The nation's premier force in readiness once again fulfilled its legislated role in the past year, serving in every clime and place, and meeting new expeditionary challenges. The Marines also extended their historical record as innovators. While 1999 was a year of transition marked by changes in both leadership and tone, 2000 was a year of adaptation. A quiet but powerful transformation began to emerge as the Corps' leadership continued to sharpen institutions and forces for an uncertain world.
The immutable commitment to readiness was amply demonstrated throughout the year. But this enduring requirement to provide combat-ready Marine air-ground task forces (MAGTFs) as an adaptive instrument of national power mandates that the Corps evolve in response to the strategic, political, and technological revolution that swirls around it. Thus, the future Marine Corps is taking shape in the initiatives and emerging strategy that Commandant General James L. Jones framed in 2000.
Operations
The post-Cold War era may eventually be called the "Age of Instability," and the Marine Corps is making key contributions to a national strategy that puts a premium on flexible expeditionary forces to tame that unstable world. The first year of the millennium was no exception, as Marines operated in distant locales ranging from the skies of northern Iraq to the humid shores of Indonesia.
The year began just like the last ten, with Marines in the Gulf helping to contain Saddam Hussein. As part of Operation Northern Watch, a series of Marine refueling detachments provided refueling sorties for the combat search-and-rescue missions throughout the year to support sanctions and enforcement of the no-fly zone over northern Iraq.
In Operation Fundamental Response, a II Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF) detachment from Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, supported TJ.S. efforts to provide humanitarian assistance and search-and-rescue missions near Caracas, Venezuela. They were deployed from 12 January to 12 March, responding to calls for assistance in the wake of intensive storms that created a massive emergency in the northern part of the country.
In March, a detachment from the headquarters of Marine Forces Europe participated in Operation Atlas Response in Mozambique. This was part of an emergency humanitarian relief mission to Botswana, Zambia, and Zimbabwe to mitigate disastrous conditions created by excessive rain and flooding.
Not every deployment takes Marines to exotic lands to reinforce allies or defeat the nation's foes. Sometimes, they are committed to service in our own communities. The best example of this was last year's deployment of Marines from I MEF at Camp Pendleton, California, to Idaho to help battle a series of raging forest fires in Montana that had exhausted federal, state, and local capabilities. More than 500 Marines, including elements of 3d Battalion, 5th Marines, were dispatched to Salmon-Chalgis National Forest in early August to help counter fires. Later in September, elements of the 2d and 10th Marines from Camp Lejeune flew to Idaho to replace the California-based Marines.
Marines frequently found themselves in East Timor to help that small, fledgling country recover from civil unrest. A special MAGTF arrived in January aboard the USS Juneau (LPD-10) to support Australian-led peacekeeping efforts there. Other visits were made during the year by the 11th, 15th, and 31st Marine Expeditionary Units (MEUs. The 13th MEU (Special Operations Capable) [MEU(SOC)] later was dispatched to support U.S. policy. Its small medical and dental team paid a call on the Queen of the Rosary Orphanage, where they performed wellness checks and dental exams on more than 160 children. The 13th MEU(SOC) and the USS Tarawa (LHA1) Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) presence demonstrated U.S. commitment to East Timor's transition to independence. Marines and sailors also provided sea- and airlift, and engineering support in their community relations projects. In all, the MEU delivered 600 tons of supplies and materiel and tended to 900 patients.
"I don't get to see kids much," said Navy Lieutenant Jon Ellenbecker, a dental officer with MEU Service Support Group (MSSG)-13. "These kids are at a formative age, and teaching them about good hygiene and good habits like brushing regularly is something they'll learn quickly and take to heart." The MSSG medical team concurrently performed checkups on local children. Later, the dental teams linked up with Australian counterparts to share information and perform necessary dental work. "This is awesome to be able to do this for them," said Lieutenant Ellenbecker, a 27-year-old native of Pierre, South Dakota. "It's been one of the most rewarding things we've done."
