Should Army and Marines (or components of) consolidate?

Personal opinion on the matter... Marines or Army, you are still a United States Armed Forces Service Member. If they merge the two branches that is not saying "Oh we are going to make all Marines be Army soldiers now" or vice versa. Either way though, if it happens, it happens. Adapt to it, and continue serving, because that is why we are here. Joining the Military isn't about who has the biggest stick, it's about defending our nation. We all serve the same purpose, so just concentrate on that.

My Father, rest his soul did 22yrs and retired out of the grunts with 2 tours in Korea (5th RCT & 7thID). I did mine as grunt in the Corps at the end of Vietnam. Objectivity on this subject is a pipe dream. It's about identity. Every marine knows they are a Marine and understands what that means. Medium weight infantry comparisons with the 82nd and the rest are the only time you're getting close to measuring units that don't have the Army's overall identity crisis. So basically you're always going to end up in a argument about it. There's just a difference period. My father was a Ranger with the 82nd airborne, and was on the teams that pioneered HALO jumping for the army, I have the upmost respect for him but there were still was things we could not talk about together . It is what it is

No they shouldnt be consolidated. Although from the outside they may all look like ground pounders they do have different roles to play. Our MEU did a cruise with us and ended up in northern Iraq during the first Gulf War. Not saying an army unit couldn't do it but marines are currently trained to do it. That's just one example and another one since I live next to Ft.Bragg the home of 82nd Airborne Division is are we going to start having marine troopers. While there are some there isn't a whole division. The 82nd has its role to play as well. I really don't see a benefit to consolidation.

The ground fighting that the Marin's do vs. what the Army does is vastly different. That is the entire reason why they are feared through the world. In the Marine Corps there is no throwing down your rifle and throwing your hands in the air and saying I surrender when your rifle jams as the soldiers of famously done at the beginning of the Iraq War. The Marines hook up there K bars and fight to the death.

Being a Corpsman, I was attached to a Marine Corps unit for a while and I experienced the special bond that unifies all “Devil Dogs”. I was privileged to be considered a Marine and was given my own call sign. I come from a military family where two of my uncles were Vietnam era Marines. The answer to consolidating any or all parts of the Army or the Marine Corps is no. Marines are and have been special to American history and to merge them they would lose that uniqueness inherent to being a Marine. Leave things as they are and keep them both American warriors but unique in their distinctiveness

NO! Each separate Military Branch performs different functions. The Army and Marines are both ground soldiers but separate in the almost similar basic function. But that's where the similarity ends! That's about as smart as merging the Air Force with the Army! Both branches have pilots but are trained for specific functions. And the totality of any merge would surely not be cost effective. All the cross-trading to facilitate the aeronautics, repair maintenance on planes worked on! I was an Air Force veteran in Vietnam! IWas trained to be a computer Opns specialist. My "training" in using the M-16 consisted of about 3 hours on the range during training. And another in Jan.1968 where we had a "refresher" hour to show the incompetent what happened when one switched the M-16 from the semi-auto to the auto discharge! Yes everybody killed the birds in the sky and we all had a big laugh!! BUT it wasn't funny, and we weren't prepared for our 1st incoming mortar attack nor the TET ground assault at DaNang! Nor were Air Force prepared for the carnage and horror of war!! Would Army want untrained ground troops fighting side-by-side?? Military intelligence after reviewing all the obvious road blocks, I'd have to say it would be a huge mistake! But then, I'm not the Big Brass that would make that kind of monumental‼️

Nope. Two infantry branches are necessary to prevent military coups.

No offense to the Marines and what they earn, but Army jobs require higher asvab scores for us 'pogs'.

No.
I don't want to say too much. But there's a reason they've been separate from the beginning. ALL branches should and do work together when necessary. And the rivalries should serve as motivation on both sides. Friendly competition if you will. But when we all wore the Stars and Stripes on our respective uniforms that's all that mattered.
The Air Force branched off from the Army Air Corps in 1947 so that it could progress on it's own respective path. Which also allowed for the Army to progress with it's own unique form of progress.
If anything the Marines might best consolidate with the Navy. But there too I see a consolidation of the Marines and Navy to be counterproductive.
Each branch of service has a different sort of mindsets.

Forget about it.

Anyone who objectively thinks this is a good idea knows nothing about the Marine Corps. It makes sense that an outsider would think a merger was a good idea because of “similarities”, but unless you’ve served a tour of duty in the Marines then your objective opinion is worthless.