[nunoste]

Can someone tell me why the Marines seem to be their own self-contained army? Is there a security reason for this?

[dwilli]

The mindsets are different, not saying one is better than the other but after completing basic training and probably AIT,the attitudes are different on how combat should be conducted.

[Mears]

Aren't the Marines affiliated with the Navy?

[tet68]

Can someone tell me why the Marines seem to be their own self-contained army?

It's all in the history. It's because of the Marine's
mission requirements as a naval landing force, mostly developed prior and during WW II. in the Pacific as
island assualt forces against defended beaches.
The marines found that to provide the close support of combined arms it worked better if THEY supplied coordinating
units, which understood the situaton of the other arms in a
more meaningful way.

Mostly it's Esprit d'Corps.

Oooorah!

[Perseverando]

Can someone tell me why the Marines seem to be their own self-contained army? Is there a security reason for this? When you want the job done right, you have to do it yourself!

[archy]

Can someone tell me why the Marines seem to be their own self-contained army? Is there a security reason for this?

Sure. It continues the Marine tradition of as much self-sufficiency as possible, their habit leftover from days when they provided the shore landing parties and guard forces for US Navy sailing ships and U.S. Embassies in remote locations. In the days in China following the Boxer rebellion, we maintained a number of oputposts in that country, the main one being the location of the 4th Marine Regiment [about a thousand men and offivers] in Shanghai, with a few smaller 4th Marine radio stations and other outposts reporting to the 4th Marines HQ in Shanghai. Obviously, they had to be as independent as possible, given the unliklihood of reinforcing or resupplying them by ship during operations. Likewise in Haiti and Central America, Marine detatchments were ordered to slow the tide of revolutions in Nicaragua, Guatemals, and Panama and provide a militaryforce capable of training and leading the local governmental forces, again, far removed from direct command and leadership from Marine HQ.

When in the 1920s, particularly vicious armed bandits were attacking and overwhelming US Mail shiipments, Marines were ordered to accompany the Mail, and the robberies ceased. Come the Pacific island-hopping efforts of WWII, small units of Marine Raiders made a few initial raids and provided early successes and failures in that theater, followed by larger formatuions that could be fielded with additional support elements attached. That sort of flexibility also flows from the Marine ways of conduicting their business.

So for any Marine unit from a four-man half-squad-sized fire team to full divisional and combined services task forces, the Marines are just building on their 228 years of experience in doing their business theior own way.

I'm no Marine or former Marine, though I've had the good fortune of having worked for and with them a couple of times. Those experiences were far from pleasant but were very much a privilidge, and I'm probably alive today because of prompt Marine action on two seperate occasions.

So Sempeer Fi, to the Marines, and a hand salute to you, from one who is outside your group, and aware of its limitations and a few failings- but retains the respect and admiration I've had for your Corps for most of my life. Your way of doing business is not my own, but there are points of similarity, and it suits you just fine.

Carry on.

-archy-/-

[Steely Glint]

"Can someone tell me why the Marines seem to be their own self-contained army? Is there a security reason for this?"

Yes. It's for when America needs the very best.