Should Army and Marines (or components of) consolidate?

Yes - where practical. Most of the initial advanced training facilities are managed by Army TRADOC. Infantry, armor, artillery, combat engineers, combat support units, combat service support units are replicated by both Army and Marines for the most part. In the Special Ops operations many are joint now. If it makes sense to combine and take the best of both elements, and it eliminates redundancy in training, deployment, and there could potentially be a cost savings (last consideration) we should do it. If I remember correctly Canada successfully combined their forces under one command way back in the late 60s early 70s as have many of our NATO Allies. This is my opinion and I'm sticking to it.

Preston Leingang
CWO(R) - AUS

Here’s your objective Response. Not the first time the Corps been attacked as nonessential and it won’t be the last. End result is always the same. Something happens and people realize they are essential and that’s the end of the argument until some other politician deems them nonessential again and the fight starts over with the same result. Same could be said for the Air Force. Some of these pilots in the world are Navy and Marine Corps.

No.

I have no desire to eat crayons.

If anything I would think the Marine Corps, being a Expeditionary Sea-Service, would merge with the Navy before the Army. Not that I’m saying that should happen at all...
I DO think, however, that Marines should be put back on Sea Duty and Naval Stations, and the Navy should down-size the Master-at-Arms rating, that’s literally one of the jobs Marines were created for. Get all those SAILORS off of shoreside bases, and get them on vessels in other ratings. And put a squad or platoon of Marines on EVERY Navy Vessel- Cruisers, Destroyers, all of them. Let the Army take back the concern of prolonged land combat, and Marines worry about expeditionary raids from the Sea.

Different missions leave them alone

Problem with combining army and Marines is Marines are specialized in an area. Second sorry to say this but the Corp is still parts of the Navy no matter how much they want to deny it.
But if you combine one you may as well combine all.

My understanding of the how and why the different branches are set up can be best explained by how World War II was conducted.
The Army and Air Force primarily waged the war against the Nazis in Europe. While the Navy and Marine Corps waged war with Japan in the Pacific.
In the years ahead it is possible that America will have to fight a three front war. A war against China in the Pacific, possibly against China in Africa. Secondly a war the Middle East against Iran. Thirdly a war in Europe against Russia.
Then we have to consider a battle for space. "He who controls the Heavens will control Earth."

I don’t think they should merge. I do think the training should be made the same and perhaps ranks. With the seaborn operations for the marines being extra.

No! Nothing against the Marines but they really only have 2 missions to focus on. Security at our foreign country embassies,and establishing a beachhead as part of an invasion. The Army is tasked with landing combat troop's behind enemy lines by using paratroopers. And fighting a major land war. The Marines aren't big enough to continue a wide front battle for any length of time. Only the Army can do that.