillery, armor, or air units can be attached, including squadrons of F/A-18 Hornet and Harrier jets.

There are usually three MEUs assigned to each of the U.S. Navy Atlantic and Pacific Fleets, with another MEU based on Okinawa. While one MEU is on deployment, one MEU is training to deploy and one is standing down, resting its Marines, and refitting. Each MEU is rated as capable of performing special operations.

A Marine Expeditionary Brigade (MEB) is larger than a MEU, and is based upon a Marine regiment, with larger air and support contingents.

A Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF), is comprised of a MEF Headquarters Group, Marine division, Marine Air Wing and Marine Logistics Group. Two notable deployments of an entire MEF were when I Marine Expeditionary Force deployed in support of Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. I MEF ultimately consisted of the 1st and 2nd Marine Divisions as well as considerable Marine air and support units. I MEF also deployed to Kuwait beginning in 2002 and took part in the 2003 Invasion of Iraq

The three Marine Expeditionary Forces are:

• 1st Marine Expeditionary Force located at Camp Pendleton, California
• 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force located at Camp Lejuene, North Carolina
• 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force located at Camp Kinser, Okinawa, Japan

Ground Combat Elements

There is a typical organization for Marine Corps infantry units, from smallest to largest. The organization and weapons are from the Marine Corps Table of Organization and Equipment standard. Any Marine Corps unit might be organized differently under their own SOP and specialized units, such as Force Reconnaissance, could certainly carry different weapons:

The basic element of a GCE is the fire team. It consists of four Marines: a team leader (M16A4 with M203 attachment), an automatic rifleman (M249), an assistant automatic rifleman(M16A4), and a rifleman (M16A4).

A squad is made up of three fire teams and a corporal or sergeant as squad leader.

Generally, there are two kinds of platoons, the next-level element: A rifle platoon consists of three squads, a Navy corpsman, a platoon sergeant (staff sergeant), and a lieutenant as platoon commander. However, a weapons platoon will see its structure in a 60mm mortar section, an assault section, a medium machine gun section (using M240G 7.62mm machine guns), a Navy corpsman, a platoon sergeant (gunnery sergeant), and a lieutenant as platoon commander

A company’s structure may also not be unitary, since a rifle company has three rifle platoons, a weapons platoon, a Navy corpsman, an administrative clerk, a police sergeant (corporal or sergeant), a training NCO, a company gunnery sergeant, first sergeant, a first lieutenant as executive officer, and captain as commander, whereas a weapons company: an 81mm mortar platoon, an anti-armor platoon, and a heavy machine gun platoon.

The following part depicts the structure of a headquarters and support company:

A battalion consists of three or four companies, commanded by a lieutenant colonel. A colonel will command a regiment, usually made up of three or four battalions. A brigade, commanded by a brigadier general, is less common in the Marine Corps, but typically made up of one or more regiments Finally, a division comprises of three or four regiments, officers and others, commanded by a major general.

Battalions and larger units have a sergeant major, and an executive officer as second in command, plus officers and others for: Administration (S-1), Intelligence (S-2), Operations (S-3), Logistics (S-4), Civil Affairs (wartime only) (S-5), and Communications (S-6).

Units of battalion size or larger may be reinforced by the addition of supporting tank or artillery units, as in the Battalion Landing Teams comprising the GCEs of Marine Expeditionary Units.

The four Marine divisions are:

• 1st Marine Division at Camp Pendleton, California
• 2nd Marine Division at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina
• 3rd Marine Division at Camp Smedley Butler in Okinawa, Japan
• 4th Marine Division, a reserve unit headquartered in New Orleans, Louisiana, with units scattered throughout the United States.

In World War II, two more Marine Divisions were formed: the Fifth and Sixth, which fought in the Pacific War. These divisions were disbanded after the end of the war.

Air Combat Elements

The mission of Marine Corps aviation is to provide the MAGTF commander with an Aviation Combat Element (ACE) capable of conducting air operations in support of the seizure and defense of advanced Naval bases, and conducting such land operations as may be directed by the Joint Force commander.

