Commandant is interviewed
July 9, 2024
Marine Corps Compass Points
Broader Thinking, Deeper Understanding, and Better Decisions, for a Stronger Marine Corps
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Occasionally, the Navy deserves some credit. The Navy may have great difficulty building and maintaining its fleet -- particularly its amphibious fleet -- in the numbers needed and on schedule, but the Navy deserves credit for holding their ship captains accountable. When a ship runs aground, the captain will be held responsible. In the most recent example, the Navy announced that because the expeditionary mobile base ship USS Hershel "Woody" Williams briefly ran aground outside the African country of Gabon, the commanding officer is being relieved. Typically, when a ship runs aground, the captain will be relieved. The captain always gets a chance to explain what happened. He may have a good excuse, a bad excuse, or some convoluted explanation, but the captain will still be held accountable.
Some would say the Marine Corps has run aground on Force Design island. What does the captain say now?
On July 2, 2024, Michael E. O’Hanlon Director of Research at the Brookings think tank sat down with the Marine Corps Commandant, General Eric Smith for a discussion about the Marine Corps' controversial reorganization program, Force Design.
Just over fifteen minutes into the interview, General Smith explains his view of Force Design.
https://marinecorpscompasspoints.substack.com/p/compass-points-cmc-at-brookings
