Compass Points - Snipers and CDI
The power of the combat development process
Compass Points - Snipers and CDI
The power of the combat development process
November 30, 2024
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On November 25, 2024, an article by Todd South announced, “New Marine Corps sniper rifle is officially operational.” The Marine Corps has a new sniper rifle, the Mk22 Mod 0 Advanced Sniper Rifle, manufactured by Barrett Firearms. It is good for the Marines to have a new sniper rifle.
It would also be good for the Marines to have new snipers. It was just about a year ago that the Marine Corps shut down its sniper program. On January 9, 2024, Chris Eger writing for Guns.com reported, “Marines Hold Final Scout Sniper Course, Ends Program.”
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The final eight Marines have passed through the iconic Scout Sniper Course as the Corps finishes a move to end the legendary and long-running program.
As previously reported by Guns.com, the service last February elected to scrap the 18-member Scout Sniper platoons organic to each of the Corps’ infantry battalions, transitioning them instead to new 26-member Scout platoons, cutting the snipers in favor of a unit that would provide more "continuous all-weather information gathering."
This left the last eight Marines to pass through the Scout Sniper Course at the School of Infantry at Camp Geiger, North Carolina, which began in October, to close it out on Dec. 15, 2023. However, the graduation was bittersweet, as the eight didn’t receive the coveted but now obsolete 0317 Scout Sniper military occupational specialty, as reported by Marine Times.
— Guns.com
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Yes, there is a plan for a few snipers to remain as part of the special operations Marine Raiders, but Scout Sniper school and the Scout Sniper MOS are no more.
At all times, the Marine Corps of today must be building the Marine Corps of tomorrow. Before decisions are made to cut or add units and equipment, it would be good for the Marine Corps to have a thorough process to consider everything including, training, technology, tactics and more.
That is the responsibility of the Combat Development Command at Quantico.
The Marine Corps combat development process builds the future Marine Corps. To make sure that when the future crisis arrives, the future Marine Corps will be ready, the Marine Corps Combat Development Command (MCCDC) at Quantico directs the integrated, comprehensive, and creative combat development process.
The Marine Corps must continually upgrade the force to remain ready, relevant, and capable. In 1971 Marine combat forces were redeployed from Vietnam. The Marine Corps force of 1971 was a superb jungle force. Over the next twenty years, that force had to be upgraded and improved into the superb desert force of 1991.
In 1991, during operations Desert Shield and Storm, Saddam Hussein's forces had a ground army estimated at 1,000,000 men, including 47 infantry divisions and 9 armored and mechanized divisions, grouped into 7 corps.
US military and coalition forces, including the Marine Corps, defeated them in roughly 100 hours.
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At about 0400 on 24 February 1991, the 1st Marine Division began its penetration of the twin obstacle belts between the Umm Gudair (South) and Al Wafrah oil fields as the I MEF supporting attack. Major General Myatt employed two infantry regiment task forces to infiltrate the obstacle belts by foot between the Iraqi 29th and 42d Infantry Divisions: Grizzly, commanded by Colonel Jim Fuiks, and Taro, under Colonel John H. Admire. Grizzly had actually moved about 20 kilometers into the noman's land between the Saudi Berm and the first belt beginning on 21 February. This action constituted the first retaking of Kuwaiti territory by the allied forces.
-- Colonel Charles J. Quilter II (The Liberation of Kuwait: The Breach)
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From a Marine Corps combat development perspective, there are two questions:
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1) Where did that superb Marine Corps desert force come from?
2) Where will the next superb Marine Corps force come from?
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The answer is the Marine fighting force of the future will come from the integrated and comprehensive combat development process.
The MCCDC overview of the combat development process explains,
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We assess the environment, develop and validate concepts, identify capabilities, and develop solutions to ensure Marine Corps operating forces have the necessary capabilities to remain the world's foremost expeditionary warfighting organization.
Our focus is to develop future operational concepts and determine how to best organize and equip the Marine Corps of the future.