The ACE supports the MAGTF by providing the six functions of Marine aviation: assault support, anti-air warfare, offensive air support, electronic warfare, control of aircraft and missiles, and aerial reconnaissance.

Typical aviation units are squadrons, groups and wings.

The four Marine aircraft wings are:

• 1st Marine Aircraft Wing at Marine Corps Air Station Futenma,Okinawa, Japan
• 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina
• 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California
• 4th Marine Aircraft Wing, a reserve unit, headquartered in New Orleans, Louisiana, with units scattered throughout the United States

Combat Service Support Element

The four Marine logistics groups are:

• 1st Marine Logistics Group at Camp Pendleton, California
• 2nd Marine Logistics Group at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina
• 3rd Marine Logistics Group at Camp Smedley Butler, Okinawa, Japan
• 4th Marine Logistics Group, a reserve unit, headquartered in New Orleans, Louisiana, with units scattered throughout the United States.

Participation in Joint Operations

The MAGTF structure reflects a strong tradition in the Corps towards self-sufficiency and a commitment to combined arms, both essential assets to an expeditionary force often called upon to act independently in discrete, time-sensitive situations. The history of the Marine Corps as well has led to a wariness towards relying too much on its sister services, and towards joint operations in general. During WWII, Marines at times viewed the support which they received from the Navy during the Pacific island battles as insufficient. During most of the Korean War, the Corps was forced to fight as "leg infantry" under Army command, and their unique potential advantage as an amphibious force operating in a peninsular country was ignored.

Historically, the Corps has viewed itself as being particularly vulnerable to the old tendencies toward inter-service rivalries and competition for resources, an issue that relates to the sensitivity of the Corps' reputation as described above. This is not entirely without justification, as efforts to divert resources or missions from the Corps towards other services have at times met with success. In recent years, this tendency has relaxed somewhat as the Corps has come to cooperate more and more closely with the other service branches under the Joint Command Structure. The current Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Peter Pace, is a Marine. In November 2005, the establishment of Marine Special Operations Command within the joint U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) was announced, a move which the Corps eschewed when SOCOM was founded in 1986.

Rank structure

The following table provide the rank structure of the Marine Corps, in descending order. It includes abbreviations in the style used by the Marine Corps, pay grades, and rank insignia:

Commissioned Officer Rank Structure of the United States Marine Corps
Generals
General	Lieutenant General	Major General	Brigadier General
Gen	LtGen	MajGen	BGen
O-10	O-9	O-8	O-7

Field-grade Officers
Colonel	Lieutenant Colonel	Major
Col	LtCol	Maj
O-6	O-5	O-4
Company-grade Officers
Captain	First Lieutenant	Second Lieutenant
Capt	1stLt	2ndLt
O-3	O-2	O-1

Warrant Officer Rank Structure of the United States Marine Corps
Chief Warrant Officer-5	Chief Warrant Officer-4	Chief Warrant Officer-3	Chief Warrant Officer-2	Warrant Officer
CWO5	CWO4	CWO3	CWO2	WO
W-5	W-4	W-3	W-2	W-1

Staff Noncommissioned Officer (SNCO) Rank Structure of the United States Marine Corps
Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps	Sergeant Major	Master Gunnery Sergeant	First Sergeant	Master Sergeant	Gunnery Sergeant	Staff Sergeant
SgtMajMC	SgtMaj	MGySgt	1stSgt	MSgt	GySgt	SSgt
E-9	E-9	E-9	E-8	E-8	E-7	E-6

Noncommissioned Officer (NCO) Rank Structure of the United States Marine Corps
Sergeant	Corporal
Sgt	Cpl
E-5	E-4

Enlisted Rank Structure of the United States Marine Corps
Lance Corporal	Private First Class	Private
LCpl	PFC	Pvt
E-3	E-2	E-1
		no insignia

NOTE 1

A Chief Warrant Officer, CWO2-CWO5, serving in the MOS 0306 "Infantry Weapons Officer" is designated as a special rank: "Marine Gunner". A Marine Gunner replaces the Chief Warrant Officer insignia on the LEFT collar with a bursting bomb insignia. Other Warrant Officers are sometimes informally also referred to as "Gunner" but this usage is not correct.

