Senator’s Webb’s struggles to get his “Roles and Missions” article published in the Marine Corps Gazette is somewhat like Chowder II’s efforts to get Vision 2035 published in the same outlet during December 2022. Initially, the editor agreed to publish the article but later changed course citing “heavy fire from HQMC over this.” The article was instead published in The National Interest, which undoubtedly deprived many Marines of the opportunity to read an alternative vision to Force Design 2030.
But as Senator Webb also explained, his article - - though essentially buried by HQMC - - was brought back to life by circumstances threatening the Corps’ roles and missions as the Nation’s Rapid Deployment Force in 1980. My guess is we will see parts of Vision 2035 increasingly used by the Marine Corps as it becomes increasingly evident that a purpose built, regional defensive force is not in the Nation’s best interests.
If you need an example, look no further than the April 2025 Amphibious Shipbuilding article that was signed by all eight living former Commandants and published in Real Clear Defense. The article is a strong validation of much of Vision 2035.
The current Commandant has recently articulated a requirement for a 3.0 ARG/MEU presence, which he clarifies as two ARG/MEUs continuously forward deployed and a third ARG/MEU forward based with “episodic” deployments. One can reasonably assume that this is the requirement as envisioned by Force Design.
The article signed by the former Commandants goes much further, calling for “… enough amphibious ships to keep tailored Marine Air Ground Task Forces continually deployed in the Mediterranean Sea, Western Pacific, and the Indian Ocean areas, while retaining additional capabilities to reinforce these areas or respond quickly and effectively to emerging crises in other theaters.” This requirement is consistent with the language of Vison 2035 which states: “Forward-deployed Marine Expeditionary Units and on-call alert battalions must be immediately available to support all combatant commanders, not just some combatant commanders. Additional amphibious shipping must also be available to support larger amphibious formations that are required to respond to emerging requirements in multiple theaters or satisfy multiple combatant and sub-unified commanders’ deliberate planning requirements”.
It’s worth noting that the former Commandants chose to use the term “tailored MAGTFs” vice MEUs. They obviously recognize the need to deploy amphibious forces larger or different than a MEU if required. It’s also worth noting that the former Commandants called for the Navy to “take the actions needed to restore Maritime Prepositioning Force ships and recapitalize the strategic sealift.” These actions are also consistent with Vision 2035 which states: “A properly configured and strategically based Maritime Prepositioning Force, comprised of independently deployable squadrons, is also required to support the immediate deployment and employment of MAGTFs that are tailored to support emerging or known requirements.”
The carefully crafted words of the former Commandants are clearly intended to restore the capability of Marine forces to transition to a larger force. Again, in the words of Vison 2035: “A Marine Corps that has the capacity to rapidly converge and build to a Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF)…. Usually first to arrive, a Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) can be quickly scaled to a force significantly larger by landing additional MEUs, Air Alert Forces, the Fly-In Echelon of a Maritime Prepositioning Ship (MPS) Marine Expeditionary Brigade (MEB), the arrival of all of part of one or multiple MPS squadrons, and the arrival of follow-on forces.”
What is noticeably missing from the former Commandant’s article is the requirement for the Light Amphibious Warship (now termed the Landing Ship Medium for political purposes). The Marines have previously stated a requirement for 35 LAW/LSMs.
Already branded and probably called FD(+) as they lift the goalposts and move them to the 5 yd line for the kicker's convenience. Because Force Design was primarily a marketing and branding exercise, it can easily shift yet still be 'what it always was'. Does anyone remember when we got ATLASS II+ ("It’s not just a “buzzword,” it’s a strategy") ? Good times.
PS - the indicator of substantive change will be when the FD page under initiatives at marines.mil starts to get pruned. Of course, now that I said that, some LtCol is saying "screw you cFrog, I know who you are and we are never pruning this!"
“The most ready when the nation is least ready” was a given from the day I joined the Marine Corps. It was the very reason everything in an Infantry Bn was transportable right down to the last spoon in the field mess. We had embarkation plans for every amphibious ship in the fleet and every aircraft in the Air Force Strategic Lift fleet and the ability to shrink or expand as the mission or resources might dictate. We then saw the beauty of MPS shipping and pre positioning equipment and were always ready to move Marines on commercial air. Even in the Amphibious realm we were well versed on Amphibious Assault, unopposed landings, administrative offloads and fly in elements. We were well aware that being ready to deploy, whatever the permutations, was key. Being ready to fight was a given but humanitarian assistance might be the mission. The key was being ready to fight and win and every other mission was doable. The Warrior who gardens is better than a Gardner who is forced to fight. The American Marine as a Samurai or a Spartan.
