35th CMC releases planning guidance

OKINAWA, JAPAN

11.04.2010

Courtesy Story

III Marine Expeditionary Force   

By 2nd Lt. Lindsay M. Pirek

"I direct every Marine to read my guidance to better understand the way ahead," stated Amos in Passing of the Colors, All Marine message 039/10.

Amos outlined the Corps’ direction by defining "who we are, where we will operate, what we will do, and where we are headed."

"Small unit leadership, unit cohesion, an expeditionary mindset, education, the spirit of innovation and fidelity form the foundation of our Corps," he said.

Amos stated our heritage is built by the individual Marine who endures the hardening of body and mind, the infusion of discipline and the casting of an indelible esprit de corps.
The future security environment will be dictated by "a world of increasing instability and conflict, characterized by poverty, competition for resources, urbanization, overpopulation and extremism."

Amos stressed these factors, also including globalization, social divided and the rise of new powers, contribute to failed states that can become safe havens for terrorists who threaten the U.S.

Marines must be prepared to operate in an ever-changing warfare environment, he said.

The world is changing, but "one thing has not: America needs an expeditionary force in readiness that is prepared to respond to any crisis," said Amos in his Commandant’s Planning Guidance. "As befits our expeditionary nature, Marines will be forward deployed and engaged in areas of instability and potential conflict."

Keeping the fight in Afghanistan a top priority, Amos defined the role of the Marine Corps in the current conflict, as well as all future conflicts "as part of the joint force, the Marine Corps and the Navy work together to leverage the significant advantages that amphibious forces provide a maritime power like the United States."

Amos concluded that "this all points toward a Marine Corps that is a multi-capable, combined-arms force, comfortable operating at the high and low ends of the threat spectrum or in the shaded areas where they overlap."

Amos said the way forward will be forged by four main priorities:
- "We will continue to provide the best trained and equipped Marine units to Afghanistan. This will not change. This remains our top priority!
- "We will rebalance our Corps, posture it for the future and aggressively experiment with and implement new capabilities and organizations.
- "We will better educate and train our Marines to succeed in distributed operations and increasingly complex environments.
- "We will keep faith with our Marines, our sailors and our families."

The 35th Commandant of the Marine Corps Commandant’s Planning Guidance 2010 is located at http://www.marines.mil/unit/mcbjapan/Documents/CMC%20Guidance.pdf.

• Date Taken: 11.04.2010
• Date Posted: 11.04.2010 20:48
• Story ID: 59449
• Location: OKINAWA, JP