The 1st Force Service Support Group activated March 30, 1976, is a versatile, multi-faceted combat service support organization. The unit provides combat service support for the I Marine Expeditionary Force, while troops are in garrison, employed separately, or as part of Marine Air Ground Task Force operations.

Marine Expeditionary Unit Service Support Groups 11, 13 and 15 provide the same type of combat support but on a smaller scale to their respective MEUs.

The 1st Force Service Support Group is comprised of Headquarters and Service Battalion, 1st Maintenance Battalion, 1st Supply Battalion, 7th Engineer Support Battalion, 1st Transportation Support Battalion, 1st Medical Battalion, 1st Dental Battalion, Marine Expeditionary Unit Service Support Groups 11, 13 and 15, Combat Service Support Group 1 at Twentynine Palms, and Combat Service Support Detachment 16 at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma. The Group Headquarters is located in the 14 Area, with elements of the group situated throughout Marine Corps Base, Camp Pendleton. In addition to providing the Group Headquarters, Headquarters and Service Battalion provides disbursing, exchange, postal and military police support to the Fleet Marine Force and communications for the Group.

First Maintenance Battalion provides intermediate -evel maintenance support for Marine Corps-furnished tactical communications/electronics, engineer, general support, motor transport and ordnance equipment. Maintenance facilities are located in the Las Pulgas (43) Area, the Del Mar (21) Area and the Chappo (22) Area.

First Supply Battalion supplies all classes of supply, except bulk fuel, required by the Marine Expeditionary Force. The Supply activity Support System Management Unit, which is the heart of this operation, is located with the other functional areas in the warehouse complex in the Chappo (22) Area. Seventh Engineer Support Battalion is organized to provide general engineer support to a MEF. Its services include bath and laundry, water supply, mobile electric power, storage and distribution of bulk fuel, and explosive ordinance disposal support. 7th ESB is located in the 14 Area.

First Transportation Support Battalion was created on 18 December, 1998. It has taken on the rolls of the old 7th Motor Transport Battalion and 1st Landing Support Battalion. The 1st TSB's mission is to provide throughput and distribution of supplies, personnel and equipment, as well as medium and heavy motor transport support to I Marine Expeditionary Force.

The 1st Medical Battalion is organized to provide collection, emergency treatment, temporary hospitalization, specialized surgery and evacuation of battle injuries. The battalion also coordinates preventive measures for control of disease. The battalion is located in the Chappo (22) Area. The 1st Dental Battalion is charged with the dental health of the MEF and providing specialized care of casualties. The First Dental Company, located in the 22 Area, provides dental services through the 13 Area dental facility. The 13th and the 23rd Dental are located at Marine Corps Air Station El Toro and Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, Calif., respectively.

Battalions

Commanding General, 1st Force Service Support Group
Brigadier General Edward G. Usher III

Brigadier General (Sel) Usher is serving as the Commander, 1st Force Service Support Group, Camp Pendleton, California.  He is a 1974 graduate of San Diego State University with a bachelor's degree in psychology.  A third generation Marine, he entered the Marine Corps Through the Platoon Leaders Class program.  He completed the Amphibious Warfare School(1981) and is a graduate of the Marine Corps Command and Staff College(1987), and the Naval War College with a Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies(1997).

Since his commissioning and graduation from The Basic School in 1975, Brigadier General (Sel) Usher has held a variety of command and staff positions.  He has had company level command assignments with Base Material Battalion, Camp Pendleton: 1st Radio Battalion, Fleet Marine Force Pacific; Marine Barracks, Washington D.C.; and, 1st Supply Battalion, 1st Force Service Support Group.  He has held battalion level command with the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit as Commanding Officer, Marine Expeditionary Unit Service Support Group 13; and as the Commanding Officer, 3rd Transportation Support Battalion, 3rd Force Service Support Group.

Brigadier General (Sel) Usher's staff assignments include Supply Officer, 1st Track Vehicle Battalion, 3rd Marine Division; Supply Officer, 9th Marine Expeditionary Brigade, III Marine Expeditionary Force; Operations Officer, Direct Stock Supply Center, Camp Pendleton; Supply Officer 1st Radio Battalion; Operations Officer, Detachment A, 3rd Force Service Support Group; Aide-de-Camp to the Commanding General, Marine Corps Logistics Base, Albany, Georgia; Head, Deployed Systems Branch, Albany, Georgia; S-4 Officer, Marine Barracks, Washington D.C.; Executive Officer, 1st Supply Battalion, 1st Force Service Support Group; G-3 Combat Service Support Operations Officer, 1st Force Service Support Group; and Director, Life Cycle Management Center, marine Corps Logistics Bases, Albany, Georgia.  Brigadier General (Sel) Usher served a joint duty assignment as the Marine Corps Readiness Officer, Headquarters Defense Logistics Agency, Fort Belvoir, Virginia.  His Last assignment was as the Assistant Chief of Staff, G-3, 3rd Force Service Support Group, Okinawa, Japan.

Brigadier General (Sel) Usher's personal decorations include: the Legion of Merit, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with three gold stars, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, and Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal with gold star.
(Updated as of  July 26, 2001)