through facilities provided by the ACE. He normally
COMMAND ELEMENT (CE)
appoints the commander of the ACE to act as the
The Command Element (CE) is the MAGTF
MAGTF tactical air commander (TAC).
headquarters and is established for effective planning
and execution. It extends and complements the
COMBAT SERVICE SUPPORT
capabilities of subordinate MAGTF elements but do
ELEMENT (CSSE)
not duplicate them under normal circumstances.
The Combat Service Support Element (CSSE)
Direct liaison among the four elements is desirable to
provides the combat service support (CSS) to the
achieve the necessary coordination required for the
MAGTF that is beyond the organic capability of the
effective conduct of air-ground operations.
subordinate elements. Depending on the assigned
A CEC officer is attached to the Command
mission, it is task organized to provide all of
Element, engineer staff. The CEC officer serves as an
the following functions: supply, maintenance,
advisor to the MAGTF engineer officer on matters
engineer, medical/dental, automated data processing,
relating to the capabilities and employment of the
material-handling equipment, personal services, food
Naval Construction Force. A large portion of the
services, transportation, military police, disbursing,
MAGTF Command Element is concerned with
and financial management.
matters involving higher, adjacent, and supporting
commands.
SEPARATE TASK ORGANIZATIONS
GROUND COMBAT ELEMENT (GCE)
Although there are always four major elements
within a MAGTF, separate task organizations required
to perform combat support or combat service support
The Ground Combat Element (GCE) is a task
functions may be formed. Naval Construction Force
organization tailored for the conduct of ground
Units come under this type of organization. Under
maneuver operations. The GCE is constructed around
these circumstance, the NCF is OPCON (see
a combat infantry unit, and it also includes appropriate
Glossary) to the MAGTF commander within the
combat support and combat service support (CSS)
Command Element (fig. 1-3).
units.
Normally, there is only one GCE in the MAGTF.
TYPES OF MAGTFs
A requirement for more than one GCE may occur in
certain operational situations, such as joint or
combined operations.
The type of MAGTF Seabees would be supporting
is dictated by the contingency. The three types of
AVIATION COMBAT ELEMENT (ACE)
MAGTFs are as follows:
Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU)
Normally, there is only one Aviation Combat
Marine Expeditionary Force-Forward (MEF-F)
Element (ACE) in a MAGTF. This element is
task-organized for the conduct of tactical air
Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF)
operations. It includes the aviation commands
(including air control agencies), combat support, and
MARINE EXPEDITIONARY UNIT (MEU)
combat service support units required for the mission.
The varied aviation resources of a Marine Aircraft
The Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) is a task
Wing (MAW) and appropriate force units provide
organization that is normally commanded by a colonel
these capabilities.
and is capable of performing combat operations of a
At the Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF) and
limited scope. The MEU is the air-ground team
Marine Expeditionary Force-Forward (MEF-F) level,
organization that is normally used for routine, forward
the ACE includes both fixed-wing and helicopter
afloat, and deployment requirements. The MEU
assets as well as an air defense capability.
provides an immediate reaction capability to crises
and, when committed, is normally supported from its
Air operations are conducted under the principle
sea base. Normally, an Air Det from a Seabee
of centralized control at the MAGTF level. When the
battalion is assigned to an MEU (fig. 1-4).
MAGTF commander assumes responsibility for
The MAGTFs elements for a MEU are as follows:
control of air operations, he or she exercises control
