Combat Logistics Battalion 11

Combat Logistics Battalion 11 (CLB-11) is a United States Marine Corps logistics unit based at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton in California. When it is not deployed as part of the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, the battalion falls under Headquarters Regiment, 1st Marine Logistics Group. During an expeditionary deployment, it supplies capabilities that exceed the organic logistics capacity of the supported elements of the 11th MEU. The battalion is not a commercial brand or a conventional freight company. Its role is military professional service: it plans, coordinates, and delivers the sustainment required for Marine forces operating away from fixed bases. Its responsibilities cover the movement, maintenance, supply, engineering, communications, medical support, fuel, water, ammunition, transportation, and other services needed to keep an expeditionary force operating. This structure allows the unit to support amphibious and expeditionary missions in environments where infrastructure may be limited or damaged. CLB-11 contains a headquarters element and a range of specialized subordinate capabilities. These include administrative, intelligence, operations, logistics, food-service, embarkation, ammunition, postal, and disbursing functions; a communications platoon; a landing-support platoon known as the Red Patchers; motor transport; combat engineering and heavy equipment; maintenance for vehicles, engineering equipment, ordnance, and communications systems; supply; health services; explosive ordnance disposal; and air delivery. The battalion aid station, dental support, and shock-trauma capability form part of its health-services function. The unit traces its institutional history to Marine Amphibious Unit Service Support Group 11, which was commissioned at Camp Pendleton in May 1984 under the 1st Force Service Support Group. It was redesignated Marine Expeditionary Unit Service Support Group 11 in February 1988. Under those earlier designations, the organization supported a broad range of operations, including the 1991 Gulf War period, humanitarian and evacuation missions in Somalia, Rwanda, Eritrea, East Timor, and Djibouti, and combat operations in Iraq. Its assignments demonstrate the dual nature of Marine expeditionary logistics: the same basic capabilities may be used to sustain combat forces, evacuate civilians, deliver humanitarian assistance, or establish support in austere locations. The organization was redesignated Combat Logistics Battalion 11 on 17 August 2006 and reassigned to Combat Logistics Regiment 17 within the 1st Marine Logistics Group. The redesignation placed the unit within the Marine Corps' modern combat-logistics-battalion structure while preserving its association with the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit. CLB-11's principal institutional identity therefore rests on readiness, deployability, and the ability to provide integrated logistical support across the full range of Marine Corps expeditionary missions.

Combat Logistics Battalion 11 originated as Marine Amphibious Unit Service Support Group 11, commissioned in May 1984 at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton. At formation, it was assigned to the 1st Force Service Support Group, reflecting the Marine Corps' emphasis on providing dedicated logistical support to amphibious and expeditionary formations. Its mission was to furnish transportation, supply, maintenance, engineering, medical, communications, and other sustainment capabilities required by a Marine amphibious unit. On 5 February 1988, the organization was redesignated Marine Expeditionary Unit Service Support Group 11. The new designation aligned it more explicitly with the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit and its deployment model. In that period, the unit supported operations associated with the Gulf War, including Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm, from January through April 1991. In the following year, it participated in support of Operation Restore Hope in Somalia, demonstrating that its logistics mission extended beyond conventional combat sustainment. The unit subsequently supported several crisis-response and evacuation missions. In April 1994, it participated in Operation Distant Runner, the non-combatant evacuation operation conducted in Rwanda. In June 1998, amid the Eritrean-Ethiopian War, it supported the evacuation of non-combatants from Asmara, Eritrea, in an operation known as Operation Safe Departure. Its logistics functions were also used in support of Operation Stabilise in East Timor from October to November 1999 and again in November 2002. From August through October 2002, the organization supported humanitarian operations in Djibouti. The unit's operational history also included major combat deployments. It supported the invasion of Iraq from March through June 2003, returned to Iraq from June 2004 to February 2005, and deployed there again from April through July 2006. These assignments required the organization to sustain Marine forces in active combat environments while continuing to manage transportation, equipment, supplies, maintenance, engineering, medical support, and other essential services. On 17 August 2006, Marine Expeditionary Unit Service Support Group 11 was redesignated Combat Logistics Battalion 11. At the same time, it was reassigned to Combat Logistics Regiment 17 within the 1st Marine Logistics Group. The change reflected the Marine Corps' reorganization of expeditionary logistics around combat logistics battalions. Although its formal designation changed, the unit retained its operational relationship with the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit. In its current organizational role, CLB-11 is a Camp Pendleton-based battalion that normally belongs to the 1st Marine Logistics Group's headquarters structure and deploys in support of the 11th MEU. Its subordinate components provide the practical mechanisms of expeditionary sustainment: headquarters administration and planning, communications, landing support, transportation, engineering, maintenance, supply, health services, explosive ordnance disposal, and air delivery. The battalion's history consequently combines combat logistics with crisis response, evacuation, humanitarian support, and expeditionary readiness. Its defining institutional function is to extend the reach and endurance of Marine forces operating in remote, contested, or austere conditions.

