Compass Points - Growing Marines
The Marine Corps needs more Marines.
Compass Points - Growing Marines
The Marine Corps needs more Marines.
June 22, 2026
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For seven long years, senior Marine leaders have focused on reducing Marine Corps combined arms, crisis response, capabilities. Not only has the number of infantry battalions been cut, but the number of Marines in each remaining infantry battalion has been cut. Too much air, armor, artillery, and much more, has been cut. The Marine Corps cannot serve as a global, middleweight, force in readiness without the power and punch necessary to deter, assist, rescue, strike, and fight.
After so many years of cuts, the Marine Corps may be beginning to once again add to the total number of Marines in active service.
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The Marine Corps has set a new goal to grow its force by up to 5% by 2032, adding thousands of troops as the service tries to envision its role on the future battlefield.
The plan, which would expand the Corps to its highest end strength in about a decade after years of downsizing, aims to fill combat capability gaps that arose in earlier versions of the Marine Corps’ controversial Force Design blueprint — an ambitious overhaul of the service’s approach to modern war.
“We’re learning to iterate,” Lt. Gen. Eric Austin, deputy commandant for combat development and integration, said Thursday at an event hosted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. “There’s some bumps and bruises. We’re making some corrections.”
The proposal aims for 4% growth in end strength by 2031, with an option to add another 1% by 2032 to “add operational depth,” service spokesperson Lt. Col. Eric Flanagan told Federal News Network in an email Thursday.
-- Federal News Network
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After so many years of cuts, why is the Marine Corps starting to grow now? One reason is that world events call for more Marines forward deployed on the oceans of the world. The real power of a small Marine air, ground, logistics MAGTF is not only what it brings with it, but more importantly in how fast it can be rapidly reinforced, upgraded, and expanded.
New leadership at the highest level of the Navy and Marine Corps always makes a tremendous difference. Even though he is for now only the ‘acting’ Secretary of the Navy, Hung Cao is not waiting to lead.
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Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao is actively transforming the service’s front office, aiming to overcome two years of dysfunction and bureaucratic infighting. His energetic leadership, engaging the fleet and key budget stakeholders like OMB Director Russell Vought, is significantly boosting Navy morale and empowering staff. Cao is strategically building his team, repositioning competent legacy appointees to ensure continuity while fostering a loyal leadership cadre. Beyond internal reforms, he can address critical systemic issues, including procurement inefficiencies and the costly delays at NAVFAC. Proposed initiatives like a national spare parts depot and a potential fifth naval shipyard are poised to enhance readiness, proving vital for the Navy’s crucial next two years.
-- Forbes, “Hung Cao, Acting Secretary Of The Navy, Is The SECNAV America Needs”
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Hung Cao’s leadership is bringing change not only to the Navy but also to the Marine Corps. When the Marine Corps is growing stronger, the US is growing safer, and better protected from global adversaries.
It is regrettable that the recent article from the Federal News Network, “Marine Corps eyes 5% force growth by 2032” begins with the astounding observation that the Marine Corps is still trying to “envision its role on the future battlefield.” If the Marine Corps cannot figure out its role on future battlefields, the schools of Quantico should be kept open 24/7/365 until every leader of Marines understands that on the next battlefield, whether in deep snow, scorching desert, triple canopy jungle, or anywhere else, Marines must always be prepared to locate, close with and destroy the enemy by fire and maneuver, or repel the enemy assault by fire and close combat.
Compass Points salutes acting Secretary of the Navy, Hung Cao, and all those working to put more more Marine crisis response MAGTFs on more oceans around the globe. The location of the next battlefield might change, some weapons and equipment might change, tactics and techniques might change, but what will never change is the Nation’s need for the always ready, shock troops of Marines.
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Forbes - 06/21/2026
Hung Cao, Acting Secretary Of The Navy, Is The SECNAV America Needs
By Craig Hooper, Senior Contributor.
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Federal News Network - 06/19/2026
Marine Corps eyes 5% force growth by 2032
The Marine Corps could add thousands of Marines as part of a new force design review completed in May.
By Rachel S. Cohen
https://federalnewsnetwork.com/defense-news/2026/06/marine-corps-eyes-5-force-growth-by-2032/
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“We’re learning to iterate… There’s some bumps and bruises. We’re making some corrections.” In plain talk - - we screwed up. We’re trying to refloat a sinking ship.
Since the inception of FD 2030, the senior leadership has:
1. Retained the 4th Marines as an infantry regiment as opposed to converting it to a MLR (stopping at 2 purpose-built MLRs vice 3)
2. Partially activated only 2 of the 14 NMESIS/NSM batteries promised under FD by 2030. How many batteries will eventually be activated remains a work in progress.
3. Divested only 7 of the 14 cannon artillery batteries originally slated for divestment.
4. Brought back or will bring back 150 of the 200 aircraft divested in the active force.
5. Articulated a requirement for 38 or more large amphibious ships since sending the number into freefall until Congress stabilized it at 31.
6. Articulated global response as a core capability on par with EABO/SIF.
7. Articulated the need for expeditionary bridging, which was 100% divested.
8. Deactivated the sole TLAM battery on the west coast.
9. Began bringing back manpower that was divested.
All of this makes the Marine Corps stronger. We all applaud the senior leadership for stepping up to partially correct a strategic wrong. But it’s not enough. This piecemeal approach to restoring capabilities is like building a house without a blueprint. It’s also like putting lipstick on a pig. FD may look better but it’s still a pig. The Marines need a blueprint - - a new operating concept that will transition the Marine Corps from the wilderness of ambiguity to a ready, relevant and capable force for today and tomorrow. Only then can the Marines determine and field capabilities that are required, complementary, and sustainable. For more see my article at the link: https://www.realcleardefense.com/articles/2026/02/16/rethinking_the_role_of_the_marine_corps_in_national_security_1165065.html
I believe the Corps is currently about 175,000 Marines. 1% is 1,750 Marines. 5% over six years would be 8,750 Marines.
The Corps currently has 21 Infantry Bns of three rifle companies per Bn. These 21 Bns are about 700 Marines per Bn. That totals 14,700 Marines in a force of 175,000.
Someone please correct me if I am wrong.
The Corps once had 27 Bns with four rifle companies per Bn. Those Bns were about 1000 Marines per Bn. That is 27,000 Marines. In short, a loss of 12,300 Marines who close with and destroy the enemy through fire and maneuver. The other Marines who “closed with” were in tanks. That number is 0.
How many of the 8,750 Marine increase in end strength over six years will be riflemen? From 175,000 to 183,750 is wonderful. What will they be assigned to?
Any student of history knows full well that the fox hole strength of the Corps is insufficient. It is insufficient by any measure, in any conflict, anywhere.
I strongly suspect that today’s Corps has more Marines in administration than it has 0311’s in Rifle Companies.