Should Army and Marines (or components of) consolidate?

FUCK NO !!!!

I say ALL uniformed services should merge into one single Armed Force. We do not need branches, we need uniformity the encourages teamwork and reduces wasteful spending.

Think about the costs associated with researching/issuing uniforms? Different service medals?

Plus, we wont have to hear those Elitist Marines talk about how they win at life or whatever comes out of their mouth... I stopped listening to those rants years ago.

NO, I don't think they should.
Even though the MARINE CORPS does SOLDIER like things (ie) Field Operations and such. Both Branches bring UNIQUE missions to the table. First, The United STATES MARINE CORPS is an AMPHIB oriented Force that take's an objective and then moves on. Marine Forces, by Design are not typically an Occupational Force.
ARMY Unit's in my experience , most ARMY unit's have a Different Combat Objective. I do understand that ARMY Unit's & Marine Unit's DO Joint Missions, but to Combine the TWO would in my opinion be self defeating.

I have comrades that are UMMC USN the difference is a lot no offense to any one or service but USMC is a hard branch of the USA and I have lots of respect for them modern or old school which went through lots more then the modern USMC I have a co worker who is now 28 and was USMC and I was US Army well lets say ARMY= A aint R= released M=my A=ass Y=yet I am 37 now, if they consolidate tempers might fly in the USMC to certain people

No. But given your rationale for combining Army and Marines, why don't you propose combining the less combat oriented branches? (Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard?)

I do think we need ONE uniform. It's needlessly expensive for the services to design their own vanity uniform. We can still be distinguished by service specific badges. I assume Marines feel about their EGA like I feel about my Master Parachutist's Wings - NO ONE GETS THEM OFF OF ME WHILE I AM STILL ALIVE!

I agree the Army and Marince Corps are combat oriented and are very similar. However, the army primarily conducts dry land combat operations and the Marine Corps conducts amphibious operations and utilizes it naval heritage to mobile anywhere in the world. Could both branches be combined to utilize the sea and land to insert troops for missions, absolutely. I believe training and culture would have to change to accomodate this change.

Each current and former member of both branches would have concerns about merging the two together. It would be a prolific challenge.

Tom Baskin

No, USMC comes under the Department Of Navy, the two roles in combat are different. Marines are Fleet Marine Forces, the Army can be anything from Airborne Operations to Mechanized Infantry, I can understand budget cuts, but the Army is big in nature, which would cause the Marine Corps to become another unit in the Army. Today to many things are being consolidated, at Tuns Tavern, if there were no need to form the Marines for Navy Ships for pirates on the high seas, then why form them in the first place. Fleet Marine Forces, are already aboard ship and ready to deploy to any crisis in the world, every branch of the military don't need to become one mass big Army, including the Navy and the Marines. I feel that the militaries works well the way they are. Don't mess-up what's working well already.

No, however is there still a case for a Separate United States Air Force ? Or for that matter a Constitutional reason to have one ? Folks the United States Marine Corps is STILL and ALWAYS will be a part of the United States Navy...

I vote NO I am a Marine now in the Army Reserves.

YES, I have felt this way for the past few years now. As a fighting forces we are going to have to do some sort of consolidation whether it is in training, MOS. I also see nothing wrong with one standard uniform between services, jut wear appropriate insignia per service.