The Commandant of the United States Marine Corps, General James F. Amos, gives his thoughts in a wide ranging interview.
As the process of rebalancing its forces to the Asia-Pacific begins to gain further traction, the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) sees itself returning to a familiar region of the world. In this context, the Commandant of the USMC, General James F. Amos, spoke to Sergei DeSilva-Ranasinghe about the Corps’ transformation and modernization, the impact of successive deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan, the status of Marine Corps activities in Africa and South America, the strategic realignment to the Asia-Pacific, the likely future battlefield, and defense budget cuts.
How has the USMC transformed and modernized since 9/11?
General Amos: As America's expeditionary crisis response force, the United States Marine Corps, has always responded to our Nation's call to arms. No two fights are the same, so we've historically maintained a service culture of mental flexibility, adaptability and operational agility. For example, shortly after 9/11, the Marine Corps conducted the longest amphibious-launched raid in history by deploying Task Force 58 deep into Afghanistan to strike Al Qaeda and topple the Taliban.
During Operation Iraqi Freedom, we assaulted from Kuwait to Baghdad as part of a coalition force and removed Saddam Hussein from power. We then transitioned to counterinsurgency operations both in Iraq and Afghanistan. While we were heavily invested in Iraq and Afghanistan, we also supported counterterrorism in the southern Philippines, provided disaster relief in the Indian Ocean basin after the Boxing Day tsunami in 2004, conducted humanitarian relief operations in Pakistan and Haiti, evacuated U.S. citizens from Lebanon, assisted our Japanese allies during the 2011 earthquake and nuclear crisis, took down the pirated MV Magellan Star, and rescued a downed U.S. Air Force pilot in Libya – just to name a few.
So we're in the process of restructuring our force with capabilities optimized for forward-presence, engagement, and rapid crisis response. We've reshaped our internal organization to increase flexibility and utility across the range of military operations, and have also enhanced our support to U.S. Special Operations and Cyber Commands. We've also increased our ability to conduct distributed operations, and operationalized our reserve component capability.
As for modernization, this last decade has seen the combat debut of the MV-22 Osprey and the Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles, and the establishment of our first operational F-35B squadron. We've upgraded our C-130s and UH and AH-1 helicopters. We're leaning into upgrading our CH-53s with the K variant. We've embarked our Marines on San Antonio class landing platform/docks (LPDs) and are developing the next variants of the America class Landing Helicopter Assault (LHAs) ships. We cancelled the Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle and are refining the requirements for the next amphibious combat vehicle. We've also made some great strides in employing what we call ‘expeditionary energy’ on the battlefield – which has reduced our logistical demands and saved lives by reducing convoy hours on improvised explosive device (IED) laced roads. We've also captured the lessons of the last decade at war and incorporated them into our training and education programs.
How do you respond to the perception among some commentators that the USMC has become essentially a land army due to extended deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan?
General Amos: I respond by telling them that as our nation's expeditionary crisis response force, we do whatever our nation needs us to do. If they need us to partner with the U.S. Army and take down a hostile regime, we'll do that. If they need us to assist counterterrorism and counterinsurgency operations, we'll do that. If they need us to rescue a downed F-15 pilot in Libya, assist an allied nation devastated by a natural disaster, or evacuate American citizens from a foreign country that's falling apart, we'll do that too. So I don't make any apologies for our prolonged involvement on the ground in Iraq or Afghanistan – in fact, I'm pretty proud of the job we've done in both theaters. We've come out of Al-Anbar, Iraq under a victory pennant, and we'll do the same in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, but that's not how I see our role in the future.
While our army, navy and air force each have domains of warfare, we Marines have a lane — and that lane is crisis response. We respond rapidly so as to provide our leadership at the highest levels of government the time and space to make sound strategic decisions. That's what we do for America.
How has the heavy focus of USMC deployments in the Middle East and Central Asia affected the Corps' activities, programs and operations in component commands such as Africa and U.S. Marine Corps Forces, South (MARFORSOUTH)?
