The Fleet

[soon2b27]

What do Marines mean when they refer to "the fleet?" For instance, I've read on different threads of Marines going to the fleet after MOS school.

Thanks for taking time out to answer this question.

[Quinbo]

The fleet Marine force ... The FMF .... the big wide world that is the Marine Corps. Any deployable unit is part of the fleet.

[soon2b27]

Thanks for your response.

[Sgt Leprechaun]

Quick, simple and to the point.

To add a bit...the 'Fleet Marine Forces', or 'FMF', is an old time title, but pre-dating FMF was the 'Advanced Base Force'. It was dumped in favor of the 'FMF', and FMF became the primary wording for deployable, ready to go, small Marine Corps units (One of the first ideas of 'Expeditionary' warfare) in December of 1933. Remember, in those days there was no '1st/2nd/3rd etc' Marine Divisions, or Air Wings. While Regiments and Brigades existed, they were also pretty far flung.

The FMF, then, was considered the units that would be sent to whatever hotspot was next on the roster. The FMF was NOT, for example, Headquarters units stationed at places like Quantico, DC, etc. Nor was the FMF 'Sea going' Marines. (They were considered something else entirely). China Marines were 'FMF'.

When WWII comes around, the FMF really comes into being.

Nowadays, though, FMF is any 'victor' unit, meaning any unit that can deploy. So, if you are assigned to work at Base Headquarters "Marine Corps Base, Camp Lejeuene", that is NOT the FMF, although it's an FMF base.

[Devil1087]

It's part of out star fleet, I believe we're invading Jabba the Hutt's planet right now.

You need approval from the president himself to be a part of the fleet, I probably shouldn't be telling you this.

[BadAce2212]

It's part of out star fleet, I believe we're invading Jabba the Hutt's planet right now.

You need approval from the president himself to be a part of the fleet, I probably shouldn't be telling you this.

hahaha talk about going off on a tangent