When a terrorist bomb killed 17 sailors and wounded 39 others aboard the USS Cole (DDG-67) in Yemen on 12 October, the 13th MEU(SOC) and Tarawa ARG were dispatched to provide support in the port area, forming part of Joint Task Force (JTF) Determined Response. A platoon from the 2nd Fleet Antiterrorism Security Team (FAST) Company based in Norfolk, Virginia, arrived also and later was augmented with another platoon from 1st FAST Company. The MEU and ARG augmented security, assisted the FBI and other agencies, provided messing and billeting to the Cole's crew, and added command-and-control assets to Determined Response.
"Our response to the attack on the Cole required us to carry out a wide range of tasks which MEUs(SOC) do not usually perform," said Colonel Christopher Gunther, commanding officer of 13th MEU. He observed, "As always, the Marines and sailors of the ARG-MEU(SOC) team responded magnificently to the challenge and have worked 24 hours a day over the last three weeks to ensure the Cole's every need was fully met. They have turned this act of terrorism into a visible demonstration of American resolve to remain engaged with our allies worldwide, and I am extremely proud of their efforts."
Exercises
In January and February, the 22d MEU (SOC) participated in a desert training exercise with Royal Jordanian forces. Exercise Infinite Moonight 2000 reminded Marines that desert sandstorms, freezing rain, and dramatic temperature variations can be extremely harsh.
The record of 24th MEU(SOC) Marines and sailors and the USS Wasp (LHD-1) ARG best demonstrates the utility and return on investment the nation gets from a credible forward-deployed naval force. Under the command of Colonel Richard C. Tryon, the 24th MEU returned home in August after an exceptionally demanding deployment: visits to nine countries around the Mediterranean and Black Seas, and participation in five major exercises with more than a dozen NATO allies and Partnership for Peace nations.
After assuming responsibility as Landing Force Sixth Fleet on 2 March at Rota, Spain, the 24th MEU made its way to Lisbon, Portugal, to support a three-day diplomatic mission for the Secretary of State. The MEU then moved on to its first military event, a combined amphibious landing exercise in Sierra del Retin, Spain, from 6 to 10 March. The training gave the MEU and troops of the oldest marine corps in the world the chance to exchange tactics and techniques in the coastal area's arduous terrain and adverse weather.
From Spain, the 24th MEU quickly transited the Mediterranean to begin NATO Exercise Dynamic Response 2000, which featured the first deployment of the NATO Strategic Reserve Force into Kosovo, spearheaded by the MEU. Following an amphibious landing near Thessaloniki, Greece, the MEU traveled more than 1,000 miles across Greece and Macedonia to Suva Reka, Kosovo. Troops from the United States, the Netherlands, Romania, Poland, and Argentina participated in Dynamic Response to demonstrate NATO's resolve to maintain security in Kosovo and exercise the alliance's ability to reinforce multinational forces rapidly in the event of further conflict.
In late May, after a break from field and shipboard life for liberty in Italy and Turkey, the 24th MEU(SOC) and Wasp ARG proceeded to their next event, the two-part NATO Exercise Dynamic Mix in Capo Teulada, Sardinia, and Kyparissia, Greece. This exercise involved 15,000 troops—5,000 of whom were U.S. Marines—from more than a dozen countries. The first week of Dynamic Mix consisted of cross training and familiarization among U.S. Marines, French Foreign Legionnaires, and Turkish, Spanish, and Greek soldiers. Sardinia offered live-fire ground and aerial gunnery ranges for weapons ranging from small arms to tank guns. Once familiarization was completed, U.S. and Greek ships moved around the boot of Italy for combined assault on a Greek beachhead. This was the first time in 40 years that Turkish troops—task organized with Battalion Landing Team (BLT) 2/6—had set foot in Greece. Turkey's participation with Greece was a most positive step toward greater cooperation among NATO partners.
Dynamic Mix included other U.S. Marine forces as well. The newly activated 2d Marine Expeditionary Brigade (MEB), led by Major General Robert Blackman Jr., served as command element for Marine forces. The Camp Lejeune-based contingent flew in from North Carolina and married up with their equipment in Greece. The 2d MEB operated with Hungarian, German, and Greek forces during the exercise, thus highlighting the Corps' ability to scale forces to specific contingencies.
