Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force – Crisis Response – Central Command Explained

Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force – Crisis Response – Central Command (SP-MAGTF-CR-CC) was a Marine Air-Ground Task Force that was based at an undisclosed location in Southwest Asia.

It was a self-mobile, self-sustaining force of Marines and sailors, capable of responding to a range of crises. The unit was specifically trained to support U.S. and partner interests throughout the United States Central Command area of responsibility, to include embassy reinforcement, support to noncombatant evacuation operations, tactical recovery of aircraft and personnel, humanitarian assistance, and disaster relief. The unit also took part in bilateral and multilateral training exercises with regional partners. It was commanded by a U.S. Marine colonel (O-6).

History

• 15.2
  • Ground Combat Element Established new US presence at al-Taqaddum, a previously occupied joint base located in close proximity to ISIS holdings in Anbar province. This was discussed in American society as a sign of going back down the path to US combat "boots on the ground" in Iraq once again.^[1]
  • Supported Task Force "Al-Asad" in order to build partner capacity, train, and assist the Joint Task Force and Iraqi forces in their fight against the Islamic State in Anbar, deepening the U.S. role in efforts to halt the recent momentum of the extremists.^[2]
• 16.2
  • Exercise Eager Lion 16 in Jordan during May.
  • GCE training with 77th Jordanian Marine Battalion as part of Security Cooperation Team – Jordan during August.
  • CLB-5 and MWSS-373 with the Lebanon Armed Forces during August.
• 17.1
  • GCE training with Royal Saudi Navy Forces.
  • Supported combat operations in Mosul, Iraq alongside joint and Iraqi Security Forces securing and liberating the besieged city in dense, urban street fighting against ISIL,^[3]
  • Supported State Department and US Department of Defense initiatives in Syria fighting to disrupt ISIL and protect Internally Displaced Person (IDP) refugees around the Jordanian border.^[3]
• 19.2
  • GCE Marines reinforced the Embassy of the United States, Baghdad against an attack by Iran-backed militiamen.
• 20.2
  • GCE took part in Exercise Falcon Sentry in the UAE^[4]
• 21.1
  • The unit played a key role during the Afghanistan Crisis in August 2021. After returning to the United States of America, the unit was shortly disbanded in October 2021.^[5]

Assets

The rotations were made up of four elements, Command Element (CE), Ground Combat Element (GCE), Logistics Combat Element (LCE) and the Aviation Combat Element (ACE)

2013–2018

• October 2013 – April 2014 (14.1)
  • VMFA(AW)-225 "CE" – F/A-18D between October 2013 and April 2014.^[6]
• April 2014 – October 2014 (14.2)
  • VMM-363 "YZ" – MV-22B Osprey^[7]
  • VMAQ-4 "RM" – EA-6B Prowler
  • VMA-211 "CF" – AV-8B Harrier
  • Unknown unit – KC-130J Hercules
  • Unknown unit – RQ-7 Shadow
• September 2014 – April 2015 (15.1)
  • • GCE – 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines April 2015 – October 2015 (15.2)
  • GCE – 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines
  • ACE
    • VMM-165 "YW" – MV-22B Osprey^[8]
• October 2015 – April 2016. (16.1)
  • GCE – 1st Battalion, 7th Marines^[9]
  • LCE – Combat Logistics Battalion 1 (CLB-1)
  • ACE
    • VMM-268 "YQ" – MV-22B Osprey
    • Detachment from Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 352
• April 2016 – October 2016 (16.2)
  • CE – Headquarters Company, 5th Marine Regiment^[10]
  • GCE – 2nd Battalion 7th Marines (2/7)^[11]
  • LCE – Combat Logistics Battalion 5 (CLB-5)
  • ACE
    • VMFA(AW)-533 "ED" – F/A-18D from April 2016.
    • VMM-363 "YZ" – MV-22B
    • Marine Wing Support Squadron 373 (MWSS-373) during July 2016.^[12]
    • Detachment from Marine Air Control Group 28 (MACG-28)
    • Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 16 (MALS-16)
    • Detachment Alpha from Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 352 (VMGR-352) – KC-130J
• October 2016 – April 2017 (17.1)
  • CE – Headquarters Company, 5th Marine Regiment
  • GCE – 3rd Battalion 7th Marines
  • LCE
  • ACE – VMM-165
• April 2017 – October 2017 (17.2)
  • CE
  • GCE – 1st Battalion, 7th Marines
  • LCE
  • ACE
    • VMA-231 – AV-8B
    • VMM-364 – MV-22B
    • Detachment from VMGR-352 – KC-130J
    • Marine Wing Support Squadron 372 (MWSS-372)
• October 2017 – April 2018 (18.1)
  • CE
  • GCE – 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines
  • LCE – Combat Logistics Detachment 5
  • ACE
    • VMM-363 – MV-22B
    • Marine Wing Support Squadron 373 (MWSS-373)
• April 2018 – October 2018 (18.2)
  • CE
  • GCE – 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines
  • LCE – Combat Logistics Detachment 37
  • ACE
    • VMM-164 "YT" – MV-22B
    • Marine Wing Support Squadron 371 (MWSS-371)
• October 2018 – April 2019 (19.1)
  • CE
  • GCE – 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines
  • LCE – Combat Logistics Detachment 34
  • ACE - Marine Wing Support Squadron 372 (EFR TrapLordz)
    • VMM-165 "EM" – MV-22B
    • Detachment from VMGR-352 – KC-130J