NOTE 2

The Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps is the senior enlisted Marine of the entire Marine Corps, personally selected by the Commandant of the Marine Corps.

NOTE 3

The E-8 and E-9 levels each have two ranks per pay grade, each with different responsibilities. Gunnery Sergeants (E-7) indicate on their annual evaluations, called "fitness reports", or "fitreps" for short, their preferred promotional track: Master Sergeant or First Sergeant. The First Sergeant and Sergeant Major ranks are command-oriented, with Marines of these ranks serving as the senior enlisted Marines in a unit, charged to assist the commanding officer in matter of discipline, administration and the morale and welfare of the unit. Master Sergeants and Master Gunnery Sergeants provide technical leadership as occupational specialists in their specific MOS. First Sergeants typically serve as the senior enlisted Marine in a company, battery or other unit at similar echelon, while Sergeants Major serve the same role in battalions, squadrons or larger units.

NOTE 4

Some enlisted ranks have commonly used nicknames, though they are not official and technically improper. For instance, a Master Sergeant, is commonly called "Top" and a Master Gunnery Sergeant is "Master Guns". A First Sergeant is also sometimes refered to as "Top". A Gunnery Sergeant is typically called "Gunny", and (much less often) "Guns".

Likewise, Lance Corporals are often referred to (derisively) as "Lance Coolies", "Lances", or "Lance Criminals". Though they are not usually called by rank due to their status as "non-rates".

Unlike the U.S. Army, no enlisted personnel is referred to as "Sarge", and most NCOs will take offense to the term. Likewise, ranks such as Staff Sergeant or Gunnery Sergeant, are never shortened to Sergeant. Junior enlisted personnel rarely refer to senior enlisted personnel as "Sir". The common response to this is "Don't call me sir, I WORK for a living".

Commandants

The Commandant of the Marine Corps functions as the highest-ranking officer of the Marine Corps, though may not be the senior officer in time and grade. He is the symbolic and functional head of the Corps, and holds a position of very high esteem among Marines. The commandant is responsible for keeping the Marine Corps in fighting condition and does not serve as a direct battlefield commander. The commandant is a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and reports to the Secretary of the Navy, but not to the Chief of Naval Operations.

The current and 33rd Commandant of the Marine Corps is General Michael W. Hagee, who assumed the command in January of 2003. As of October 2005, Marine Generals Peter Pace (Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff) and James L. Jones (Commander of the United States European Command; NATO Supreme Allied Commander, Europe; and a former commandant of the Marine Corps) are senior in time and grade to the commandant.

Appearance

Marines are often confused with soldiers, who are members of United States Army. Both have significant differences in appearance: Marines do not wear berets, they wear boots only with their utility uniform and reflecting their naval heritage, Marines do not salute "under cover" (indoors), in the field, or when they are not wearing a "cover" (hat). The Marine service uniform, roughly equivalent to business attire, has a long- or short-sleeve button-up khaki shirt, and olive-green trousers. The long-sleeved version is worn with a double Windsor knotted necktie. The equivalent Army uniform has a light-green shirt with forest-green trousers. Enlisted Marines wear their rank insignia on the sleeve of the service shirt, but Army privates and specialists wear their rank on the collar, and NCOs wear theirs on shoulder epaulets. Marine officers wear rank insignia on the collar, whereas Army officers wear their rank insignia in a similar manner as that of NCOs. The Marine class "A" service coat is olive green (as opposed to forest green for the Army) and has a waist-belt, formerly a Garrison belt for enlisted Marines and the Sam Browne belt for officers. The Marine service uniform is worn with either a barracks (service) cover, which has a bill and a round top, or a garrison cover, which comes to a peak. Marines are less generous with awards and unit identification; the rationale behind this being that as a member of an elite force, it is enough to be identified simply as a Marine. For example, with the exception of breast insignia denoting a few specialized qualifications such as airborne (parachute), pilot or scuba/rebreather qualification, and small red patches sewn on the utility trouser legs and covers of Landing Support Marines, Marines do not normally wear any insignia or device on their utility uniforms denoting their unit, MOS (military occupational specialty), unit, or training.

