Service Support Groups Adopt New Name, Embrace Greater Versatility

By Pfc. Terence L. Yencey, CAMP KINSER OKINAWA, Japan

The Marine Corps' Force Service Support Groups will soon be renamed Marine Logistics Groups as part of the realignment and renaming of the FSSGs announced in Marine administrative message 335/05.

The decision, which was approved at the Commandant of the Marine Corps' executive offsite meeting in June, is a result of lessons learned through operations dating back to Desert Shield and Storm.

Force Service Support Groupsare receiving a name change to Marine Logistics Groups. The name change will better prepare the units to operate with Marine Air Ground Task Forces as well as garrison forces by defining the roles in which they support both unit missions.

Photo by Staff Sgt. James Harper

One of the hopes for the realignment of the Force Service Support Groups is to improve their operability with other units in the field as well as garrison.

Historically when the FSSG deploys to a war zone they have to go through significant reorganization in order to support the mission, according to Col. Jon Hull, officer in charge of Transition Task Force Marine Corps Logistics Modernization at Headquarters Marine Corps. Now, the existing battalions will go through very little change, but the FSSGs direct and general support roles will become more defined.

According to Hull, these more defined roles will be most noticeable in the creation of Combat Logistics Regiments.

The CLRs, battalions and companies they encompass will be able to more effectively support the Marine Air Ground Task Force by maintaining the same structure and relationships in garrison and when deployed.