Blount Island Command
| Blount Island Command | |
|---|---|
| Jacksonville, Florida | |
BICmd logo
|
|
| Type | Logistics base |
| Site information | |
| Controlled by | United States Marine Corps |
| Site history | |
| Built | March 1942 |
| In use | 1986— present |
| Garrison information | |
| Garrison | Marine Corps Logistics Command |
Blount Island Command (BICmd) is responsible for the United States Marine Corps' Maritime Prepositioning Ships (MPS) Maintenance Cycle operations and oversight of the Marine Corps Prepositioning Program-Norway (MCPP-N). It is located on the east side of Blount Island.
The concept of a Maritime Prepositioning Force (MPF) was first envisioned during the late 1970s. The initial program, established in 1979, was called the Near Term Prepositioning Force (NTPF). NTPF used existing operational force equipment and supplies to load on available ships belonging to the Military Sealift Command (MSC). These ships were based in Diego Garcia and initial equipment and ship maintenance was done in Naha, Okinawa and Subic Bay Naval Base. The Marine Corps immediately recognized the advantages of prepositioning equipment and seized the opportunity to improve combat readiness.
In March 1983, the Commandant of the Marine Corps directed Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany to acquire the assets for the MPF program. MSC leased thirteen ships for the MPF program. The ships were formed into three Maritime Prepositioning Squadrons (MPSRONs). MPSRON 1 and 2 were loaded in Wilmington, North Carolina and MPSRON 3 was loaded in Panama City, Florida. The ammunition for all three squadrons was loaded at Military Ocean Terminal, Sunny Point, North Carolina.
In 1986, the Marine Corps established the Biennial Maintenance Command (BMC) at Blount Island, Jacksonville, Florida on 262 acres (1.06 km2) leased from Gate Maritime Properties (GMP) for $11M per year. In 1989, Blount Island Command was established as a subordinate command to Marine Corps Logistics Bases, Albany, Georgia.
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