They're actually trying to defend the "New" Marine Corps as a Missile Force...

Thanks to CoffeeJoeJava for the link!

via War On The Rocks...

For those concerned about contingencies, it is important to note the Marine Corps will still have more infantry battalions on active duty than it has deployed into combat at any one time since World War II. The only fire support elements that have been seriously reduced are cannon artillery, light helicopter squadrons, and tanks. The major increase in long-range rocket/missile batteries will still allow massed fire in support of ground maneuver.

Story here.

My personal bullet points from the article?

*  The F-35 is not seen as the magic bullet it once was.  He repeats my often stated (and often disputed view) that not only is the USMC cutting it's buy of the airplane but it's also looking at possible further cuts.

*  He's in total love with the developing missile force.  Every contingency he laid out...from China, to Russia and Iran involved the USMC providing missile fire instead of ground combat forces.  Amazingly enough he even discounts Marine Air in the fight.

Long story short?

He's all about the "New" Marine Corps and the focus on missiles.  How can anyone that cares about the USMC support Berger's vision? 

The reality is stark and real.

If the Marine Corps goes down this path then the Marine Corps will die.  Check out this chart again, read the article carefully and then re-read Berger's vision.

I dispute this chart in one area.  It shows an increase in LAR when Berger's vision points out that he doubts the relevancy of LAR going into the future.

The USMC will provide 21 Rocket/Missile batteries.  If that's what we're putting on the table to the National Command Authority then why have a Marine Corps?  The US Army could easily provide three times that number just in the 25th ID in Hawaii, take over our new "reason for being" and the bean counters would laugh all the way to the bank while re-allocating USMC funds (partially) to the Army and the rest to bread and butter social programs.

This is a terrible plan.  It makes bets that would make a riverboat gambler nervous and it turns America's Expeditionary Force in readiness into a bitched up Missile Force that can only fire long range missiles.