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The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations [11] through combined arms, implementing its own infantry, artillery, aerial, and special operations forces.
The U.S. Marine Corps was formally re-established under the "Act for establishing and organizing a Marine Corps", signed on 11 July 1798 by President John Adams. The Marine Corps was to consist of a battalion of 500 privates, led by a major and a complement of officers and NCOs. [78] The next day, William Ward Burrows I was appointed a major.
In addition to the standard marksmanship badges, the Marine Corps has numerous marksmanship competition badges that are authorized for wear on the Marine Corps uniform as permanent awards. These badges are awarded alongside trophies that are present to the top-performing Marines at Marine Corps sponsored marksmanship competitions.
The United States Marine Corps is organized within the Department of the Navy, which is led by the Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV). The most senior Marine commissioned officer is the Commandant of the Marine Corps, responsible for organizing, recruiting, training, and equipping the Marine Corps so that it is ready for operation under the command of the unified combatant commanders.
Different styles of rank insignia are worn on different uniforms of the United States Marine Corps. Commissioned officers , which are distinguished from other officers by their commission , or formal written authority, have ranks that are subdivided into general officers , field-grade officers , and company-grade officers .
The culture of the United States Marine Corps is widely varied but unique amongst the branches of the United States Armed Forces. [1] Because members of the Marine Corps are drawn from across the United States (and resident aliens from other nations), [2] it is as varied as each individual Marine but tied together with core values and traditions passed from generation to generation of Marines.
It was not until 3 May 1925 that the Marine Corps officially appeared in the Navy's Aeronautical Organization when Rear Admiral William A. Moffett, Chief of the Navy's Bureau of Aeronautics, issued a directive officially authorizing three fighting squadrons. [14] In the 1920s, Marine Corps squadrons began qualifying on board aircraft carriers.
The basic infantry weapon of the United States Marine Corps is the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle. Suppressive fire is provided by the M240B machine gun, at the squad and company levels respectively. In addition, indirect fire is provided by the M320 grenade launcher in fireteams, M224a1 60 mm mortar in companies, and M252 81 mm mortar in battalions.