General Amos: While our nation's focus has certainly been on U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), the Marine Corps has been active in both Africa and South America. Both are strategically important for different reasons and have their own sets of security challenges. I'll give you a few examples:
Our main effort in Africa is Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force 12 (SPMAGTF-12) which began operating from Naval Air Station Sigonella on Oct. 1, 2011. SPMAGTF-12 supports theater security cooperation throughout Africa in support of U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM). They also provide a limited crisis response capability. SPMAGTF-12 is currently manned by reservists from 3rd Force Reconnaissance Company and individual augments from across the United States. The training teams they field provide partner nations instruction in logistics, counterterrorism, long-range communications, non-lethal weapons training, maritime security force assistance, military planning, small unit leadership, and vehicle maintenance.
In U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), Marines participate in 65 security cooperation events in 19 different nations. I went to Lima, Peru last summer to participate in the Marine Leaders of the Americas Conference to build relationships with the leaders of South and Central American Marine Corps and naval infantries and exchange ideas on mutual security concerns. Our Marines just recently began to support Operation Martillo, which is a multi-nation effort to shift maritime illicit trafficking away from the Central American littorals. The Marine detachment assigned to this effort is providing aviation and communication support.
So while some may describe AFRICOM and SOUTHCOM as economy-of-force efforts, we are certainly not ignoring our responsibilities in support of our national strategic objectives in these areas.
How is the USMC adapting to the changing global strategic environment? How is the USMC reorienting to the Asia-Pacific and what will this mean for the region?
General Amos: We have a long history in the Pacific replete with many hard-won victories, so this area of the world is in our institutional DNA. In fact, I'd submit that there is no force more suitable to addressing emerging strategic needs in the Pacific than naval amphibious forces – especially when you consider that the Pacific encompasses more than half of the world's surface area and more than 50 percent of the world's population.
49 percent of the world's oil passes through the Straits of Malacca and 60+ percent of the world's commerce crosses the Pacific. Two of the world's top three economies are Pacific nations. It's strategically important – five of our nation's most important mutual defense treaties are with nations in the Pacific region. So amphibious forces can station off the coast and leave a temporary and light footprint when partnering or conducting humanitarian operations, or they can serve as an enabler for a larger joint force effort. The Marine Corps is therefore adjusting our Pacific laydown to support this new national strategy.
Currently, we have about 16,000 Marines forward-deployed to Japan, 8,000 in Hawaii, and 66,000 in Southern California. This year, we began rotating approximately 250 Marines through Darwin, Australia and we expect the size of this rotational force to grow to 2,500 over the next few years as both of our governments see fit. We're also going to put a number of Marines on Guam eventually, but we're still working out just how many. The Secretary of Defense told me that he'd eventually like 22,000 Marines forward-deployed west of the International Date Line to support our national strategy shift to the Pacific.
What are the implications of defense budget cutbacks for the USMC? What likely impact could the sequestration bill have on the USMC?
General Amos: I think that at 182K [182,000 active duty Marines] we'll be able to accomplish the missions we're assigned and still keep faith with our Marines, sailors and their families. For this small amount, the Marine Corps provides 11 percent of our nation's fighter-attack aircraft, 15 percent of its ground maneuver brigades, and 18 percent of its attack helicopters. We provide a strategically mobile force optimized for forward presence and rapid crisis response. That's what we do — we respond to today's crisis, with today's force, today.
However, the fact is that sequestration is the present law and I think its impact will be fairly significant across the Department of Defense. The number one issue I have with sequestration is the challenge of protecting our readiness. As our nation's expeditionary crisis response force, there is no effective substitute for readiness – a hollow force is not an option.
I have three ways to shape the Corps' budget. I can usually make changes in manpower, operations and maintenance, and procurement accounts. Under sequestration, manpower is off the table, and the law calls for a 10 percent reduction across all accounts. So I'm especially concerned about how it impacts our modernization efforts. The Marine Corps spends 14 percent of its budget on modernization, so that means we have a lot of small problems that suffer disproportionately when funding is restricted. Sequestration means that we'll have a diminished ability to equip Marines with the things that give them an edge over their opponents. We'll have to make some sacrifices in other areas to ensure we continue to provide our nation the most capable Marine Corps it can afford. We're a lean force and there is not a lot of fat or overhead in the Marine Corps. We're essentially just muscle. Because we're so small compared to our sister services, I foresee that some of our programs may be completely canceled due to a loss in economies of scale. So I'm concerned about it and I have many smart people working hard to help me guide the Marine Corps through these difficult waters.
