by This week, the commandant of the Marine Corps presided over the ceremony to officially welcome a new general to head the I Marine Expeditionary Force at Cam Pendleton.
On Thursday, Lt. Gen. Michael S. Cederholm retired from the Corps and turned over command to Lt. Gen. Christian F. Wortman.
One of the Marines’ three main expeditionary forces is the I MEF. The headquarters of the other two are located in Okinawa, Japan, and Camp Lejune, North Carolina.
Each consists of logistical, air, and ground units with a combined strength of about 50,000 people who can sustain themselves for up to 60 days during conflict.
According to Marine Commandant Gen. Eric M. Smith, I MEF is essential to advancing American strategic goals in the Indo-Pacific area.
This is American foreign policy’s iron grip. Smith stated, “This is our war-fighting MEF.” This MEF does just that. It gets ready, it fights, it deploys, and it always prevails.
Cederholm oversaw cutting-edge training and experimentation initiatives during his time there that aimed to enhance Marines’ collaboration with other branches of the military in all areas—land, sea, air, space, and cyber.
The Marines in front of us are the essence of this MEF, and it has been an honor for me to serve with each and every one of you, Cederholm added. Know this as we leave: you have the sacred trust that comes with taking an oath and wearing the national uniform. I’m confident we’re in capable hands.
A separate gathering honoring Cederholm’s retirement after 36 years of meritorious and honorable service took place after the ceremony.
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After serving as the commanding commander of the 3rd Marine Division at Okinawa, Wortman takes over. As I MEF continues to assist operations in the Indo-Pacific, he brings a forward-thinking perspective as an experienced leader with a wealth of joint and operational expertise.
“We are truly grateful and proud of these outstanding Marines and sailors today, especially the Marines and sailors who are forward deployed from this MEF,” Wortman added. We strive daily to uphold the honor of being an elite squad, bolster our operational advantages, and preserve this great command’s illustrious history.
