Compass Points - Always Congress
A strong and special relationship
Compass Points - Always Congress
A strong and special relationship
December 6, 2024
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As the weeks count down to a new year, the winds of change are already starting to sweep through every federal department and agency. That includes the Marine Corps. The Marine Corps needs to rebuild its combined arms, crisis response capabilities. To restore, enhance, and upgrade Marine capabilities, it will take help from the exeutive branch, including from the new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). Most importanly, though, the Marine Corps will need help from Congress. Without the Congress of the United States, there would be no Marine Corps.
In 1775 it was the Continental Congress assembled in Philadelphia that passed a resolution stating that “two Battalions of Marines be raised” for service as landing forces for the recently formed Continental Navy.
Again and again, Congress intervened to protect the Marine Corps.
On 30 June 1834, to prevent President Andrew Jackson from disbanding the Marine Corps, Congress passed into law, An Act for the Better Organization of the United States Marine Corps.
Over the years, Congress not only funded the Marine Corps, but Congress also protected the Marine Corps.
On 26 July 1947 with the encouragement of a small group of Marines, the Congress passed the National Security Act of 1947 which codified the specific roles and functions reserved to the Corps by Congress.
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The United States Marine Corps, within the Department of the Navy, shall include land combat and service forces and such aviation as may be organic therein. The primary mission of the Marine Corps shall be to provide fleet marine forces of combined arms, together with supporting air components, for service with the fleet in the seizure and defense of advanced naval bases and for the conduct of such land operations as may be essential to the prosecution of a naval campaign.
— National Security Act of 1947
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Just a few years later in 1952, the 82nd Congress stood up for the Marine Corps by solemnly affirming:
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[The Marine Corps] has fully demonstrated the vital need for the existence of a strong force in readiness … The nation’s shock troops must be the most ready when the nation is generally least ready … to provide a balanced force in readiness for a naval campaign and, at the same time, a ground and air striking force ready to suppress or contain international disturbances short of large-scale war.
— 82nd Congress
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And it was Congress that put the Marine Corps into the Joint Chiefs as a full and separate member.
Today, it is Congress that required the current leadership of the Marine Corps to provide a report about the controversial Force Design. It is the Congress that in the most recent National Defense Authorization Act has required both a report from the GAO on Navy amphibious ships, as well as a report from an FFRDC on the decline in Marine 9-1-1 capabilities.
Years go by, long term leaders become former leaders, and a former president becomes president again. Through it all, the Marine Corps, with the help and support of Congress, remains.
The American people are protected by the Marine Corps and represented by the Congress of the United States. Just as the Marine Corps continually battles on behalf of the American people, it has been Congress, across the entire history of the United States. always intervening, overseeing, and battling on behalf of the Marine Corps that has kept America's 9-1-1 force ready, relevant, and strong.
Compass Points salutes all those in Congress who over so many years have so carefully and so consistently kept Marines on Navy ships patrolling the globe, ready to arrive off any troubled shore to deter, assist, and fight. With the help and support of Congress, when the American people cry, ‘Send in the Marines!’ America’s Marines will always be ready.
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USNI Naval History Magazine (usni.org) June 2017 Volume 31, Number 3
Semper Fidelis: Defending the Marine Corps
Responding to threats posed by military unification, dedicated Leathernecks fought to preserve the Marine Corps and its established role in the nation’s defense.
By Alan Rems
Mr. Rems is the author of South Pacific Cauldron: World War II’s Great Forgotten Battlegrounds (Naval Institute Press, 2014). He has been a regular contributor to Naval History since his article titled “Halsey Knows the Straight Story” appeared in the August 2008 issue and earned him selection as the magazine’s Author of the Year.
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My opinions here will be controversial:
1. We may soon find out how Congress views the Corps and what they are willing to spend to make it whole again. I would include amphibious shipping. Gen McAbee is 100% correct. Congress never had to save the Corps from itself. They stood by silently as the Corps self castrated itself and helped the Navy make the Amphibious fleet a bill payer as it rotted in port when not burning to the waterline. Congress did not stop Gen Berger and confirmed Gen Smith.
2. I note that rebuilding and modernizing the Corps could not come at a worse time fiscally. If I were a Congressman I would support the immediate reconstruction and modernization of two Marine Divisions and Wings by 2026 and a third Division and Wing by 2028. I would complete the rebuild of the 4th Div and Wing by 2029. ( That might be too late) I would disband the Littoral Regiments and transfer NEMSIS to the three Artillery Regiments by growing each by an additional Bn.
3. Before all of that I would recall a number of Flag Officers to active duty and have them account for their illegal actions. I would relieve about 10 -15 current Flag Officers and have them account for their actions or inaction. To bring about the objectives for 2026 it might be necessary to recall selective retired Flag Officers in a blue ribbon panel to design the rebuild over the next 18 months.
