Commandant Of The Marine Corps Says Deploying Troops To The Border Poses Unacceptable Risk
BY Herschel Smith
5 years, 8 months ago
The commandant of the Marines has warned the Pentagon that deployments to the southwest border and funding transfers under the president’s emergency declaration, among other unexpected demands, have posed “unacceptable risk to Marine Corps combat readiness and solvency.”
In two internal memos, Marine Corps Gen. Robert Neller said the “unplanned/unbudgeted” deployment along the border that President Trump ordered last fall, and shifts of other funds to support border security, had forced him to cancel or reduce planned military training in at least five countries, and delay urgent repairs at bases.
The border deployment and funding transfers, as well as recovery costs from hurricanes Florence and Michael, new housing allowances and civilian pay raises, are taking a toll on combat readiness, Neller wrote to Navy Secretary Richard Spencer and Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan.
The Times obtained copies of the memos, dated March 18 and March 19.
Here’s another view from a former Marine who did a MEU after a combat tour in Iraq. A MEU is the most ridiculous waste of time and money on earth, with the need for massive refueling, resupply, mail drop, force protection, and repair, all while at sea. This, for the sole purpose of floating around the Gulf and “training” with incompetent troops who can’t even come close to holding their own with the USMC.
This is what the Commandant calls combat “readiness.” All the while, an invasion is occurring on our Southern border, and even the troops deployed there can’t lift a finger to stop it since they are not on patrol or under arming orders.
Hey. At least the corporations get low paid workers whose medical care can be sloughed off on the taxpayers, and the democrats get voters. So the elitists are happy.
On March 21, 2019 at 10:22 pm, MTHead said:
His ONLY job is to defend the border! Trump should fire his ass on the spot. f—ing coward.
On March 21, 2019 at 11:40 pm, Hudson H Luce said:
Obviously, that’s one Commandant who should be sacked, or court-martialed for dereliction of duty and insubordination, reduced in rank to private, and sent to sit in Quantico for a stretch – “pour encourager les autres”. And if Trump doesn’t take appropriate action, it’s on Trump, not just the Commandant.
On March 22, 2019 at 7:32 am, June J said:
Resign Gen. Neller if you are unwilling to comply with the lawful orders of the Commander in Chief.
CINC must set an example soon of dealing with senior officers who openly disobey or advocate disobedience of orders.
On March 22, 2019 at 7:38 am, Bram said:
When I was in the National Guard, I volunteered for a border protection mission. Then found out we would be issued absolutely no weapons, not even sidearms for personal protection – so I unvolunteered.
I wonder if that is what is going on between the lines? Most of the First Marine Division is within commuting distance to the border – but I bet nobody is interested in sticking their privates (pun intended) into that mess totally unarmed.
On March 22, 2019 at 7:50 am, George said:
Like Herschel said, it does no good to put troops on the Border under current laws anyway. The way the immigration laws are, all an alien has to do is put one toe on US soil and then they are entitled to all of the court proceedings.
This is the reason for their release into the country. They can’t be detained and they can’t be removed. If the military was properly deployed and had the proper orders they might mitigate the drug smuggling to some extent.
To end the Border problems we need Congress to pass a massive overhaul of the system with teeth in the process, remove the courts from the vast majority of immigration cases and build a proper security wall. None of that will happen.
On March 22, 2019 at 8:12 am, WALT MILLER said:
After the Beirut bombing some excuses appeared in the MCG about how Marines were assault troops and other unworthy tripe.
A letter soon appeared in the Gazette from General Merrill B.Twining reminding everyone that the American people had the right to expect from the Marine Corps the -exact- performance of any assigned mission.
Semper Fidelis
On March 22, 2019 at 9:05 am, Fred said:
I’m certain that the government will fix these problems right away.
On March 22, 2019 at 3:14 pm, scott s. said:
Marines are allergic to salt water. If they can’t handle doing a MEU, they should just get rid of them and add a couple brigades to the Army. As far as the “risk”, I guess the CinC has determined the risk is “acceptable”.
On March 22, 2019 at 10:33 pm, Herschel Smith said:
@Scott s,
I didn’t say the USMC was “allergic” to salt water. I said that MEUs were a gigantic waste of money and resources as they are never used for anything except floating around and consuming money.
There are many means of insertion, including air. Or air from sea. Your suggestion to add them to the army is a good way of diminishing what’s left of the U.S. military.
On March 23, 2019 at 9:29 am, Russ said:
The BushObama debacles of the past decades did more to degrade the “readiness” of the armed forces than any other event(s) I can think of. Well, I may need to retract that..when Obama sacked General Pace, signaling the Leftist jihad against “extremist” Marine Corps culture, that was pretty bad too. Amos and Neller have been all to happy to accommodate every Leftist SJW edict handed down from upon high as if they couldn’t tell the President to blow it out his ass and resign. Amos is probably working for Lockheed now and Neller will accept a position with BAE soon. Then the pussified, coed, queer and Balkanized Corps will be left to get their asses kicked in some nasty hell hole by the Chicoms. Who the hell wants to be “ready” for that? They had me—they won’t be getting my kids.
On March 23, 2019 at 3:02 pm, Georgiaboy61 said:
@ Herschel
Re: “Your suggestion to add them to the army is a good way of diminishing what’s left of the U.S. military.”
If anything, the U.S. Army ought to be re-modeled along the lines of the Corps. While it is true that the rot of P.C. has infected the Marine Corps, that particular malady is less-advanced in the USMC than elsewhere in the regular U.S. armed forces. And with due respects to those parts of the army which maintain high standards and get the job done, the Corps consistently gives the taxpayer the highest return in fighting power/buck of all the services. Only the U.S. Coast Guard rivals the Marines in this respect.
Historically-speaking, there have been many previous attempts to abolish the ‘Corps or fold them into the army. Famously, President Harry Truman, himself an army combat veteran of the Great War (branch: artillery), once considered abolishing the Corps at the advice of his staff, some of whom questioned why the post-war nation needed the Marine Corps in an age of supersonic aircraft and ICBMs.
But then along came the Korean War, in which the Marine Corps saved the army’s bacon during the early days of the war when U.S.-UN forces were pinned inside the Pusan Pocket by North Korean forces. Even General MacArthur, a West-Pointer through-and-through, acknowledged the role the Marines had played in holding the line and then reversing the tide of the war at the Inchon landings. Later, after the Communist Chinese came into the war, the Marines against distinguished themselves at the Chosin Reservoir.
Why had the Marines performed so well?
The answer was simple: When they were properly trained, equipped and led, the Army’s soldiers were the equal of their counterparts in the USMC. But the post-WII Army in the Far-East had let standards of training slip, did not maintain its equipment or conduct regular combat training.
When the North Koreans unexpected invaded in June 1950, Big Green was caught flat-footed. In contrast, despite post-war draw-downs and budget cuts, the post-WWII Marine Corps continued to train for war and rapid deployment as the nation’s premier expeditionary force -just as they had always done. The Marines who went to Korea landed prepared to fight.
The job of the military is to fight wars, and when there isn’t a war to fight, their job is to train and prepare for the next war. The USMC steadfastly holds that mentality; the other service branches are less-consistent.