How does the USMC envision the future battlefield and the evolving trends in modern warfare?
General Amos: Historically, we've done a pretty lousy job of guessing what the next war will be or where it will take place so I'm not one for chasing after trends in modern warfare. What I have learned from over 40 years of experience is that we need to be prepared for the unexpected. This requires thinking Marines who anticipate requirements and make things happen in the harshest and most uncertain of environments. It also requires that we pay close attention to what's happening in the world, and I can tell you that there's no indication that the world is getting any nicer.
The last study I saw projected the world's population to top 10 billion by 2050 and more than 8 billion of those people will be in developing regions. We're not making any more fossil fuels, potable water, or arable land, so I think there are going to be some real challenges out there. We're taking a look at all these things and preparing our young officers and non-commissioned officers (NCOs) by increasing training and education opportunities across the spectrum. After all, I need thinking young officers and NCOs who can jump into the middle of chaotic situations, figure things out, and do the right thing – so we're improving our training and education.
We're also working to support our Marines on future battlefields by making sound business decisions today with regard to modernization – specifically in our ground combat tactical vehicles, our aviation, our (Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance) ISR platforms and our amphibious ships. We've already seen some of these projects come to fruition with the MV-22 Osprey and the F-35B Joint Strike Fighter. We're working hard to find a solution for our next amphibious combat vehicle to replace our current Nixon-era amtracks. The Marine Corps has also increased our commitments to U.S. Cyber Command and Special Operations Command, so it's a pretty exciting time to be a Marine and I feel good about that.
How relevant is the Joint Operational Access or Air-Sea Battle concept to the USMC? What are the likely implications for the future of the USMC, especially in the Asia-Pacific?
General Amos: The Marine Corps has an important role in both Joint Operational Access and Air-Sea Battle, so we're very interested in both concepts and the discussions that surround them. First and foremost, the Marine Corps is our nation's expeditionary crisis response force. Unique amongst our sister services, we are versatile, agile, and hard-hitting — our nation's shock troops. We maintain a high state of readiness so that we can deploy to contingencies around the world at a moment's notice. We provide a balanced force for naval campaigns and ground and air striking forces ready to suppress or contain international disturbances.
The bottom line is that Marines assure access to the shore. I think we take great risk if we discount the capabilities to project our national power at the place and time of our choosing. There are times when the U.S. must force our way ashore to protect our citizens and intervene in dangerous situations. This ability to go where our nation is not invited underwrites the deterrent value of our military and provides options to strategic decision makers. Modern amphibious operations allow strategic maneuver that creates and exploits seams along defended coastlines. We need to retain balance in the joint force and the ability to bring power to bear in myriad forms on a wide range of threats. We cannot rely on precision fires alone. History has shown that such an approach generally does not achieve our strategic aims.
The U.S. economy is dependent on a functional global system. Establishing forward presence and building security partners is essential in maintaining this system. The U.S. cannot afford to withdraw from the global marketplace, nor can we afford to secure it by ourselves. We must build partnerships that foster a collective investment in global security. I see this as an economic necessity.
I think we have a pretty bright future as our nation shifts its strategic focus to the Pacific. For Marines, the Pacific is our historic backyard. We've been there in sizable numbers since World War II, and continue to maintain a large presence there. More importantly, we have established strong partnerships there with our friends and allies that are built on trust. I know I am parochial, but I believe that there are no forces more suited to the Asia-Pacific region than amphibious forces that are highly mobile, very versatile, and self-sustainable. So I see the Corps continuing to conduct daily partnership and training missions and responding to crisis as they occur throughout the region.
Sergei DeSilva-Ranasinghe is a security analyst, defense writer and Visiting Fellow at the National Security Institute at the University of Canberra.
