Four retired Marine generals on how to rebuild America’s crisis response force

[rangerrebew]

Four retired Marine generals on how to rebuild America’s crisis response force
BY CHARLES KRULAK, CHARLES WILHELM, ANTHONY ZINNI & JAMES CONWAY, OPINION CONTRIBUTORS - 01/15/24 1:00 PM ET
 

The U.S. national security establishment has identified China as America’s “pacing threat” and has reoriented military capabilities toward that threat. So be it. But identifying a primary threat does not mean the United States does not also need a “911” force to deal with fast-developing crises.

Thoughtfully designed, such a force would also be able to contribute to a major war effort. If asked to design the ideal “911” force for our nation, we would build it with six distinct capabilities.


First, it would be an expeditionary force-in-readiness, capable of rapidly deploying to a crisis area by sea and air. The seaborne component would consist of forward-deployed amphibious forces, continuously on patrol in key areas around the world. They would be backed up by strategically positioned squadrons of prepositioning ships, which would be loaded with tailored supplies and equipment. Each maritime prepositioning squadron would be linked with trained and packaged fly-in forces that could quickly marry up with the equipment to form powerful and sustainable combat brigades. For reinforcements, additional amphibious ships located at our East Coast, West Coast and overseas bases could rapidly load customized combat forces to join the forward-deployed units. At the home bases of these forces, air-alert and air-contingency units would also be at the ready and prepared to augment the forward forces. Where appropriate, land prepositioning sites would be established and maintained to strengthen this force.

https://thehill.com/opinion/national-security/4408627-four-retired-marine-generals-on-how-to-rebuild-americas-crisis-response-force/

[rangerrebew]

The easiest way would be to keep whites off the teams, unless they are gay or trannie.  Make sure none of the leaders are white and are well versed in wokeness and swear an oath renouncing anything the US has done wrong since 1776.   

[Timber Rattler]

Huh...I though that the U.S. Marine Corps was that "crisis response force."  I guess not anymore, so now we need another "crisis response force."

 

[DefiantMassRINO]

Maybe, foreign policy, economic policy, military policy, economic policy, energy policy, and fiscal policy should be aligned to America's own self-interest vs globalism and multilateralism?

It's asinine to be perparing and planning for conflict with China when our supply chain is overdependent upon China.

American blood and treasury are being wasted to protect E.U., Chi-com, and East Asian strategic interests in the Middle East.

[sneakypete]

Huh...I though that the U.S. Marine Corps was that "crisis response force."  I guess not anymore, so now we need another "crisis response force."

 

@Timber Rattler

Like every other military organization,the USMC is under the total control of the US President and congress. They follow orders and government policy,they don't create either.

[Maj. Bill Martin]

This is all about the massive disagreement regarding the restructuring of the Marine Corps, during which they got rid of all tanks and most of the tube artillery.   They made the Corps much "lighter", and there has been a ton of pushback from former and current Marines about that.  Rightfully so, in my view, because It made us much less flexible, and more limited to only certain kinds of actions.

[sneakypete]

This is all about the massive disagreement regarding the restructuring of the Marine Corps, during which they got rid of all tanks and most of the tube artillery.   They made the Corps much "lighter", and there has been a ton of pushback from former and current Marines about that.  Rightfully so, in my view, because It made us much less flexible, and more limited to only certain kinds of actions.

@Maj.Bill Martin

I had  no idea that had happened. WHEN did it happen,and whose brain fart was responsible for it?

Say what you will,but there is a LOT to be said for things like the artillery brass and the grunt brass knowing each other personally,as well as understanding what each other is capable of doing,as well as what they are incapable of doing.

Yes,the military DOES work on the basis of "I WILL do MY job regardless of the risks because I have sworn an  oath,but NEVER overlook the "real world value"  of having "Bob" get on a field phone and telling his goomba and class mate "Bill",that "I need help."

And this ain't even addressing the FACT that officers and NCO's from the same branch  of service are more likely to "do their duty" if they KNOW FOR A FACT they will get court-martialed if they don't.

I suppose it is possible,but I have never heard of one branch of the military court-martialing an officer or NCO from another branch for "dereliction of duty". This would have been impossible in "days of old" because it would have never happened,but today is the day of "PC Affirmative Action officers and NCO's who have "social rights" that others don't have due to their skin color and/or place of birth.

We also had officers back then that would have never allowed someone like Miss Miley to ever make the grade of O-3,never mind become the CMMFIC of the US Military. THOSE days are also gone thanks to PC control over everything and everybody.

ANY officer who EVER sat on a promotion board that approved of Miss Miley being promoted and voted for approval should lose all their retirement pay and privileges and be brought back up on active duty to be tried for dereliction of duty.

Yes,I DO understand it was our own politicians that brought all this about,but I have always held military commanders under a higher standard than politicians,and they used to hold themselves under higher standards,also.

If you have no self-respect,how can you show respect for others?

[Timber Rattler]

This is all about the massive disagreement regarding the restructuring of the Marine Corps, during which they got rid of all tanks and most of the tube artillery.   They made the Corps much "lighter", and there has been a ton of pushback from former and current Marines about that.  Rightfully so, in my view, because It made us much less flexible, and more limited to only certain kinds of actions.

Correct...the piece is a direct shot at former USMC Commandant David Berger, who essentially turned the Marines back into a 19th century-style naval security force.

https://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/your-marine-corps/2020/03/23/the-corps-is-axing-all-of-its-tank-battalions-and-cutting-grunt-units/

https://www.csis.org/analysis/marine-corps-force-design-2030-examining-capabilities-and-critiques

https://www.defensenews.com/naval/2023/07/07/how-marine-commandant-berger-became-the-poster-child-for-change/

https://www.politico.com/news/2022/04/01/corps-detat-how-two-dozen-retired-generals-are-trying-to-stop-an-overhaul-of-the-marines-00022446