Welcome to the Deep Dive. This is the place we
go to get you completely fluent in the history,
the doctrine, and the big strategic shifts that
are shaping our world. And today we're taking
on a really big one. A huge one. Today we're
digging into one of the most storied, self -defining,
and you could argue most adaptable military organizations
on the planet, the United States Marine Corps.
It's a massive topic because fundamentally the
USMC is a study in contradiction. How so? Well,
think about it. They're the smallest of the armed
services under the Department of the Navy, but
they operate as a complete... integrated, combined
arms force all by themselves. Right. They have
their own air force, their own artillery, their
own logistics. It's all designed for a single
purpose. Exactly. Small, focused, and totally
self -sufficient when they deploy. And our source
stack today is incredibly comprehensive. We're
covering the Corps' nearly 250 -year history.
Yep. Plus their unique MBTF structure, the famous
battles that really forged their identity. And
the really dramatic, forward -looking, strategic
shift that's happening right now with Force Design
2030. So our mission today is to give you the
clearest, fastest path to understanding not just
what the Marines do, but more importantly, why
they're structured the way they are. And why
they've had to fight so hard so many times for
their own institutional survival. So to set the
baseline, let's talk about their core duality.
Legally, the USMC is the Maritime Land Force
Service Branch. Meaning they're known specifically
for expeditionary operations, projecting power
from the sea onto the shore. But here's the kicker.
And this is what really creates their identity.
Unlike, say... The Army, which relies on the
Air Force for strategic airlift and air support.
Or the Navy, which needs the Army for any kind
of sustained land combat. Right. The Marines
possess their own organic combined arms capabilities.
The infantry, the artillery, the air support,
both fixed wing and helicopters, and even their
own special operations forces are all integrated
from the ground up. They bring the whole package.
The whole package, ready to go. And their mission,
this is important, is congressionally mandated.
It's under Title 10 of the U .S. Code, Section
5063, and it lays out three primary areas of
responsibility. The first one is highly specific.
It's the seizure or defense of advanced naval
bases and conducting any land operations that
are, you know, essential to supporting a naval
campaign. Everything ties back to the Navy. Always.
The second is more institutional. They have the
statutory job of developing the tactics, the
techniques, and the equipment for amphibious
landing forces. And they do that in coordination
with the Army and the Air Force, right? Yes.
It ensures that if a massive joint landing is
ever needed, the Marines are still the undisputed
experts in how to do it. And then there's the
third clause. This is, I think, arguably the
most famous and strategically flexible mandate
in the entire American armed services. It's the
key to everything. It's simply, such other duties
as the president or Department of Defense may
direct. We should just call it the flexibility
clause. That flexibility clause is absolutely
crucial. It has defined nearly every major operation
the Marines have conducted outside of traditional
naval support. From the very beginning on the
Barbary Coast. To their involvement in the Banana
Wars, right up to very recent, very high profile
domestic deployments. It ensures their operational
flexibility is perpetually guaranteed. Which,
as we'll see, has often been to the institutional
chagrin of the other services. Oh, absolutely.
So before we jump into that history, let's get
a quick organizational snapshot. The Marines
trace their roots back to the Continental Marines.
Founded on November 10th, 1775. And that date
is their official birthday, a tradition celebrated
all over the world. They were later reestablished
in their current form on July 11th, 1798. And
remember that institutional tie. They are absolutely
inseparable from the Department of the Navy.
That relationship has been legally cemented since
1834. And in terms of size, they're a focused
mid -sized force. As of late 2024, they're operating
with approximately 168 ,527 active personnel.
And about 33 ,000 in reserve. Small enough to
be agile. but large enough to make a very big
difference. Okay, let's unpack this evolution.
Because when the Continental Marines were formed
in 1775, they were not thinking about taking
on the Japanese Empire on Pacific Islands. No,
not at all. Their original mission was very specific
and very maritime. They were founded primarily
to serve as infantry units aboard naval vessels.
Right. Their responsibilities were things like
ship security, which sounds simple, but you have
to think about the context. They conducted offensive
and defensive combat. during boarding actions,
fighting off privateers or enemy frigates. But
the truly fascinating part is their role in maintaining
order on the ship. Yes. They were positioned
strategically to defend the ship's officers against
a potential mutiny from the general crew. I read
that their quarters were often intentionally
situated between the officer's space and the
rest of the vessel. Exactly. To serve as a physical
barrier and a rapid reaction force if things
went sideways at sea, they were... Quite literally,
the onboard police force. And that foundational
role expanded ashore almost immediately. We see
that expeditionary capability in their very first
action, which was a true amphibious assault.
The raid on Nassau in the Bahamas, March 3, 1776.
And it worked. They landed and successfully secured
Fort Montague and Fort Nassau. Which was a critical
British ammunition depot and naval port. So this
wasn't a naval battle. This was a landing force
seizing critical assets on shore. That set the
expeditionary tone right away, didn't it? They
were a naval asset that fought on land. And that
mission has only expanded, thanks in large part
to that third statutory point we mentioned. The
other duties clause. The enduring other duties
clause. The earliest examples of this expeditionary
nature are found right in the Revolutionary War,
far from any ship. For instance, their first
land combat engagement wasn't near a port at
all. It was attached to the Continental Army
at the Battle of Princeton in January 1777. That's
right. George Washington, who was in retreat
after crossing the Delaware, needed disciplined
veteran soldiers for a flanking attack. So he
ordered Major Samuel Nicholas and the available
Marines to attach themselves to General Cadwallader's
brigade. An estimated 130 Marines were there.
