Risk and Reward of an Operational Marine Corps Reserve
Abstract
Send in the Marines. For over 235 years America's strategic leaders have called upon the Nation's expeditionary force-in-readiness to protect and defend our interests, whether at home or abroad. The Marine Corps is an air, ground, and logistics total force enterprise that provides the United States with a capability unequaled by any organization in the world. The Marine Corps' total force structure consists of an active component (AC) and a reserve component (RC). Over the past decade, the RC of the Marine Corps has been employed as an operational reserve, although it is primarily organized, trained, and equipped as a strategic reserve. As the Global War on Terrorism progresses, strategic leaders within the RC and AC must conduct an analysis of the Marine Corps' total force framework to address RC gaps in doctrine, organization, leadership, and education. This analysis will further enable the RC to become an effective and efficient contributor to the middleweight of America's Armed Services, the active component of the Marine Corps; light enough to get to the fight quickly and heavy enough to carry the day upon arrival. This SRP will discuss the Marine Corps' RC posture through a wide angle lens and address a few of the risks and rewards of the strategic structure transitioning to an operational asset.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 21, 2012
- Accession Number
- ADA561425
Entities
People
- Curtis A. Mason
Organizations
- United States Army War College