Checkmate. End the charade. Shut it down. Hold the guilty accountable. Special panel to conduct an investigation of active and retired flag officers for violations of the law.
Reconstitute the force as fast as possible as designed by a Blue Ribbon Group which must be presented by June, 2025. Group must be retired Marine Flag Officers with staff support.
Recall two retired Marine Flag Officers to an active duty stint of two years as CMC and ACMC. Reconstitute three modernized Active Duty MEFs by December 2026. Time is running out. What was broken over five years must be fixed in two.
The paper tiger, all but a few saw has been exposed in real “peacetime”terms-funding. How long will it take to reconstitute the force? The hunter’s saying, “looking ain’t seeing” is ever so true.
Agree with Doug R., CHECKMATE! The next step for General Berger is to state publicly that FD2030 was a bad idea. He must also state that the FD2030 seeds are planted in the SECNAV’s inability to build and maintain ships, especially AMPHIBIOUS SHIPS. The invasion of Taiwan could be the first phase of a CCP military operation. The problem with a US focus on the Pacific is a Taiwan invasion could be a second or even third-phase of a military campaign. The CCP can decide that it has first to secure its SLOCs before a Taiwan invasion, because they recognize that a war over Taiwan will be a global war. (See “polarbear” comments; https://marinecorpscompasspoints.substack.com/p/compass-points-china-power ) The winner of a worldwide war will be the political leaders holding the most cards when they sit down at the negotiation table. Control of SLOCs will be the high cards played at the table.
The CCP fears and respects the US Military’s Strategic mobility. The US Marine Corps fills a large hole in the Combatant Commander’s Joint contingency planning. Combatant Commanders tend to focus on the strategic airlift of their contingency planning. The airlift echelon is important but is light in combat power. The heavy forces and sustainment (especially all classes of ammo, including both ground and air) must move by sea. The gap between airlift and sealift is the hole the US Marine Corps amphibious forces and MPFs fill. The US needs to be holding the amphibious and MPF cards in their hand at the start of the great strategic global card game. S/F
It would be very easy for the USMC to engage in a schizophrenic battle that ultimately results in it's own elimination. There are two more big players at the table now, as compared to that time when 'First To Fight' was published. SOCOM and Space Force have been playing good hands. The USMC is holding a high jack right now. We need to turn that into a Royal Flush. Punching itself in the face is not a recipe for success. Does the USMC YOLO again, or play conservatively? I think a conservative play is best. Focus on being the tip of the spear for Joint Operations, primarily as a MAGTF in the form of MEUs (if we have to continue Rotational forces in the mean time to fill gaps, so be it). A few other thoughts: What do the COCOMS need? Do they want Amphib cabability? What do they want that they cannot currently get? What capability is possible that they are too busy to think of?
“…we had to pull that solicitation back and drop back and punt.”
And what is the “punt” for the LSM? These nimrods think the consumer of the news Marines and Navy alike are stupid and ill-informed. We know that there's no “Plan B”. Pardon my French but, the Navy Dept. is left holding their d**** in their hands.
Checkmate. End the charade. Shut it down. Hold the guilty accountable. Special panel to conduct an investigation of active and retired flag officers for violations of the law.
Reconstitute the force as fast as possible as designed by a Blue Ribbon Group which must be presented by June, 2025. Group must be retired Marine Flag Officers with staff support.
Recall two retired Marine Flag Officers to an active duty stint of two years as CMC and ACMC. Reconstitute three modernized Active Duty MEFs by December 2026. Time is running out. What was broken over five years must be fixed in two.
An accurate and sufficient Planning Document to do what needs to be done COMMENCING NOW!
The paper tiger, all but a few saw has been exposed in real “peacetime”terms-funding. How long will it take to reconstitute the force? The hunter’s saying, “looking ain’t seeing” is ever so true.
Spot on, Skip.
Agree with Doug R., CHECKMATE! The next step for General Berger is to state publicly that FD2030 was a bad idea. He must also state that the FD2030 seeds are planted in the SECNAV’s inability to build and maintain ships, especially AMPHIBIOUS SHIPS. The invasion of Taiwan could be the first phase of a CCP military operation. The problem with a US focus on the Pacific is a Taiwan invasion could be a second or even third-phase of a military campaign. The CCP can decide that it has first to secure its SLOCs before a Taiwan invasion, because they recognize that a war over Taiwan will be a global war. (See “polarbear” comments; https://marinecorpscompasspoints.substack.com/p/compass-points-china-power ) The winner of a worldwide war will be the political leaders holding the most cards when they sit down at the negotiation table. Control of SLOCs will be the high cards played at the table.
The CCP fears and respects the US Military’s Strategic mobility. The US Marine Corps fills a large hole in the Combatant Commander’s Joint contingency planning. Combatant Commanders tend to focus on the strategic airlift of their contingency planning. The airlift echelon is important but is light in combat power. The heavy forces and sustainment (especially all classes of ammo, including both ground and air) must move by sea. The gap between airlift and sealift is the hole the US Marine Corps amphibious forces and MPFs fill. The US needs to be holding the amphibious and MPF cards in their hand at the start of the great strategic global card game. S/F
Let's put the LSM and the whole FD program to bed, and let Marines do what we've been trained to do: land and seize enemy property.
It would be very easy for the USMC to engage in a schizophrenic battle that ultimately results in it's own elimination. There are two more big players at the table now, as compared to that time when 'First To Fight' was published. SOCOM and Space Force have been playing good hands. The USMC is holding a high jack right now. We need to turn that into a Royal Flush. Punching itself in the face is not a recipe for success. Does the USMC YOLO again, or play conservatively? I think a conservative play is best. Focus on being the tip of the spear for Joint Operations, primarily as a MAGTF in the form of MEUs (if we have to continue Rotational forces in the mean time to fill gaps, so be it). A few other thoughts: What do the COCOMS need? Do they want Amphib cabability? What do they want that they cannot currently get? What capability is possible that they are too busy to think of?
Again, FD2030 has proven to be a colossal failure!
“…we had to pull that solicitation back and drop back and punt.”
And what is the “punt” for the LSM? These nimrods think the consumer of the news Marines and Navy alike are stupid and ill-informed. We know that there's no “Plan B”. Pardon my French but, the Navy Dept. is left holding their d**** in their hands.