It baffles me how this is even an item of discussion. Yet, here we are. The 911 calls go unanswered. We are in our sixth year of building a niche capability that is not ready and highly questionable.
These are irrefutable FACTS! Wake up CMC SMITH RESIGN FOR YOU AND BERGER’S BLUNDER! CONFESS TO THE SECNAV AND SECDEF THE ERROR YOUR DEBACLE, THE ONE TRICK PONY IE FORCE DISASTER!!!
Shortly after I signed the paperwork to become a Marine and days before heading to Parris Island a Gunnery Sergeant handed me a dozen or so stickers with the words “Force in Readiness” on them and explained what that meant. Force in Readiness was the mantra I heard and repeated and endeavored to make sure was true for the next 41 years. It appears to me that today those words are largely an empty promise.
Former Navy Secretary Webb is spot on the mark. Unfortunately, Generals Berger and Smith have missed this mark with the creation and continued support of Force Design 2030. Many flaws could hinder the Marines if they enter combat with weakened numbers in Combat Arms, to say nothing of the reduction in infantry. We need retired senior leaders, both in the Corps and in political arenas, to put pressure on the Commandant to make drastic changes to Force Design 2030.
I believe “they”attempted every conceivable method of communicating w General Berger Retired when he was CMC before going public w Chowder II . MCCP, although not directly linked to Chowder II has been aggressively communicating publicly daily for several years. Berger and now Smith must believe they are military geniuses who possess special gifts that have never before been possessed by any in human in the history of war. They gave birth to a FLAWED DISASTER and continue to flaunt this toothless baby while the World is on fire!
"...criticizing McNamara’s unrealistic creation of Strike Command, a paper concept coupling Army soldiers with Air Force tactical aircraft, none of which trained together and in reality probably could never have successfully accomplished..." - am I alone in that, on reading this, I was reminded of the 'if we do need that capability the Army will provide it' FD 2030 tag line?
All of, then Captain Webb’s article, provided a look back and a look to the future assuming the damage done by FD2030 can be mitigated and the Corps salvaged. Nobody needed a Marine Corps MEU in August of 2021, until it needed the 24th MEU to head to HKIA and conduct the NEO there. One need look no further for the best bang per buck than a Marine Corps of 3 Divisions and 3 Air Wings loaded and locked heel to toe MEU’s running rational deployment schedules to support the SLOC and other national interests and or demands. It is so damn simple. Yet, we have horribly wasted resources and time while some sort of consultants dream of rebranding the Corps has been conducted for the last 6 years. Proponents of Force Design are like communists. They have nothing and want to share it. I wondered where when Senator Webb was going to weigh in! As usual he showed up and fought above his weight class and offered some meaning insight. Let’s hope we can take this as momentum and get the Congress to start asking very hard pointed questions and make it very uncomfortable for the occupant of the oldest standing structure in DC.
The USMC is currently the “least ready” to “fight and win” since it was collapsed to a force of 75,000 Marines after World War II! No single “so called revolutionary means” on the 3 legged stool of war fighting strategy ie Strategy equals End plus Way plus Means exists to achieve this goal! The delusion that a magical Joint Force combined w today’s Marine Corps will magically achieve this is a fantasy.
Former Navy Secretary Webb's article is not only historical, but should serve as a blueprint for Marine organization and employment. The Secretary's comments along with the knowledge and experience of former Commandants and senior Marines goes a long way to show how to bring the Marine Corps back to being a robust combined arms naval expeditionary force. It amazes me how the current and past Commandant can look anyone in the eye, and say they have the Nation's and Corps' best interests at stake.
Today is Day 654 of Israel’s War, being fought in 7 different countries. Starting tomorrow without warning, how many days could the USMC, degraded and divested of its war fighting capabilities, fight and win battles anywhere in the World?
Senator’s Webb’s struggles to get his “Roles and Missions” article published in the Marine Corps Gazette is somewhat like Chowder II’s efforts to get Vision 2035 published in the same outlet during December 2022. Initially, the editor agreed to publish the article but later changed course citing “heavy fire from HQMC over this.” The article was instead published in The National Interest, which undoubtedly deprived many Marines of the opportunity to read an alternative vision to Force Design 2030.