Traditionally, Marine officers eschew the wearing of rank insignia in combat, on the theory that it simply makes them targets (as in Vietnam) and do not allow saluting in these situations. Enlisted Marines are supposed to know who their leaders are, regardless of whether or not they are wearing rank insignia. This attitude supports the conduct of amphibious operations, the most complex of all military maneuvers. During such a maneuver, units are typically scattered and without a traditional command structure. Leaders are anyone who takes the initiative to lead, an attribute that is stressed throughout Marine Corps training and doctrine.

Utility uniform

Differences in the utility uniform between U.S. Army soldiers and Marines tend to be very subtle. These differences include: The cover (hat) of the utility uniform is constructed differently, Marine covers have eight sides and corners, and are generally worn "blocked"-- creased and peaked, while the headgear of soldiers is left in its "natural" state. Marines wear cotton olive green-colored "skivvie" undershirts with their utility uniform, even in the desert (though brown "skivvie" shirts are now becoming more common due to the lengthy deployment in Iraq). Soldiers wear brown undershirts with BDUs/DCUs and pale undershirts with the ACU. Soldiers roll up the sleeves of their utility uniform so the camouflage is facing out. Marines tightly fold their sleeves so that the lighter-colored underside faces out (known as "white-side out").

Marines "blouse" their boots. That is, they roll the cuffs of their trousers back inside and tighten them over the boots with an elasitc cord or spring known as a boot band. Soldiers either blouse their boots or tuck their trousers directly into their boots. The blousing of boots tends to be an issue of military distinction, since some US Army units, particularly Airborne forces, blouse their boots even when wearing dress uniforms. Marines do not wear any rank insignia or other device on the utility cover. The front of the utility cover has instead the Marine Corps Eagle, Globe, and Anchor emblem, and since the introduction of the MARPAT pattern, this insignia has been embroidered directly on the front--not ironed on as on previous covers.

On their utility uniforms, Marine officers typically wear their rank insignia on both collars, while Army officers, since the introduction of the new Army Combat Uniform, wear their rank insignia on a flap located on the front of the ACU shirt. In garrison, Marine officers typically wear collar insignia made of shiny metal, as opposed to the "subdued" stitched-on insignia worn by Army officers. In combat, however, Marine Officers typically choose to wear subdued versions of the collar insignia, in order to not draw unneccessary enemy attention on the battlefield. Marines wear a colored belt, often referred to as a "rigger's belt", that is color coded to represent their specific qualification under the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program. Marines used to wear black combat boots with the utility uniform, as do the Army and Air Force. But in 2002, light-brown "rough-side out" suede combat boots were introduced along with a new type of camouflage, the "MARPAT" uniform. (See photo.) Effective 1 October 2004, black combat boots were declared obsolete and no longer authorized for general wear by Marines. Exception is made for black safety boots worn for certain tasks, such as parachuting.

As of 1 October 2006, the old-style camouflage utility uniform, also worn by the Army and Air Force, will be declared obsolete. The only utility uniform authorized for Marines will be the woodland and desert MARPAT uniform. As of 2004, both the Army and the Air Force have announced plans to replace their old-style "pickle suit" camouflage utility uniforms with newer designs similar to the Marine Corps digital "MARPAT" pattern. The Navy has started experimentations on the replacement of their "dungaree" and Officer/Chief Petty Officer uniforms with a variation of the "MARPAT" pattern.