The second phase of Exercise Dynamic Mix took place in June. The 24th MEU's subordinate elements—BLT 2/6, Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron (HMM)-263 (Reinforced), and MSSG24—deployed ashore alongside other forces in Greece. Offshore, ships from Turkey, Spain, Greece, and the United States composed the seagoing contingent for this phase of the multinational exercise. Lieutenant Colonel Chad Kirkley, commanding officer of BLT 2/6, noted that the exercise went according to plan in spite of a complex array of factors. "Other than a few terrain challenges, the amphibious landing was well executed," he noted.
On leaving Greece, the MEU and ARG conducted split operations, sending the USS Trenton (LPD-14) into the Black Sea from 19 June to 1 July for Cooperative Partner, the Partnership for Peace exercise in Odessa, Ukraine. The highlight of this combined peacekeeping exercise was a series of weapons familiarization and live-fire training programs. Troops rotated from one training area to the next, orienting themselves to each other's weapons, vehicles, and equipment.
Marines from Golf Company, BLT 2/6, gave safety briefs and transported several Turkish, Ukrainian, and Georgian soldiers in Zodiac boats. "I think everyone enjoyed the rides, and I enjoyed the foreign interaction," said Lance Corporal Matt Ferko, a Golf Company boat mechanic from Central City, Pennsylvania. "And plus it was a great way for us to show off our equipment." In addition, BLT 2/6 Marines trained with their mates from the British Royal Marines, and were given tours of Ukranian amphibious craft and armored vehicles.
While the Marines embarked in the Trenton were conducting Exercise Cooperative Partner, the main body of the MEU and ARG made a stop in Toulon, France, on their way to their final exercise, Noble Shirley in Israel. Here, the southern Negev Desert near the Egyptian border challenged 24th MEU Marines with its extremely hot weather and difficult terrain.
From 30 May to 6 July, waters around Hawaii were the site of the world's largest naval exercise. The biennial RIMPAC brought together more than 50 ships and 22,000 military personnel from seven countries. The Marines contributed Special Purpose MAGTF 3, which included the 2d Battalion, 3d Marines, 3d Combat Service Support Group, and various elements of the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing.
The Marines conducted amphibious operations opposed by the "enemy," the 2d Royal Australian Regiment. Together with U.S. naval forces, contingents from Canada, Australia, Chile, Japan, South Korea, and the United Kingdom took part. U.S. Marines also participated in Operation Strong Angel, a major humanitarian assistance exercise involving groups from various nongovernmental organizations such as the World Food Program and International Red Cross.
In Exercise Natural Fire, a coalition of U.S. and African nations conducted a humanitarian assistance and peace-support exercise that ran from May to early June. Military units from Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda joined with U.S. forces in a combined joint task force (JTF). The commanding general of lst MEB, Brigadier General James Battaglini, led U.S. forces, including 700 Marines and sailors from his outfit. The exercise tested the ability of the combined JTF to respond to a regional contingency, and permitted coalition units to conduct medical and engineering projects for the local population. A major element of the exercise was the offload of a maritime prepositioning ship in Mombasa.
In August, II MEF Marines and sailors conducted humanitarian relief training in Ecuador as part of the annual UNITAS deployment to Central and South America. Other II MEF units trained with Argentine Marines and conducted riverine operations near Puerto Rosario, Argentina during the same period.
Combined training was not limited to the Southern Hemisphere. Marines joined the Korean Marine Corps in August for the annual Ulchi Focus Lens Exercise, which emphasized command and control, operational planning, and logistical capabilities. More than 56,000 Republic of Korea troops and 13,000 U.S. military personnel participated.
In late October, the 26th MEU(SOC) teamed with various NATO allies for Exercise Destined Glory. With 70 ships and 130 aircraft involved, this was the major event for the MEU during its Mediterranean deployment. The exercise was highlighted by a series of expeditionary operations and live-fire training. Operating from the USS Saipan (LHA-2) ARG, the MEU successfully conducted operations ashore in Doganbey, Turkey. Partners from other NATO countries were the United Kingdom, Germany, Turkey, Italy, Spain, and Greece. The MEU, commanded by Colonel Kenneth Glueck Jr., returned home just before Christmas after a challenging deployment that included four major exercises with a dozen countries, including Exercises Atlas Hinge in Tunisia and Shinji 2000 in Croatia as well as Destined Glory.