It was a small number, but their inclusion showed
that Congress and Washington viewed them as highly
reliable infantry. A flexible force that could
be deployed wherever needed, even supporting
the main army formations way inland. But the
first major action that truly immortalized the
Corps. the one that gave them a permanent place
in the national consciousness, was the First
Barbary War. Between 1801 and 1805, we are, of
course, talking about the shores of Tripoli.
The sources detail this incredible expedition
led by First Lieutenant Presley O 'Bannon. He
marched a mixed force of Marines, Greek mercenaries,
and local allies. Over 500 miles across the desert
from Egypt to the city of Derna. Right. And though
the Navy provided support from the sea, the ultimate
success in taking Jirna was instrumental in ending
the war and securing the release of American
prisoners held by the Pasha of Tripoli. The cultural
impact of that march is just impossible to overstate.
It's why the Marines hymn begins with, From the
halls of Montezuma to the shores of Tripoli.
And it's why Marine officers today carry the
Mamluk sword. It was presented to Lieutenant
O 'Bannon by the Ottoman Empire's prince, Hammett
Karamanli, as a sign of respect for his bravery.
And that sword is the single oldest continuously
carried military award in the United States.
Amazing. Later, during the War of 1812, their
reputation grew not just for fighting ashore,
but as expert marksmen aboard ships. They played
a decisive role, for example, holding the center
of General Andrew Jackson's defensive line at
the Battle of New Orleans in 1815. By then, they
had gained a reputation for skill in both defensive
and ship -to -ship actions during the many frigate
duels of that war. So this brings us to the 20th
century and the codification of their role. As
naval warfare changed, the need for small detachments
on ships declined. So the Corps adapted by focusing
entirely on the secondary missions ashore. They
transitioned from being security guards on the
ship to an offensive force launched from the
ship. And this is where that shift really crystallized
in the development of the advanced base doctrine
in the early 20th century. This doctrine outlined
the systematic use of Marines for seizing forward
bases, coaling stations, supply depots, harbors
to support the Navy's fleet operations around
the globe. And that concept became absolutely
central to the entire island hopping strategy
of World War II. It defined their purpose for
decades. But this is where the institutional
tension really bubbles up. The sources remind
us of the friction surrounding the Corps' political
existence. After WWII, President Harry Truman
famously or infamously dismissed them. The 1950
letter, he called the Marine Corps the Navy's
police force and said their propaganda machine
was almost equal to Stalin's. A phenomenal political
blunder, regardless of his policy views. The
backlash was explosive. Congressmen, veterans
organizations, they all demanded an apology.
Truman did apologize, but only for his harsh
language, right? Exactly. He apologized for mentioning
Stalin, but he pointedly did not change his official
position that the Corps was an unnecessary duplication
of land power and should report strictly to the
Navy Secretary. So that friction over their mission
scope, are they a specialized naval extension
or just a second army? It's a constant theme
in their history. And that institutional threat
forces the Corps to continually double down on
what makes them essential, which is their unique
organizational blueprint. Which brings us to
the concept of rapid deployment and combined
arms. Precisely. They may not have any capabilities
that are totally unique to them. The Army has
infantry. The Navy has planes. But their strength
lies in integrating all those elements and deploying
them incredibly fast. We're talking about the
Marine Air Ground Task Force, or MGTF. The MGTF.
It's the basic, flexible structure for all deployed
Marine units. And it ensures the permanent integration
of ground, air, and logistics under a single
command. This self -sufficiency is absolutely
critical for an expeditionary force that can't
just wait around for other services to assemble
all the different pieces. And this whole organizational
culture centers entirely on the infantry mission.
Every other capability the Marines have exists
solely to support the ground forces. And that's
the origin of that defining concept. Every Marine
a rifleman. It's a cultural statement championed
by Commandant Alfred M. Gray Jr. It means that
all Marines, whether they're pilots or finance
officers or logistics specialists, receive rigorous
infantry training. And all officers, no matter
what their final job is, get additional training
as infantry platoon commanders. The goal isn't
just cross -training. It's cultural cohesion.
It ensures the entire organization stays focused
on the combat mission and that non -combat specialists
understand the needs and the doctrine of the
Marines fighting on the ground. Our sources have
a perfect anecdote for this from the Battle of
Wake Island during WWRR. Right. When Japanese
airstrikes destroyed all the Marine aircraft
on the island, the pilots didn't just sit out
the fight. They immediately reported to the ground
commander and continued the defense as infantry
officers. They were leading formations made up
of cooks and supply clerks in the final defensive
efforts. That embodies every Marine a rifleman.
Their doctrine is built on speed and flexibility.
They were one of the earliest branches to widely
adopt maneuver warfare principles. Which shifts
the focus from just massing power to actually
outmaneuvering the enemy. It emphasizes low -level
initiative, speed, and what's called the commander's
intent. Meaning you define the end goal, but
you leave the how open to the units on the ground
to figure out. Exactly. And this evolved from
the amphibious assault techniques of WWII into
their current primary doctrine. Operational Maneuver
from the Sea, or OMFTS. This is a crucial concept.
