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Title 10, Armed ForcesRelease 119-102

§8063 United States Marine Corps: Composition; Functions

Title 10 › Subtitle C — Navy and Marine Corps › PART I — ORGANIZATION › CHAPTER 807 — COMPOSITION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY › § 8063

Last updated Aug 21, 2026|Official source

Summary

Part of the Navy, the Marine Corps must include at least three combat divisions and three air wings and other needed land, aviation, and support units. It must be trained and equipped to give the Navy combined land and air forces for taking or defending advanced naval bases and for land actions needed in naval campaigns. It also must provide ship detachments, base security, and other tasks the President orders, as long as those duties do not stop it from doing its main job. The Marine Corps must work with the Army and Air Force on landing tactics, techniques, and equipment for amphibious operations. Under joint mobilization plans, it must expand its peacetime forces to meet wartime needs.

Full Legal Text

Title 10, §8063

Armed Forces, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The Marine Corps, within the Department of the Navy, shall be so organized as to include not less than three combat divisions and three air wings, and such other land combat, aviation, and other services as may be organic therein. The Marine Corps shall be organized, trained, and equipped to provide fleet marine forces of combined arms, together with supporting air components, for service with the fleet in the seizure or defense of advanced naval bases and for the conduct of such land operations as may be essential to the prosecution of a naval campaign. In addition, the Marine Corps shall provide detachments and organizations for service on armed vessels of the Navy, shall provide security detachments for the protection of naval property at naval stations and bases, and shall perform such other duties as the President may direct. However, these additional duties may not detract from or interfere with the operations for which the Marine Corps is primarily organized.
(b)The Marine Corps shall develop, in coordination with the Army and the Air Force, those phases of amphibious operations that pertain to the tactics, technique, and equipment used by landing forces.
(c)The Marine Corps is responsible, in accordance with integrated joint mobilization plans, for the expansion of peacetime components of the Marine Corps to meet the needs of war.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

Revised sectionSource (U.S. Code)Source (Statutes at Large) 50135 U.S.C. 411a(c) (less last 32 words of 1st sentence).
July 26, 1947, ch. 343, § 206(c) (less last 32 words of 1st sentence), 61 Stat. 502; as amended
June 28, 1952, ch. 479, § 1, 66 Stat. 282.

Prior Provisions

A prior section 8066, acts Aug. 10, 1956, ch. 1041, 70A Stat. 494; Sept. 2, 1958, Pub. L. 85–861, § 33(a)(36), 72 Stat. 1566, authorized President, by and with consent of the Senate, to make temporary appointments in grades of general and lieutenant general from officers of Air Force on active duty in any grade above brigadier general and specified the number of positions in each such grade, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 96–513, title II, § 201, title VII, § 701, Dec. 12, 1980, 94 Stat. 2878, 2955, effective Sept. 15, 1981. See section 601 of this title. A prior section 8067 was renumbered section 9067 of this title. A prior section 8069 was renumbered section 9069 of this title.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2018—Pub. L. 115–232 renumbered section 5063 of this title as this section.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 2018 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 115–232 effective Feb. 1, 2019, with provision for the coordination of

Amendments

and special rule for certain redesignations, see section 800 of Pub. L. 115–232, set out as a note preceding section 3001 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

10 U.S.C. § 8063

Title 10, Armed Forces

Last Updated

Aug 21, 2026

Release point: 119-102