The 22d MEU(SOC) and the USS Nassau (LHA-4) ARG arrived in Rota on 11 December and began operations in theater shortly thereafter. They conducted an amphibious landing exercise from 15 to 19 December with Spanish Marines at Sierra Del Retin, Spain, to test the amphibious landing capability of BLT 1/8 before going on to larger operations in the Mediterranean. As the exercise wrapped up, the Nassau found and rescued 29 Moroccan migrants from a decrepit rubber boat almost 50 miles off the coast of Morocco. Two of the MEU's CH-53 helicopters flew the fortunate survivors to Nadar, Morocco.
Manpower
Given the difficulty of attracting people in today's environment, the Marine recruiting force should be considered in the operations category of this overview. Once again, the 2,600 Marine recruiters proved their mettle by extending their record of 66 consecutive successful months in meeting assigned goals. Considering the many recruiting obstacles presented by a vacillating but healthy economy, their sustained excellence has been most impressive.
Experimentation
A continuous and evolutionary approach to innovation has been a hallmark of the Corps going back to the 1920s and 1930s, when counterinsurgency operations, close air support techniques, and amphibious warfare doctrine were developed into core competencies. Despite operational demands, the Corps still finds time to fulfill this legacy. The Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory (MCWL), established in 1995, is responsible for exploring 21st century concepts and technologies. During the year, it continued to work with Fleet Marine Force units on operational needs and examination of military operations on urban battlefields. Future conflicts will occur with increasing frequency in cities along the heavily populated littorals. Project Metropolis is a primary vehicle for urban warfare experimentation.
In 2000, the MCWL's highlight was Exercise Millennium Dragon, which was conducted 8 to 11 September in Gulfport, Mississippi, as part of U.S. Joint Forces Command's joint experiment, Millennium Challenge. This exercise focused on continued refinement of tactics, techniques, and procedures related to ship-to-objective maneuver concepts. Key objectives included evaluating doctrine, organization, and equipment for MAGTF command and control.
The MCWL reorganized during the year to improve interaction with scientific and technological agencies. In October, the Office of Science and Innovation was attached to the laboratory and renamed the Office of Science, Technology, and Innovation (OSTI). OSTI's mission is to: develop vision and strategies that exploit scientific and research developments; coordinate the Corps' science and technology program; and coordinate Marine representation on future naval matters at the Office of Naval Research, Defense Science Board, and various joint requirements offices. Further, the commanding general of the Warfighting Laboratory, Brigadier General William Catto, established the Center for Emerging Threats and Opportunities (CETO) in response to congressional guidance. It is a partnership between the Marine Corps and the Potomac Institute for Policy Studies, a nonprofit, technology policy research organization in Rosslyn, Virginia. The CETO mission is to identify emerging nontraditional threats, explore concepts, and determine capabilities and solutions to meet these future challenges.
Programs and Resources
For the past decade, the declining defense budget has produced a series of compounding effects. A procurement holiday in the late 1990s deferred regular replacements for most of the Corps' major weapons. The older items of equipment consumed ever-increasing resources for repairs and maintenance, as well as untold hours for repair time. High operational tempos caused by the strategy and resource mismatch produced additional personnel problems on top of existing recruiting and retention challenges. With rapidly aging equipment driving up maintenance and repair costs, the price of maintaining a highly ready force had to be paid from procurement and quality-of -life accounts. This compounded existing shortfalls and related problems, producing what former Under Secretary of Defense Jacques Gansler called a "death spiral."
The Commandant warned Congress that it was time to face up to the long-term costs of the "procurement recess" to stop the death spiral and reverse its pernicious effects. In September, he noted the additional support Congress was providing, but advised that this funding only "allowed us to stabilize but not improve our readiness." General Jones stressed to the Senate Armed Services Committee that, although today's Corps is healthy, "We are at a point where failure to rectify modernization shortfalls can no longer be ignored." His testimony highlighted examples of over-aged equipment. Many weapons and vehicles are older than the Marines who use them. Marines are driving 28-year-old amphibious assault vehicles and 20-year-old trucks, and firing M198 howitzers that are 19 years old. And Marine aircraft are not any younger. Some helicopters, like the workhorse CH-46, are more than 30 years old.
