The Pentagon announced on May 31, 2006 that LtGen Mattis had been chosen to take command of the I Marine Expeditionary Force based out of Camp Pendleton, California. from Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Mattis
The media started writing about Haditha in mid-March, 2006, charges were preferred on Dec. 21 or 22, 2006. Now does anyone know if Lt Gen Mattis has to okay the charges when they are preferred. My understanding was that he would have had to have approved them. But I’m not absolutely sure of this process. Anyone know?
August: Lt. Gen. James Mattis, the incoming commander of the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force at Camp Pendleton, Calif., is briefed on the Haditha investigative report by officials from the Naval Criminal Investigative Service. Mattis will convene with his lawyers to determine whether charges should be filed.
Link, scroll way down.