7 April 2016 - The Center for Adaptation and Innovation at the Potomac Institute for Policy Studies, as part of its Returning Commander Speaker Series, hosted Colonel Dasmalchi, commander of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU). This MEU was deployed from Fall 2014 to Spring 2016, and took part in multiple exercises throughout the Asia-Pacific region in support of Pacific Command (PACOM) requirements.

The 31st MEU is a forward deployed, Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF), capable of rapidly executing amphibious operations, designated maritime contingency operations, expeditionary support to other operations, and crisis response, which includes enabling the introduction of follow-on-forces. The 31st MEU is the only continuously forward-deployed MEU, and is the only MEU that maintains a small boat company. This is a unique capability, yet it also a capability tradeoff. While the 31st MEU is the only MEU with a small boat company, its lacks other capabilities such as tanks.

Find the full brief here.