Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. Justin Gates of the 12th Littoral Logistics Battalion, left, and battalion commander Lt. Col. Leo Spaeder reveal the battalion’s new flag at Camp Hansen, Okinawa, on Oct. 3, 2024. (Brian McElhiney/Stars and Stripes)
CAMP HANSEN, Okinawa — The Marines’ seaborne quick-reaction force on Okinawa now has a dedicated support group, the latest step toward transforming the service’s forces to counter China in the Indo-Pacific.
Combat Logistics Battalion 12 became the 12th Littoral Logistics Battalion, an element of the 12th Marine Littoral Regiment, Thursday at the consolidated club on Camp Hansen.
About 72 Marines participated in a ceremony to unfurl the battalion’s new colors before about 70 guests, including fellow Marines, friends, family and members of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force.
The redesignated battalion will provide supply and medical support, general engineering, explosive ordnance disposal and transportation to the regiment in “actively contested maritime spaces, integrated with allies, partners, and the Joint Force,” according to a 3rd Marine Division news release Sept. 23.
Brig. Gen. Kevin Collins, commander of the 3rd Marine Logistics Group, explained the concept behind the battalion after its new flags were revealed. It is “a little over 300 Marines and sailors with functional capability from across the Marine Logistics Group” that will allow the littoral regiment to deploy at a moment’s notice.
“I will tell you that’s not a perfect formation — you don’t have everything you need to function effectively on the battlefield — but you probably have enough to get you there,” he said at the ceremony. “So, my job is not done as the Marine logistics group commander. We’ll be here to support you.”
Marine Corps Lt. Col. Leo Spaeder, commander of the 12th Littoral Logistics Battalion, speaks during the battalion's redesignation ceremony at Camp Hansen, Okinawa, on Oct. 3, 2024. (Brian McElhiney/Stars and Stripes)
The redesignation is the latest step in the 12th littoral regiment’s transformation into a stand-in force. The regiment was created in November 2023.
The Marine Corps’ concept for stand-in forces cites China as the joint force’s “pacing challenge.” Littoral regiments are designed as smaller, mobile units inserted within enemy missile range to seize and hold key islands and deny enemy vessels access to surrounding areas.
The Marines created the 3rd Littoral Regiment, its first, in March 2022, and plans a third for Guam. A littoral regiment consists of about 2,000 Marines.
The littoral regiment’s stand-in force operations are a key tenet of the island-fighting doctrine featured in the Marines’ Force Design plan.
The battalion is one of three elements planned for the littoral regiment, along with a littoral combat team and a littoral anti-air battalion. These two elements will be created within the next year, although specific dates have yet to be announced, regimental commander Col. Peter Eltringham said at a news conference alongside 12th Littoral Logistics Battalion commander Lt. Col. Leo Spaeder after the ceremony.
“That was a natural and seamless movement to set the baseline of logistics, from which everything else can grow forward,” he said.
While the size of the battalion will remain the same, the Marines will now be permanently stationed with the littoral regiment on Hansen, rather than on Camp Foster with the 3rd Logistics Group, Eltringham said.
The 12th littoral regiment made its operational debut at this year’s Resolute Dragon, an exercise in July and August that included approximately 3,000 Marines and 5,700 Japanese troops and spanned three prefectures in southern Japan, including Okinawa.
The regiment is set to play a role in the upcoming Keen Sword exercise beginning Oct. 23, Eltringham said.