Traditional amphibious landings, like Iwo Jima,
were characterized by this massive buildup of
forces right off the shore. Which often resulted
in horrific casualties as troops crossed the
beach under fire. OMFTS is radically different.
It emphasizes landing forces from way beyond
the visible horizon, making that traditional
beachhead phase less dangerous. It relies heavily
on high -speed connectors, like the Elsale Air
Cushion Landing Craft and Organ... aviation like
the mv -22 osprey so they can rapidly bypass
enemy defenses and put forces directly onto key
objectives deep inland essentially turning the
sea into a maneuver space not just a staging
area and that whole concept relies absolutely
on the navy the marine corps depends entirely
on the navy for sea lift they don't own any of
those big transport ships to ensure they can
deploy rapidly Marine Expeditionary Units, or
MEUs, are typically stationed at sea aboard amphibious
assault ships, ready to be the nation's first
responders. And they also use the Maritime Prepositioning
System. Which involves fleets of container ships
prepositioned all over the globe. These ships
have enough equipment, water, fuel, and supplies
to support an entire Marine Expeditionary Force
for 30 days without any resupply. They truly
are two integrated parts of one naval service.
Absolutely. Okay, moving into the historical
timeline, the Corps faced an existential threat
surprisingly early on, right after the War of
1812. And it wasn't just Truman who wanted them
gone. That's right. President Andrew Jackson
tried to combine and integrate the Corps directly
into the Army. He just saw them as redundant.
So who saved them? It was Commandant Archibald
Henderson, who served from 1820 to 1859. I mean,
a truly monumental tenure. He's credited with
thwarting Jackson's effort. How did he pull it
off? Henderson was a shrewd politician. He mobilized
public opinion and, more importantly, congressional
support. His efforts secured the Corps' continued
existence. And that resulted in Congress passing
the Act for the Better Organization of the Marine
Corps in 1834. A landmark act, it legally stipulated
the Corps as a distinct, separate service under
the Department of the Navy, explicitly preserving
their identity and mission for the Army's control.
Just over a decade later, we get the action that
anchors the second half of the Marines' hymn,
the Mexican -American War and the famed assault
on Chapultepec Palace. The Halls of Montezuma.
Exactly. This was a decisive action during the
Battle of Mexico City in 1847. The palace was
a military academy on top of a highly fortified
hill. The assault was fierce, and Marine participation
led by Major Levi Twiggs was instrumental in
capturing the objective. The flag raising there
became a major political and propaganda victory
for the United States. Although we do have to
pause for a moment on the historical detail our
sources provide. While the Marines participated
bravely, most of the troops making that final
assault were actually Army soldiers. Right, from
the 9th and 11th Infantry. The entire American
force organized two storming parties of about
250 men each, and only about 40 of those were
Marines. So the enduring legend is maybe more
significant than the specific troop count. That's
a powerful point. It's a great example of how
the Marine identity, that image of the hard fighting
first to the fight force, sometimes supersedes
the granular historical reality, which then reinforces
their culture. Shifting to the late 19th and
early 20th centuries, the Corps really embraced
its expeditionary nature between the major conflicts.
They became the go -to force for foreign interventions.
Between 1899 and 1916, they were involved in
over 28 separate interventions in 30 years, constantly
stepping in to protect American interests overseas.
These actions in China for the Boxer Rebellion,
in Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, the so -called Banana
Wars, were crucial for developing their doctrine.
Absolutely. The experience they gained in these
protracted counterinsurgency and guerrilla operations
was later consolidated into the famous Small
Wars Manual. Which wasn't just a historical document,
it became the framework for marine counterinsurgency
for decades. Elements were used in Vietnam, and
surprisingly, it was still being referenced during
the campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan. World
War I brought a massive change in scale and validation
for the Corps. When America entered in 1917,
the Corps expanded dramatically. From about 13
,000 personnel to 70 ,000 enlisted and 2 ,400
officers by the end of the war. They served with
distinction as part of the American Expeditionary
Force under General Pershing. And this is where
the enduring nickname Devil Dogs or Toyful Hunting
comes from. The legend holds that German soldiers
nicknamed them this. literally devil dogs, for
their ferocious reputation as shock troops and
marksmen during the intense fighting at the Battle
of Belleau Wood in 1918. But here's a fascinating
counterfact from our sources. The USMC History
Division suggests the term Teufelhunden was likely
an invention of an American war correspondent.
And it may have appeared in print six weeks before
the fighting at Belleau Wood had even concluded.
So if the historical origin is debatable, why
does that specific legend persist so powerfully?
in Marine culture. I think it's because it perfectly
encapsulates the image they want to project.
An enemy bestowed title of fear and respect.
Regardless of the exact origin, the nickname
stuck and became an integral part of their cultural
DNA. And on a related note, WWI also marked another
big institutional moment. Ulfa Mae Johnson. She
enlisted in 1918, becoming the first woman Marine.
She served in a clerical role, right, to free
up a male Marine for service overseas. That's
right. Fast forward to World War II. This is
where the Corps' newly developed amphibious doctrine
defined the entire Pacific campaign. The sheer
scope of their involvement in island -hopping
Guadalcanal, Tarawa, Saipan, Iwo Jima, Okinawa,
it made them indispensable. The cost was staggering.
