BLOODY HELL! Why didn’t the US Marine Corps get a piece of this 30,000 troop expansion?
“US Army will grow to 454,000, up 11,700 …The Air Force’s end strength will rise by 1,500 to 320,000, while the Space Force is slated to increase by 600 to 10,400. In the Department of Homeland Security, the size of the Coast Guard will increase to 50,000, up from 44,500. The Marine Corps will remain at 172,300.”
How and why did this happen? Did the Commandant tell Congress, I don’t need an increase in order to “divest to invest” for FD2030? Did the Secretary of War say no increase for the Marines because Marines experimental units have not contributed to recent military operations since the new administration took over? As a Force Provider did the Commandant submit a justification for an end strength increase based on requests from the Combatant Commanders? Did the Commandant say I don’t need an increase because the US Navy does not have the amphibious ships we Marine Corps and Combatant Commanders need? What happened here?
U.S. Marine Corps Authorized Active Duty End Strength (FY2011–FY2025)
Total force only — no officer/enlisted breakdown, no reserves.
Fiscal Year Authorized Active Duty End Strength
FY2011 202,100
FY2012 202,100
FY2013 182,100
FY2014 190,200
FY2015 184,100
FY2016 184,000
FY2017 185,000
FY2018 186,000
FY2019 186,100
FY2020 186,200
FY2021 181,200
FY2022 178,500
FY2023 177,000
FY2024 172,300
FY2025 172,300
Was any effort made by the current Commandant to reverse this downward trend? WTF, OVER? S/F
Commandants prior to Berger knew the "business of the business," that is, they understood how to work with members of Congress to ensure they supported the Corps with plus-up dollars. As an example, General Krulak averaged $2 billion plus-up funds each year he was CMC. Berger and now Smith apparently have no clue how to do this. Sad.
We can discuss equipment, tactics, training, manpower numbers, unit organization, logistics, aircraft sortie rates……. The most fundamental break in the institution with General Berger’s arrival was the loss of integrity. For six years subterfuge, lying my omission and commission, underhanded dealing, misleading the American people and their representatives, destroying careers and outright dishonesty have eroded the most critical element in an institution- trust. The Corps did not reach its current state through sincere mistakes, honest errors in judgment or simple but sincere bad decisions. It was instituted in deceit. For those reasons a good number of individuals must be charged under the UCMJ. Failure to address this will make a return to our position as an elite fight force impossible.
I caught this article on Real Clear Politics _ Defense this morning.
https://www.militarytimes.com/news/pentagon-congress/2026/01/20/us-military-to-expand-by-more-than-30000-troops-this-year/
BLOODY HELL! Why didn’t the US Marine Corps get a piece of this 30,000 troop expansion?
“US Army will grow to 454,000, up 11,700 …The Air Force’s end strength will rise by 1,500 to 320,000, while the Space Force is slated to increase by 600 to 10,400. In the Department of Homeland Security, the size of the Coast Guard will increase to 50,000, up from 44,500. The Marine Corps will remain at 172,300.”
How and why did this happen? Did the Commandant tell Congress, I don’t need an increase in order to “divest to invest” for FD2030? Did the Secretary of War say no increase for the Marines because Marines experimental units have not contributed to recent military operations since the new administration took over? As a Force Provider did the Commandant submit a justification for an end strength increase based on requests from the Combatant Commanders? Did the Commandant say I don’t need an increase because the US Navy does not have the amphibious ships we Marine Corps and Combatant Commanders need? What happened here?
U.S. Marine Corps Authorized Active Duty End Strength (FY2011–FY2025)
Total force only — no officer/enlisted breakdown, no reserves.
Fiscal Year Authorized Active Duty End Strength
FY2011 202,100
FY2012 202,100
FY2013 182,100
FY2014 190,200
FY2015 184,100
FY2016 184,000
FY2017 185,000
FY2018 186,000
FY2019 186,100
FY2020 186,200
FY2021 181,200
FY2022 178,500
FY2023 177,000
FY2024 172,300
FY2025 172,300
Was any effort made by the current Commandant to reverse this downward trend? WTF, OVER? S/F
IMO the fact that the Corps didn’t receive any end strength increase is an indicator that Congress/DOW already sees the Corps as irrelevant.
Way to go Gen.s Berger and Smith.
Commandants prior to Berger knew the "business of the business," that is, they understood how to work with members of Congress to ensure they supported the Corps with plus-up dollars. As an example, General Krulak averaged $2 billion plus-up funds each year he was CMC. Berger and now Smith apparently have no clue how to do this. Sad.
We can discuss equipment, tactics, training, manpower numbers, unit organization, logistics, aircraft sortie rates……. The most fundamental break in the institution with General Berger’s arrival was the loss of integrity. For six years subterfuge, lying my omission and commission, underhanded dealing, misleading the American people and their representatives, destroying careers and outright dishonesty have eroded the most critical element in an institution- trust. The Corps did not reach its current state through sincere mistakes, honest errors in judgment or simple but sincere bad decisions. It was instituted in deceit. For those reasons a good number of individuals must be charged under the UCMJ. Failure to address this will make a return to our position as an elite fight force impossible.
On target Coffeejoejava! Pre positioned supply ships proved their value. Why this capability has been ignored of late is mind blowing.
1) Where did that superb Marine Corps desert force come from?
General gray
Ooh rah