{"id":22941,"date":"2018-11-29T21:51:24","date_gmt":"2018-11-29T21:51:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/uncategorized\/2018\/11\/29\/the-corps-will-experiment-with-15-man-rifle-squad-for-upcoming-meu-deployment\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T20:22:19","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T20:22:19","slug":"the-corps-will-experiment-with-15-man-rifle-squad-for-upcoming-meu-deployment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/news\/your-marine-corps\/2018\/11\/29\/the-corps-will-experiment-with-15-man-rifle-squad-for-upcoming-meu-deployment\/","title":{"rendered":"The Corps will experiment with 15-man rifle squad on upcoming MEU deployment"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The top Marine has been toying with the decision to boost the Marine rifle squad to 15 Marines, with the Marine Expeditionary Units, or MEU, being considered as the most likely option to carry the larger squads.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In May 2019, 2nd Battalion, 8th Marines will get an additional 92 Marines for a future deployment as they experiment with a 15-man rifle squad configuration, according to Lt. Col. Eric Dent, a spokesman for Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. Robert B. Neller.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe Commandant decided last month to staff an infantry battalion to its full complement of 15 Marines per squad for an upcoming MEU deployment,\u201d Dent said in an emailed statement to Marine Corps Times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In May, the top Marine announced his initial decision to cut the rifle squad to 12 Marines while adding two new positions \u2014 a drone operator and assistant squad leader.<\/p>\n\n\n\t