• 2006

  Final Iraq deployment under its former designation

  [1]Combat Logistics Battalion 11en.wikipedia.org

  The unit deployed to Iraq again from April through July 2006.

• 2006

  Redesignated Combat Logistics Battalion 11

  [1]Combat Logistics Battalion 11en.wikipedia.org

  On 17 August 2006, the unit became Combat Logistics Battalion 11 and was reassigned to Combat Logistics Regiment 17, 1st Marine Logistics Group.

• 2004

  Deployed to Iraq

  [1]Combat Logistics Battalion 11en.wikipedia.org

  The organization supported operations in Iraq during a deployment that ran from June 2004 through February 2005.

• 2003

  Supported combat operations in Iraq

  [1]Combat Logistics Battalion 11en.wikipedia.org

  The unit supported the invasion of Iraq and related combat operations from March through June 2003.

• 2002

  Supported humanitarian and East Timor operations

  [1]Combat Logistics Battalion 11en.wikipedia.org

  The unit supported humanitarian operations in Djibouti from August through October 2002 and participated again in Operation Stabilise in East Timor in November 2002.

• 1999

  Supported Operation Stabilise in East Timor

  [1]Combat Logistics Battalion 11en.wikipedia.org

  The organization supported Operation Stabilise in East Timor from October through November 1999.

• 1998

  Supported Operation Safe Departure

  [1]Combat Logistics Battalion 11en.wikipedia.org

  In June 1998, the unit supported the evacuation of non-combatants from Asmara, Eritrea, during the Eritrean-Ethiopian War.

• 1994

  Supported Operation Distant Runner

  [1]Combat Logistics Battalion 11en.wikipedia.org

  In April 1994, the organization supported a non-combatant evacuation operation in Rwanda known as Operation Distant Runner.

• 1992

  Supported Operation Restore Hope

  [1]Combat Logistics Battalion 11en.wikipedia.org

  The unit participated in logistical support for operations in Somalia under Operation Restore Hope.

• 1991

  Supported Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm

  [1]Combat Logistics Battalion 11en.wikipedia.org

  From January through April 1991, the unit supported 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit operations connected with the Gulf War.

• 1988

  Redesignated Marine Expeditionary Unit Service Support Group 11

  [1]Combat Logistics Battalion 11en.wikipedia.org

  On 5 February 1988, the unit received a designation that more directly reflected its support relationship with the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit.

• 1984

  Marine Amphibious Unit Service Support Group 11 commissioned

  [1]Combat Logistics Battalion 11en.wikipedia.org

  The organization that would become CLB-11 was commissioned in May 1984 at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton under the 1st Force Service Support Group.

A deployable Marine Corps combat-logistics organization positioned to provide integrated tactical sustainment for expeditionary forces operating beyond the reach of established infrastructure.

• Military logistics service

  Tactical logistics support

  CLB-11 provides logistics support beyond the organic capabilities of the elements it supports within the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit. The service integrates planning, distribution, sustainment, and field support for deployed Marine forces.

• Expeditionary mobility

  Transportation and landing support

  The motor transport and landing-support elements move personnel, equipment, supplies, and other materiel in expeditionary environments. These capabilities help connect ships, landing areas, temporary bases, and forward operating locations.

• Combat engineering

  Engineering and utilities support

  The engineer platoon includes combat engineers, heavy-equipment operators, and bulk water, bulk fuel, and utilities capabilities. These functions help establish and maintain the physical services needed by deployed forces.

• Equipment sustainment

  Maintenance and supply

  Maintenance and supply elements support motor transport, engineering, ordnance, communications, consumables, and secondary reparable items. Their purpose is to keep equipment available and preserve the operational endurance of the supported force.

• Military medical support

  Health services support

  The health-services platoon includes a battalion aid station, dental support, and shock-trauma capability. It provides field medical services as part of the battalion's broader expeditionary sustainment mission.

• Specialized operational support

  Communications, explosive ordnance disposal, and air delivery

  Specialized components provide tactical communications, explosive ordnance disposal, and air-delivery functions. Together, these capabilities allow the battalion to support distributed operations and address logistical or hazard-management requirements in austere locations.

1. 1Combat Logistics Battalion 11en.wikipedia.org