— MCCDC / CDI
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The combat development process is complex but no more complex than it needs to be to create the future force. The combat development process takes time, but constructing an office tower takes time and an office tower is a simple thing compared to constructing the Marine Corps of the future.
A simplified version of the Marine Corps combat development process involves 8 steps. These 8 steps are not strictly sequential but instead are iterative cycles, repeated again and again, as a new solution is developed.
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1. Concept Creation.
The future Marine Corps begins with a concept, a picture, a scenario of future conflict.
2. Capability Comparison.
Current Marine capabilities are compared to capabilities needed in the future.
3. Gap Analysis.
Capability gaps are identified that need filled so the future force will be ready for future conflict.
4. DOTMLPF Review.
DOTMLPF is an acronym for doctrine, organization, training, materiel, leadership and education, personnel, and facilities. In other words, a capability gap that needs to be filled might be filled, not by a piece of gear, but by a new school, new training, or new facilities.
5. Testing & Experimentation.
Possible DOTMLPF solutions must undergo rigorous testing and experimentation.
6. Integration.
Integrate and coordinate within the Marine Corps and with joint and combined partners.
7. Requirements.
Define requirements for acquisition.
8. Programming.
Support the Planning, Programming, Budget, and Execution (PPBE) process.
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In 1991 a million-man force was defeated by the US in 100 hours.
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1) Where did that superb Marine Corps desert force come from?
2) Where will the next superb Marine Corps force come from?
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Shut down sniper schools? Then buy new sniper rifles? Sounds very strange. The superb Marine Corps force of the future cannot be built from a haphazard, lopsided, rushed, fragmented, or incomplete process. Successfully building the global, combined arms Marine Corps of the future requires proven, integrated, and comprehensive, combat development.
Compass Points salutes those Marine Corps leaders today who are careful to make full use of the integrated and comprehensive Marine Corps combat development process to build the Marine force of the future.
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History and Museums Division, HQMC
U.S. MARINES IN THE PERSIAN GULF, 1990-1991: WITH THE I MARINE EXPEDITIONARY FORCE IN DESERT SHIELD AND DESERT STORM
By Colonel Charles J. Quilter II
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MCCDC - CDI
What we do
https://www.cdi.marines.mil/About/What-we-do/
The role of the arsonist is radically different than that of the architect and builder. When Gen Berger, the arsonist, lit the match his first day in office there was a process in place to fund, design, supply and build what was required to keep the Corps relevant. He cared little and had the mindset of a radical revolutionary. Evolution be damed. Burn it down, with only a vague notion of what a new Corps might look like after the conflagration which consumed weaponry, men, morale and tactics. To do this he brilliantly applied the OODA Loop on his own institution that was slow to grasp that this was not a Radom small fire in the corner but planned arson with multiple, planned fires. In the process he did not just ignore internal processes but violated DoD policies, appropriations laws as well as other federal laws. He did it all for four years without so much as a warning or censure from the SecNav, JCS or the Senate and House Armed Forces and Appropriations Committees. How was that even possible? Why did the fire alarm not go off and why was no fire apparatus ever deployed?
At the critical moment the Corps was without friends or Allies and was dealing with an enemy within. The silence spoke volumes. The Navy and Army saw no reason to respond to the fire because they saw a fire sale brewing and one competitor for resources committing institutional suicide. No Regional Combatant Commanders spoke up. Not one elected official even asked a question.
A small cadre of retired Officers, once they set aside their shock and disbelief, started to weigh in. The majority of retired Officers never bothered to even tune in. The apathy of the uninspired leadership of three of the four previous Commandants had spread the contagious apathy one set back after another, one delusional surrender after another. The arsonist’s primary Paladin took over and walked around the ashes with a blue print on a napkin and hardly the funding or real plans to reconstruct anything in a reasonable time frame. Today we find ourselves with a blurred vision, no time and no money. It pains me to write this. I see little reason for optimism unless something drastic happens soon.
Someone needs to firmly remove CMC's Head from his ass! Gunny has spoken!