Mess Dress

Mess Dress is a formal set of attire specifically set aside for wear to banquets, balls, and functions of state. While mainly worn by staff NCO's and officers (required for general and field-grade officers and optional for company-grade and warrant officers), a few junior enlisted personnel can have need of it such as embassy Marines. Currently, Marines wear the blue Mess Dress, and its more formal Evening Dress attire year round--a white version being eliminated in 1992. Officer's Evening/Mess Dress consists of a hip-length "shell" jacket, in which the collar is closed at the top, with the front of the jacket left open, worn with high-waisted trousers with a gold and red stripe down each leg. A white vest is worn by all officer ranks for Evening Dress, while for Mess Dress, the uniform is worn with a scarlet vest by general officers and with a cummerbund for all other officers. The SNCO version consists of a regular hip-length mess jacket, identical to those worn by Army personnel, with oversized rank insignia worn on both sleeves. High-waisted trousers identical to those worn with Dress Blues (see below) are worn, with the white vest or scarlet cummerbund being worn for Evening or Mess Dress occasions respectively.

Dress uniform

Marine's Dress uniform is the most elaborate of the United States armed forces. The most formal of a Marine's uniforms, it is often referred to as "Dress Blues", due to its color (as distinguished from the green and khaki service uniforms), it can be worn in many forms.

• Dress Blue "A" has a long sleeve choker-collar midnight blue (black) outer blouse, white barracks cover, with all medals and ribbons. A Mameluke Sword or NCO sword may be worn by officers, SNCOs and NCOs as authorized.
• Dress Blue "B" is the same as "A", but ribbons are worn instead of medals, and badges, whilst these are optional.
• Dress Blue "C" is same as "B" but without the outer blue coat, a khaki long sleeve shirt and tie instead. Ribbons and badges are normally worn on the shirt.
• Dress Blue "D" is same as "C", but with short sleeve khaki shirt and no tie.

All the blues have the same trousers, cover and shoes, although the shoes do not have to be of one brand they do have to be uniform. General officers will wear a two-inch wide scarlet "blood stripe" down the outer seam of each leg of blue dress trousers/slacks, field and company grade officers will wear a 1 1/2-inch wide scarlet stripe down the outer seam of each leg of blue dress trousers/slacks, and SNCO's and NCO's will wear a 1 1/8-inch wide scarlet stripe down the outer seam of each leg of blue dress trousers/slacks. Like the U.S. Army, General officers wear dark blue trousers in the same color as the coat, while lower ranking officers, SNCO's and NCO's wear medium (sky) blue trousers.

Prior to 1998, certain ceremonial Marine units, such as the Silent Drill Platoon, wore a blue/white dress uniform, in which white trousers for blue while performing ceremonial functions. This uniform is now authorized as the summer dress uniform for officers and SNCO's, unless they are in formation with NCO's and enlisted personnel, except for ceremonial units.

Another uniform, the Dress White uniform, was an officers-only uniform that resembled the Navy's Officer/CPO dress whites, except that the coat had shoulder epaulets for the wearing of rank, and Marine insignia was worn. This uniform was superceded by the Blue/White Dress uniform in 2000.

Culture

The Marine motto "Semper Fidelis" means "Always faithful" in Latin. This motto often appears in the shortened form "Semper Fi" It is also the name of the official march of the Corps, composed by John Phillip Sousa. Another motto commonly used in recruiting is The Few. The Proud. The Marines..

Colors and insignia

The colors of the Marine Corps are scarlet and gold. They appear on the flag of the United States Marine Corps, along with the Marine Corps emblem: the eagle, globe, and anchor, with the eagle representing service to the country, the globe representing worldwide service, and the anchor representing naval traditions. The emblem, adopted in its present form in 1868, derives partially from ornaments worn by the Continental Marines and the British Royal Marines, and is usually topped with a ribbon reading "Semper Fidelis". It is interesting to note that the eagle on the original design for the Marine Corps insignia was not a bald eagle, but a crested eagle. It was selected because while bald eagles are found only in North America crested eagles are found (like Marines) through out the world.

