Marine Corps Doctrinal Publication (MCDP) 4, Logistics, describes the theory and philosophy of military logistics as practiced by the United States Marine Corps. It provides all Marines a conceptual framework for the understanding and practice of effective logistics. The Marine Corps' view of logistics is based on our common understanding of the nature of war and on our warfighting philosophy as described in MCDP 1, Warfighting.

Our doctrine recognizes that logistics is an integral part of warfighting. Logistics provides the resources of combat power, brings those resources to the battle, and sustains them throughout the course of operations. Our approach to logistics recognizes that war is conducted in an environment of complexity, fluidity, disorder, and uncertainty and seeks to provide the commander with the physical means to win in this environment. Our logistic capabilities extend our operational limits, allowing us to anticipate requirements while remaining flexible, adaptable, and responsive to changing conditions in the battlespace.