Preparing the Marine Corps for Operations on the Nuclear Battlefield

Abstract

The Marine Corps does not currently adequately train and educate officers to conduct offensive operations on a nuclear battlefield. Training focuses almost completely on individual protective measures and does not address the tactical and operational employment considerations for the force. Current Marine Corps education does not sufficiently familiarize students with United States (U.S.) and adversary policy and capabilities affecting employment. This lack of familiarity leads to a capability gap within the Marine Corps when faced with a potential conflict with a nuclear armed opponent. It can also make a nuclear conflict more probable by emboldening an adversary that sees this gap as a weakness. However, this capability gap need not exist. This paper recommends that the Marine Corps incorporate training and education into existing exercises and the officer professional military education (PME) program.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Apr 14, 2015
Accession Number
AD1178624

Entities

People

  • Peter M. Rummler

Organizations

  • Marine Corps University

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Counter WMD
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Arms Control Treaties
  • Ballistic Missiles
  • Chemical Biological Radiological And Nuclear Defense
  • Contracts
  • Department Of Defense
  • Doctrine
  • Education
  • Employment
  • Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles
  • Marine Corps
  • Military Education
  • Military Science
  • Nuclear Weapons
  • Security
  • Strategic Weapons
  • Students
  • Training
  • United States
  • Warfare
  • Weapons
  • Weapons Effects

Readers

  • Joint Military Operations and Doctrine.
  • Maritime Combat Support and Expeditionary Logistics.
  • Strategic Security Studies