Officially Licensed USMC 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force MEF Patch — Embroidered Patch The Pacific's Forward Force III Marine Expeditionary Force is America's only permanently forward-deployed MEF — the Marine force that stands ready in the Western Pacific, providing the United States with a rapid-response capability that no other force on earth can match. This patch represents the Marines stationed across Japan and the Pacific who maintain constant readiness for crisis response. III MEF is headquartered on Okinawa, Japan, and exercises command over Marine forces spread across the Western Pacific, including units on mainland Japan, Guam, and Hawaii. As the Marine Corps' only forward-deployed MEF, III MEF provides the combatant commander with forces that can respond to natural disasters, humanitarian crises, and military contingencies within hours. The command includes the 3rd Marine Division, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, and 3rd Marine Logistics Group, creating a balanced air-ground task force ready for immediate employment. In an era of great power competition in the Indo-Pacific, III MEF's role as the forward edge of American military power has never been more important. Perfect For: III MEF veterans and active duty, Okinawa-stationed Marines, Pacific theater Marines, 3rd MARDIV and 1st MAW personnel, Indo-Pacific security advocates, and USMC command patch collectors Forward deployed. Always ready. III MEF.
