FORT MEADE, Md. – U.S. Marine Corps Col. B.J. Grass, the first deputy commander of Marine Corps Information Command, retired after 26 years of service during a ceremony at Fort George G. Meade, Maryland, May 30, 2025.
Lt. Gen. Melvin “Jerry” Carter, Deputy Commandant for Information, and Maj. Gen. Joseph A. Matos III, commander of MCIC, attended the ceremony to recognize Grass’s contributions to the Marine Corps and the information warfighting community.
Col. Grass stood at attention for the final time in uniform in front of the organization he helped build from concept to command. MCIC, now a fully operational warfighting command, delivers non-kinetic effects to the Fleet Marine Force and Joint Force through the integration of cyber, space, signals intelligence, electronic warfare, and influence capabilities.
“The problem was clear. We weren’t effectively integrating the full range of information-related capabilities under the commander of MARFORCYBER and MARFORSPACE,” said Grass. “Each unit was doing good work in its own lane, but we weren’t punching with a closed fist.”
Grass served as MCIC’s deputy commander from its inception. His focus was turning the command’s vision into an operational reality by synchronizing previously disconnected capabilities into a single, unified force. This structure enables MCIC to provide timely, precise effects in support of commanders across the information environment.
“MCIC exists to help Marines win in the information fight, just like any other warfighting function,” said Grass. “You wouldn’t go into a fight without fires, logistics or intel. We exist to make sure Marines are supported in the information domain.”
MCIC operates on a lean, shared staffing model that combines functions with MARFORCYBER rather than duplicating personnel. Grass said this construct allows the command to move faster and deliver greater impact while avoiding unnecessary overhead.
“We didn’t succeed because we were big,” said Grass. “We succeeded because we were aligned, focused and trusted each other to take the shot that mattered.”
That model generates more than $12 million in annual cost savings while maximizing operational output through shared investment and integrated staffing.
“The $12 million is significant, but the real value is how MCIC leverages efficiency and unity of effort to do more with less,” Grass said. “It represents reduced duplication, streamlined processes and maximizing the impact of every billet.”
Grass described convergence as the heart of MCIC’s mission. Bringing together cyber operations, electromagnetic spectrum operations, signals intelligence and influence allows the command to deliver effects that are synchronized and mutually reinforcing.
“It’s about forming the closed fist,” Grass said. “Marines on the ground don’t just get support from one domain. They benefit from the full weight of integrated information power, delivered at the speed of relevance.”
Grass said MCIC’s relationship with the Fleet Marine Force and the Joint Force is critical to its success. Integration means breaking down silos and ensuring that information capabilities are planned and executed alongside maneuver, fires and logistics.
“Integration isn’t a buzzword. It means we are sitting shoulder-to-shoulder with FMF commanders and joint staffs, helping them shape the fight in the information environment,” said Grass.
Looking ahead, Grass said he believes MCIC will continue to grow in both capability and influence as non-kinetic effects become a central part of how the Marine Corps fights.
“I see a day where the MCIC is viewed as an Information MEF that springboards the idea of an Information Command Element within the current MAGTF structure,” Grass said. “The future of non-kinetic effects is about shaping the battlespace before bullets are fired. Disrupting adversary decision-making, protecting our forces and enabling maneuver through information dominance.”
Grass said the success of MCIC’s early years was not just about building a new command but building a new way of fighting.
“We didn’t just create another command. We laid the groundwork for a force that can bring together diverse information capabilities into a single, powerful tool for Marines and the Joint Force,” said Grass. “The real success story is the Marines, civilians and contractors who believed in the mission, believed in each other and built something that is going to keep delivering for years to come.”
| Date Taken: | 05.30.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 06.27.2025 08:57 |
| Story ID: | 501669 |
| Location: | FORT GEORGE G. MEADE, MARYLAND, US |
| Web Views: | 16 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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