Joint Forces Journal is published privately, and in no way is connected with DoD, the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force or Coast Guard. This website and the printed newspaper are intended for the members of the Armed Forces and their families. Contents do not necessarily reflect official views of the U.S. Government, the Department of Defense or the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force or Coast Guard, and do not imply endorsements thereof. The marital status, physical handicap, political affiliation, or any other non-merit factor of the purchases, user or patron for advertisers prohibited. If a violation or rejection of this equal opportunity policy by an advertiser is confirmed, the publisher shall refuse to print advertising from that source until the violation is corrected. Editorial content is prepared and edited privately, and is provided by the Public Affairs Office of U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force and Coast Guard installations. Correspondence and material for publication should be addressed to: Editor, Joint Forces Journal, P.O. Box 13283, Oakland, CA, 94661-0283. Deadline for receiving articles and photos is 3 p.m. Monday for publication on Friday of that week. Joint Forces Journal editorial policy is to use bylines and photo credits where applicable and when submitted.
|
|
 |
Force-Wide Review Could Result in a 'Radically Different' Marine Corps
Nov 08, 2019 by Gina Harkins
The Marine Corps' top general said a force-wide review that could close some military occupational specialties and beef up others could be completed by the end of the year.
Marine leaders are running simulations on different models of the Corps as part of a months-long effort to redesign the force. Commandant Gen. David Berger announced the need for a force structure review in planning guidance he released shortly after becoming the service's top general.
Now, leaders are closing in on the end of that review, Berger said.
"I'm hopeful in another 30 to 45 days," he said. "But this is of such significance that we can't rush to an answer. It's got to be right. We're not going to get a second chance."
"The Marine Corps we're going to will look very radically different than what we have right now," he said at an event hosted by Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies in Washington. "And that's going to not be easy, fiscally or emotionally."
Marines are organized to fight another Gulf War, the commandant re-emphasized, but they're not set up to defeat a superpower.
"We are designed ... for a competition behind us, not in front of us," he added. "And that's driving the Marine Corps to redesign our force."
He told reporters last month that some of the changes could be driven by technology advancements. More recently, Berger added that one of the more challenging parts of the force structure review will be getting rid of equipment the Marine Corps has relied on for decades.
"I think convincing our leaders and our alumni, retired Marines, that we have to get rid of some things because we're going to need some of that new stuff, because we're going to operate as a naval force, is the shift we must make," he said.
Berger wrote in his planning guidance that force design would be his No. 1 priority. He also said this summer that he's prepared to consider a smaller service to pay for upgrades in other areas.
* * * * *
Photo caption: Marines and sailors stand aboard the amphibious assault ship America (LHA 6) during an all-hands formation on the flight deck. (U.S. Marine Corps photo Capt. Maida Zheng)
© Copyright 2019 Military.com.
|
|