This manual, Marine Corps Warfighting Publication MCWP 3-01 Offensive and Defensive Tactics September 2019, comprehensively addresses the philosophy of tactics in general and offensive and defensive tactics specifically, across the range of military operations. It does not specifically discuss stability doctrine, tactics, or operations; although it does contain guidance for simultaneously recognizing, executing, and transitioning between offense, defense, and stability activities.Marine Corps Warfighting Publication MCWP 3-01 Offensive and Defensive Tactics September 2019is the Marine Corps’ basic warfighting offensive and defensive tactics publication. MCWP 3-01 serves as a common starting point for leaders and units to address the specific tactical problems that face them. It is a compendium of best practices and common terms, not a dictate that must be rigidly adhered to. MCWP 3-01 provides the basics of offensive and defensive tactics from the squad level to the Marine division and points the reader to references for further study.This publication is intended for the Marines, leaders, commanders, and staffs from the squad level to the Marine division as a foundational document to assist in the preparation and execution of offensive and defensive tactics in any given operational environment.
The U.S. Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States. In the civilian leadership structure of the United States military, the Marine Corps is a component of the United States Department of the Navy, often working closely with U.S. naval forces for training, transportation, and logistic purposes; however, in the military leadership structure the Marine Corps is a separate branch.