Rethinking Logistics Organization of the Marine Expeditionary Force

In the aftermath of Operation Iraqi Freedom I, the Marine Corps decided to reorganize and re-name the Combat Service Support Element (CSSE) to address perceived logistics shortcomings in the Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF). The Combat Service Support Element of the MEF thus became the Logistics Combat Element (LCE), composed of the Marine Logistics Group (MLG), formerly the Force Service Support Group (FSSG). While the new MLG potentially solves problems of unit training, unit cohesion, and lack of established rapport with supported units, reorganization created alarming gaps in the logistics coverage of the MEF. This monograph begins with a brief history of the LCE and analyzes the reorganization effort to determine its risks and benefits. Ultimately, this monograph argues that a rigid adherence to bureaucratic boundaries prevented the Marine Corps from imposing the optimal solution for the logistics structure of the Marine Air-Ground Task Force. With alarming gaps in both the coverage of supported units and the distribution network of the MEF, rather than improving logistics support in the MEF, reorganization created additional risks with which the MEF Commander must contend. This monograph identifies those risks and poses a potential solution.This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.