List of United States Marine Corps battalions

This is a list of current United States Marine Corps battalions, sorted by the mission they perform.

The ground combat element (GCE) consists of those combat and combat support units whose primary mission is to, (1) engage with and destroy the enemy by fire and/or maneuver, and/or shock effect, performed by infantry, field artillery, and tank units, (2) provide close battlefield support to other GCE units by assault amphibian, combat assault, light armored reconnaissance, reconnaissance, and combat engineer units, or (3) provide immediate command and control, and limited logistical support including consolidated Navy personnel administration and motor transport (medium truck) support to subordinate GCE battalions and regiments (infantry and artillery only) by Marine division (MARDIV) headquarters battalions. Additionally, this battalion provides communications networking and law enforcement support across the GCE. The headquarters battalion also includes the division band, whose tactical mission is to serve as a provisional rifle platoon in providing division headquarters security.

Note: Some GCE battalions and regiments are provided air liaison officers/forward air controllers (i.e., Marine Corps naval aviators — aircraft pilots, and naval flight officers — airborne weapons and sensor systems officers) with specialized skills in coordinating air support of ground units) from the Marine Aircraft Wing (MAW) of the aviation combat element (ACE). These officers facilitate employment of Marine aviation in support of GCE units to perform offensive air support (e.g., close air support), assault support (e.g., troop, cargo, and casualty transport, aerial command and control, liaison, communications, and illumination, and close-in fire support by light/attack helicopters), and aerial reconnaissance (e.g., tactical reconnaissance and artillery spotting).

Infantry battalions are the heart and soul of the ground combat element. The mission of locating, closing with, and destroying the enemy with fire and maneuver and repelling the enemy's assault with fire and close combat lies with the "grunts". Marine infantry battalions often have limited organic equipment outside of small arms, infantry crew-served weapons (e.g., heavy machine guns, medium mortars, and anti-tank missiles), and a few light tactical trucks. Marine infantry primarily maneuvers by foot as light infantry, and must be supplemented with additional trucks to become motorized infantry or Amphibious Assault Vehicles to become mechanized infantry.

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