Swords

Two styles of swords are worn by Marines. The Marine Corps officer sword is a Mameluke sword, similar to the sword presented to Lt. Presley O'Bannon after the capture of Derne during the First Barbary War. Noncommissioned officers carry a different style of sword, similar in style to a Civil War, U.S. Army infantry officer's sword, making them the only enlisted service members in the U.S. Armed Forces authorized to carry a sword.

Nicknames

Marines have several generic nicknames, mildly derogatory when used by outsiders but complimentary when used by Marines themselves. They include "jarhead" (it was said their hats on their uniform made them look like mason jars, or that the regulation "high and tight" haircut gave the appearance of a jar-lid), "gyrene" (perhaps a combination of "G.I." and "Marine"), "leatherneck", referring to the leather collar that was a part of the Marine uniform during the Revolutionary War period, and "Devil Dog" (German: Teufelshund) after the Battle of Belleau Wood.

This nicknaming extends to the Corps itself. The acronym 'USMC' is regularly reworked into "Uncle Sam's Misguided Children," and even Marines themselves have semi-derogatory nicknames for their Corps, with Marines during the Vietnam era labeling it 'the Crotch' and Cold War era Marines preferring 'the Suck'.

In the 1991 Gulf War, Iraqi soldiers nicknamed the Marines "Angels of Death". Another so-called term of endearment for Marines was "blackboots". This was due to supply shortages, leaving tan, desert boots unavailable to most Marine units. Haitians called Marines participating in relief operations "whitesleeves" because of the way they roll up the sleeves of their utility uniform, called "cammies" colloquially. In Somalia, they were referred to as "The Devils in black boots", due to their rapid deployment preventing them from acquiring desert boots.

Motivation Cry

A spirited cry, "Oorah!", is common among Marines, being similar in function and purpose to the Army's "Hooah" cry, but is probably more commonly used among Marines than "Hooah" would be in the Army. "Oorah!" is usually either a reply in the affirmative to a question, an acknowledgment of an order, or an expression of enthusiasm (real or false). It was alleged by James Webb, a highly decorated Marine officer and former Secretary of the Navy, in his novel Something to Die For, that the term arose as a bastardization of the Turkish word for "kill", most likely picked up by Marines from Turks during their involvement in the Korean Conflict.

Former Marines and ex-Marines

Former Marine refers to an individual that completed their service and has received an honorable or general discharge from the service. Marines who have retired are commonly called "retired Marines," vice "former".

Marines are inculcated with the Marine ethos and one of several mottos, "Once a Marine, always a Marine". Within all branches, the Marine Corps has the highest percentage of enlisted personnel that serve for only one enlistment contract (approximately 75%). While the smallest service, it has a disproportionate number of former members.

Marines acknowledge individuals that served, but have generally referred to those whoe have brought dishonor upon themselves, as ex-Marines because they are no longer deserving of the title Marine. This is not an offical Marine Corps, or veteran's, policy, but it can be found by looking at numerous instances in the past. The list includes Lee Harvey Oswald and Charles Whitman, but also is a reference to anyone whose military service was questionable (i.e., did not receive an honorable or general discharge), or subsequently demonstrated poor citizenship.

Initial training

Training for commissioned officers occurs through NROTC, the Navy Reserve Officers Training Corps; OCS, Officer Candidate School, including the Platoon Leaders Class (PLC), or the United States Naval Academy. After that, all officers spend their first six months, regardless of accession route or further training requirements, at The Basic School at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia. The Basic School, solely for freshly commissioned second lieutenants learning the art of infantry and combined arms warfare, is an example of the Corps' approach to furthering the concept that "Every Marine is a basic rifleman."

Enlisted Marines attend boot camp, at either Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego or Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, just outside Beaufort, South Carolina. Women must attend Parris Island, but men train at either depot. The Mississippi River serves as the dividing line which delineates who will be trained where (with some minor exceptions), based on the what recruiting district the enlistee was recruited from.

