Seapower/Marine corps

Sea Power, Jan 2002

The Marine Corps continues to take justifiable pride in its reputation of being the finest fighting force in the world. The Marine Corps also has been, throughout much of its history, the most innovative and most forward-thinking service. The amphibious doctrine and tactics that led to victory in World War II in the Pacific had their genesis in the classrooms of the Marine Corps base in Quantico, Va., during the 1930s. During the 1940s the Marines perfected the close-air-support capabilities that have been a cornerstone of Marine Corps operations ever since.

The Marine Corps also blazed the trail, in the post-WWII era, in: (a) the use of helicopters to enhance battlefield mobility; and (b) the overseas prepositioning of ships loaded with the supplies and equipment needed for a large-scale rapid-response capability in the "come as you are" wars of the 21 st century.

Gen. James L. Jones, the 32nd commandant, assumed the leadership of the Corps on 30 June 1999, succeeding Gen. Charles C. Krulak, whose programs were designed to "steal a march" on the 21 st century by "institutionalizing innovation." Krulak implemented initiatives to improve team integrity and unit cohesion. Jones has implemented measures to eventually return approximately 4,000 Marines from support roles to the operating forces, in part by identifying billets across the Corps that are or will soon either be eliminated or filled by "civilian Marines" or contract personnel.

In March 2000, Jones testified to the qualities of the naval expeditionary forces and the Corps' commitment to preserving its four pillars of readiness: (1) leading Marines; (2) maintaining operational readiness; (3) contributing to the common defense; and (4) connecting to society.

The Marine Corps is usually allocated approximately 14 percent-$14 billion-of the budget of the Department of the Navy.

The Marine Corps continues to maintain excellent credibility with Congress due, in large part, to its record of frugality, which is unmatched by any of the other services. A few specifics:

* The Marine Corps "consumes" only about six percent of the overall Department of Defense budget, but provides: (a) 12 percent of the nation's active forces, including 23 percent of the active ground-forces divisions and 20 percent of all active U.S. ground-maneuver battalions; (b) 14 percent of the overall U.S. tactical aviation capability, including 20 percent of the active fighter/attack squadrons and 17 percent of the nation's attack helicopters; and (c) approximately one third of the U.S. active ground combat service support capabilities.

* The Corps has, by far, the lowest officer-to-en listed ratio of any of the nation's armed services-one officer to nine enlisted personnel. The ratios for the other services are: Air Force, one-to-four; Army and Navy, one-tofive.

* The Corps has an even leaner ratio in terms of civilian support personnel-one civilian employee per 10 Marines. The ratios for the Army, Navy, and Air Force all hover at about the one-to-two level-i.e., one full-time civilian employee for every two active-duty personnel.

In late 2001 there were approximately 172,500 Marines on active duty. Of that total, more than 114,000 were in the operating forces and approximately 30,500 of them were forward-deployed, forward-based, forward-stationed, or deployed for training around the world. There also are 39,000 men and women in the Marine Corps Reserve, which makes up the balance of the Corps' Total Force.

The Marine Corps is the most youthful of the armed services, with an average age of 23, seven to nine years younger than the average age of the members of the other services. It also has the highest percentage of enlisted personnel in the grades of E-3 and below-approximately 48 percent, compared to 26 percent for the Army, 25 percent for the Air Force, and 22 percent for the Navy. The Corps' force structure is organized so that at any given time approximately 68 percent of Marines are on their first term of enlistment. To maintain its force structure, the Corps must recruit 39,000 men and women each year.

Today, the Corps is in the process of reducing, or "necking down," the number of different types and models of aircraft that are needed to execute the stillevolving "Operational Maneuver From the Sea" (OMFTS) doctrine developed to complement the post-Cold War Navy/USMC "Forward ... From the Sea" strategy that shifted emphasis from "blue-water" operations to near-shore or littoral missions. Most of the aircraft now in the Marine Corps' active inventory are more than 25 years old.

Although fielding has been delayed approximately two years because of various mishaps and engineering problems, the Marine Corps is proceeding with development of the MV-22B Osprey tiltrotor aircraft, which completed its operational evaluation in July 2000. Limited production is ongoing, and a decision for full-rate production is expected in 2003. The prototype of the Advanced Amphibious Assault Vehicle (AAAV) was delivered in 1999 and three AAAVs are going through developmental testing. When they both reach IOC, the MV-22B and the AAAV will, along with the Navy's LCAC (landing craft, air cushion), form the "mobility triad" that will enable the Corps to implement its future OMFTS warfighting doctrine.