But as Senator Webb also explained, his article - - though essentially buried by HQMC - - was brought back to life by circumstances threatening the Corps’ roles and missions as the Nation’s Rapid Deployment Force in 1980. My guess is we will see parts of Vision 2035 increasingly used by the Marine Corps as it becomes increasingly evident that a purpose built, regional defensive force is not in the Nation’s best interests.
If you need an example, look no further than the April 2025 Amphibious Shipbuilding article that was signed by all eight living former Commandants and published in Real Clear Defense. The article is a strong validation of much of Vision 2035.
The current Commandant has recently articulated a requirement for a 3.0 ARG/MEU presence, which he clarifies as two ARG/MEUs continuously forward deployed and a third ARG/MEU forward based with “episodic” deployments. One can reasonably assume that this is the requirement as envisioned by Force Design.
The article signed by the former Commandants goes much further, calling for “… enough amphibious ships to keep tailored Marine Air Ground Task Forces continually deployed in the Mediterranean Sea, Western Pacific, and the Indian Ocean areas, while retaining additional capabilities to reinforce these areas or respond quickly and effectively to emerging crises in other theaters.” This requirement is consistent with the language of Vison 2035 which states: “Forward-deployed Marine Expeditionary Units and on-call alert battalions must be immediately available to support all combatant commanders, not just some combatant commanders. Additional amphibious shipping must also be available to support larger amphibious formations that are required to respond to emerging requirements in multiple theaters or satisfy multiple combatant and sub-unified commanders’ deliberate planning requirements”.
It’s worth noting that the former Commandants chose to use the term “tailored MAGTFs” vice MEUs. They obviously recognize the need to deploy amphibious forces larger or different than a MEU if required. It’s also worth noting that the former Commandants called for the Navy to “take the actions needed to restore Maritime Prepositioning Force ships and recapitalize the strategic sealift.” These actions are also consistent with Vision 2035 which states: “A properly configured and strategically based Maritime Prepositioning Force, comprised of independently deployable squadrons, is also required to support the immediate deployment and employment of MAGTFs that are tailored to support emerging or known requirements.”
The carefully crafted words of the former Commandants are clearly intended to restore the capability of Marine forces to transition to a larger force. Again, in the words of Vison 2035: “A Marine Corps that has the capacity to rapidly converge and build to a Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF)…. Usually first to arrive, a Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) can be quickly scaled to a force significantly larger by landing additional MEUs, Air Alert Forces, the Fly-In Echelon of a Maritime Prepositioning Ship (MPS) Marine Expeditionary Brigade (MEB), the arrival of all of part of one or multiple MPS squadrons, and the arrival of follow-on forces.”
What is noticeably missing from the former Commandant’s article is the requirement for the Light Amphibious Warship (now termed the Landing Ship Medium for political purposes). The Marines have previously stated a requirement for 35 LAW/LSMs.
Readers can find the former Commandants’ Article at: https://www.realcleardefense.com/articles/2025/04/08/former_cmcs_letter_endorsing_amphibious_shipbuilding_1102611.html
Readers can find Vision 2035 at the link: https://nationalinterest.org/feature/vision-2035-global-response-age-precision-munitions-205995
Already branded and probably called FD(+) as they lift the goalposts and move them to the 5 yd line for the kicker's convenience. Because Force Design was primarily a marketing and branding exercise, it can easily shift yet still be 'what it always was'. Does anyone remember when we got ATLASS II+ ("It’s not just a “buzzword,” it’s a strategy") ? Good times.
PS - the indicator of substantive change will be when the FD page under initiatives at marines.mil starts to get pruned. Of course, now that I said that, some LtCol is saying "screw you cFrog, I know who you are and we are never pruning this!"
“The most ready when the nation is least ready” was a given from the day I joined the Marine Corps. It was the very reason everything in an Infantry Bn was transportable right down to the last spoon in the field mess. We had embarkation plans for every amphibious ship in the fleet and every aircraft in the Air Force Strategic Lift fleet and the ability to shrink or expand as the mission or resources might dictate. We then saw the beauty of MPS shipping and pre positioning equipment and were always ready to move Marines on commercial air. Even in the Amphibious realm we were well versed on Amphibious Assault, unopposed landings, administrative offloads and fly in elements. We were well aware that being ready to deploy, whatever the permutations, was key. Being ready to fight was a given but humanitarian assistance might be the mission. The key was being ready to fight and win and every other mission was doable. The Warrior who gardens is better than a Gardner who is forced to fight. The American Marine as a Samurai or a Spartan.
