Marine Expeditionary Unit

A Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU, pronounced MEE-yoo), is the smallest formation of the UNSC Marine Corps Air-to-Ground Task Force in the Fleet Marine Force. A MEU is known to be an expeditionary reaction force that is capable of responding to combat missions and natural disasters. Each MEU holds a Command, Ground Combat, Aviation and, Logistical Combat Element that reports to a Marine Corps Colonel.

Mission
A Marine Expeditionary Unit has two sets of overarching missions they can respond to, military and humanitarian. Military missions include responding to a crisis in the nearby system, assisting local forces as a force multiplier, and conducting their missions with or without support. A MEU is unique due to its ability to respond to several tasks under the command of a Colonel. During MEU cycles, they will be designated a Special Operations Capable unit that can respond to threats for the Marine Corps. MEUs also focus on humanitarian operations that assist in responses to natural disasters, delivering essentials to humans and, assisting as a force multiplier to local emergency services during a crisis.

Command Element
The Command Element (CE) of the MEU focuses on commanding the entire unit with a staff of nearly 200 Marines and Naval Personnel. Composed of the commanding officer and his staff, the CE helps the other three elements with planning, executing operations, and coordinating missions with nearby commands. Many positions within CE include administration, intelligence, operations, logistics, communications legal affairs, and others that the CE calls upon for a deployment.

Ground Combat Element
The Ground Combat Element (GCE) is split into one major force known as the Battalion Team and a small element called the ODST Special Purpose Force. The Battalion Team consists of a Marine Corps conventional battalion assigned to the MEU to conduct both military and humanitarian operations. The Battalion Team also holds a number of vehicles to make itself self-sustainable in the event of not having support from the Navy. A standard Battalion Team has nearly 1,200 Marines and Naval personnel within to assist with conducting the two types of missions the MEU is prepared to conduct.

With the GCE, an ODST Special Purpose Force (ODST SPF) is assigned to conduct SOC missions on behalf of the MEU. Providing small platoons capable of performing direct action, special reconnaissance, and Vessel Board Search Seizure (VBSS), the ODST SPF is capable of performing some of the most elite missions for the MEU without having to depend on an ODST Special Operations Force unit. An ODST SPF rotates a number of platoons and squads through its MEUs to ensure that the commander has a force capable of responding to any threat at hand.

Aviation Combat Element
The Aviation Combat Element (ACE) provides air support, transportation, and support to the element deployed with a MEU. An ACE is a reinforced squadron consisting of light, medium, and heavy transport airborne vehicles, along with a detachment of space-capable and air-capable fighters to provide security and conduct aerial direct action missions. Other elements of the ACE include a Control Group, an HQ, Communications and, Support detachments to enable the ACE further wherever they deploy. An ACE detachment trains closely with the ODST SPF to assist with the insertion and extraction of the units required to respond.