The Marine Corps did not have a service component command at the Central Command headquarters until 1990. During the
Gulf War, the Commanding General of
I Marine Expeditionary Force (I MEF) was also titled as Commander, Marine Corps Forces Central Command (MARCENT). In 1992, the Marine Corps gave this role to the Commander of
U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific, though the title was only to be used as needed. In 1996 a Marine Liaison Office was opened at CENTCOM headquarters,
MacDill Air Force Base, being known as MARCENT, and in 1999 this office was upgraded to Headquarters Marine Corps Forces Central Command. At this point the Deputy Commander of MARFORPAC was responsible for overseeing MARCENT. In 2001, the Commander of MARFORPAC formally took on the role of leading MARCENT. In 2012, Lieutenant General
Robert Neller became the first dedicated head of MARCENT at MacDill AFB, fully focused on the Middle East. ==List of commanders==