Enlisted Marines then attend School of Infantry training at Camp Lejeune or Camp Pendleton, generally based upon where the Marine attended boot camp. Infantry Marines begin their Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) training immediately with the Infantry Training Battalion (ITB), while all other Marines train with the Marine Combat Training (MCT) Battalion before continuing on to their MOS schools.

In 1997, the Marine Corps changed how it structured the training of female recruits. Prior to the change, female recruits trained at Parris Island two weeks longer than their male counterparts, but did not train in the MCT program. Afterwards, their training at Parris Island was consistent with male training and Camp Lejeune expanded MCT to encompass female Marines.

Martial arts program

Main article: Marine Corps Martial Arts Program

In 2001, the Marine Corps initiated an internally designed martial arts program, called Marine Corps Martial Arts Progam, or MCMAP for short. The idea was borrowed from the South Korean Marines, who train in martial arts and who, during the Vietnam War, were widely rumored to all hold black belts. Due to an expectation that urban and police-type peacekeeping missions would become more common in the 21st century, placing Marines in even closer contact with unarmed civilians, MCMAP will provide Marines with a larger and more versatile set of less-than-lethal options for controlling hostile, but unarmed individuals. It is also a stated aim of the program to instill and maintain the "warrior culture" within Marines.

Marines begin MCMAP training in boot camp. There are 5 levels of MCMAP, signified by the color of a riggers belt. The colors from the lowest to the highest levels; Tan, Grey, Green, Brown, and Black. A minimum level of achievement is set for each rank level, including officers. The minimum level is a Tan belt, which recruits and junior officers must earn in initial training before being allowed to graduate. After entering the Fleet Marine Forces (FMF), Marines are allowed to progrees further in MCMAP. Tan and Grey belts are considered the foundation of the movements in MCMAP, with succeeding belts building ontop of those basic techniques. When a Marine reaches the level of Green belt, he has the opportunity to become an instructor or instructor trainer. This is represented by a tan stripe to the left of the buckle. At the brown belt level, a Marine must be at a minimum an instructor in MCMAP. The highest level in belts it the Black belt. The black belt has 6 degrees which are indicated by red stripes to the right of the buckle.

The Marine Corps Martial Arts program is an ecclectic mix of different styles of martial arts. MCMAP consists of boxing movements, joint locking techniques, opponent weight transfer (Ju jitsu), ground grappling (mostly wrestling), bayonet, knife and baton fighting, noncompliance joint manipulations, and blood restriction chokes.

Equipment

Main article: Category:United States Marine Corps equipment

Infantry Weapons

Main article: List of weapons of the U.S. Marine Corps

• M16 assault rifle
• M4 carbine
• M 203 grenade launcher
• M9 pistol
• M67 hand grenade

Anti-Armor Weapons

Main article: List of weapons of the U.S. Marine Corps

• Predator Short-Range Assault Weapon
• AT4 Anti-Tank Missile
• BGM-71 TOW anti-tank missile
• FGM-148 Javelin guided anti-tank missile

Ground Vehicles

• M1 Abrams Main Battle Tank
• AAV-7A1 Amphibious Assault Vehicle
• LAV 25 Armoured Personnel Carrier
• High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (Humvee)
• MTVR
• D9R (IDF)-armored bulldozer (USMC Engineers)

Aircraft

• AH-1W Cobra Attack Helicopter
• UH-1N Huey
• CH-46 Sea Knight
• CH-53 Sea Stallion
• AV-8 Harrier II VSTOL Fighter
• F/A-18 Hornet Multi-role Fighter
• EA-6B Prowler
• C-130 Hercules
• C-12 Huron

Marine bases and stations

Main article: List of United States Marine Corps bases

Relationship with the US Navy

Although the Marine Corps report to the civilian Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV), they are not considered to be part of the Navy, but rather a distinct branch of the military. The Commandant of the Marine Corps does not report to a naval officer (unless the chairman of the rotating joint chief of staff happens to be an admiral). However, as the Navy often serves to deliver Marines to their deployments, Marines being transported in a naval vessel must obey the orders of its captain. Marine air squadrons deploy alongside navy air squadrons on aircraft carriers or in aircraft carrier battlegroups, but often have distinct missions and rarely fly on sorties together, except to directly support Marine ground troops.

