Is it time to maybe think about combining services or components of each?

2016-01-16T10:51:56-05:00

What do you think of combining or doing away with marine corp jet aviation and let Air force or Navy handle it. Or posting Army combat units on Navy ships. What can we do to make our Military lean.

Response by Capt Seid Waddell made Jan 16 at 2016 11:04 AM

2016-01-16T11:04:46-05:00

You will get a lot of resistance on this one.

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 16 at 2016 11:09 AM

2016-01-16T11:09:02-05:00

Each branch of the service has unique capabilities along with associated components. I do not see this happening, nor should it.

Response by Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS made Jan 16 at 2016 11:41 AM

2016-01-16T11:41:49-05:00

Each service has different focuses, are built in completely different ways, which makes the way they accomplish things "differently."

Although a Marine Infantry Battalion and an Army Infantry Battalion look VERY similar on paper, we are employed differently. For example, Marines tend to use the MAGTF concept where we take a BN, a Squadron, and a logistics element forming a MEU. We can pre-locate it or we can place it on a ship. We're built from the ground up to operate like this. It's also designed to scale all the way to our MEF concept (Division plus Wing, etc).

Could the Army do this? Yes. Could the Army do this as they are "right now?" No. It would require massive changes in organization, which would fundamentally make them a "Marine Corps" defeating the purpose of the proposal. All the liaisons are already in place to operate in this capacity, so to do so would be recreating the wheel.

When we get into the Air side, we run into similar issues. The Navy needs Air because their mission is to control the seas, and that requires controlling not only the Surface, but what is below and above the surface as well. That requires an INTEGRAL Air Component. When you look at the Marine's mission of ground combat, we must control our space and that means the air above it. On its face we could rely on others however how effective would the Army be if they did not have their own CAS capabilities or troop transports with helicopters?

Response by Lt Col Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 16 at 2016 1:41 PM

2016-01-16T13:41:36-05:00

No, I believe compartmentalization and span of control is a good thing. In fact I would take all of the space assets out of the branches and form a Space Force if you will. No, the Space branch would not be a "Starship Troopers." It would encompass all the space capabilities from the Air Force, Army and Navy and consolidate them into one organization.

Response by PO3 David Fries made Jan 16 at 2016 1:54 PM

2016-01-16T13:54:28-05:00

What do you have against the Marines? The two suggestions you had eliminated Marine jobs. That being said, I think costs need to be cut before you start look at eliminating jobs or combining services. How many different uniforms do the services need really?

Response by MSgt Steven Holt, NRP, CCEMT-P made Jan 16 at 2016 2:37 PM

2016-01-16T14:37:00-05:00

HERESY!! lol
I see lots of tail feathers getting ruffled over just mentioning this topic though. It's an interesting concept but I don't see it working in practical terms. We each have service unique missions and capabilities. They are separate for a reason (whatever that may be) and should remain so.

Response by SN Greg Wright made Jan 16 at 2016 2:39 PM

2016-01-16T14:39:22-05:00

SFC Dave Wynn Not just no, but HELL no. That's a LOT of tradition and esprit de corps you'd be messing with. As for Marine aviators, their mission is more focused on supporting ground troops than the Naval version (though they can do that, too). Different missions. And I think you'd open the gates of Hell if you tried to tell Marines they were being replaced by the Army.