With such ample evidence, Congress devoted special attention to defense spending last year and tried to resolve the most evident deficiencies. The Commandant's credibility and persistent warnings paid off. The fiscal year (FY) 2001 appropriations bill that was passed and signed in late August appropriated $288 billion for defense. The Marine Corps portion totaled nearly $12.5 billion, which was $350 million more than the Clinton administration had requested. Marine modernization accounts rose only slightly, however—and the rest of the budget did little to dent the $1.5 billion overall annual shortfall identified by General Jones.
The FY 2001 budget provided $139 million for highly mobile multi-wheeled vehicles, $77 million for tactical radios, $43 million for the Predator antiarmor weapon system, and $326 million for replacing the Corps' medium truck fleet. In addition, $389 million was allocated to research and development of the next generation of Marine weapons and equipment, and another $138 million to the advanced amphibious assault vehicle (AAAV). Aviation accounts received much scrutiny, but were "plussed up" also. Research-and-development investments for the MV-22 were allocated $1.2 billion, and $417 million was earmarked for the Joint Strike Fighter program; nearly $227 million was appropriated for AV-SB upgrades and another $140 million for rotary-wing fleet improvements.
Status of the MV-22
The revolutionary hybrid Osprey remains the Corps' number one aviation priority and has become its number one concern. The tilt-rotor MV-22 lands and takes off like a helicopter, but can transition to horizontal flight like a fixed-wing aircraft. It carries 24 combat-equipped Marines or a 15,000-pound load, and flies twice as fast and three times as far as the aging Vietnam-era CH-46 helicopter it will replace. The Marines hope to buy 360 planes by 2016 as part of a $40-billion program with an initial operating capability (IOC) planned in 2001.
Regrettably, the program experienced severe setbacks during the year and the IOC, if not the entire program, is in serious jeopardy. The first blow fell on 8 April, when an Osprey crashed during an operational evaluation test at a Marana, Arizona, airfield. The aircraft was landing during a simulated noncombatant evacuation mission when it suddenly pitched and nosedived into the ground, killing its crew of four as well as 15 Marines passengers. The Commandant and the Corps mourned the loss of their fellow warriors, with General Jones telling the grieving families, "You can take solace in the fact that your Marines and your loved ones did not die in vain. We will learn from this tragedy." Subsequent investigations found no mechanical failures; the cause of the crash was attributed to factors that caused the crew to place the aircraft into a rapid descent beyond the flight envelope for sustained lift. To demonstrate his confidence in the program, General Jones flew in the first MV-22 flight after the aircraft was cleared for further operational evaluation.
On 11 December, the program took another blow from a second fatal crash that killed all four crewman during a night training exercise near Jacksonville, North Carolina. The pilot in command was widely regarded as the Corps' best MV22 pilot and was slated to take command of the Marine's sole Osprey squadron. While the crash investigation did find mechanical problems this time—specifically, a hydraulic system failure—no evidence from either crash suggested that tilt-rotor technology is flawed.
Negative evaluations from DoD officials added woes to the program. The Pentagon's test director criticized testing shortfalls and raised numerous safety concerns. While deeming the MV-22 "operationally effective," the operational evaluation report concluded it was not "operationally suitable" owing to reliability and maintenance problems. On top of this, after allegations were raised that maintenance data were modified to favor the pending decision for full-rate production, the Osprey squadron commander was relieved. The Commandant requested an independent review of the allegations by the DoD Inspector General.
The loss of 23 Marines in two crashes in one year understandably has raised grave concerns over the revolutionary and complex Osprey. Naturally, the usual naysayers have proclaimed, "I told you so." But credible alternative aircraft that can operate at the ranges and speeds needed for over-the-horizon tactics and deep operational maneuver mandates are lacking. While no one in the Corps' hierarchy is callous about the loss of Marines, future combat losses also must be part of the equation. How many Marines will be risked in operations tomorrow to satisfy cost-efficiencies today? The new DoD leadership wants the services to "skip a generation" by adapting new technologies and transforming themselves for the 21st century. Can this be done without risks? Having bucked political and technology barriers in the past, there can be little doubt that the Corps' leadership will take stock of these incidents and either cancel the program or press forward based on the merits of the MV-22.
