Future Combat System M12xx Missing in US OOB?

[Suhiir]

Originally Posted by Imp

Suhiir I have no military background but as US operates 2 forces always thought USMC role was fast response to any situation hence needs flexibility built in. Not expected to go head to head in a full scale war but more to hold till the big boys can turn up then they fill any holes.
As a civvy the odd specialist force for common problems makes sense but on the whole units should be multirole capable of dealing with any threat in an ideal world. To this end cross training & the building block approach makes perfect sense as you pick a force for the expected threat. Believe this is how the Brits to name but one work & I would think the major thing needed to allow this is good logistics support as a flexible force needs flexible supply.

The USMC has taken it upon itself to become a flexable fast response force.

Between WW I and WW II the USMC needed a "reason" to exist so it developed and refined the amphibious warfare doctrine used during WW II.
For most of the Cold War the USMC was slated for Korea and Norway, places the primarily mechanized US Army was ill-suited to operate in.
Post Cold War they decided "fast response" was their new reason for existing.

True, the USMC doesn't try to claim it's intended to wage long-term ground combat. We never have "claimed" to be able to do so. Because if we did why have us? That's what the US Army is for. Political sleight-o-hand at it best!

I'll be the first to admit the USMC cannot go head-to-head with a US Army Armor/Mech in a mech warfare situation, VS an Air Cav unit in helo ops, VS the Rangers in raid type situations, and I'd never dream of claiming the Green Beenies or SEALS wouldn't eat us for lunch in their specialized roles.

But, while almost every ground combat force in the world claims to be multi-role capable...
They almost invariably they wind up tailored to some specific role except some small "elite" units (US Army Ranger for instance) and don't really "waste" training time and money on real cross training.

The USMC is unique it that it is the only large-scale (i.e. three whole divisions + reserves) force in the world that actively makes it a point to not tailor itself to any one specific role (not entirely true, I'd call us "Heavy" or "Assault" Infantry if pressed).

The USMC doesn't begin to have the long-term logistical capability the US Army has.
However...
The inherent capability of any US Army brigade/division is a matter of days if not hours before it MUST have outside support. In theory the USMC can operate for 90 days with it's inherent logistical capability. Could it really do so? Probably not...but it can certainly do better then a few days.

[EJ]

Suhiir,
It's different to hear a woman who is into war strategy gaming, discussing various military branches and their capabilities. What military branch did you serve? I've served in the US Army and Marines myself. I'm a Desert Storm vet.

[Akmatov]

In theory the USMC can operate for 90 days with it's inherent logistical capability

Building logistic support into the deployment package seems so logical.

Seems to me the Marines operate on a lean, aggressive, flexible mindset combined with being more selective than the Army, which is not as lean and not as flexible. I suspect this predisposes the Marines to be more quickly adaptable to unexpected situations.

[Suhiir]

Originally Posted by Akmatov

Building logistic support into the deployment package seems so logical.

I agree about the logistical support...but I was a jarhead what could I possibly know.

M - Muscles
A - Are
R - Required
I - Intelligence
N - Not
E - Essential

Originally Posted by Akmatov

Seems to me the Marines operate on a lean, aggressive, flexible mindset combined with being more selective than the Army, which is not as lean and not as flexible. I suspect this predisposes the Marines to be more quickly adaptable to unexpected situations.

That and an aggressive improvosational attitude.

Look at it this way.
If your primary mission is beach assault falling back to regroup and try again tomorrow is NOT an option.

[Suhiir]

Originally Posted by EJ

Suhiir,
It's different to hear a woman who is into war strategy gaming, discussing various military branches and their capabilities. What military branch did you serve? I've served in the US Army and Marines myself. I'm a Desert Storm vet.

USMC 1974-1992.
Technically a Nam Vet...I was in before it was over...as a supply clerk.
In the late 70's and early 80's a lot of oppertunities opened up for females and I ended as a Military Police platoon sergeant during Desert Shield/Storm.