Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Modest Proposal. Attach Riverine Units to MEU's.

I am about to propose something that is pure blasphemy to the Riverine Forces.

Attach them to the Marine Expeditionary Units, subordinate them to Marine Command on deployments and get them out and about with the Amphibious Ready Groups.

As it now stands, these forces are sitting on the beach with a mission but without the means to get into the fight with a Surface Navy that doesn't want to use them...A Special Warfare Community that already has its own Boat Drivers...and a Command (NECC) that doesn't have the clout to get them where they need to be.

That all changes if they're assigned to an MEU.

Consider this sad fact.  Piracy is running rampant off the coast of Africa.  Riverine's aren't there.  The 22nd MEU is deploying to the waters off Libya.  Riverine's aren't going.  Unless we're going to disband this asset then it going to take assigning them to an MEU to get use out of them.

Training foreign forces...or training with allied nations isn't good enough.  Its time to get them into the fight.

*UPDATE*

Hey all.

I don't want the Marines to take back the Riverine Mission.  I do however, want the Riverines to get deployed.  If you believe that Riverine Forces will get there own amphibs then you're smoking crack.  If you think that Riverines will be able to deploy with MPS ships then you're still smoking something illegal.  If you think that you can position gear at forward bases and have personnel fly out and marry up with it you're dreaming.  This unit WILL go away unless you tie it to units that are out doing work.  If its with the Destroyer Force, ARG or Carriers then so be it but NECC does not have the ability to lobby for its own large ships.