WWII was the Corps' defining moment. It resulted
in nearly 87 ,000 casualties, and Marines earned
82 Medals of Honor. And the image of the flag
raising at Iwo Jima became the lasting symbol
of American resolve and Marine sacrifice. And
yet, after this incredible high point, the Corps
immediately faced another institutional crisis.
The military budget shrank dramatically. And
the newly established Department of Defense,
led by influential Army officers like Eisenhower
and Marshall, tried once again to dismantle the
Corps entirely. They saw its mission as redundant
or just too expensive. It was Secretary of the
Navy James Forrestal who predicted, upon seeing
the Iwo Jima photo, that the raising of that
flag on Suribachi means a Marine Corps for the
next 500 years. That quote, combined with intense
lobbying by veterans groups and a hastily assembled
congressional support, a movement often called
the Revolt of the Admirals, led directly to the
statutory protection of the Marine Corps. This
was cemented in the National Security Act of
1947, which defined their specific mission. And
then, even more critically, the Douglas Mansfield
Act of 1952. That act gave the Commandant and
the Marine Corps an equal voice with the Joint
Chiefs of Staff on matters relating to the Marines.
It ensured their institutional existence was
legally ironclad and that they could advocate
for themselves at the highest strategic level.
And that political victory was tested almost
immediately with the Korean War, starting in
1950. Our sources highlight the hasty formation
of the Provisional Marine Brigade, which held
the defensive line at the Pusan perimeter when
U .S. forces were on the brink of collapse. But
the critical moment was the amphibious landing
at Incheon. General MacArthur's plan was audacious.
It was risky. A surprise landing deep behind
enemy lines in a harbor known for extreme tides.
And the Marines spearheaded that landing using
their WWII -honed expertise. It led to the collapse
of the North Korean lines and the recapture of
Seoul. That operational success, however, was
immediately followed by one of the Corps' most
iconic seats of resilience. the fighting withdrawal
of the 1st Marine Division at the Battle of Chosin
Reservoir. An epic test of will. The Marines,
under Major General Oliver P. Smith, found themselves
deep in North Korea, suddenly surrounded and
outnumbered by a surprise entrance of vast numbers
of Chinese forces. November 1950, and they were
facing temperatures plunging to 20 degrees below
zero. They had to fight their way 78 miles to
the coast. Smith's famous quote really encapsulates
their spirit when retreat was ordered. He said,
we are not retreating. We are advancing in another
direction. And the 1st Marine Division successfully
broke out, bringing their equipment, most of
their wounded, and even their dead with them
to the port of Hungnam for evacuation. It's a
testament to that cultural emphasis on never
leaving a man behind. The Corps expanded to 261
,000 Marines during the war, mostly reservists,
and suffered over 30 ,000 casualties. It really
cemented their image as a force that could endure
and fight even when strategically encircled.
Then the Vietnam era. This represented the longest
conflict for the Marines up to that time. They
operated primarily in the Northern I Corps regions
of South Vietnam. constantly fighting a complex,
dual -war conventional battles against the North
Vietnamese Army and a persistent guerrilla war
against the Viet Cong. Their unique approach
included the less -known Combined Action Program,
or a CAP, and it proved to be one of the more
successful models of counterinsurgency used during
the war. CAP integrated small units of Marines
with local South Vietnamese militias. They lived
and fought among the local population to provide
security and win hearts and minds at the village
level. But this long, grinding war in a complex
political landscape resulted in massive casualties.
Over 13 ,000 Marines killed in action. Moving
into the interim years before the global war
on terrorism, we see the high -profile and tragic
Beirut Barracks bombing in 1983. A suicide bomber
drove a truck laden with explosives into the
headquarters of the 1st Battalion. Eighth Marines.
This resulted in the highest peacetime loss in
Corps history. 220 Marines and 21 other service
members killed. After Beirut, they resumed their
expeditionary roles, notably in Operation Desert
Storm in 1990 and 91. The I -Marine Expeditionary
Force successfully executed the largest and fastest
amphibious landing feint in history. They convinced
the Iraqis they would land from the sea. Well,
instead, Marine task forces liberated Kuwait
from the ground alongside coalition forces. They
also conducted combat operations during the Somali
civil war intervention in the mid -90s. Then
came the global war on terrorism. Marines were
among the very first conventional forces deployed
to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring
Freedom. November 2001. Specifically, elements
of the 15th and 26th MEUs. Their commitment intensified,
particularly in the notoriously violent Helmand
province. Large -scale operations included the
Battle of Marja in 2010. Which at the time was
the largest offensive of the Afghan campaign
since 2001, focused on clearing a key Taliban
stronghold. Marines remained in Helmand until
large -scale combat operations ended in 2014.
And in Iraq, the I -Marine Expeditionary Force
spearheaded the 2003 invasion alongside the army.
They were later responsible for the intense fighting
in Al -Anbar province, which included the two
brutal battles of Fallujah in 2004. The first
battle of Fallujah, Operation Vigilant Resolve,
was partially aborted due to political concerns.
The second battle, Operation Phantom Fury, was
one of the bloodiest urban combat operations
the U .S. military had faced since Hue in Vietnam.
It really showed the core adaptation to sustained,
company -level urban warfare. a far cry from
their original expeditionary landing mission.
