Marine Corps Warfighting Publication MCWP 3-03 US Marine Corps Stability Operations 16 December 2016 The Marine Corps will continue, with increasing frequency, to conduct activities in support of stability operations. These operations will span the range of military operations, from peacetime engagement, to limited contingencies and crisis response, to major operations and campaigns. During periods of relative calm, combatant commanders will use Marine Corps operating forces, either Marine air-ground task forces or other task-organized force packages, in support of our national strategy of engagement. This aspect of our national strategy assists in building host nation capacities, promotes democracy and the rule of law, and builds understanding of our cultures. Beyond peacetime engagement, Marine Corps operating forces will participate in both limited contingency and crisis response stability operations. The expeditionary nature of the Marine Corps and its role as the nation's force-n-readiness demands Marines prepare to conduct stability operations of short or long duration. Participants working with Marines will come from many organizations such as host nation personnel, various United States Government agencies, multinational forces, nongovernmental organizations, and private volunteer organizations. Marine Corps Warfighting Publication 3-03, Stability Operations, codifies tasks, planning considerations, and other considerations for use by the Marine air-ground task force in stability operations. It is a result of lessons learned through the development of the joint irregular warfare capability based assessment and responds to the Department of Defense directive that distinguishes irregular warfare from traditional warfare. Stability operations are one of a variety of steady-state and surge Department of Defense irregular warfare and small wars activities and operations.