Compass Points - A Double Funeral?
The enduring strength of the Corps
Compass Points - A Double Funeral?
The enduring strength of the Corps
August 20, 2024
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Like the beloved and quirky Uncle that shows up at Thanksgiving, William S. "Bill" Lind has been a good friend and a caustic critic of the Marine Corps for decades. Lind is the author of the Maneuver Warfare Handbook and was an important part of the tumultuous debate, discourse, and discussion that surrounded and improved the Marine Corps’ adoption of maneuver warfare.
Lind had a way of using hyperbole to grab attention and energize debate. It worked. Any discussion about warfighting that included Bill Lind was never dull.
In his recent article, "A Double Funeral" Bill Lind laments the passing of General Al Gray and with him the loss of so much of the strength of the Marine Corps. Lind writes, "The Corps still drifts toward Force Design 2030, leaderless and apparently brainless."
Lind concludes his article in a more reflective way
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I was by no means the only one at General Gray’s funeral to feel disappointed with today’s Marine Corps. It doesn’t have to go that way. General Gray’s work can be revived. The Marine Corps can become the U.S.’s only service that can do maneuver warfare. It can take on the future threat we face, Fourth Generation war, war with enemies that are not states. But if the trumpet sounds uncertain, who will follow? The Marine trumpet that played taps over General Al Gray’s grave has gone silent.
.. Bill Lind, "A Double Funeral"
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Bill Lind is an independent voice. He is very concerned about the future of the Marine Corps. He is not the only one. Legions of Marines and friends of the Corps are deeply concerned. The concern began back in 2019 and has continued to grow. One example of the widespread concern about where the Marine is now and where it is going is an article with a stark warning, "The Marine Corps is Dangerously Close to Losing its Customs, Traditions and Warfighting Ethos" by authors and Marines James E. Livingston, Jay Vargas, Harvey Barnum, & Robert Modrzejewski
The authors of the article are the only living Marine Corps officers awarded the Medal of Honor for conspicuous valor during the Vietnam War. The article expresses their concerns that the Force Design changes in Marine Corps force structure and personnel management are dangerously close to destroying the culture, traditions, and warfighting ethos of America’s Marines. The authors begin their article by warning, "As Marines and Medal of Honor recipients, we believe the intangibles that make the Marine Corps exceptional are under attack and at risk of being overrun."
The authors expand their warning.
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. . . Many, arguably most, former Marines, ourselves included, find it increasingly difficult to recognize our Marine Corps. The organization in which we served is being radically altered with little or no apparent appreciation for unforeseen consequences. The unnecessary cutting of force structure, coupled with the ill-advised jettisoning of combat multipliers such as tanks, cannon artillery, assault amphibious vehicles, heavy engineers, aviation, and logistics before replacement capabilities have been procured, will perilously weaken the flexibility and lethality of forward-deployed Marine Air Ground Task Forces and the ability of the Marine Expeditionary Forces to task organize for combat across the spectrum of conflict. We fear that soon Marines will no longer be able to pride themselves on being “most ready when the nation is least ready.” . . . .
. . . In closing, we want to be perfectly clear. We believe the warfighting dominance and those intangibles that make Marines unique are under attack and at risk of being overrun. The unwise jettisoning of too many tools in the Marine Corps’ toolbox of capabilities and the wholesale gutting of others have virtually destroyed its utility for major combat operations. Operating forces have been hollowed out under the illusion of returning the Marine Corps to its naval roots. While reductions in force structure and equipment can be added back at the cost of great time and expense, culture and ethos, once lost, are gone forever. Force Design 2030 and Talent Management 2030, no matter how well intended, are blueprints for disaster.
-- National Review, "The Marine Corps Is Dangerously Close to Losing Its Customs, Traditions, and Warfighting Ethos"
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The strong voices of James E. Livingston, Jay Vargas, Harvey Barnum & Robert Modrzejewski are helping the Marine Corps. The strong voice of Bill Lind is helping the Marine Corps. Whenever there is strong discussion, discourse, and debate, it is a sign of the ongoing strength of the Marine Corps. Al Gray encouraged a culture, habit, and routine of robust discussion and constant improvement. As Bill Lind says, Al Gray was indeed a great Commandant. His memory will be treasured, and his life will be always honored as one of the heroes of the Corps. But there have been great Commandants after Gray and there will be more great Commandants in the future.
The Marine Corps has faced difficult years and difficult decades in the past. The Marine Corps is in a difficult struggle today about the essence and future of the Marine Corps. But Marines are not afraid of the struggle. Through every struggle, there is a special strength in the Marine Corps and a special strength in Marines. No matter how devastating the result of a battle, Marines pick themselves up and Marines give a hand up to the Marine next to them. Marines shake off every setback. They push past fatigue. They shoulder their load and once again they march toward the sound of the guns.
