Berger was following previous commandant's by wanting out from under the M1A1....but what about direct fire that everyone said was still necessary?

 

OK.  I've been getting an online education about Force Design 2030.

Berger and crew WAS RIGHT in their wanting to get out from under the weight of the M1A1.  I consider that weird cause a force that arrives from the sea SHOULD BE able to carry more tonnage than one that arrives by air but that's a different conversation.

Oh and make no mistake.  In my online learning I found that MANY previous commandant's wanted out of the M1A1 family.

But those previous commandant's always declared that direct fire was a necessity. 

So how did we reach a point where the 82nd and other Army light infantry has a medium tank ENTERING service and the Marine Corps is on the outside looking in with many wondering if direct fire will be organic to the Marine Corps or if we will have to beg the Army or Allies to provide it for us (getting tired of the line that you never want to fight alone and that you MUST have allied nations with you....SOMEONE has to lead...when will we learn that OUR allies will not provide us with capabilities and that they DEPEND ON US!).

This brings me to the ACV.

I've asked many times but that vehicle really has no clear role in Force Design 2030.  No one can spell it out with the new way that the Marine Corps is approaching things.

Did you know that at one time the ACV was gonna be a WHOLE family of vehicles to include a mobile gun system sporting a 120mm cannon?  That appears dead.  I've seen no talk of the USMC acquiring the M10 Booker.  The Recon Vehicle seems to be lost in the sauce with no indication of forward movement with that program, quite the contrary, it appears that they're making Mobile Companies that are small boat and robot based to assist in fleet battles rather than providing firepower to Marines on the ground.

That's what's so frustrating with this whole endeavour.  They're attempting to have it all three ways.  They point to past statements but forget that those previous commandants were all struggling to make the Marine Corps more nimble WITHOUT diminishing its combat power on land.

Force Design 2030 is so Navy centric that the Marine Corps will soon be an afterthought while tucked under them and soon to loose its independent service status.