Photo Credit: U.S. Marine Corps
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lewis cook
the real us military went covert in 1964 us navy and usmc and the us army went covert in 1973 they saw what 1954 communist 666 hollywood was doing
lewis cook
the post cold war us govt and us military of us army draft dodger british agent antichrist clinton is the enemy of cold war military of king davids
Dayra
Great interview. I looked up the ch 53k and found a mad animation showing what it will do, how its constructed and some of the features etc. Over the next 15 years with the arrival of the America Class, the F35b, the ch 53K, dry docks, Littoral Classes, more Virginia Class Subs, the Ford Class and Zumwalt Destroyers, and maybe some other futuristic stuff like the rail guns, the future bombers, etc it will be a difficult job for any enemy to prevent incursions and all the other non combat missions will be conducted in a manner and time frame not experienced in the History of mankind. There is no doubt about it its a really good period to be a marine and its going to get better.
I just also wanted to say ' China', but for no reason other than my post might not make it otherwise.
Nguyen Noi Noi
Is t_co and Schminner the same person? I hope not. But by courtesy I will answer you both.
I am much smaller than you physically
I am much poorer than you economically
I am much lesser than you technologically
In many aspects I am lesser than you and don't have what you have. To you going out for a McDonald meal is a cheap thing but to me it is a dream but I won't be jealous with you.
I can stand and engage when someone threaten and attempt to humiliate me before my history. I will not run when problem arise because I don't have that emotional callousness. At the end I have this courage to make reconciliation and respect you for who you are. I care when I heard bad news like that happen in Connecticut. My heart went out for those who lost their child through senselessness, and Christmas come, these parents will face emptiness and much tears.
I care that make me a Vietnamese.
Your turn.
Schminner
I thought I had already answered your question by saying "I don't know what make me American." Anyways, I'm not here to argue, but was just joking about burgers and fries. Enjoy…..
Schminner
Without the Chinese, Americans would have to settle for burgers and pizzas all the time at fast food joints.
Nguyen noi noi
@t_co
What make you an American?
Schminner
I don't know what make me American. What make you Vietnamese?
t_co
…because I'm an American citizen? And you still haven't answered the key question–why should we Americans be paying for your (Vietnam's or the Philippine's) claims on disputed islands? How does it matter to us? And if we do spend American blood defending them, would your government give us the oil and gas under the islands for free?
I would support a US defense of those islands if Vietnam and the Philippines offered the US 50 year exploration and drilling rights over all the islands. Otherwise, I think the US has no reason to be there.
John Chan
Let’s cross the t’s and dot the i’s. Vietnamese are shameless and they will not hesitate promising US 50 years exploration rights over the areas that do not belong them, and put the US in direct confrontation with all parties that are claiming over those areas. Therefore US must ask Vietnamese to buy CDS for all the loss incurred by the USA due to Vietnamese irresponsible actions and negligence.
Nguyen Noi Noi
t_co
I don't work for the government, I am an ordinary man struggle to meet the end need just like many ordinary Americans. Those questions you asked are beyond the sphere of ordinary citizen like me, I am not an imposter and pretend I know and can give you that answer. It belongs to the two governments and their departments to form policies. I am sure they have people with greater minds in their positions and within their expertise to solve the problem. What we know is only on the surface and we totally rely upon the media and media are superficial.
General Amos and many strategists see life and the world different to you, perhaps the two of you are totally opposite world view and that is American way of life, I respect that. What I commented was my assumption, and I may be wrong.
Do we Vietnamese invite the US to protect our land, our water? You must be joking. We haven't relied on foreign forces to protect our land for several millenniums, and we still exit and stand tall defiant to all forces and I don't think we would change that status. Where was America before the seventh-teen century? We normalize the relationship between two nations that had once locked horn to test our staminas, and you know the history. We do so because it is a right thing to do, we need each other, therefore, we can function properly in the world, and be a normal human on this planet. Do we Vietnamese need China? Yes we do, because China is our neighbor, whether good or bad, we must accept this fact and remain co-exist and feel annoyance.
No, t_co you don't have to support the US force as there are many Americans opposite it. But you also remember this, there are as many American support, President Obama policies and General Amos as you, may be more than you think, because they see life and national security, their places in history further than you.
Even if you can have the power (which you never will) to call all American forces over seas home to the US and become a hermit state, and spend no single cent on military budget, you still have to face more problems, maybe civil war. We live in the world that laden with problems, so let together face it.
Schminner
Why stop at CD's?
Have them purchase DVD's and Blue-Rays as well ….
