United States Marine Corps

  The USMC's contributions to the future pacific fight are outlined in the recently released tri-service maritime strategy. However, the document only vaguely mentions Naval SOF's unique skill sets and ability to prepare the operating environment for maritime force access without delineating clear lines of effort or aligning resources. To visualize the possibilities of future USMC-SOF I3D, it is helpful to consider a continuum of conventional force and SOF cooperation from deconfliction measures on the low end to opportunities for Integration, Interdependence, and Interoperability on the high-end. 

On February 8th 2040, Congress passed a law that abolished and dissolved the United States Marine Corps and merged its personnel and assets into the Army, Navy and Air Force. It should not have come as a surprise to anyone. After a bruising two-month war with China in which the U.S. never landed a meaningful punch, there was bound to be a reckoning across the entire Department of Defense.

General Charles C. Krulak (31st Commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps) talked about conflict and combat around the world and the future of the Marine Corps and his role in the process of modernizing and improving the Marines. He said he was focusing on preparing and training the Marines for the 21st century and different types of conflict and battle. Following his prepared remarks, General Krulak took questions from the audience. National Press Club, 10 October 1997.