But their time in El Anbar was fraught with moral
and institutional challenges. This included high
-profile, devastating incidents like the Haditha
killings and the Hamdania incident, which our
sources note courted significant criticism and
resulted in courts -martial. Those incidents
created a lot of institutional soul searching,
didn't they? They did. They forced the Corps
to grapple with the ethical and operational strains
placed on forces maintaining long deployments
in such a volatile environment. The Marines officially
ended their primary role in Iraq in 2010. And
this is where we hit the most crucial modern
shift, the pivot to the China threat. the Indo
-Pacific. By the 2020s, as U .S. national strategy
shifted away from ground -centric counterinsurgency,
the Marine Corps realized it needed to abandon
its previous heavyweight configuration. That
second army concern that Secretary Robert Gates
worried about years earlier. Right. And this
is a monumental strategic overhaul called Force
Design 2030. The Corps is now strengthening its
configuration specifically for sea control and
sea denial in the Indo -Pacific. Preparing for
possible island operations against a technologically
advanced foe like the Chinese People's Liberation
Army. And this pivot involves fundamental changes.
The total divestment of heavy equipment, which
we'll get into, and the adoption of new concepts
like expeditionary advanced base operations or...
EABO. EABO. The strategy envisions small, highly
mobile, and lethal marine units rapidly seizing
and fortifying remote islands. Within the enemy's
anti -accessoria denial bubble. Essentially turning
small islands into forward missile batteries
to disrupt enemy naval movements. This strategic
shift has also solidified joint deployment efforts,
notably with Australia. They established a joint
deployment in Darwin with a rotational presence
of Marines that began back in 2011. And that
positioning is critical for maintaining presence
and readiness in the Southern Pacific theater.
Okay, moving now to organization. Let's nail
down where the Corps sits institutionally, starting
at the top. As we established, they're under
the Department of the Navy. Led by the Secretary
of the Navy, who reports up to the Secretary
of Defense. The Corps' internal leadership is
defined by the Commandant, who holds the rank
of a four -star general. He's the highest -ranking
officer, unless a Marine happens to be serving
as the chairman or vice chairman of the Joint
Chiefs of Staff. And critically, the Commandant
holds the Title X responsibility to staff, train,
and equip the Corps. And he's a full member of
the Joint Chiefs of Staff, reporting directly
to the Secretary of the Navy. Exactly. Supporting
him is the Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps,
the senior enlisted Marine, who acts as the primary
advisor to the Commandant on all matters of morale
and welfare for the enlisted force. Headquarters
Marine Corps, or HQMC, also oversees Marine Corps
aviation and Marine Corps intelligence. The operating
forces are the deployed personnel. These are
divided into Marine Corps Forces, or Morph Wars,
which are assigned to regional combatant commands
like C &TCOM or PACOM. You also have security
forces guarding high -risk naval installations
and Marine Security Guard detachments at American
embassies worldwide. That's a high -profile mission
they've held since 1947. The MARF4s are split
geographically into Forces Command, or MARF4COM,
which oversees two TBF on the East Coast. And
Pacific Command, MARF4PAC, which oversees IPF
on the West Coast, and 3rd APLF in Japan and
Hawaii. And reflecting the modern global mission,
there are additional component commands tailored
for specific domains. MARF4CENT for the Middle
East, MARF4URAF for Europe and Africa. And even
specialized commands like MARF for cyber and
MARF for space, integrating Marines into the
cyber and orbital domains. And all of these forces
hinge on that foundational concept of the MAGTF,
the Marine Air Ground Task Force. This is the
fundamental, flexible, and deployable unit for
the Corps, embodying their preference for self
-sufficiency and combined arms. Every deployed
Marine unit, no matter the size, is constructed
using four permanently integrated elements. This
ensures the force is never deployed without all
its necessary components. First, you have the
command element, the CE, the headquarters unit,
providing command, control, intelligence, communications.
Second is the ground combat element, or GCE.
This is the infantry, artillery, engineers, and
until recently... armor, the main fighting body.
Third is the aviation combat element, the ACE,
which provides organic fixed wing and rotary
wing support, close air support, air defense,
air transport. The ACE is what allows the Corps
to operate independently of the Air Force. And
finally, the logistics combat element, LCE, providing
immediate combat service support, resupply, maintenance,
engineering, medical aid. And the beauty of the
NGTF is its scalability. It comes in four standardized
sizes. The smallest is the MEU, the Marine Expeditionary
Unit. About 2 ,200 Marines capable of 15 days
of sustained operations, often deployed at sea.
Then you have the MEB, the Marine Expeditionary
Brigade, about 14 ,500 Marines capable of 30
days. And the largest is the MEF, the Marine
Expeditionary Force. Over 40 ,000 Marines capable
of 60 days of operations. That's what spearheaded
the 2003 invasion of Iraq. And finally, the SPMAGTF,
or Special Purpose AMGTF. It's tailored for specific
missions, like crisis response or embassy security,
using only the necessary elements. This structured,
predictable scalability allows planners to deploy
the exact right size of force immediately. Now,
let's address special operations. The Marines
have a very unique and relatively new relationship
with U .S. Special Operations Command, or USSOCOM.