The US Naval Academy trains Marine Corps officers, and in return, US Navy officers are trained by Marine Corps NCOs as Drill Instructors in addition to their Navy Recruit Division Commander.

Since the Marines do not train Chaplains or medical corpsmen, officers and enlisted sailors from the Navy fill these roles, generally wearing Marine uniforms emblazoned with Navy insignia and markings so as to be noticeably distinct to compatriots when operating but indistinguishable to enemies. These sailors operate under Marines' command under the auspices of the Fleet Marine Force.

The Marines also operate a network security team in conjunction with the Navy.

The Marines enjoy a stronger sense of camaraderie with sailors in the Navy compared to that with other branches of the military.

Marine corps medal of honor recipients wear the navy variant of the award.

Miscellaneous

The United States Marines have recently agreed to supply a 2,700-strong unit which will report directly to U.S. Special Operations Command. The move, the result of years-long negotiations between the Defense Department, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld and Marine Corps Commandant General Michael W. Hagee, will create a new organization called Marine Special Operations Command (MARSOC). [2] Marines guard U.S. embassies (Marine Corps Security Guard) and other foreign missions, in cooperation with the Diplomatic Security Service. Marines also stand guard at the White House. The president's helicopter is Marine One, part of HMX-1, at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia. The United States Marine Band, known as "The President's Own", is charged with providing music for the President of the United States and often plays during state functions.

Infamous former or ex-Marines include Lee Harvey Oswald, Charles Whitman, Clayton Lonetree, Charles ng and John Wayne Bobbitt. Academy Awards have been nominated to four former Marines for the Academy Award for Best Actor: Lee Marvin (won for Cat Ballou), Steve McQueen (nominated for The Sand Pebbles), George C. Scott (won for Patton but returned the statue), and Gene Hackman (won for The French Connection). Gene Hackman also won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for Unforgiven. Director Sam Peckinpah was nominated for the Academy Award for Writing Original Screenplay for The Wild Bunch.

In 2005, the Marine Corps 230th Anniversary Silver Dollar became the first coin struck by the United States Treasury to represent a branch of the United States military. Although the Marine Corps has only 170,000 active duty personnel, the 600,000 mint run quickly sold out. The obverse shows the flag raising on Mount Suribachi, while the reverse depicts the Eagle, Globe and Anchor.

See also

• Lists
  • List of weapons of the US Marine Corps
  • List of United States Marine Corps Bases
  • List of famous U.S. Marines
• Force Reconnaissance
• United States Marine Corps Women's Reserve (USMCWR)
• Commandant's Own Drum and Bugle Corps
• Marine
• General Orders for Sentries
• Five paragraph order
• Rifleman's Creed
• Single Marine Program

References

1. ^ The devil dog legend
2. ^ "The preannounced landing of US Marines was witnessed by millions of US primetime television viewers", page 16, December 9

• Marine Corps Uniform Regulations, accessed December 26, 2005

External links

• USMC Official Web site
• United States Marine Corps History and Museums Division
• Marine Corps Heritage Foundation
• Leatherneck.com — community for USMC Veterans
• Marines.com — information on U.S. Marine Corps
• Commandant's Own Drum & Bugle Corps
• History of the Marine Corps Martial Art Program
• Profiles of Marines — resource for Marines can re-connect with other Marines
• Marines in WWII — combat footage of U.S. Marines in the Pacific
• Marine Corps Engineer Association

Other Military links

• The official website of the United States Department of Defense
• US Army
• US Navy
• US Air Force
• US Coast Guard

Military of the United States
U.S. Army | U.S. Navy | U.S. Air Force | U.S. Marine Corps | U.S. Coast Guard