An Enhanced Logistics Section Required: Logistical Agility of a Marine Corps Infantry Battalion in the Counterinsurgency Fight

Abstract

Operations in Iraq and Afghanistan during the past six years have proven that counterinsurgency (COIN) operations will be a major focus of the Marine Corps' future planning and training. In the Marine Corps Vision and Strategy 2025, General James Conway states: Our Corps must serve credibly as a persistently engaged and multicapable force, able to draw upon contributions from our Total Force, in order to address the full range of contingencies the future will undoubtedly present. In short, we must be prepared to move with speed, "live hard," and accomplish any mission. This statement echoes many doctrinal COIN principles and confirms that the Marine Corps must prepare for COIN environments beyond Iraq and Afghanistan. However, current Marine Corps combat service support organizations do not provide adequate flexibility to counter the logistical demands of a COIN fight, specifically at the infantry battalion level. In order to solve the deficit of logistical capability experienced by Marine Corps infantry battalions engaged in COIN operations, it is essential to allocate permanent organic medium lift assets and operators both on the battlefield and in garrison.

Open PDF

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Feb 20, 2009
Accession Number
ADA509753

Entities

People

  • J. A. Meads

Organizations

  • Marine Corps Combat Development Command

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Human Systems

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Counterinsurgency
  • Deployment
  • Force Structure
  • Infantry
  • Iraqi-War
  • Lessons Learned
  • Logistics
  • Logistics Planning
  • Maintenance
  • Management Personnel
  • Marine Corps
  • Personnel Management
  • Supply Chain Management
  • Training
  • Transportation
  • United States
  • Warfare

Readers

  • Maritime Combat Support and Expeditionary Logistics.
  • Military and Counterinsurgency Studies.