thedrifter
11-30-06, 06:38 PM
Conway’s plan emphasizes combined arms, basics
Iraq training has forced other skills to wayside, he says
Times staff
The Corps’ new commandant wants to bring the service back to basics, strengthening its ability to conduct missions other than its current occupation duty in Iraq, according to the Commandant’s Planning Guidance.
In the document, obtained Tuesday by Marine Corps Times, Commandant Gen. James Conway wrote that Iraq deployments “dictate an almost singular focus on preparing units for their next rotation in irregular warfare operations.
“As a result, the skills Marines need for combined-arms maneuver, mountain warfare, amphibious and jungle operations have deteriorated.”
Conway calls for shifting the “deployment-to-dwell” ratio back to 1:2 for active-duty forces, meaning that for every seven months a unit is deployed, it will be home for 14 months before deploying again. For the Reserve side, the ratio needs to be 1:5, Conway wrote.
By essentially doubling the amount of time Marines are home between deployments, leathernecks will have more time to devote to training for these other bread-and-butter missions.
“Our deployment cycles must not only support training for irregular warfare, they must also provide sufficient time for recovery and maintenance as well as training for other contingency missions,” Conway wrote.
He tasked deputy commandants and Marine Corps headquarters with “determining the structure and manning requirements” to restore the dwell time, while seeing what it will take in terms of recruiters, trainers, infrastructure, materiel and equipment to support that manning.
On the personnel side, Conway repeatedly stressed the need to take care of wounded Marines when they come home, calling for a “Wounded Warrior Regiment” with a battalion headquarters on both coasts to track and assist wounded Marines and sailors.
“To all our injured warriors — those Marines who suffer visible wounds and those who bear the less visible wounds of post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury — our commitment to you will not falter.”
Conway will begin visiting troops in the field this week to discuss his plans and receive feedback on the guidance. He directed commanders to review the guidance with their Marines, sailors and civilians within 30 days.
Ellie
Iraq training has forced other skills to wayside, he says
Times staff
The Corps’ new commandant wants to bring the service back to basics, strengthening its ability to conduct missions other than its current occupation duty in Iraq, according to the Commandant’s Planning Guidance.
In the document, obtained Tuesday by Marine Corps Times, Commandant Gen. James Conway wrote that Iraq deployments “dictate an almost singular focus on preparing units for their next rotation in irregular warfare operations.
“As a result, the skills Marines need for combined-arms maneuver, mountain warfare, amphibious and jungle operations have deteriorated.”
Conway calls for shifting the “deployment-to-dwell” ratio back to 1:2 for active-duty forces, meaning that for every seven months a unit is deployed, it will be home for 14 months before deploying again. For the Reserve side, the ratio needs to be 1:5, Conway wrote.
By essentially doubling the amount of time Marines are home between deployments, leathernecks will have more time to devote to training for these other bread-and-butter missions.
“Our deployment cycles must not only support training for irregular warfare, they must also provide sufficient time for recovery and maintenance as well as training for other contingency missions,” Conway wrote.
He tasked deputy commandants and Marine Corps headquarters with “determining the structure and manning requirements” to restore the dwell time, while seeing what it will take in terms of recruiters, trainers, infrastructure, materiel and equipment to support that manning.
On the personnel side, Conway repeatedly stressed the need to take care of wounded Marines when they come home, calling for a “Wounded Warrior Regiment” with a battalion headquarters on both coasts to track and assist wounded Marines and sailors.
“To all our injured warriors — those Marines who suffer visible wounds and those who bear the less visible wounds of post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury — our commitment to you will not falter.”
Conway will begin visiting troops in the field this week to discuss his plans and receive feedback on the guidance. He directed commanders to review the guidance with their Marines, sailors and civilians within 30 days.
Ellie