Should Army and Marines (or components of) consolidate?

No, having served for 8 years in the Marine Corps, and now in the Army, it is easy to see the difference in missions and capabilities. However, being combat arms in the Marines, and Logistics in the Army, my view could be skewed. Without researching one or both branches, one cannot make the determination that each does the exact same thing. Each branch is specialized in its own accord, and is needed for America to be as awesome as it is.

Yuck

Realistically though, I believe that the Marines could absorb the Army and become bigger. However, a lot of Army soldiers would be separated once they came into the Corps. Also, you might have to open up another MCRD just to get all of the Army through. Might have to do it in phases though as Boot Camp is 13 weeks. I'm all for it. Come on over Army join the dark side.

While we are at it. Once the Army came over the Marines then we could consolidate the Coast Guard and the Navy. Then we would just take the Air Force and consolidate them with the Marine Corps and Navy.

There you go folks a blue print for success. You have a large ground force and you have your naval force. It is perfect.

No. The USMC is the only Military component that the President can deploy at a moment's notice without input from Congress. That authority and vital flexibility in crisis situations will be lost.

The army has been around longer than the Corp. I know marines and they would not be happy. Yes each basic training or boot camp is different for each branch to be able to train the individual a certain way based of the branch's mission. If they all merge then they all merge but if something goes down to where you need that certain task completed then latest it is one branch doing it not multiple branch's we all work to complete the mission. Air Force came from the army air corp. Marines have the anchor because they work closely with navy but all these branch's came from one branch at one time the army all training is based off one thing the blue book the training from the revolutionary war. Look at the history not one branch is better than the other I stand behind merging of the branch's all to be one branch

I have always observed the Military from a Football Team perspective, the Marine Corp as our Offensive Team and the Army as Defense! Without the Marine Corp our Casualties will be much higher. We must not forget the creation of these force in order to understand their roles.The teams are both needed and when used effectively, results remain Outstanding ! ~~ AM1

No, but I do think we should all get back to our core strengths. The Marines should never been more than 25 miles from the water. Marine's shouldn't be in the sandbox, its not their thing, but the politics of it says they have to show their useful to keep their funding.

The Army has more boats than the Navy and more aircraft than the Air force. We cant afford the duplication any more. Why do the Marines, Navy, and Air Force all need F-22s? Why does the Army need their own cargo airplanes?

The list goes on and on.

No, and here's why:

The Marine Corps fall under the Department of the Navy. The Army has it's own Department, and has been standing strong since the Revolution. Objectively, by this view, this Army does not need the Marines.

Though you requested to keep traditions and such aside, PO1 Dronzin, those are the very things that would cause chaos should the two branches combine. Twice in my career, I have had a Marine who came off Active Duty, join my Army Reserve unit. Going from AD to RC or Marines to Army alone is a big enough challenge. APFT, commands, standards, traditions were all difficult for these former Marines to catch onto. I know if I went into a company of Marines and tried to assimilate, I'd be picked out and probably beat on.

The similarities end at Combat-Oriented. Marines were first created to guard Navy ships from mutiny. Army has always been the first line of ground defense for the USA. So, forgetting all the political, logistical, and egotistical hullabaloo, it simply would never work. You would have to retrain both branches to become one, and honestly, the majority are already stuck in their ways.

Absolutely not! Army and Marines have different missions, different skillsets, and different doctrine. Marines belong to the Navy Department for a reason. How many Army troops want to be the security force on an aircraft carrier, for instance. And, sad to say, many in the Army lack the aggressiveness of a Marine. That's part of the training. In the Army, your training is focused on your branch assignment. I know soldiers who have no idea what TA 50 is. But all Marines are riflemen first. I wish the Army had the same philosophy. We need both branches, as they are, doing what they do best, and working together.

Nope. Each service has a unique mission with unique capabilities. We need both.