Posted on May 25, 2022
Ending the civil war over the future of the US Marine Corps - Breaking Defense
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Perhaps no current leader at the Pentagon has stirred up as much passion as Marine commandant Gen. David Berger and his plan to overhaul the Marines, which have been met with significant and at times cutting feedback from retired officers. In this analysis, David E. Johnson of the RAND Corporation calls for peace in the Corps, before it’s too late.
There is a war going on over the future of the Marine Corps.
On one side is Marine Corps commandant Gen. David H. Berger. In opposition is a large, organized group of retired Marine generals. The war is over Berger’s decision to overhaul the Corps to function as an adjunct of the Navy, focused primarily on anti-shipping operations against China.
But if this conflict continues, it threatens to be destructive to the very fabric of the Corps — bad for the Marines and worse for our country. And while both sides feel passionately they are doing what’s best for the service, this conflict needs to be stopped, immediately, before irreparable harm is done.
Berger first announced intentions to reform the Corps in his Commandant’s Guidance [PDF] when he assumed office in July 2019. He also made it clear that addressing force design was his “number one priority.”
There is a war going on over the future of the Marine Corps.
On one side is Marine Corps commandant Gen. David H. Berger. In opposition is a large, organized group of retired Marine generals. The war is over Berger’s decision to overhaul the Corps to function as an adjunct of the Navy, focused primarily on anti-shipping operations against China.
But if this conflict continues, it threatens to be destructive to the very fabric of the Corps — bad for the Marines and worse for our country. And while both sides feel passionately they are doing what’s best for the service, this conflict needs to be stopped, immediately, before irreparable harm is done.
Berger first announced intentions to reform the Corps in his Commandant’s Guidance [PDF] when he assumed office in July 2019. He also made it clear that addressing force design was his “number one priority.”
Ending the civil war over the future of the US Marine Corps - Breaking Defense
Posted from breakingdefense.com
Marines
Pentagon
DoD
China
Posted 2 y ago
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So far I have not understood the changes but there will be more to follow, I am sure.
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PO1 William "Chip" Nagel
..."The View From the Unprecedented Revolt
The dissenters’ gloves came off in a recent series of articles. That a large group of retired Marines have publicly gone against a commandant’s decision is unheard of in the history of the Corps. Marine officers are known, above all, for their loyalty to the Corps. Semper Fidelis — Always Faithful — is more than a motto; it is a way of life.
Perhaps the most noted early salvo from the opposition was the March commentary in The Wall Street Journal by former senator and Marine officer Jim Webb. Its title is the de facto manifesto of the dissenters: “Momentous Changes in the US Marine Corps’ Force Organization Deserve Debate.”
Webb also wrote that the agonizing decision to go public came only “After several unsuccessful attempts by retired senior officers to engage in a quiet dialogue with Gen. Berger” and the commandant not responding to a nonpublic letter of concern signed by 22 retired four-star Marine generals."...
..."The View From the Unprecedented Revolt
The dissenters’ gloves came off in a recent series of articles. That a large group of retired Marines have publicly gone against a commandant’s decision is unheard of in the history of the Corps. Marine officers are known, above all, for their loyalty to the Corps. Semper Fidelis — Always Faithful — is more than a motto; it is a way of life.
Perhaps the most noted early salvo from the opposition was the March commentary in The Wall Street Journal by former senator and Marine officer Jim Webb. Its title is the de facto manifesto of the dissenters: “Momentous Changes in the US Marine Corps’ Force Organization Deserve Debate.”
Webb also wrote that the agonizing decision to go public came only “After several unsuccessful attempts by retired senior officers to engage in a quiet dialogue with Gen. Berger” and the commandant not responding to a nonpublic letter of concern signed by 22 retired four-star Marine generals."...
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In personal opinion, I see this more as an identity crisis. As mentioned in blurb, DOD needs to have clearer vision over whether Marines are going to be more of a lighter version of the Army or extension of the Navy.
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