Does Force Recon support the MEU or does the MEU support Force Recon?

via the USMC.

6/6/2012  By Staff Sgt. Robert L. Fisher III  , 24th MEU 

JORDAN  — Marines with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit’s Maritime Raid Force, composed largely of its Force Reconnaissance Platoon, went straight to work showing off their capabilities upon landing in the Jordanian desert in preparation for Exercise Eager Lion 12, May 7. The MRF took part in an international military warrior competition at Jordan’s King Abdullah Special Operations Training Center and immediately crossed the country to meet with members of the Jordanian 77th Marine Reconnaissance Battalion. They spent the following days sharing experiences and refining each other’s skills. Eager Lion 12 is an international training exercise with more than 19 countries and approximately 11,000 participants designed to promote cooperation and military-to-military relationships among participating forces. The exercise scenario is intended to portray realistic, modern-day security challenges. Working with the Jordanians has allowed the MRF to return to the basics of shooting while also allowing them the opportunity to refine their knowledge of special operations mission capabilities through teaching. The Marines taught classes on their sniper rifles: the M40A5, M110 semi-automatic sniper system, and M107 .50 cal. Special Application Scoped Rifle, or SASR. Further scheduled training includes rappelling, fast roping, and ship takedown drills. Marines who become part of the reconnaissance community must undergo rigorous training and screening before becoming Force Reconnaissance. Once part of a unit, they attend a myriad of different schools in order to learn the abilities necessary for the unit to be self-sufficient. This added expertise allows a Force Reconnaissance platoon to be capable of several special missions: ship takedowns, long-term reconnaissance, battlefield shaping, counterintelligence and quick reaction, small-scale raids among others. “We train with special operations partners in joint training missions to facilitate possible missions in the future,” said Capt. Patrick R. Madden, the 24th MEU’s MRF commander. But the MRF is much more than just Force Reconnaissance Marines. It relies on several attached assets to complement its diverse skill sets. “Intelligence personnel have been integrated into the unit,” said Madden. “They can immediately detain and process a detainee on site without having to send them somewhere else. Trained personnel can also provide a full spectrum of signal intelligence detection and counter detection.” These additional assets include Marines from human intelligence, signal intelligence, fire support control, and explosive ordnance disposal. “We have many of the same assets internal to a special operations unit,” said Staff Sgt. Zachary Burghart, an MRF team leader. “We do a lot of the same special missions that Special Forces do, but we do it specifically for the task force commander or the MEU commander.” This attachment to a larger unit, like the 24th MEU, allows the Marines the ability to take the initiative in a situation while still having a much larger force backing them. “By having a smaller force, there are many advantages,” said Burghart. “We can maintain the initiative longer when we move in and get on top of a unit; we have a smaller footprint ashore, we are more flexible when the mission changes, we require fewer capabilities to move ashore, and we provide a more precise outcome.” All these advantages allow the MRF to move quickly ashore, accomplish the mission with minimal delay, and adapt as the mission changes. “You don’t get mired down in the situation, which allows us to be more efficient,” said Madden. But there are disadvantages with a parent unit relying solely on the MRF. While a lighter load allows them to move quickly, they need resupplies for time-extended missions. MEU assets allow the Marines to sustain indefinitely and also provide a quick reaction force should the MRF need more fire in a fight. “Everybody has their part and we enable the MEU a special mission operability,” said Madden. “With EOD or human intelligence or any the assets internal to our platoon, we adapt easily to changes in a mission.” The ability to gather, process and react to new information grants the MRF a unique flexibility. “We are a self-contained unit with all the organic elements needed to be self-sufficient and directly act upon any intelligence gathered in the field,” said Petty Officer 1st Class Lee Boujie, special amphibious reconnaissance corpsman. “There are so many skill sets in this unit, it’s ridiculous. The amount of knowledge, skills and abilities in this unit allows us to do more with less.” The small unit’s abilities provide but one of the many components of the 24th MEU. But it’s these quick reaction special mission capabilities that set them apart and make them an essential and oftentimes first piece of the big picture.

Wow.

Many will say this is great news.  I ask is this really where we want to go with our MEU's?  A serious question has to be.  If the Maritime Raid Force .... MARSOC outside of MARSOC .... is the future then why even float a MEU.

At one time Force Recon supported the MEU.

From this article the MEU supports Force Recon.

The Marine Corps is doctrinally lost.  It is pushing vehicle programs without any idea of how they're going to work or even if they're needed.  The MEU (Special Operations Capable) initiative is effectively dead.

And instead of working to sort all this out HQMC is focused on .... whatever it is the fuck they're focused on.

Quite honestly and it pains me to say this, but if this is the Marine Corps and the future of the Marine Corps then you can basically send out Force Recon, along with one Infantry Company to provide support along with a couple of UH-1Y's, MV-22's and AV-8B's and call it a day.

One ship MEU's.  It sounds crazy but that is the future if this article is to be believed.