History

The Marine Corps’ forward-positioned sustainment enterprise emerged in the late 1970s as the nation sought to project combat capability without a lengthy strategic buildup. President Jimmy Carter’s 1977 Presidential Review Directive 18 advanced the development of rapid-deployment forces for contingencies beyond established overseas operating areas. The Department of Defense activated the Rapid Deployment Joint Task Force in 1980, reinforcing the requirement to position equipment closer to potential operating areas and reduce dependence on strategic lift during a crisis.

In 1980, the Marine Corps loaded equipment and supplies aboard seven Military Sealift Command-chartered ships as part of the Near-Term Prepositioning Force. The ships were positioned at Diego Garcia, with equipment and ship maintenance conducted in Okinawa and Subic Bay during designated maintenance periods. The force became fully operational in 1981 and established the foundation for a permanent maritime prepositioning capability. Planning and acquisition produced 13 ships organized into three squadrons, with the Maritime Prepositioning Force becoming operational between 1984 and 1986.

The United States and Norway also signed a memorandum of understanding in 1981 that initiated the Norway Air-Landed Marine Expeditionary Brigade program. Norway’s storage facilities were built between 1985 and 1989, and the program achieved initial operational capability in January 1990. The climate-controlled cave complexes preserved equipment and supplies for reinforcement, cold-weather training and rapid operational employment.

The strategic value of forward-positioned sustainment was demonstrated during operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. Maritime prepositioning ships provided equipment and sustainment for much of the Marine Corps force ashore, allowing the 7th Marine Expeditionary Brigade to establish defensive positions rapidly in Saudi Arabia while reducing demand on strategic transportation networks. The enterprise later supported crisis response, humanitarian assistance and combat operations, including operations Fiery Vigil, Restore Hope and Iraqi Freedom.

Established Sept. 1, 1986, as Biennial Maintenance Command and renamed Blount Island Command in 1989, the organization became the Marine Corps’ central command for generating, sustaining, modernizing and distributing forward-positioned equipment and supplies. Its growth paralleled the evolution of the enterprise. In 1986, the Marine Corps leased 262 acres on Blount Island from Gate Maritime Properties to support maritime prepositioning operations. As the mission expanded, the Marine Corps acquired more than 1,100 acres in 2004, providing the industrial and maritime capacity required to support a growing global mission.

A significant transformation occurred in 2005. Under the U.S.-Kuwait Defense Cooperation Agreement, the Marine Air-Ground Task Force Augmentation Program-Kuwait was established to provide Marine expeditionary units with forward-positioned equipment maintained ashore for operational employment. Managed by Blount Island Command, MAP-K sustained approximately 1,500 principal end items supporting operations Enduring Freedom, Iraqi Freedom, New Dawn and Inherent Resolve. The program demonstrated how ashore sustainment nodes could complement maritime positioning during extended contingency operations.

Also in 2005, the Norway program was restructured and renamed the Marine Corps Prepositioning Program-Norway. Guided by a commandant-directed review, it evolved into a balanced Marine air-ground task force capability. MCPP-N remains an important component of deterrence, reinforcement and crisis response in Europe and a key node within the global positioning network.

On Nov. 21, 2006, Marine Corps Support Facility Blount Island was activated under Marine Corps Installations East, providing the infrastructure required to sustain the Marine Corps’ expanding global positioning mission.

As defense strategy evolved and Force Design emphasized distributed force employment, survivability and forward persistence, the Marine Corps adapted its sustainment architecture. MAP-K concluded in 2022 as the service transitioned toward more agile, globally distributed capabilities. MCPP-N remained an essential component of the network while emerging concepts placed greater emphasis on integrating afloat, ashore and contracted sustainment to preserve operational reach and commanders’ options.

Today, Blount Island Command operationalizes integrated global sustainment across the Marine Corps’ global positioning network. Drawing on decades of experience in maritime positioning, theater sustainment and allied partnerships, the command synchronizes lifecycle management, maintenance, modernization, distribution and regeneration of service-managed equipment positioned worldwide. This work maintains ready-for-issue standards and enables rapid integration and employment by Marine, joint and combined forces.

Marine Corps Support Facility Blount Island provides the secure, resilient infrastructure, skilled workforce and maritime access that enable this mission. The installation supports maritime positioning ship operations, industrial maintenance, strategic mobility and sustainment activities. Every 42 months, ships undergo scheduled maintenance periods during which Blount Island teams inspect, repair, modernize and reconfigure equipment to align with current and future force requirements.

From the original Near-Term Prepositioning Force and Norway’s climate-controlled cave complexes to today’s nine maritime prepositioning ships and expanding ashore network, the enterprise has continually evolved to meet changing operational demands. Together, Blount Island Command and Marine Corps Support Facility Blount Island transform strategic investment, sustainment capacity and workforce expertise into positioned combat capability, providing Marine forces the readiness, operational reach and strategic flexibility required to campaign, respond and operate worldwide.