2019–2021

• April 2019 – October 2019 (19.2)
  • CE
  • GCE – 1st Battalion, 7th Marines
  • LCE – Combat Logistics Detachment 17
  • ACE
    • VMM-261 "EM" – MV-22B
    • VMA-311 "WL" – AV-8^[13]
    • MWSD-473
• October 2019 – April 2020 (20.1)
  • CE
  • GCE – 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines
  • LCE – Combat Logistics Detachment 27
  • ACE
    • VMM-364 "PF" – MV-22B^[14]
    • Marine Wing Support Detachment 373
• April 2020 – October 2020 (20.2)
  • CE - 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit
  • GCE – 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines
  • LCE
  • ACE
    • VMGR-252 (Det) "QB" - KC-130J^[4]
    • VMM-263 (MV-22)
    • MWSS-274
    • MCAS-2
    • MALS-26
• October 2020 – April 2021 (21.1)
  • CE - 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit
  • GCE – 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines
  • LCE
  • ACE
• April 2021 – October 2021 (21.2)
  • CE
  • GCE – 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines
  • LCE - Combat Logistics Battalion 21 (CLB 21)
  • ACE
    • MWSS-373
    • VMGR-352
    • VMGR-234
    • VMM-364

See also

• Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force – Crisis Response – Africa
• Marine Air-Ground Task Force
• List of Marine Expeditionary Units
• Organization of the United States Marine Corps
• Immediate Response Force

Notes and References

1. Web site: Obama's new plan to send more troops to Iraq, explained. 10 June 2015.
2. Web site: Pentagon sending up to 450 more troops to help Iraq fight the Islamic State.
3. https://oig.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/2018-06/quarterly_oir_03312017.pdf
4. Book: AirForces Monthly. November 2020. Key Publishing Ltd. Stamford, Lincolnshire, England. 20.
5. Web site: Marine Corps ends all 3 of its crisis response deployments . 21 March 2022 .
6. Book: AirForces Monthly. November 2016. Key Publishing Ltd. Stamford, Lincolnshire, England. 43.
7. Web site: SP-MAGTF Commander Details ISIL Strikes; Notes 1st Marines 'Could Clear' Iraq. 20 May 2015. Breaking Defense. December 4, 2015.
8. Web site: U.S. Marines conduct TRAP readiness exercise. U.S. Marines – DoD . December 4, 2015.
9. Web site: Task Force Al Taqaddum. USMC. March 3, 2019.
10. Web site: SP-MAGTF-CR-CC – August Edition. U.S. Marines. October 19, 2016.
11. Web site: About. U.S. Marines. October 19, 2016.
12. Web site: SecFor Marines "Ace" target practice. U.S. Marines. October 19, 2016.
13. Web site: The Legacy Lives on: Tomcats train in Bahrain.
14. Web site: SPMAGTF-CR-CC 19.2: Middle East Amphibious Commanders Symposium 2019 Air-raid.