Marines to axe 8th Marines, all armor, some aviation

I saw an article yesterday in WSJ. It was behind a pay wall sadly. They are reducing rotary wing squadrons too.

It be getting crazy.
 
I highly recommend reading Gen Berger's CPG for all the context on what he's doing.

This reshaping is not for Gulf War III with USMC as a supplemental US Army. His vision is somewhat radical, and taking the Marine Corps back to "soldiers of the sea"-style supporting force for the USN.
 
I highly recommend reading Gen Berger's CPG for all the context on what he's doing.

This reshaping is not for Gulf War III with USMC as a supplemental US Army. His vision is somewhat radical, and taking the Marine Corps back to "soldiers of the sea"-style supporting force for the USN.

First, I doubt GEN Berger will contact me to ask my opinion, so there's that. I don't necessarily disagree with where he wants to go, but damn, this is radical.

Second, I can conceptually get some of the armor. Maybe. But all of it? And the aviation? But what really stymies me is axing 8th Marines.
 
Has the Commandant actually put out his guidance yet or is this still speculation? I've been watching this since my buddy told me the plan, but I haven't seen anything coming directly from General Berger yet. I know he plans to restructure the force pretty radically, but I didn't think he dropped his plan yet.
 
I highly recommend reading Gen Berger's CPG for all the context on what he's doing.

This reshaping is not for Gulf War III with USMC as a supplemental US Army. His vision is somewhat radical, and taking the Marine Corps back to "soldiers of the sea"-style supporting force for the USN.

I will read it. I don't see it how doing this will change for the good. If the grunts are walking around an encounter armor beyond the firepower they carry (on their backs), unless they have AAV's or LAV's nearby you need to call air and drones (air?).
 
I wonder if the current crisis will make this all OBE. This is all based on current Marine Corps budget projections. That's all going to be out the window when this is all over with. CMC intended to shrink the Corps to buy capabilities. I worry that we may have to shrink just to survive when the budgetary knives come out next fall.
 
But what really stymies me is axing 8th Marines.
I read the article that they're really only getting rid of the regimental CP and 3/8. Sounds like the other two battalions are going to plus up 2nd & 6th Marines.
 
To say I am personally devastated is saying the least. Everyone’s specific situation is going to be different so I won’t comment on it but almost all of us are going to be forced out or early separated. My career as a Marine is over.

The loss of the combined arms breach ability will cost Marines lives. The loss of armor protected shock firepower will cost Marines lives. The loss of the best anti tank ground weapons system the Marine Corps has will cost Marines lives.

I have read the plan, the guidance and understand what the commandant wants. The Marine Corps is fighting for relevance and is willing to sacrifice generations worth of specific combat and tactical knowledge to get it. So be it, I won’t be there to see it, wasn’t even asked to.

All I know is I am heart broken, not only because I am getting told to go away by the organization that I served tirelessly, but because in my heart I know in our next conflict that an 18yr old manning a TOW will be cut in half believing in that same organization and that he is the best weapon they have to fight a tank...

I cannot even believe I am one of the last Tank Commanders the Marine Corps will ever have. I have to fight the thought of wondering was this even all worth it? My body has been forever battered by my job, herniated discs, multiple contusions, nerve damage and TBIs. All for this to be the end state...

I don’t work in a shape at DC and quite frankly I am too emotionally involved to speak any more on it without extreme personal bias so I’m not going to comment any further.

To all who have ridden the steel chariots of war, it was an honor to serve along side you and carry your legacy to its end.
Semper Fidelis.
 
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To say I am personally devastated is saying the least. Everyone’s specific situation is going to be different so I won’t comment on it but almost all of us are going to be forced out or early separated. My career as a Marine is over.

The loss of the combined arms breach ability will cost Marines lives. The loss of armor protected shock firepower will cost Marines lives. The loss of the best anti tank ground weapons system the Marine Corps has will cost Marines lives.

I have read the plan, the guidance and understand what the commandant wants. The Marine Corps is fighting for relevance and is willing to sacrifice generations worth of specific combat and tactical knowledge to get it. So be it, I won’t be there to see it, wasn’t even asked to.

All I know is I am heart broken, not only because I am getting told to go away by the organization that I served tirelessly, but because in my heart I know in our next conflict that an 18yr old manning a TOW will cut in half believing in that same organization and that he is the best weapon they have to fight a tank...

I cannot even believe I am one of the last Tank Commanders the Marine Corps will ever have. I have to fight the thought of wondering was this even all worth it? My body has been forever battered by my job, herniated disks, multiple contusions, nerve damage and TBIs. All for this to be the end state...

I don’t work in shape at DC and quite frankly I am too emotionally involved to speak any more on it without extreme personal bias so I’m not going to comment any further.

To all who have ridden the steal chariots of war, it was an honor to serve along side you and carry your legacy to its end.
Semper Fidelis.
Thank you for writing that.
 

As an active member and very much involved in my community I won’t speak for the official means of how we are “moving” our Marines but, there is a lot more going on at our level than what is in that article.

There’s a ton of passive ways this is taking place, TIS, TIG, MOS, EAS, Boatspaces, Eligibility for lateral move, what the Army is offering (Rank reduction) etc. that all plays a role in this.

Some people have more opportunities than others based on the above, some have very few.
 
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