The establishment of Marine Forces Special Operations
Command, MARSOC, faced substantial historical
resistance. Back when USOCOM was founded in the
80s, the commandant at the time, General Paul
Kelly, firmly believed the Corps shouldn't fund
a special ops capability that wouldn't directly
support Marine -only operations. His argument
was doctrinal. Marines should only support Marines
and the entire Corps should already be expeditionary
and highly capable. That's fascinating. So for
almost two decades, the Marines were the only
branch not fully integrated into USOCOM. What
was the catalyst that changed this entrenched
belief? The sources indicate the tipping point
came during the very early stages of Operation
Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. Marine leaders
watched the Corps' existing Special Operations
Capable Units, the 15th and 26th MU SOCs, find
themselves sitting on the sidelines. Because
US SOCOM, which controlled the highest priority
missions, preferred to use its dedicated components,
Delta Force, SEALs, Army Special Forces. Components
that were immediately deployable under SOCOM's
specific command structure. The MEU SOCs, while
capable, were bound by conventional Navy -Marine
command structures, meaning they couldn't be
easily tasked for those high -value missions.
So seeing those high -level assets unused while
the war was active spurred the change. Precisely.
After three years of intense policy debate, the
Corps agreed in 2006 to supply a 2 ,500 -strong
component directly to USOCOM, which became MARSOC.
And this unit was later named the Marine Raiders,
honoring the WWII Marine Raider Battalions. MARSOC
is organized around the Marine Raider Regiment,
which executes direct action of special reconnaissance,
the Marine Raider Support Group for logistics
and intel, and the Marine Raider Training Center,
which runs the intensive selection program. It
is important to note the distinction here, though.
MARSOC Raiders are the dedicated special operations
component. But the conventional reconnaissance
units Force reconnaissance companies and reconnaissance
battalions share many tactics and equipment,
but they remain conventional forces. Force recon
reports to the conventional MEF or division commander
to support the MEG -ETF, not necessarily USOTOMCOM.
Got it. OK. Culture is what truly sets the Marine
Corps apart. It reinforces camaraderie and a
deep esprit de corps. Their identity is arguably
the strongest among the U .S. services, rooted
deeply in history. That identity is instantly
recognizable in their emblems. The eagle, globe,
and anchor, or EGA, was adopted in 1868. And
each piece symbolizes their heritage, right?
The eagle represents the nation. The globe represents
their worldwide service and expeditionary reach.
And the anchor connects them directly to their
naval origins. Their colors are scarlet and gold,
and their motto is the Latin Semper Fidelis.
Always faithful, often shortened, of course,
to Semper Fi. The Corps also has deep musical
traditions. The Marines hymn is officially the
oldest official song in the U .S. Armed Forces
from the mid -19th century. And the official
march of the Corps, Semper Fi, was composed by
none other than John Philip Sousa, who served
as a Marine apprentice and later led the prestigious
United States Marine Band. Their ceremonial practices
reinforce that distinct history and commitment
to discipline. Close order drill is heavily emphasized
in initial training, not just for parades, but
specifically to instill instantaneous discipline,
unit cohesion, and precision under stress. And
of course, the Marine Corps birthday celebration
on November 10th is a global tradition. It features
a formal ball, a reading of the commandant's
birthday message, and the symbolic cake cutting
ceremony. The first slice goes to the oldest
Marine present, symbolizing the transfer of wisdom,
who then passes it to the youngest Marine present,
symbolizing the future of the Corps. Now for
the unofficial traditions we already hit on devil
dogs, then you have Leatherneck, which references
the high, stiff leather collar that was part
of the uniform during the Revolutionary War period.
It was originally designed to protect the neck
from saber cuts. Jarhead is also common, though
the sources note it has a few disputed explanations.
It might reference the old utility cap and high
stiff collar, which made a Marine's head look
like a mason jar lid. Whatever the origin, it's
an embraced self -deprecating term. The common
Marine rallying cry is, A high -energy vocalization
used to express enthusiasm, agreement, or aggression.
And the unofficial mantra, which perfectly captures
the expeditionary mindset, is improvise, adapt,
and overcome. The sources describe this as reflecting
the Corps' preference for being a fluid, loosely
reined force that can spontaneously react to
rapidly changing, ambiguous situations. Which
happens constantly when you are the first force
on the ground in a crisis. Exactly. Shifting
to training, which is foundational to this culture,
Marine Recruit Training, or boot camp, is 13
weeks long, the longest among the American military
services. It's designed to strip away civilian
tendencies and instill that Corps identity very
quickly. What's unique about officer accession
is the institutional commitment to the rifleman
concept. Regardless of where an officer comes
from, the Naval Academy, NROTC, or officer candidate
school, all new commissioned officers must attend
the basic school, or TBS, at Quantico. And this
is a critical five to six month course. It's
where every Marine A rifleman gets reinforced.
At TBS, every commissioned officer, even those
slated for careers in aviation or logistics,
learns the art and science of infantry tactics
and combined arms warfare. They must first be
capable ground commanders. It ensures that competence
and combat leadership is absolutely central to
their professional identity. Let's briefly touch
on the rank structure. It follows the three categories,
commissioned, warrant, and enlisted. Within the
enlisted ranks, there's a clear hierarchy defined
by responsibility. E1 through E3 are the entry
ranks. The non -commissioned officers, or NCOs,
are E4 corporals and E5 sergeants. They're the
direct supervisors of junior Marines, the vital
link between the rank and file and the officers,
the backbone of discipline. Then you have the
E6 and higher, the staff non -commissioned officers,
or SNCOs. Staff sergeants, gunnery sergeants,
and so on. They supervise the NCOs and act as
crucial enlisted advisors to the command staff.
