In this line, Macbeth is challenging fate or anyone to fight him to the end, using "champion" in the sense of a defender or combatant willing to take on all comers.
Our Marine Corps needs a champion. Who will step up and lead us out of the wilderness we are lost.
The anniversary of Gen Al Gray’s passing is a fitting time to ponder on this question: “What would Al Gray say about Shuqiao, FD2030, and our capacity for ship building?” Knowing him as Marines did, we all know he did not ascend to Commandant and JCS membership by being a wall flower. He did it in spite of all normal restrictions placed on people who move into those select positions. So, I think he would remark as follows:
1. “Shuqiao is not how American Marines would do business, but, it does represent a major leap ahead in terms of concept and technology that we neither have, nor have we faced since Japanese forces stormed our positions on Wake Island. It apparently works, they can produce tons of ‘em rapidly, and will do so once the decision is made to take down Taiwan - we shouldn’t get caught with our britches down. Figure out how to kill it while being forced to do so with inadequate equipment, manpower, and weapons.”
2. FD2030 is nonfunctional as it relates to offensive combat. Stop it now. Immediately get rid of it. Turn to educating (MCU) and training (forces in the field) to wage war with our chief antagonists, based on our best information collection efforts, employing the best arrangements our Combat Development Process can provide. End the zero defect mindset, and let our bright Marines - young & old - get on with necessary preparation.
3. Tell Congress, SecDef, and POTUS that their present efforts are not making the mark! Moreover, as our senior leaders go before the HASC & SASC, and other testimonial audiences, have sitting immediately behind them the MOST SENIOR LEADERSHIP of the VFW, American Legion, other veteran organizations who speak for their members - numbering into the millions of VOTERS - and, who suffered needlessly in previous wars from unpreparedness.
Time is burning, and I believe it is time to tell the most senior office holders to get on board, and make ready for the biggest day since Pearl Harbor while we have daylight remaining.
Fair observation. Please permit me these questions: a. What are we going to fire at them if China pursues Area Denial & we’re not heavy enough to break that encirclement? b. Does not our visible preparatory lethargy send a message to Xi, to wit: America is NOT serious about coming to Taiwan’s aid? And does not that invite armed aggression? c. As on 7 Dec ‘41, our enemy had decided well in advance to strike at the only force who could pose a threat to them achieving their objectives in the Indo/Pacific arena; the U.S. at Pearl Harbor, Clark & Subic, Guam, Wake Island, and the Aleutian Islands: does that thinking seem out of place now? So, while Shuqiao may pose lucrative targets, can we service them in what will likely be a huge Chinese operation. I’ve always thought our Solomon Islands campaign should have been called “Operation Shoestring” due to noir lack of adequate forces. China’s effort will not be done on a shoestring. It will be grim combat at close quarters! We need to tell POTUS & his SecDef just that, and get on with fixing our Amphibious forces!
I have very pleasant memories of General Gray. Quantico, Lejuene, the port of Arhus, Denmark, Pendleton. Every time we met, he looked at me with a sideways glance then punched me in the shoulder. He just had a feel for Marines and knew our strengths. The early 80’s was a renaissance time for the Corps and he led us to new heights.
Additionally, General Gray, beside his innovative mind and the spirit that he carried around with him, like a great shadow, overtly or even perhaps, subtly,he represented that very important notion of the special and extraordinary sense of being “different”. The Marine Corps has always had this unique soul, very different from all other services here in the USA and world wide. This was patently so, until lately. In addition to the poor leadership and outright dishonesty surrounding “FD what ya call it” and yes we have no DEI today, we have no DEI for sale, posts and statements, the current senior leadership seems to have forgotten the important and unsaid, of what it means to be a Marine. A rifleman first, and a damn good one, to suffer, to have gallows humor, to have as General Krulak reminded some senators, our Integrity. This is part of the largely unspoken ethos of the Corps. We need say no more about that distinct ethos, other than to look at General Gray’s official portrait, Camouflage Utilities. The signal sent, we are war fighters first, then whatever comes next. But war fighters first. So we best be the damn best at, and work to be better. As previously commented, Time is burning….Semper FI General Gray, there are many of us working to keep the flame alive and burning bright. Never give up, never give in.
Best Commandant in my age, met him twice, once for an inspection in Okinawa, the second time he was standing on a flatbed trailer in Desert Shield, giving us reassurance we were going to be bringing all we had to defeat Saddam, and he was correct, ground war started, complete in 103 hours. Never slowed or stopped, always going forward. Best man I ever knew, great Warrior and philosopher, greatly appreciated and missed, rest in peace, Sir, we have it from here.
Macbeth*, Act 3, Scene 1:
*"And champion me to th' utterance!"*
— Macbeth
In this line, Macbeth is challenging fate or anyone to fight him to the end, using "champion" in the sense of a defender or combatant willing to take on all comers.
