Should Army and Marines (or components of) consolidate?

No, they all serve a different purpose through different means and methods. Old adage, if it ain’t broke don’t fix it.

A Marines mission encompass so much more than what is seen on TV or other media. Barracks and embassy duties. Naval sea duties. As Army retired and a Marine Corps veteran I have learned a lot about both. The skill sets are not identical. Leave my Marine Corps alone.

Dear Lord, they're after us again. Why is it, since our founding, some son of a bitch, usually in an Army uniform, but sometimes Navy, has been trying to "absorb us", or out and out get rid of us?

NO WHAT WOULD THE UNIT BE CALLED ARMARINESOR MARMY

I am a retired NCO who has on occasion worked wit the Marines and I respect them with all my heart, but from a logistics point of view and a money saving I must say the cost of having to different Armies and three different Air Forces should we no consolidate at least the Army and Marines into one. The Marines could be a special unit like the Rangers and used for their expertise in beach landings and other waterborne operations. Why does the Marines need their own aircraft wing when they come under the Navy but the Navy does not support the Marines and the Marines have their own budget. My point is incorporate the Marines into the Army and their Air wing into the AF. The savings alone would be billions in tax payer dollars. As for the Navy make them do their job of transporting us to and from battlefields and fighting on the high seas. And with all that lets do away with all the different Special Operation forces and combine them under one umbrella just like the Special Forces and let the Special Forces go back to doing their Mission. I am by the way a Soldier that has a well rounded Military background.

This would not necessarily be reasonable. Yes the Army and Marines do perform similar missions, but the differences the Marines bring and the interactions they have with the Navy means that the soldiers would have to endure a crazy length bootcamp of a bare minimum of 20 weeks to successfully retain all the info needed. Also Marines operate in smaller numbers than the Army. Those numbers make a huge difference when deciding strategy in war. However, I do believe all the special forces/special warfare units of every branch should have at least a small bit of training in the tactics of the other branches.

All things aside I can see the benefit of the Army adapting the USMC 13 Man Infantry Squad.

If you’re not a Marine, you don’t get it.

I’ve served in both the corps & the army... just no.

The day I see a United States Marine wearing one of those cow pie hats... something needs to change. The Marines and army serve two different functions and have for over two centuries.