MEU2: The Marine Expeditionary Unit SMARTbook, 2nd Ed‪.‬

The Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) SMARTbook is designed to be a reference for MEU and PHIBRON Commanders, MEU and PHIBRON staffs and the commanders and staffs of the Major Subordinate Elements (MSE) and Naval Support Elements (NSE) of the ARG-MEU team. Topics include: MEU mission, organization, and capabilities; MEU staff functions; mission planning (R2P2 & MCPP); mission essential tasks; standing mission briefs; MEU liaison and survey elements; appendices and reference guides; abbreviations, acronyms and glossary.


The Marine Corps Planning Process (MCPP) is the basis for MEU staff planning. Planning is the art and science of envisioning a desired future and laying out effective ways of bringing it about. In war, planning can be essential to the ability to seize the initiative. In order to seize the initiative, we must be able to anticipate events and act purposefully and effectively before the enemy can. Planning mitigates crises by dealing with crisis situations before they reach crisis proportions.


The Rapid Response Planning Process (R2P2) is an accelerated execution of MCPP geared to Crisis Action Planning. The R2P2 process allows the MEU/PHIBRON to anticipate potential missions, create a set of standardized responses through analytical decision-making, and rehearse their responses to achieve full capability within six hours of receipt of a warning or execute order.


Rapid planning requires extensive training in the techniques and procedures associated with R2P2. It requires standardized, detailed, parallel, and concurrent command and staff actions using Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) that are understood by all members of the unit. The Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) SMARTbook helps to generate tempo and staff synergy in time-compressed situations through the use of “playbooks” for rapid planning and templates for efficient briefings.

MEU2 is the 2nd printing of the MEU SMARTbook (1st printing ISBN 978-1-935886-18-1), featuring doctrinal updates to the text, a full cross-referenced index in place of the previous chapter 8, and our new updated perfect binding with spine in place of the previous plastic-comb binding. Chapters and topics include MEU Staff Functions, Mission Planning, Mission Essential Tasks, Standing Missions, MEU Liaison and Survey Elements, Appendices & Reference, and Abbreviations & Acronyms.

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