It baffles me how this is even an item of discussion. Yet, here we are. The 911 calls go unanswered. We are in our sixth year of building a niche capability that is not ready and highly questionable.
These are irrefutable FACTS! Wake up CMC SMITH RESIGN FOR YOU AND BERGER’S BLUNDER! CONFESS TO THE SECNAV AND SECDEF THE ERROR YOUR DEBACLE, THE ONE TRICK PONY IE FORCE DISASTER!!!
Shortly after I signed the paperwork to become a Marine and days before heading to Parris Island a Gunnery Sergeant handed me a dozen or so stickers with the words “Force in Readiness” on them and explained what that meant. Force in Readiness was the mantra I heard and repeated and endeavored to make sure was true for the next 41 years. It appears to me that today those words are largely an empty promise.
New bumper stickers...now it's "The Sorta' Force in Readiness".
Former Navy Secretary Webb is spot on the mark. Unfortunately, Generals Berger and Smith have missed this mark with the creation and continued support of Force Design 2030. Many flaws could hinder the Marines if they enter combat with weakened numbers in Combat Arms, to say nothing of the reduction in infantry. We need retired senior leaders, both in the Corps and in political arenas, to put pressure on the Commandant to make drastic changes to Force Design 2030.
I believe “they”attempted every conceivable method of communicating w General Berger Retired when he was CMC before going public w Chowder II . MCCP, although not directly linked to Chowder II has been aggressively communicating publicly daily for several years. Berger and now Smith must believe they are military geniuses who possess special gifts that have never before been possessed by any in human in the history of war. They gave birth to a FLAWED DISASTER and continue to flaunt this toothless baby while the World is on fire!
"...criticizing McNamara’s unrealistic creation of Strike Command, a paper concept coupling Army soldiers with Air Force tactical aircraft, none of which trained together and in reality probably could never have successfully accomplished..." - am I alone in that, on reading this, I was reminded of the 'if we do need that capability the Army will provide it' FD 2030 tag line?
All of, then Captain Webb’s article, provided a look back and a look to the future assuming the damage done by FD2030 can be mitigated and the Corps salvaged. Nobody needed a Marine Corps MEU in August of 2021, until it needed the 24th MEU to head to HKIA and conduct the NEO there. One need look no further for the best bang per buck than a Marine Corps of 3 Divisions and 3 Air Wings loaded and locked heel to toe MEU’s running rational deployment schedules to support the SLOC and other national interests and or demands. It is so damn simple. Yet, we have horribly wasted resources and time while some sort of consultants dream of rebranding the Corps has been conducted for the last 6 years. Proponents of Force Design are like communists. They have nothing and want to share it. I wondered where when Senator Webb was going to weigh in! As usual he showed up and fought above his weight class and offered some meaning insight. Let’s hope we can take this as momentum and get the Congress to start asking very hard pointed questions and make it very uncomfortable for the occupant of the oldest standing structure in DC.
Will the Army simply give us anything. The answer is NO!
Just like the Army is going to provide armored support/training for tank-infantry teams.
Boom!
The most ready when the nation is least ready
The USMC is currently the “least ready” to “fight and win” since it was collapsed to a force of 75,000 Marines after World War II! No single “so called revolutionary means” on the 3 legged stool of war fighting strategy ie Strategy equals End plus Way plus Means exists to achieve this goal! The delusion that a magical Joint Force combined w today’s Marine Corps will magically achieve this is a fantasy.
Former Navy Secretary Webb's article is not only historical, but should serve as a blueprint for Marine organization and employment. The Secretary's comments along with the knowledge and experience of former Commandants and senior Marines goes a long way to show how to bring the Marine Corps back to being a robust combined arms naval expeditionary force. It amazes me how the current and past Commandant can look anyone in the eye, and say they have the Nation's and Corps' best interests at stake.
Today is Day 654 of Israel’s War, being fought in 7 different countries. Starting tomorrow without warning, how many days could the USMC, degraded and divested of its war fighting capabilities, fight and win battles anywhere in the World?
WOW! WOW! WOW! BZ Senator Webb!