Fleet Marine Force The United States Fleet Marine Forces ( FMF ) are combined general and special purpose forces within the United States Department of the Navy that are designed in engaging offensive amphibious or expeditionary warfare and defensive maritime employment . The Fleet Marine Forces provide the National Command Authority ( NCA ) with a responsive force that can conduct operations in any spectrum of conflict around the globe . Organization . The Fleet Marine Force consists of both combative naval fleets and Marine Corps ' forces components that would entirely make up the Fleet Marine Forces on the Pacific and Atlantic coasts , or within its " designate ( s ) " . While it serves directly under the Marine Corps organization , the FMF personnel , Marines and Sailors , are subject to the operational control of naval fleet commanders ; the Commandant of the Marine Corps ( CMC ) retains administrative and training control . The Commanding General of the Fleet Marine Force ; either its Pacific ( CG FMFPAC ) or Atlantic ( CG FMFLANT ) command , are responsible for the administration and training of all of the subordinate units of the Marine Corps Forces ( MARCORFOR ) . The subordinate units of the Fleet Marine Forces come under the operational control of the commanders , U . S . Fleet Force Command ( " formerly " Atlantic Fleet ) or United States Pacific Fleet , when deployed . The commanders of Marine Forces Command ( MARFORCOM ) and Pacific ( MARFORPAC ) serve as Marine Corps component commanders to their respective combatant commanders and may also serve as commanding generals of Fleet Marine Forces ( FMFs ) Atlantic , or Pacific . The operating forces of the Marine Corps are currently organized into two Fleet Marine Forces ( FMF ) : Each FMF is equivalent to a U . S . Navy type command and reports to its respective Fleet Commander - in - Chief . The commanding general , a lieutenant general may be either an aviator or a ground officer . His deputy commanding general is from the other community . Marine Corps forces are organized as MAGTFs and are either employed as part of naval expeditionary forces or separately as part of larger joint or combined forces . Each FMF consists of at least one Marine Aircraft Wing ( MAW ) , one Marine Division ( MARDIV ) , and one Marine Logistics Group ( formerly the Force Service Support Group [ FSSG ] ) . Other miscellaneous supporting units may be attached . Additionally , each FMF is further organized into warfighting units of combined arms known as Marine Air Ground Task Force s ( MAGTF ' s ) . History . Its predecessor was the Advanced Base Force in the early 20th century . The history of the FMF dates to December 7 , 1933 , when Secretary of the Navy Claude A . Swanson issued General Order 241 defining the Fleet Marine Force . Momentarily before and during World War II , the Fleet Marine Force had FMF units also in western Pacific assigned to the United States Asiatic Fleet , establishing the Fleet Marine Force , Western Pacific ( FMFWestPac ) . Naval Personnel in the Fleet Marine Forces . For service in the Fleet Marine Force , the United States Department of the Navy issues the FMF Enlisted Warfare Specialist Insignia and the FMF Qualified Officer Insignia ( formerly , the Fleet Marine Force Ribbon was issued ) . Naval Fleet Marine Force personnel , usually Corpsmen or Naval Gunfire Liaison Officers who participate in amphibious assaults , are also eligible to receive the FMF Combat Operations Insignia to certain service medals and ribbons . Such Naval personnel are authorized to wear the Marine Corps utility uniform with Navy insignia , and must conform to all physical requirements of the U . S . Marines .