A single general took charge of all Marine forces in Europe and Africa Tuesdaytoday as part of a significant merger of commands as officials work to streamline the service’s post-war Afghanistan crisis response mission.
During a ceremony in Stuttgart, Germany, Maj. Gen. Neil Nelson took charge of U.S. Marine Corps Forces Europe and Africa, according to a Marine news release. With Nelson stationed in Germany in there, the merger also puts him closer than his predecessors to the Marines and sailors who operate across Europe and Africa Italy, Spain, Romania and Bulgaria.
"Not only does Nelson unite the Marines operating across two continents under one commander, he is the first commander to be based in Germany alongside the two geographical combatant commanders, [Air Force] Gen. Philip M. Breedlove and [Army] Gen. David M. Rodriguez," the release states reads.
Until Tuesday's change of command ceremony, Marine forces in Europe were are currently commanded by Lt. Gen. Robert Neller, who was based in Norfolk, Virginia. Marines in Africa were previously led by and Marine Forces Africa by Maj. Gen. William Beydler, who is the head of II Marine Expeditionary Force based at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.
The merging of Marine Corps Forces Europe and Africa is just one of two newly created general officer commands.
In June, Brig. Gen. Eric Smith became the first full-time commander of Marine Corps Forces South. He is the first general to oversee Marine operations in the Americas and the Caribbean from the command's Miami headquarters. In the past, MARFORSOUTH leaders also served as the deputy commander of Marine Forces Command.
The new strategy gives Nelson and Smith more intensive oversight of special-purpose Marine air-ground task forces and other units that fall under their command.
Nelson now oversees more than 1,750 Marines spread out across Europe that respond to crises on that continent and across Africa. That includes the Spain-based unit that responds to crises in Africa, the Italy-based Marines who conduct theater security cooperation missions with African allies, the Romania-based Black Sea Rotational Force, and a new Bulgaria-based Combined Arms Company.
Smith oversees the first rotation of SPMAGTF-South, a Central American-based unit that trains alongside local troops and can respond to humanitarian crises in the region.
Neller, who will replace Gen. Joseph Dunford as the next commandant of the Marine Corps this fall, told Marine Corps Times in April that the changes will allow commanders to better focus on their missions.
Brig. Gen. David Coffman, the former head of MARFORSOUTH, who split his time between two commands, agreed. Having leaders dedicated full-time to the commands allowsed them to develop deeper relationships with military leaders in their area of responsibility, he said.
"You don't just show up when you need something, and you don't just show up in times of crisis," Coffman told Marine Corps Times in April. "To be engaged means you have to be present to win."
Nelson most recently served as the combined joint logistics chief for International Security Assistance Force headquarters in Afghanistan. He has also commanded III Marine Logistics Group in Okinawa, Japan, and served as the head of Training Command in Quantico, Virginia.
Staff writer Hope Hodge Seck contributed to this report.