Errol
Hear hear. I would agree that we would have to pay for what we get. Maybe America's hesitation in putting forces in this area (because of no clear gain) will be enough to get our Congress to ramp up our ridiculous defense budget. 0.8% of GDP? What a joke.
Lnrds
John Chan, If nation A has war with nation B and A is the victor, you can impose what you want to whom you want. It's called the spoils of war in simple terms.. That's the price of defeat so if a country is not prepared for defeat then don't start or get involved in wars. Unfortunately human nature by majority of its citizens of a nation will just not simply stand down without a fight. If you know your history well then you would know how Carthaginian Empire felt after the critical battle of Zama (Carthage and Rome, Punic Wars rings a bell to you? No? then look it up!). I would also think the Japanese would prefer American Hegemony than Chinese Hegemony.
John Chan
@Lnrds,
Sorry, I cannot agree with you, the victor dictates all is a regressive medieval European dark age idea. Humanity should have progressed to the state better than “eye for eye, tooth of tooth.” After reining in the perpetrator, we should proceed to re-educate the perpetrator to be a better man; humiliation and destruction are not the way to re-educate the perpetrator.
Errol
The analogy you use is that of a criminal. It's possible to do that to an indvidual person. You can NOT do that on a nation. For you to do so would be to occupy that nation first and then reset the very foundation of the perpetrator-nation's culture.
Is your China prepared for that? Despite your claims that China's rise is harmonious and will never emulate the evil imperialistic USA? Is that what Chinese nationalists want with Japan? To subjugate small Japan who had the nerve to attack big China 80 years ago? I did ask you earlier what you wanted but you never replied.
The way you decry and condemn the West's bloody past, you forget your most recent history, that the PRC was also born in blood and fire. Have you forgotten the struggles between the CPC and the KMT? That's just one among many.
John Chan
@Errol,
Historically Japan always follows China nearly in all aspects of life without China occupying it militarily; it proves your western thinking is one dimensional. Japan should return to Asia as a peaceful member of Asia, not as a lackey to serve the alien that aims to enslave the Asians. It is time for the Asians to show the world that they are independent and equal to all of them; they can manage their businesses on their own.
BTW China is aware of its past, so it didn’t claim moral high ground and lecture others shamelessly non-stop like the West. Why can’t the West behaves like China, knowing its past and behave appropriately?
Jean-Paul
@ John Chan
Japanese know the wisdom of bygone is bygone, so even if Japan had followed China for many years, that was several hundred years ago. The Japanese today have no interest in being friends with China, that's why they are stealing all your islands and countering your geopolitical moves.
Trying to seduce Japan into your commie pollution wasteland is very sad, it seems the saying "misery enjoys company" is very true with the Chinese. They are jealous of Japan's clean cities and first world benefits and resent them for it. They want Japan to become commies and to lose touch with their western brothers.
John Chan
@Jean-Paul,
You are a lost cause.
Errol
@JC, You wrote that historically Japan followed China. One gets the impression that this is something China is trying to fix. Bring Japan back to the fold instead of its own way.
shizzoyoshinaka
how much does john chan earn for being a commie mouth piece or should i say
how much did you sell your soul john?
John Chan
@shizzoyoshinaka,
I am a Chinese, if I do not defend China, who will? Definitely I cannot count on the unapologetic war criminal Japanese, or the predatory imperialist westerners.
I have the soul and courage to defend China’s integrity, how about the Japanese? Do they have the soul and courage to kick out their westerner alien military occupier and reclaim their independence or do they have the soul and courage to treat their country fellow victims live near the Fukushima nuclear plant not as toxic plague?
Jean-Paul
@ the 50 cent brigade (John Chan)
I wonder if you guys get paid double your usual rate if you say the words "unapologetic war criminal" and "predatory imperialist" in all your posts. John Chan must be one of the highest paid Wumao in all of China, he's not only sold his soul but he's sold the reputation of his fellow Chinese down the drain for 50 cents per post.
John Chan you do not understand the situation that China is in, it is in a very bad one in fact. The west has many of the Asian nations allied to it such as Japan as you can see in this comment section. The Japanese posters, Indian posters (look to the problem from hell article), Mongolian posters ( look to Mongolians economic challenge article) are all agreeing with me and my fellow westerners posts. They are all very annoyed by the constant CCP Wumao propaganda on this site and I am here to show them the light……that the westerners will protect them from the dirty commies.