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The American Conservative -08/12/2024
A Double Funeral
The last great commandant of the Marine Corps was buried in July.
By William S. Lind
William S. Lind is the author of the Maneuver Warfare Handbook and serves as the director of The American Conservative Center for Public Transportation.
https://www.theamericanconservative.com/a-double-funeral/
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National Review - 10/03/2022
The Marine Corps Is Dangerously Close to Losing Its Customs, Traditions, and Warfighting Ethos
By James E. Livingston, Jay Vargas, Harvey Barnum & Robert Modrzejewski
James “Jim” Livingston is a Major General, USMC (Retired). He was awarded the Medal of Honor while serving as the Commanding Officer, Company E, Second Battalion, Fourth Marines during the Battle of Dai Do;
Jay Vargas is a Colonel, USMC (Retired). He was awarded the Medal of Honor while serving as the Commanding Officer, Company G, Second Battalion, Fourth Marines during the Battle of Dai Do;
Harvey “Barney” Barnum is a Colonel, USMC (Retired). He was awarded the Medal of Honor while serving as the Commanding Officer, Company H, Second Battalion, Ninth Marines during the Battle of Ky Phu on Operation HARVEST MOON;
Robert “Bob” Modrzejewski is a Colonel, USMC (Retired). He was awarded the Medal of Honor while serving as the Commanding Officer, Company K, Third Battalion, Fourth Marines during Operation HASTINGS.
Hindsight can distort what was evolution and ascribe revolution. The Corps had been maneuver warfare centric through much of its history. Before Bill Lind burst on the scene the fundamentals of maneuver warfare were being exercised and executed by numerous units blessed with well educated and insightful leaders. Gen Wilson’s implementation of CAX’s at 29 Palms revitalized the use of maneuver and supporting arms integration. The acquisition of the Harrier and FARPs were maneuver warfare. The LAV was maneuver warfare driven. The development of the MV-22 was an endorsement of maneuver warfare. Those who were avid professional readers saw the fingerprints of maneuver warfare in Alexander the Great, Frederick the Great, Napoleon, RE Lee, Stewart, even Longstreet, MacArthur, Rommel, Guderian, Patton, Manstein etc. It was not revolutionary to the initiated. It needed polishing, reinforcement, implementation and customization. Col Wylie was one of many of the acolytes as demonstrated by his tours at TBS and AWS. Gen Gray became the intellectual leader and champion in that era. He refocused the Corps to its only reason for existing. Desert Storm/ Desert Shield was classic maneuver Gen Mattis became the most modern practitioner.
Times, demands, cultural shifts and priorities change focus. After 1992 the military spent many years preoccupied with insurgencies, nation building, cultural reforms, societal shifts, environmental issues , racial justice, integration of women and peripheral issues. The Corps got dragged into these quicksand issues as well. We shifted from fitness reports that reported on the concise character of the Marine reported on to the metrics associated with completing tasks. Command Screening became command selection and equity for peripheral MOSs icw a vast expansion of stovepipe MOS’s.
The conversations around the water cooler shifted to social justice, alcohol abuse, drug policy, sexual harassment and assault, an expansion of the role of women and policies that would make DoD the most LGBTQI supportive institution on earth. Promotions shift to those best versed in the issues of the day vice war fighting. Even combating an insurgency took a back seat to the futility of nation building.
Buzz words and phrases are the indicators of an institution’s focus. Esprit de Corps dropped out of the lexicon as did almost anything that dealt with the destruction of the enemy. We know what replaced it.
Leadership matters. The last 10 years has seen the Corps take a hard turn towards irrelevance with muddled thinking, paralysis through analysis and ill conceived change. Change is neither positive or negative. The right change inspires and improves. The wrong change destroys.
The clock is ticking for the Corps. The budget cycles are ruthless. I would welcome Bill Lind chiming in.
World and domestic events
Again, the case has been made by real war fighters and brilliant analysts that FD2030 and divest to invest were mistakes, that our Corps has lost critical assets and has become incapable to perform its responsibilities under Title 10. Compass Points hasn't presented any cogent, competent counter arguments from anyone. Has CMC responded? Has SecNav? CNO? Anyone? Are we merely singing to ourselves in venues no one else attends? I have seen and heard nothing to suggest those now responsible intend to admit to errors, are taking corrective action, or feel in the least required to respond to the concerns expressed by those who have great commitment to our Corps? Can you provide any information on this, even an indication of what effect any of this is having?
Semper Fidelis,
Tom Eagen