AAAV
The advanced amphibious assault vehicle (AAAV) program continued progressing in its development cycle during 2000. Powered by a 2,700-horsepower diesel engine, the AAAV can achieve water speeds of 20 to 25 knots while "planing" on the surface. The vehicle carries 17 combat-equipped Marines from 25 miles offshore, reaches up to 45 miles per hour on land, and fields a 30-mm stabilized cannon. Last spring, a prototype version successfully achieved planing speed on its first attempt during tests on the Patuxent River in Maryland. Further tests were conducted later at Camp Pendleton, California. Based on test results, the Defense Acquisition Board approved the AAAV for Milestone II in December. This allows the program to transition to the engineering and manufacturing development (EMD) phase, which will proceed to FY 2006, when the Corps will begin fielding the AAAV.
In addition to its top-priority aviation and ground programs, the Corps made progress in meeting organic fire support needs. In June, the Marines received the first EMD versions of the Lightweight (LW) 155-mm howitzer. The LW 155 will be transportable both by the CH-53 and the Osprey. It is being produced by BAE SYSTEMS and will replace the much heavier M198 howitzer. The 9,000-pound weapon will provide more flexibility, faster displacement, and increased rates of fire over the M198, which weighs almost 16,000 pounds. The acquisition objective is 450 howitzers, with initial fielding scheduled for late 2003.
The Marines also are asking for funding to acquire several copies of the high-mobility artillery rocket systems (HIMARS), a versatile, long-range fire support system ideally suited to the Corps' expeditionary requirements. It can provide highly accurate, general support fires at ranges up to 60 kilometers. The Marine Corps plans to field the system in the 14th Marines (the reserve artillery regiment) starting in FY 2008.
Other Initiatives
In addition to the routine tasks of "making Marines and winning battles," the year was characterized by numerous other initiatives:
- Navy Talks. In January, the Navy's and Marine Corps' senior leadership met at Quantico for a unique opportunity to discuss pressing common naval warfighting challenges.
- Army Talks. In another first, the senior leaders of the Army and Marine Corps met in May at the Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, for a ground warfare discussion. A series of agreements and taskings emerged from this conference to reinforce the link between the nation's ground combat forces.
- NCO Symposia. A noncommissioned officer (NCO) symposium was held in March to hear from 24 noncommissioned officers from throughout the Corps and brainstorm about current issues. Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps Alford McMichael arranged the meeting to listen to perspectives about policy problems and proposals "from the bottom up." The Commandant attended the final session of this event.
- Marine Training and Education Command. General Jones restructured this organization to improve and standardize Marine training. In the past year, the command has made major training upgrades, especially in distance-learning initiatives that use web-based and computer supported programs.
- Marine Corps Strategy 21 (MCS 21). Incorporating inputs from a General Officer Futures Group and the insights of the entire general officer community, the Corps released a new strategy document in November. MCS 21 captures the general "axis of advance" for the Corps and details the key objectives necessary to forge the essential combat capabilities of a 21st-century Marine Corps. It clearly articulates a vision, objectives, and a future Marine Corps that can operate jointly in tomorrow's chaotic environment.
- Martial Arts and Uniform Changes. The Commandant directed that a martial arts training program be designed to rekindle the warrior spirit and better prepare Marines for combat. And in a recent move to preserve the Corps' distinct culture, he approved Marine-unique camouflage utilities, the first such working uniform that Marines have enjoyed since the 1950s.
Conclusions
Much has been made of the new economy represented by "dot.coms" that overshadow traditional, blue-chip firms. Many dot.coms faltered because the market only rewards adaptive organizations that apply innovation and new technology quickly. The firms that match vision with execution, adapt rapidly to customer needs, and blend high-quality people and technology are successful ultimately. Over the past year, the Marine Corps proved itself to be an adaptive organization; reacting to new market forces and refining its strategy and technology to be ready for whatever the future brings and whatever the nation needs.
But to complete the analogy, such organizations need venture capital to invest in the future. Such capital has been sorely lacking for the Marine Corps and it shows in depreciating equipment and infrastructure. With a dynamic economy and surplus budget resources, the country can afford to invest in its security and continued prosperity—and there is no higher return on investment than from its legion of Marines.
Lieutenant Colonel Hoffman has served with the U.S. Commission on National Security/21st Century for the past two years.