U.S. Marine Corps Concepts & Programs

The United States Marine Corps continues to defend our Nation amidst a world of ever-increasing instability and conflict. In the rugged Helmand River Valley of Afghanistan, onboard naval amphibious ships and in countless other locations, Marines are fighting our enemies and assisting our friends. All the while, we remain poised to respond to crisis in any clime or place. As, America's Expeditionary Force in Readiness, we have a statutory responsibility to be prepared at a moment's notice to respond "as the President may direct" across the range of military operation from humanitarian assistance missions to major combat operations. Our notion of "Expeditionary" is more than a slogan. It is a state of mind that drives the way we organize our forces, how we train, and what kind of equipment we buy. This past fall, our Corps conducted a comprehensive force structure review to ensure we are optimally postured for the emerging and future security environment. The results of that detailed study will have bearing on the programs and equipment we procure, now and into the future. This edition of Concepts and Programs serves as an encyclopedic reference of all our major programs and operational concepts for 2011. This publication also includes a comprehensive Almanac, detailing demographics and other important statistics of our force.