31st Marine Expeditionary Unit

31st Marine Expeditionary Unit
31st MEU Crisis Response Force Insignia
Active1 March 1967 – May 1985
9 September 1992 – present
Allegiance United States
Branch United States Marine Corps
TypeMarine Air Ground Task Force
RoleForward-deployed expeditionary Crisis Response ForceMarine Air-Ground Task Force Crisis Response Force
SizeAround 2,200 Marines and Sailors
Part ofIII Marine Expeditionary Force
Garrison/HQCamp Hansen, MCB Camp Butler
Nickname(s)SAVAGE
Motto(s)Ready, Partnered, Lethal
AnniversariesActivated 1 March 1967
EngagementsVietnam War
Operation Union
Operation Eagle Pull
Operation Frequent Wind
Multinational Force in Lebanon
Operation Southern Watch
Operation Desert Fox
Operation Iraqi Freedom
Operation Phantom Fury
Operation Caring Response
Operation Tomodachi
Websitehttps://www.31stmeu.marines.mil/
Commanders
Current
commander
Colonel Chris P. Niedziocha

The 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (31st MEU) is one of seven Marine Expeditionary Units in existence in the United States Marine Corps. The Marine Expeditionary Unit is a Marine Air Ground Task Force with a strength of about 2,200 Marines and sailors. The 31st MEU consists of a company-sized command element, a battalion landing team (BLT), (an infantry battalion reinforced with artillery, amphibious vehicles and other attachments), a medium tiltrotor squadron (reinforced), (which includes detachments of short take-off, vertical landing airplanes and heavy, light, and attack helicopters), and a combat logistics battalion. The 31st MEU is based at Camp Hansen, Marine Corps Base Camp Smedley D. Butler, Okinawa, Japan. The 31st MEU is the only permanently forward-deployed MEU, and provides a flexible and lethal force ready to perform a wide range of military, humanitarian, and diplomatic operations as the premier crisis response force in the Indo-Pacific region.

The 31st MEU is the only MEU that retained a battalion landing team small boat capability to conduct raids.[1][2]

  1. ^ Mirsch, CAPT Andrew (June 2018). "Man the Boats". US Naval Institute. Retrieved 6 November 2023.
  2. ^ United States Marine Corps (29 October 2015). "Policy for Marine Expeditionary Units (MEU)" (PDF). Marine Corps Order 3120.13. Department of Navy. p. 9. Retrieved 6 November 2023.