The battalion's mission is to plan and direct, collect, process, produce and disseminate intelligence, and provide counterintelligence support to the III MEF command element, the MEF major subordinate commands, subordinate Marine Air-Ground Task Forces (MAGTF), and other commands as directed.

The battalion was activated on 1 October 1990 at Marine Corps Camp Courtney, Okinawa, as the 3d Intelligence Company, 3d Surveillance, Reconnaissance, Intelligence Group under the command of the III MEF. In December 1990, it was relocated to Camp Hansen. During June 1995, it was reassigned to Headquarters and Service Battalion at the III MEF.

The battalion was designated as the 3rd Intelligence Battalion on 2 April 1999. In October 1999, it was reassigned to the III MEF Headquarters group. It has participated in various operations and exercises throughout the Pacific region during the course of its history.

The battalion occasionally sends detachments in support of combat operations. In May 2009, it sent a detachment to Operation Enduring Freedom (ongoing since October 2007) under the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade. The battalion's detachment arrived on Camp Bastion in South Helmand Province, Afghanistan, on 19 May 2009. Its detachment provided critical intelligence leading up to and during Operation Khanjar (2 July 2009 – 20 August 2009), Operation Cobra's Anger (4 December 2009 – 7 December 2009), and Operation Moshtarak (13 February 2010 – 7 December 2010). The Marines from the battalion's detachment returned home to Okinawa on 12 March 2010.

• Headquarters Company
• Intelligence Operations Company
• Counter Intelligence/Human Intelligence Company

• List of United States Marine Corps battalions

• 3rd Intel's official website