Slide Show: USMC Action in Afghanistan

12/19/2009
[slidepress gallery='usmc-afghanistan'] The Marines In Action In Afghanistan: Operation Cobra's Anger and the Key Role of Engineers The photos are of Marines with 3rd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, conducting combat operations in Now Zad, Afghanistan, during Operation Cobra's Anger, December 4th, 2009. Operation Cobra's Anger disrupted enemy supply lines and…

General Walsh on the USMC Use of Airpower in Iraq: From Precision-Strike to Presence

11/30/2009
  [caption id="attachment_2582" align="alignleft" width="150"] General Walsh[/caption] On November 9th, Brigadier General Walsh discussed his recent experiences in Iraq (watch video abstract). In December 2008 he became the Commanding General of the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing Forward and deployed to Operation Iraqi Freedom on November 3rd and 2nd MAW (Fwd) was…

The Maintainers at the Heart of the Osprey Enterprise

11/28/2009
[caption id="attachment_2584" align="alignleft" width="200" caption="The V22 Maintenance Team"][/caption] Crafting the Osprey Enterprise: The Role of the Maintenance Team New Plane, New Capability, New Support Concept The Osprey is a new plane, a new capability, and provides a new contribution to the MAGTF and to the joint forces. It is not…

The USMC and Crafting the Seabase Enterprise

09/18/2009
The USMC has become more of a land army as a consequence of the Iraq War. General Conway, the USMC Commandant, is worried the Corps is losing its expeditionary focus. Marine officers who have joined the USMC during the Iraq period are very likely NEVER to have been aboard ship.…

The Acquisition Challenge: Re-Shaping US Forces in a Constrained Fiscal Environment

09/17/2009
[caption id="attachment_1187" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="C-5M in Flight"][/caption] As the Obama Administration shapes the acquisition approach of the Department of Defense for the years to come, hard choices will be taken. And these choices will have significant impact both in implementing strategy and in shaping strategy for years to come. Among…

Rethinking Maritime Littoral Operations: The Emergence of the “Enduring Littoral Presence Mission”

09/07/2009
[caption id="attachment_1185" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="LCS"][/caption] Littoral operations for US and allied navies have largely focused on warfighting as the defining element. For a "blue water" fleet like the US Navy, the littorals are the areas passed through in shaping the battle on the air and land in confronting adversaries. The…

The USN at a Turning Point: Shaping New Global Opportunities

09/07/2009
The U.S. Navy can position itself as a key element for the Obama Administration as it seeks new opportunities for global cooperation. The Administration has underscored their desire "to build partnership capacity" and to "enhance enduring relationships" among core allies. The USN has a unique global presence and works every…

LOGMOD 2007 War Game

09/05/2009
[caption id="attachment_554" align="alignleft" width="136" caption="Wargaming"][/caption] The USMC’s Log MOD-2007-2 War Game was held in Quantico in September 2007. The game was held over five days. Whereas the first game (October 2006) focused on participating in shaping the reform approach, this war game was dedicated to kicking the tires and test…