I know that this will be unpopular but the Marines have suffered serious mission creep and have grown beyond their true need. Their purpose it to be the marine infantry in support of Navy operations. Much of what the Marines now do independently of the Navy should properly be done by the Army. Why were the Marines deployed longterm in Iraq and Afghanistan? Afghanistan does not even have a coastline. We do not need two armies. The Marines should be downsized to support Navy operations; their original mission. Leave the rest to the Army.
My grand daughter is 2nd year USNA. I find this discussion interesting. Marines is one of the USNA service options.
Doggies don’t get it done; Marines do.
“Why were the Marines deployed longterm in Iraq and Afghanistan? Afghanistan does not even have a coastline.”
I think the reasons were the synergies and similarities in the operations styles and standards between the Marines and other services “special ops”. I think the Marines fit right in with the special ops requirements and how much much more that style was put to use in Iraq and Afghanistan.