50 cent brigade you are only playing into the hands of the westerners by being so obnoxious and misleading with your constant propaganda and the fact that your CCP is paying you to create more enemies is really a hilarious spectacle to observe.
John Chan
@Jean-Paul,
Labelling baseless is a trait of uneducated skinheads, they lack the capability of reasoning so they foul mouthing non-stop; you surly show us what an uneducated look like.
The world says China is on the rise; meanwhile the USA is on the verge of falling off a financial cliff; its lackey fascist Japan is continue on the path of lost decades particular its current balance has gone negative; and the EU is in deep recession and soon their living standard will be on par with the Africans.
The USA is a black cat that brings bad luck, destruction, misery and atrocity. As uneducated as you are, nobody shouldn’t touch you with a ten foot barge pole. Anybody take your racist rant as advice they deserve to be recolonized and abused by the hubris and abusive westerners.
Pease get an education so that you can win those mentally colonized with pervasive snakeoil sales talk.
Jaques666
Be fair to him. He is doing an ok job of distracting, “what aboutisms” and annoying people and all for very low pay… it’s not easy arguing against otherwise universally accepted history and logic all the time. Also it could well be more than person, which explains the sudden changes in english level.
John Chan
@Jaques666,
Practice makes perfect; I have to show my gratitude to the Diplomat and all the anti-China bigots for their effort to sharpen my English.
The same principle applies to China too; the more hostility the West shows towards China for their greedy gains, the more China will strive to be stronger and self-reliant.
Jean-Paul
@ John Chan
"soon their living standard will be on par with the Africans." Ranting against the EU only shows your resentment, hostility and jealousy towards European first world lifestyle. In fact the EU as a whole is not in a deep recession like you say it is, just a minor setback that is all. Maybe you should get a proper education on what a recession is before spewing ignorant statements like you do on a regular basis. In fact while you are at it get a basic English education on spelling and grammar, you sorely need one John Chan.
I am merely here to show the posters at the diplomat how evil the Chinese really are. While their GDP may be growing the rest of their society is decaying at a very rapid pace. Look at the WHO country rankings for healthcare, you will notice China is not even in the top 100 http://www.photius.com/rankings/healthranks.html. Guess which country is at the top John Chan? Thats right it is France, followed by other EU countries such as Italy and Austria. Your rants do not change the fact that the EU has the best quality of life in the world.
Poor John Chan, no wonder you are so angry and hostile all the time, according to the WHO China has an air pollution index of 98…..compared to France it is over triple air pollution. Why doesn't China do something about the health of its citizens first, then complain and cry about the west and Japan? Here is the link so you Chinese can see how filthy and disgusting your country is http://apps.who.int/gho/data/?vid=710#
John Chan
@Jean-Paul,
The westerners are the most selfish and greedy lot, in order to support their way of life that they cannot afford themselves, they loot, steal and destroy around the world for their healthcare and clean air benefits. You just prove the westerners have not change a bit from their ugly past.
The West is all about talk and no show, the talk about benevolence and superiority of western culture, yet history shows that they are the most destructive lot in the existence of human beings.
Errol
Right. We should look up to the CPC. Instead of looting and pillaging other countries to support our way of life, we should loot and pillage our own common people. After doing that, then maybe we can think of doing it to other countries.
China’s Gutter Oil
@john chan….
I have to give to it to you dude, you're really a piece or art! the terracotta army creator would really lick and kiss your ass for your patriotism! kudos to all 50-cents minion! hallelujah!
i know you hate americans and japanese alike, but would you please give me one-half good reason why your 'princelings' and noveau-rich compatriots are flocking to the united states in seek of the 'american dream'?
if you revere your china so much and hate the americans, then could you please explain to me why the off-springs of your beloved Mao Zedong, Xi Mingze the beloved daughter of your Xi Jinping and your fallen princeling Bo Xilai's son LOVE AMERICA SO MUCH THAT THEY DON'T WANNA GO BACK TO YOU BELOVED CHINA ANYMORE?!
AND YES I'M MAKING A STATEMENT HERE…;)