Our Marine Corps needs a champion. Who will step up and lead us out of the wilderness we are lost.
The anniversary of Gen Al Gray’s passing is a fitting time to ponder on this question: “What would Al Gray say about Shuqiao, FD2030, and our capacity for ship building?” Knowing him as Marines did, we all know he did not ascend to Commandant and JCS membership by being a wall flower. He did it in spite of all normal restrictions placed on people who move into those select positions. So, I think he would remark as follows:
1. “Shuqiao is not how American Marines would do business, but, it does represent a major leap ahead in terms of concept and technology that we neither have, nor have we faced since Japanese forces stormed our positions on Wake Island. It apparently works, they can produce tons of ‘em rapidly, and will do so once the decision is made to take down Taiwan - we shouldn’t get caught with our britches down. Figure out how to kill it while being forced to do so with inadequate equipment, manpower, and weapons.”
2. FD2030 is nonfunctional as it relates to offensive combat. Stop it now. Immediately get rid of it. Turn to educating (MCU) and training (forces in the field) to wage war with our chief antagonists, based on our best information collection efforts, employing the best arrangements our Combat Development Process can provide. End the zero defect mindset, and let our bright Marines - young & old - get on with necessary preparation.
3. Tell Congress, SecDef, and POTUS that their present efforts are not making the mark! Moreover, as our senior leaders go before the HASC & SASC, and other testimonial audiences, have sitting immediately behind them the MOST SENIOR LEADERSHIP of the VFW, American Legion, other veteran organizations who speak for their members - numbering into the millions of VOTERS - and, who suffered needlessly in previous wars from unpreparedness.
Time is burning, and I believe it is time to tell the most senior office holders to get on board, and make ready for the biggest day since Pearl Harbor while we have daylight remaining.
Thoughts & discussion?
Semper Fi
What is "Shuqiao"? You have me by the short hairs with that term.
Got it....Chinese landing barges...huge targets
Fair observation. Please permit me these questions: a. What are we going to fire at them if China pursues Area Denial & we’re not heavy enough to break that encirclement? b. Does not our visible preparatory lethargy send a message to Xi, to wit: America is NOT serious about coming to Taiwan’s aid? And does not that invite armed aggression? c. As on 7 Dec ‘41, our enemy had decided well in advance to strike at the only force who could pose a threat to them achieving their objectives in the Indo/Pacific arena; the U.S. at Pearl Harbor, Clark & Subic, Guam, Wake Island, and the Aleutian Islands: does that thinking seem out of place now? So, while Shuqiao may pose lucrative targets, can we service them in what will likely be a huge Chinese operation. I’ve always thought our Solomon Islands campaign should have been called “Operation Shoestring” due to noir lack of adequate forces. China’s effort will not be done on a shoestring. It will be grim combat at close quarters! We need to tell POTUS & his SecDef just that, and get on with fixing our Amphibious forces!
I have very pleasant memories of General Gray. Quantico, Lejuene, the port of Arhus, Denmark, Pendleton. Every time we met, he looked at me with a sideways glance then punched me in the shoulder. He just had a feel for Marines and knew our strengths. The early 80’s was a renaissance time for the Corps and he led us to new heights.
Additionally, General Gray, beside his innovative mind and the spirit that he carried around with him, like a great shadow, overtly or even perhaps, subtly,he represented that very important notion of the special and extraordinary sense of being “different”. The Marine Corps has always had this unique soul, very different from all other services here in the USA and world wide. This was patently so, until lately. In addition to the poor leadership and outright dishonesty surrounding “FD what ya call it” and yes we have no DEI today, we have no DEI for sale, posts and statements, the current senior leadership seems to have forgotten the important and unsaid, of what it means to be a Marine. A rifleman first, and a damn good one, to suffer, to have gallows humor, to have as General Krulak reminded some senators, our Integrity. This is part of the largely unspoken ethos of the Corps. We need say no more about that distinct ethos, other than to look at General Gray’s official portrait, Camouflage Utilities. The signal sent, we are war fighters first, then whatever comes next. But war fighters first. So we best be the damn best at, and work to be better. As previously commented, Time is burning….Semper FI General Gray, there are many of us working to keep the flame alive and burning bright. Never give up, never give in.
Oooh-rahh Sir, very well said, Semper Fi!
Best Commandant in my age, met him twice, once for an inspection in Okinawa, the second time he was standing on a flatbed trailer in Desert Shield, giving us reassurance we were going to be bringing all we had to defeat Saddam, and he was correct, ground war started, complete in 103 hours. Never slowed or stopped, always going forward. Best man I ever knew, great Warrior and philosopher, greatly appreciated and missed, rest in peace, Sir, we have it from here.
Semper Fi OOOOH-RAHH!!!
RIP 🫡