The E -8 and E -9 pay grades introduce a specialized
two -track billet system, which is distinctive.
The first sergeant and sergeant major ranks are
command -oriented, focusing on discipline, administration,
In contrast, Master Sergeants and Master Gunnery
Sergeants provide technical leadership as occupational
specialists. So this two -track system ensures
commands have both deep institutional and technical
knowledge at the senior enlisted level. Another
defining aspect of Marine training is the Marine
Corps Martial Arts Program, or MCME, which was
initiated in 2001. And this wasn't just about
fighting. It was a doctrinal response to new
operational realities emerging from peacekeeping
missions. Exactly. With the expectation that
urban and police -type peacekeeping missions
would become more common, placing Marines in
close proximity to unarmed, potentially hostile
civilians, the Corps needed a solution. MCMA
was implemented to give Marines a more versatile
set of less -than -lethal options for controlling
hostile individuals in those scenarios. It's
designed to instill the warrior ethos, but with
ethical scaling of force. It's an eclectic mix
of global styles. It incorporates grappling from
jiu -jitsu, ground fighting from Brazilian jiu
-jitsu, striking from Muay Thai, plus knife and
stick fighting from Eskrima. Marines earn belts
from tan up to black. which they wear with their
utility uniforms, signifying their proficiency
level and moral discipline. Finally, we have
to discuss the Corps' challenging integration
history. The Marine Corps was actually the last
U .S. service to begin recruiting African -Americans.
This only began in 1942 due to an executive order
from President Franklin D. Roosevelt that forced
the Corps, despite objections from its institutional
leadership, to comply. And they accepted African
-Americans into segregated all -black units.
This training took place at Montford Point in
North Carolina from 1942 to 1949. 20 ,000 African
-Americans were trained there during that period.
It was a separate, unequal process that reflected
the prejudices of the time. Montford Point was
later renamed Camp Gilbert H. Johnson, honoring
one of the first Black Marines. But full racial
integration across the service wasn't achieved
until 1960. The history of the Montford Point
Marines is a painful but important reminder of
the fight for equal service opportunity. For
women in the Corps, as we noted, Ofa Mae Johnson
was the first in 1918. After decades in non -combat
support roles, a major milestone occurred in
January 2017. Following a DOD mandate opening
all combat roles, three women successfully joined
an infantry battalion at Camp Lejeune, the first
time women had served as infantry Marines. And
the Corps also began a trial program in December
2020 to integrate females into the training companies
at the previously all -male San Diego Recruit
Depot. OK, let's talk about the relationship
between the Marine Corps and the Navy. It's often
referred to simply as the naval service. And
it's characterized by a deep, symbiotic and utterly
necessary interdependence. It is absolute. The
Navy is the force multiplier for the Marines.
They provide the transportation, the logistical
support and combat support like carrier based
air cover and naval gunfire. And most marine
aviation assets, including the F -35B, ultimately
derived from the Navy in terms of acquisition.
funding, and testing. What's fascinating is how
Navy personnel fill critical roles that the Marines
do not recruit for themselves. The Corps doesn't
recruit chaplains or medical and dental personnel.
That's right. Naval personal hospital corpsmen,
religious program specialists, dental officers
fill these roles. They serve as embedded members
of Marine units. You'll often see a Navy corpsman
wearing a Marine uniform but with Navy insignia
fighting right alongside Marines. This reliance
reinforces the team concept and allows the Marines
to maintain their focus as a pure combat arms
organization, relying on the Navy's infrastructure
for support services. And they share extensive
joint training, too. Marine aviators are designated
as naval aviators, and the Corps gets a significant
portion of its officers from the Naval Academy
and NROTC. This close relationship is codified
in the 2007 Tri -Service Strategy with the Navy
and Coast Guard, a cooperative strategy for 21st
century sea power. It focuses equally on preventing
war through forward presence and conducting war
when necessary. Now let's move to the Army. This
is where the historical friction and competition
remain most acute. As we discussed, the competition
dates back to George Washington's refusal to
allow the initial Continental Marines battalions
to be drawn from his army. And that friction
culminated in the post -WWII attempts by Army
leadership to dissolve the Corps entirely, while
the Goldwater -Nichols Act of 1986 enforced greater
joint decision -making. The mission overlap remains
a source of institutional tension. DOD Directive
5100 .01 tasks both the Army and the Marine Corps
with expeditionary and amphibious operations.
But the key difference lies in force design and
focus. The Army is massive and diverse, from
very light infantry brigade combat teams to heavy
armored BCTs. The Marine Corps, by contrast,
operates in the middle. They focus on integrated,
self -sufficient, and smaller mid -range forces,
perfect for rapid deployment and initial entry.
So the Arnie is built for strategic depth and
sustained campaigns. The Marines are built for
speed and forcing entry. And the strategic implications
of this difference came to a head in 2020 with
a highly significant equipment shift. This is
the central evidence of that force design 2030
pivot. The Marine Corps made the decision to
retire all of its M1A1 Abrams tanks and eliminate
all of its dedicated tank units. That is a massive
divestment of conventional heavy capability.
