I Marine Expeditionary Force

The I Marine Expeditionary Force ("I" pronounced "First") is a Marine Air Ground Task Force (MAGTF) of the United States Marine Corps primarily composed of the 1st Marine Division, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, and 1st Marine Logistics Group.

Etymology
Among U.S. Marines, it is common to pronounce I MEF as "eye mef", "first mef", or "one mef".

Mission
When directed, I MEF deploys and is employed as a Marine Air Ground Task Force (MAGTF) in support of Combatant Commander (COCOM) requirements for contingency response or Major Theater War; with appropriate augmentation, serves as the core element of a Joint Task Force (JTF); prepares and deploys combat ready MAGTF’s to support COCOM presence and crisis response; and supports service and COCOM initiatives as required.

Lineage

 * Activated on 8 November 1969 at Okinawa, Japan as the I Marine Expeditionary Force
 * Redesignated on 18 August 1970 as the I Marine Amphibious Force (I MAF)
 * Relocated in April 1971 to Camp Pendleton, California
 * Redesignated on 5 February 1988 as the "I Marine Expeditionary Force"

Units

 * Ground combat element: 1st Marine Division
 * Aviation combat element: 3rd Marine Air Wing
 * Logistics combat element: 1st Marine Logistics Group
 * Command element: I Marine Expeditionary Force Headquarters Group
 * I MEF command staff
 * 1st Intelligence Battalion
 * 9th Communication Battalion
 * 1st Radio Battalion
 * 1st Law Enforcement Battalion
 * 1st Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company
 * 1st Marine Expeditionary Brigade
 * 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit
 * 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit
 * 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit

Recent service

 * Operation Desert Shield – Southwest Asia – August 1990 – April 1991
 * Operation Desert Storm – Southwest Asia – August 1990 – April 1991
 * Operation Restore Hope- December 1992 – May 1993
 * Operation Southern Watch – Iraq – January 1998 – February 1998
 * Operation Desert Thunder – Iraq – February 1998 – June 1998
 * Operation Enduring Freedom – Kuwait, Afghanistan – November 2002
 * Operation Iraqi Freedom – Iraq – March 2003 – 2010