First to Adapt: Why the Joint Force Should Be Closely Watching the Sweeping Overhaul of the Marine Corps
Brian Raike | August 11, 2020
Anyone concerned with the readiness of the United States military took a deep breath as the USS Bonhomme Richard burned last month. The Wasp-class LHD-6, designed to project naval power and deliver Marines to amphibious objectives, is one of eleven in the fleet. Given the lengthy period of repair to the ship ahead—if repairs are even feasible—the implications are significant for a Navy encountering increased demand to compete despite a shortage of personnel, a rapidly changing operating environment, and competition between peer competitors. The Navy will recover, but as efforts to repair this asset commence, it is imperative that the joint force considers what assets and employment concepts really equate to readiness.
A recent series of fait accompli efforts by revisionist powers, namely Russia and China, have stimulated America’s strategists to re-think its current paradigm. Adversaries are adapting so well to America’s conventional military superiority that simply possessing bigger and stronger assets will no longer secure America’s military dominance. America’s current defense strategy recognizes these changes and implores military services to evolve. As the nation’s smallest but most complete service, the United States Marine Corps is enthusiastically adapting. Its sweeping force design efforts have been a met with skepticism by some interested parties. Despite these concerns, with all services facing a need to adapt to new conditions, the Marine Corps’s versatility, cost-effectiveness, and adaptation-biased culture make it the ideal service to act as a first mover and lead the joint force toward a state of readiness for the future wars.
https://mwi.usma.edu/first-to-adapt-why-the-joint-force-should-be-closely-watching-the-sweeping-overhaul-of-the-marine-corps/
