A striking new vision for the Marines

[Peter1469]

A striking new vision for the Marines

This will be some radical changes to how the Marines operate and interface with the Navy.

Military planning documents rarely draw more than a yawn in Washington, but the new Marine Corps Commandant’s Planning Guidance is proving an exception. Crafted by newly appointed Gen. David Berger, it lays out a striking new vision for the Corps — and jettisons a sizable number of long-held Marine articles of faith along the way. Berger’s guidance is both hard-hitting and remarkably well-written, all the better for a document meant to be widely read and disruptive.

In many ways, the planning guidance responds to growing turbulence inside the Marine Corps. Since 2001, marines have served as the nation’s second land army in Afghanistan and then Iraq, organized crisis response task forces, and forged a special operations component, while still clinging tightly to their historic mission of large-scale amphibious landings. These widely divergent directions have led some marines to question their identity, with one even arguing that the service suffers from a multiple personality disorder. Thinkers both inside and outside the Corps have called on senior Marine leaders to help redefine its central purpose.

The new guidance responds to those concerns by charting a distinctively new course for the Marine Corps. Berger clearly states what will not change: It will remain the nation’s elite force-in-readiness. Yet he is remarkably candid about the aspects of his service that must change, be newly developed, or be thrown overboard. He will unquestionably face an uphill struggle in implementing this vision — confronting the many years that the Marine Corps has invested in counter-insurgency conflicts, shrinking resources, and entrenched bureaucratic interests in the Pentagon and defense industry. But if he succeeds, he will have boldly transformed his organization for the very real challenges of the future. His vision creates some challenges for the other services in terms of roles and missions, but it should nevertheless catalyze their efforts to create equally far-sighted future guidance.

[nathanbforrest45]

The Marines are running ads that say "The Few, The Proud, The Brave" Given the number of fat, out of shape men wearing Marine paraphernalia I have to question the "Few" part of that. It seems that for every person I see proudly displaying the fact they were Navy or Air Force or Army you will see ten hats, tee shirts, decals proclaiming to be Marines.

To me this is as much "stolen valor" as those claiming to be Vietnam Vets who never wore the uniform of any branch of the service.

My late father in law was a wounded Marine vet, my brother is a Marine and my nephew is a wounded Marine vet. I don't take kindly to those who would steal their heritage.


For the record I am a Navy Vet who proudly tells the Marines that Marine stands for "My Ass Rides In Navy Equipment"

[AZ Jim]

The Marines are running ads that say "The Few, The Proud, The Brave" Given the number of fat, out of shape men wearing Marine paraphernalia I have to question the "Few" part of that. It seems that for every person I see proudly displaying the fact they were Navy or Air Force or Army you will see ten hats, tee shirts, decals proclaiming to be Marines.

To me this is as much "stolen valor" as those claiming to be Vietnam Vets who never wore the uniform of any branch of the service.

My late father in law was a wounded Marine vet, my brother is a Marine and my nephew is a wounded Marine vet. I don't take kindly to those who would steal their heritage.


For the record I am a Navy Vet who proudly tells the Marines that Marine stands for "My Ass Rides In Navy Equipment"

Marines report to and are under command of the Dept. of Navy.

[Private Pickle]

I think he is right. The Marines have somehow become as was said "a second land unit". No question why. They ultimately receive better training than the standard 11Bs but that's not what they were intended for and that's not what we should be using them for.

Although this guy has some pretty radical ideas and changes in mind. We will never invade beaches like the Marines did in the Pacific during WWII again. Those days are over.

[Peter1469]

I think he is right. The Marines have somehow become as was said "a second land unit". No question why. They ultimately receive better training than the standard 11Bs but that's not what they were intended for and that's not what we should be using them for.

Although this guy has some pretty radical ideas and changes in mind. We will never invade beaches like the Marines did in the Pacific during WWII again. Those days are over.

Right a beach assault would be suicide today.

[Mister D]

Right a beach assault would be suicide today.

It was suicide then but the overwhelming force the US was able to bring to bear on what was a materially inferior enemy made it possible. In fact, later in the war the IJA spent much less effort trying to contest the landings. For example, Okinawa's beaches were stormed with considerable ease because the Japanese had learned they stood a much chance and could inflict much greater casualties on US forces if they didn't concentrate against the landings bit defended the island indepth instead.

[Private Pickle]

Right a beach assault would be suicide today.

Doesn't make sense given today's technology. We would never allow our boys to breech a beach without complete and total realization of what they were about to compared to what our boys faced on D-Day. We simply don't have the appetite for those kinds of casualties.

Unless of course that scenario was taking place on American soil.

[Private Pickle]

It was suicide then but the overwhelming force the US was able to bring to bear on what was a materially inferior enemy made it possible. In fact, later in the war the IJA spent much less effort trying to contest the landings. For example, Okinawa's beaches were stormed with considerable ease because the Japanese had learned they stood a much chance and could inflict much greater casualties on US forces if they didn't concentrate against the landings bit defended the island indepth instead.

And they were successful.

[Cletus]

Let the Marines go back to being what they were created to be... Naval Infantry.

[nathanbforrest45]

Marines report to and are under command of the Dept. of Navy.

Really?

I never knew that. Are you sure?


Next thing you are going to be telling us is that the Seebee's are also part of the Navy.