Posted on 11/22/2006 7:18:21 PM PST by bnelson44
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The new Marine Corps commandant said Wednesday that the longer than anticipated pace of operations in Iraq and Afghanistan is putting an unacceptable strain on his troops.
Gen. James Conway said the service is unable to meet its goal of giving Marines twice as much time at home as in a war zone.
He said unless the demand on the corps eases, he may have to propose increasing the size of the force.
The Marine Corps is the smallest of the Pentagon's military services. The Coast Guard, which is even smaller, is part of the Department of Homeland Security.
Currently there are 180,000 Marines on active duty and about 40,000 in the active reserves. Marine units serve seven-month deployments in Iraq or Afghanistan.
Conway, who led Marine units into Iraq in 2003 and served on the Pentagon's joint staff, said his troops should get 14 months of relief before they are sent back.
Typically, however, they get only seven or eight months home before being returned to combat, he said.
Assuming the Marines' top job little more than a week ago, Conway told reporters at a Pentagon roundtable discussion that he sees two ways to alleviate stress on troops.
"One is reducing the requirement [of a set deployment time]. The other is potentially growing the force for what we call the long war," Conway said.
Some units are serving their fourth tours in Iraq, and the strain on their families has raised concern that Marines will start leaving the service when their enlistments are up.
(Excerpt) Read more at cnn.com ...
Well..DUH!!!
Grow the Corps.....easy answer!
Next?
Take with grain of salt. 'nuff said.
That is probably what he is after. He is the new kid on the block and can get away with asking for an increase in force.
In WW-II, or the Korean war, yea. But the with media telling everyone the war is already lost, and without lowering standards, which the Marines are loathe to do, maybe not so easy, even if $$ were not a consideration.
Plus it takes Congressional authorization to increase the size of any of the armed forces above whatever ceiling Congress has decreed. Think the DemonRats are going to allow that?
The Corps can ease these stresses and strains two ways, Conway said. “One is reducing the requirement,” he said. “The other is growing the force for what we call the Long War.”
Draft Charlie "the Chump" Rangel.
No...the Dems might not go for it ...but, I would LOVE for them to have to vote on it...so we would have them on record, NOT supporting the troops..
If they voted NO...knowing that regardless of any "pull out timetable"...we are in a WAR for a long time..and not NOT approve more Marines....would be endangering the ones we have now, more.
Don't lower standards...from what I understand, they haven't had any trouble in recruiting...
From now until 2008...the rule should be...that we force the democraps into having to VOTE on anything that they have complained about...so they will be on record.
That way during the elections...we will have proof if they put their vote where their rhetoric is.
Ouch, can't believe I said that.
holy crap ...CNN had to purposely butcher that interview.
How many wars have been won with a goal like that?
Speaking of draft, I don't know why people on this board are so against the draft. I mean I figure it gives everyone a chance to serve their country and potentially make the ultimate sacrifice. I figure if you love the USA and certainly in the case of this war, if you agree with it, you shouldn't have an issue with the draft!
I'm personally all for it and don't think the military quality will suffer a lick because the standards will ensure that the best people are put in the best positions.
Besides I would hate to support a war but not support the opportunity for everyone in the country to fight for their country in a war that they support.
Hopefully, very long ones like the one we are currently in.
He's not a Marine.
Call me crazy, but I think this guy MAY be wrong! Deployment to a war zone is indeed very stressful. It's hard on wives and kids and parents and siblings. It's even harder on the ladies and gents who leave those loved ones behind, but the reason they leave has not changed. They leave precisely BECAUSE of those loved ones.....and because of the loved ones of others. Freedom is not free, and they know it. So do their families.
It's a new day, folks, and it's a new war....unlike any war we have ever fought. The threat is unlike any we have ever faced. All of our service people know this. Too bad the armchair quarterbacks haven't figured it out.
They will if they think the public wants them to.... and that may be what is happening here. The brass selling the idea to the public. Remember, Dems always have one finger in the wind.
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