American Military News by Newt Gingrich May 30, 2023
I was completely unaware of the crisis building in the United States Marine Corps until I received an
article from Bing West “Marine Corps No More?”
West is a distinguished military historian who served in the Marines and wrote an extraordinary book, “The Village,” about a year spent reclaiming a Vietnamese village from the communists.
West has written a dozen books about modern war and is an astute and often critical observer of the modern military. He also served as assistant secretary of defense for international security affairs.
Bing wrote:
“[T]he current Commandant, General David H. Berger, has radically transformed the image and the mission of the Marine Corps.” He went on to assert “The primary focus now is upon developing missile units intended to sink Chinese warships. To fund those units, General Berger did away with 21% of the personnel in infantry battalions, 100% of the tanks, 67% of the cannon artillery batteries, 33% of the assault amphibious companies, nearly 30% of Marine aviation, and almost all assault breaching equipment. The desired number of large amphibious ships was reduced from 38 to 31. Due to these cuts, Marines are less capable to fight as a combined arms force. The Marine Corps cannot seize a city from an entrenched enemy, as it did Fallujah in 2004.”
West condemned the current commandant:
“General Berger concocted his concept in secret, not consulting the retired four-star community that, appalled by his extensive cuts, has united in opposition.” He went on to assert that “Marine resources and organizational cohesion have been severely damaged. General Berger’s injudicious change of direction will adversely affect Marine war-fighting capabilities, internal morale, and recruiting for years to come.”
More:
https://americanmilitarynews.com/2023/05/congress-must-save-the-marine-corps/
