Marine Innovation Unit

At MIU, we are accelerating the Marine Corps’ adoption of advanced warfighting capabilities. By leveraging the experience, skills, and advanced education of Reserve Marines, we seek to increase the Corps’ lethality and survivability, and outpace our nation’s adversaries. Headquartered at Stewart Air National Guard Base in Newburgh, New York but operating nationwide, MIU taps into the talents of Reserve Marines with special expertise in emerging “dual-use” technologies including Autonomy and Robotics, Advanced Manufacturing, Supply Chain Management, Cyberspace, Data Analytics, Human Systems, Artificial Intelligence, Quantum Computing, Aerospace, Venture Investing, and Entrepreneurship - all with the goal of developing low-cost, high-impact capabilities across the Marine Corps. Learn more about MIU and opportunities to serve at: https://lnkd.in/gYeBUDPi

Excited to have MIU's Michael Radigan participating in a panel discussion on Manufacturing Policy and Strategy tomorrow at Capital Factory in Austin, Texas. Panelists will be diving deep into the critical steps needed to accelerate production, and discussion how innovation and advanced manufacturing are transforming the defense industrial base. An AH-1Z Cobra pilot by trade, LtCol Radigan serves as MIU's liaison officer to United States Space Force's Space Systems Command and Naval Postgraduate School, helping operationalize advanced manufacturing and autonomous systems across the joint force.

Marines assigned to the Marine Innovation Unit (MIU) recently completed an engagement with Marine Corps Recruiting’s 9th Marine Corps District, conducting analysis of how the district is structured. Using optimization modeling and other advanced data analysis techniques, Marines from MIU considered numerous different factors – included travel times, regional demography, and availability of recruiters – to provide proposals for optimized organizational structures and help the Marine Corps continue to recruit the next generation of talented young men and women. “They provide a different perspective,” said Major David Vu, Assistant Operations Officer for 9th Marine Corps District. “They [MIU] are able to take the skills they’ve studied and apply them to Marine Corps problems, and their analysis helps point us in the right direction.” Pictured: U.S. Marine Sgt. Maj. Nathaniel Eirich, sergeant major of Marine Corps Recruiting Station Chicago, 9th Marine Corps District, speaks to the applicants of RS Chicago at the Memorial Day Parade in Chicago, Ill., on May 25, 2024.

You can catch Marine Innovation Unit's own Jimmy Mastrom and Michael J. Frank on the most recent episode of the Phoenix Cast, where they discussed MIU's mission, how MIU engages with Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) and provides value across the Marine Corps, and their own thoughts on defense innovation. The Phoenix Cast is a podcast about cybersecurity, technology and innovation in the military - you can listen to this episode and others on Spotify (below) or Apple Podcasts. https://lnkd.in/eHP-_MZ6

As part of ongoing efforts to enhance maintenance efficiency across the Marine Corps, MIU Marines continue to contribute to the implementation of the Condition-Based Maintenance Plus (CBM+) strategy, streamlining capability upkeep. CBM+ utilizes advanced data collection and analytics to predict and preempt equipment failures and optimize maintenance schedules for six key vehicle platforms and operational capabilities, including the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle, the Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacement, and the Logistic Vehicle System Replacement. As a result of MIU’s technical advisement, the CBM+ program is initiating an effort with Marine Corps Systems Command and The Applied Research Laboratory at Penn State University to formally incorporate Reliability Centered Maintenance analysis and improve CBM+ fleet readiness. Pictured: U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Eric Manzanares, an automotive maintenance technician with Regional Maintenance Operations Company North (RMOC-N), 3rd Maintenance Battalion, 3rd Marine Logistics Group (3rd MLG), loosens the bolts of a Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV) during an original equipment manufacturer JLTV maintenance training course on Camp Kinser, Okinawa, Japan, June 4, 2024.

On Friday, November 22, 2024, MIU Marines gathered to celebrate the Marine Corps' 249th Birthday, paying homage to our rich history of warfighting excellence and innovation on the battlefield. We were particularly appreciative for the opportunity to host our Guest of Honor, Rep. Patrick Ryan, the representative for New York's 18th congressional district, which is home to MIU's headquarters in Newburgh, N.Y.

In November, MIU Marines from across the country gathered in White Plains, New York to reinforce our strategic approach, validate and refine our processes, and collaborate on the future of the Marine Innovation Unit. MIU is geographically distributed and operates remotely to provide value wherever the Marine Corps is, making opportunities for in-person interaction and collaboration all the more impactful. Throughout the week-long training period, Marines were honored to hear from senior leaders including Major General William Seely, Commandant of National Defense University's Dwight D. Eisenhower School for National Security and Resource Strategy, and Mr. Aaron Tooke, Intelligence Mission Manager for the Deputy Commandant for Information. Both men shared their perspectives on the threats and opportunities we currently face, and how defense innovation can help meet those challenges.