Why get rid of a proven platform like the Abrams?
Commandant David Berger described the Abrams
as operationally unsuitable for our high... priority
challenges, meaning the new focus on littoral
operations against China, not land -centric counterinsurgency.
The math simply didn't work for the Pacific theater.
The problem was logistical and geographical.
The M1A1 is extremely heavy, limiting which amphibious
ships could transport it. And it requires specialized
large -scale connectors like heavy lift L6 that
are slow and vulnerable in a high -intensity
conflict zone. Furthermore, the tank's operational
range and weight made it unsuitable for EABO.
The new strategy requires small, light, mobile
forces that can hide and shoot. So the divestment
was part of a tradeoff. By shedding the Abrams
and much of its traditional towed artillery,
the Corps is investing heavily in long -range
precision fires and unmanned systems. Which leaves
the Army as the sole American operator of tanks
and underscores the Marines' return to their
naval roots. Turning to current equipment, this
modern shift is visible everywhere. In individual
weaponry, the M27 IAR is the new standard service
rifle for infantry. It's essentially a heavy
barrel, highly accurate rifle designed for automatic
and semi -automatic use. And in 2021, the Corps
committed to fielding suppressors to all its
infantry units. Making them the first U .S. branch
to adopt them widely. This reflects lessons learned
about noise discipline, communication clarity,
and reducing detection on the modern battlefield.
For amphibious vehicles, they're currently transitioning
from the older tracked AAV 7A1, which was notoriously
thin -skinned and dated to the new amphibious
combat. vehicle, or ACV. The ACV is an 8x8 wheeled
vehicle that features superior armor protection
against blasts and mines, and much greater speed
and mobility once it hits the shore. Aviation,
of course, remains organic and essential. Key
air power includes the MB -22 Osprey tiltrotor,
which provides medium lift and is vital for operational
maneuver from the sea because of its speed and
vertical lift capability. But the centerpiece
of their aviation is the F -35B Lightning II.
This is the short takeoff vertical landing version.
The STOVL. And it is absolutely crucial for the
Marines because it allows them to operate advanced
fifth generation fighter attack aircraft from
amphibious assault ships. Ships that lack the
traditional catapults and arresting gear of a
massive aircraft carrier. This SOVL capability
is a game changer in a contested environment
like the Pacific. It allows the Marines to project
high -end air superiority without needing large
fixed land bases that would be vulnerable to
Chinese missile strikes. They also maintain their
own organic aerial refueling and tactical airlift
with the KC -130 Hercules, which can refuel the
F -35Bs in midair, extending their reach. Though
for strategic airlift moving massive amounts
of gear across oceans, they do still rely on
the Air Force's Air Mobility Command. Finally,
let's circle back to that flexibility clause.
Such other duties as the president or Department
of Defense may direct and look at domestic operations.
The Corps has historically been used in civil
disorder situations, reinforcing that idea of
them as a highly disciplined federal police force
when needed. We see this with the 1992 Los Angeles
riots. President George H .W. Bush invoked the
Insurrection Act and deployed 1 ,500 Marines
from the 3rd Battalion, 1st Marine Division.
They served alongside Army forces, integrating
them into the response to the violence and civil
disorder. And more recently, the sources cite
the 2025 deployment of 700 Marines to Los Angeles,
specifically the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines.
They were deployed under the direction of the
administration to integrate with Title X forces,
meaning forces under presidential authority,
tasked with protecting federal personnel. like
immigration's customs enforcement personnel and
federal property during civil disorder. Civil
disorder associated with protests against IC
raids. That is a fascinating way that the 18th
century flexibility clause is still being applied
in the 21st century. Absolutely. So what does
this all mean? Our deep dive into the USMC reveals
a force defined by a relentless need for adaptability.
a total commitment to combined arms integration
via the MAJ -ETF, and a deep cultural resilience,
demonstrated by their survival of repeated political
attempts to dissolve them after every major war.
And the modern trajectory is clear and decisive,
a strategic pivot toward the sea. The total divestment
of main battle tanks, the heavy investment in
the F -35B, the ACV, new missile technologies.
It all shows a movement away from being a second
army, engaged in ground -centric counterinsurgency
toward the maritime domain and island conflicts.
They are preparing to deny the enemy control
of the seas. This brings us to the core question
of the Corps' future identity, especially when
we look at the power of that third clause. The
Marine Corps has a long history of fulfilling
such other duties as the President or Department
of Defense may direct, from the seizure of Tripoli
in 1805 to high -profile domestic deployments
protecting federal property in 2025. So given
this unique statutory flexibility, which allows
them to pivot from expeditionary force to counterinsurgency
force to internal security, force, how might
this continue to shape the Corps' mission requirements?
Right. If global conflict shifts increasingly
between traditional kinetic operations, the fighting
and complex civil -military engagements, policing,
security, disaster response. How does this unique
dual identity of warfighter and first responder
redefine what it means to be a Marine in the
next 50 years? That is something worth mulling
over. Is that flexibility the key to their survival
or the source of their most controversial assignments?
We leave that for you to consider as you reflect
on the few, the proud, and the deeply adaptable
Marine Corps.