Marines go back to their roots

[RicePaddyDaddy]

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304231204576405640003796076.html?m od=WSJ_myyahoo_module

[drine]

It's hard to keep all the branches seperated. I know the NAVY SEALS are superb but how did they get so far from their NAVY roots that they conduct tactical assaults on land no where near the beach? Again, not questioning the ability but when and where and why did their mission change? Did OD DELTA go away? Was that operation(Osama strike) not what they were created for? Marines served in the same role they are doing now in Iraq/Afghan as they did in Vietnam years ago, as a second land army. I agree with the Commandant whole-heartedly. Get these guys back in the Pacific doing what they do best, and scaring the hell out of N. Korea.
I do know that we tried to include everybody in Grenada and lost an entire SEAL team and some Delta operators (among other "normal" combat casualties) when it might have been easier to let the MARINES do the amphib assault with some "borrowed" airborne assets taking the airport. I remember the time and there were a lot people trying to get in on the first "combat" action since Vietnam. It created the true cluster-fudge with each branch stepping over each other trying to get in.
I can't imagine even a murmur of disbanding the CORPS. I'm ARMY through and through but I'd stand in the picket line with all you Jarheads.

[holescreek]

I read the article and to me, it sounds as if nothing at all has changed in the last 35 years with regard to the Marines and funding. There never has been much use for Marines in peacetime.

[RandyCOG3]

I don't care if somebody properly decides that a Mountain Division needs to work in swamp, or if an Airborne Division ought to steal a train to get somewhere rather than jump from planes...the Navy now has LCAC's that could, probably, drive dozens of miles away from any water...if it wanted/needed to. What's needed, is for SOMEBODY to get a grip, and somehow coordinate what's going on, and we may now be seeing such a thing, with the employment mixup between the military and intelligence communities.

Back in the good old daze of the Cold War, the Air Force Missile People, the Air Force Bomber People, and the Navy Submarine Nuke People, were somehow all allowed to pick their own nuke targets in the event of Defcon 1 with the USSR. Needless to say... the word "redundant" was made redundant. EVERYBODY targeted Moscow and the other obvious targets, but, you can only vaporize an area once. NO coordination. You'd THINK the CIA and NSA would have done a little steering... apparently not. Or, maybe that's what the spooks want US <or Them> to think. I'm just saying that I *hope* the various branches remain independent, and yet mutually supportive, without a lot of wasted duplication of effort.

Hell, it's a wonder we even HAVE an Air Force; it was originally the US Army Air Corps. Just like the Navy and Marines need to be separate from each other and the Coast Guard. All 3 use guns and ships.
It remains to be seen, though, if EVER the day will come when someone can say "we won this" without putting boots on that ground. Whatever branches exist at that time, will always have to each support the other.

RandyCOG3

[rpmfly2]

The Marines have always been the go to force for quick medium to large force deployment with large effect in minimal time! Adapt and overcome is just one motto and they are trained in a wide array of war theater threat assesment, offensive/defensive and denial capabilities. I just hope we are not going to be flat out downsized from number two in numbers behind only China in military strength to something that is going to be a problem later! We actually need a leader that realizes what security really is for the US!

[RandyCOG3]

The Marines have always been the go to force for quick medium to large force deployment with large effect in minimal time! Adapt and overcome is just one motto and they are trained in a wide array of war theater threat assesment, offensive/defensive and denial capabilities. I just hope we are not going to be flat out downsized from number two in numbers behind only China in military strength to something that is going to be a problem later! We actually need a leader that realizes what security really is for the US!

"Heartbreak Ridge" was playing on TV for the 10,000th time while I was typing the response above. I think Gunny Clint would point out that you forgot "improvise" between "adapt" and "overcome"....

To ME, terms like "Marine" or "Airborne" or "Mountain" or "SEAL" are archaic vestiges of some term, that meant something, back in the day...not really very descriptive of the actual job description.

Well, SEAL will always mean Sea,Air,Land... but, 'tis still not terribly descriptive of what they DO. They could tell us what they do, but, then, they'd have to kill us all.

RandyCOG3

[jbruney]

Leave the military alone and just cut the freebies for freeloaders.....That I believe should fund a couple of nice little wars. I sleep better when I know for sure the jerks are spending tax dollars wisely.