USMC doing force on force freeplay with the Brits...Commandant hopeful the Army is next...THEY FINALLY LISTENED!!!!

via Marine Corps Times

Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Robert B. Neller wants his Marines training for large-scale, peer threats.

One way they’ll get that is pitting Marines against elite allies.

The first is coming soon, with a force-on-force battle at the epicenter of the Corps’ air-ground combat focus against British Royal Marines.

The Royal Marines are good and in this they would best simulate operations by Chinese Special Ops, Chinese Marines or Airmobile forces.  Not exactly the force on force I've been advocating but "Big Things Have Small Beginnings"!

 Speaking to a banquet hall of 400 attendees at the annual Marine Corps Association and Foundation Ground Dinner Thursday, Neller noted that many of the training shifts about to occur are not new, they’re spelled out in the Marine Corps Warfighting Manual and common to those whose service predates 9/11 missions.

“And let’s be frank, after the march up in OIF we got into a stability, counterinsurgency op. we didn’t maneuver, we occupied the same position… didn’t have to move our (command post),” Neller said.

To that point, the four-star sent out a letter on Sept. 26, spelling out new efforts in risk-taking, free-play force-on-force training initiatives, especially at the capstone training events that units rotate to Twentynine Palms, California, at the Marine Corps Air-Ground Combat Training Center.

“The Royal Marines are going to be there this winter, they’re going to be our first (opposing force),” Neller said. And I’m talking with the Canadians to see if they’ll come down and fight us.”

“And then I’m sure the Army would love to come over and get a piece,” he said.

Story here. 

That last line!  That last line is where this should all head!

Pit a reinforced Stryker Brigade with attached USAF elements against a Marine Expeditionary Unit.

Plus it up appropriately until we're seeing division vs division.

The headline was clickbait.  I don't know if they know I even exist but at least someone up there is thinking they way we do.

This is cause for cheer.  But before you start twisting the cap on that bourbon remember this.  Neller once talked about Port Seizures being something that the Marine Corps needs to work on and we haven't seen a word or heard anything since.

As happy as I am to hear this news we need to take a wait and see approach. Let's label this cautious optimism...