4. Every promotion board to Colonel and above over the next three years would require an accounting of that officer’s actions in reference to FD-2030, misappropriation of funds, violations of law and the persecution of those who objected. The Corps that could not even develop a PT uniform suddenly divested its combat power and transferred funding to missions and prototype weapons systems that did not follow RD&A laws
4. Some may see FD-2030 as a legitimate effort to transform the Corps. I DO NOT. From day one I saw it as a secretive, illegal, disloyal and self serving conspiracy to misuse appropriations and circumvent the law to bring about changes that could not have occurred in a legal and transparent process. The Corps leadership under Gen Berger went rogue and those who objected were fired and retired. That alone warrants a Congressional investigation. How did this happen, who did what and under whose authority? The answer to those questions will most assuredly result in charges.
6. The next 90 days might be as crucial to the survival of the Corps as few periods in our storied history have been. I suspect we’ll have some clarity by the end of March, 2025.
FD - or whatever it goes by now. Will it end the "First to Fight" Marine Corps that VH Krulak wrote about 40 years ago? It sure looks that way, especially after reading the critiques and despair in Compass Points. What to do?
I see lots of should do and would do and must do. Not a lot of how to actually do.
Some thoughts.
Relying on Congress seems to be the magic wand that will solve all problems. Is it? Who is doing the necessary and difficult work of "Legislative Liaison"? Who is going to wave what wand and with what spell?
I just read the excellent article by Alan Rems, "Semper Fidelis: Defending the Marine Corps" cited above. The Marine Corps survived in 1947 because active duty Marines in Washington DC astutely worked with allies in Congress and made it happen.
This despite seemingly overwhelmingly powerful foes (Eisenhower, Marshall, the Army, assorted Admirals, the on-the-way Air Force...), the loss of moral courage by some, the loss of another (the unofficial leader of Chowder) because he was sent to China of command a Brigade.
How did these Marines prevail? One reason was the providential friendship between a key member of Congress and the father of a member of the Chowder Society. These kind of relationships are what translate bold plans into legislative action - which is the only real measure of success in this struggle. Who is identifying and working on any such relationships today?
But what is this struggle? I have yet to read a persuasive "Intelligence Preparation of the Battlefield" much less an OpOrder that takes that IPB into account.
My impression is that most of the key players such as Congressional Committee members, the incoming President's relevant nominees, and indeed the President-Elect are unaware of the dire future of the Corps. And even if they were, they have much more important matters, in their view, to spend time and political capital on.
To look at one example, what might the emerging "unknown unknown" that is the Department Of Government Efficiency think of all this?
How would - who? - get a few precious minutes with Elon or Vivek to impress on them the unquestioned efficiency of the Marine Corps as a prelude to explaining Vision2035?.... oh, wait. You are telling me that the crew in charge of the Marines today want to scamper around tropical islands within range of Chinese hypersonic missiles and try to sink some Chinese ships. WTFO? Don't waste my time.
Worst, Marines brought this crisis on themselves. Is the current Marine leadership at the top even aware that there is irreversible irrelevance ahead? If not, who saves the day? And how do they survive and thrive in a hostile FD2030 environment?
I see glimmers of hope in comments above from two of the Chowder wise men.
McAbee reminds us that Congress needs to do something it has never done before - save the Marine Corp from itself. This is far from the usual HQMC and Quantico wizards dazzling Congress with standard Marine practical warfighting expertise on a frugal budget (I remember our Gunny at OCS telling us to use our sewing kits to mend a ripped screen in the barracks). This is unknown territory where we are not even sure who the players could be.
And PK Van Riper reminds us to crack open the history books. No, not us in the bleachers.
This must be the active duty Marines who must figure out what is to be done. Remember Mattis explaining why he read so much: he was never caught flat-footed by any situation, or at a loss for how any problem has been dealt with - successfully or not - before.
Hegel said that history teaches than we do not learn from history. Prove Hegel wrong.
George Friedman wrote a sobering book a few years ago about the decade we are in as "The Storm Before the Calm." I am not sure the Calm is in sight, but we are surely in the Storm.
So read not only the history books of how Marines fought and won before in the halls of Congress, but books and papers and posts on X and substack articles on the daunting and confusing decade we are in. Not just about "pacing threats" and gorgeous technology, but also about the social, cultural, and political dislocations and challenges ahead. Marines must understand the changes in the America whose "way of life" they are defending. Presidents Jackson, Lincoln, FDR, Reagan oversaw transitions of great historical importance that the country and the new President will experience. Will we prevail?
The fate of the Marine Corps - and the nation - is in the hands of those Marines who can surf these tsunamis of change.
Enough. And wishing them well.