thedrifter
12-10-06, 08:12 AM
Saturday, December 9, 2006
Troops need to recover between deployments
The U.S. Marine Corps likes to think of itself as the military’s redheaded stepchild. Leathernecks say they have always done more with less. They proudly claim to accomplish difficult missions with too few Marines armed with hand-me-down weapons. After all, they joke, what Marine is not worth 10 soldiers or sailors?
An exhausted Marine, for one. A stressed-out Marine without adequate time to recover from the rigors of combat. A Marine who worries his family is carrying more than its share of the burdens of war and separation. A Marine whose legendary high morale is so deflated that he — or she — decides to leave the Corps for the relative safety and security of civilian life.
Last week, the corps’ new commandant, Gen. James Conway, went to Camp Lejeune to meet Marines at the service’s largest East Coast base. … Conway’s laudable goal is to give Marines at least 14 months at home between combat assignments. Current rotations have them in combat seven months and home seven months. That rapid turnover is taking its toll, Conway said. Marine family life suffers, which affects morale and retention. ...
The nation needs a strong, well-trained and well-motivated Marine Corps ready to fight anywhere at a moment’s notice. Whether that comes from having more Marines in uniform, at least until the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have run their course, or better use of the ones we have now, something needs to give. The new commandant is right to give this issue his close and immediate attention.
Raleigh News & Observer
Ellie
Troops need to recover between deployments
The U.S. Marine Corps likes to think of itself as the military’s redheaded stepchild. Leathernecks say they have always done more with less. They proudly claim to accomplish difficult missions with too few Marines armed with hand-me-down weapons. After all, they joke, what Marine is not worth 10 soldiers or sailors?
An exhausted Marine, for one. A stressed-out Marine without adequate time to recover from the rigors of combat. A Marine who worries his family is carrying more than its share of the burdens of war and separation. A Marine whose legendary high morale is so deflated that he — or she — decides to leave the Corps for the relative safety and security of civilian life.
Last week, the corps’ new commandant, Gen. James Conway, went to Camp Lejeune to meet Marines at the service’s largest East Coast base. … Conway’s laudable goal is to give Marines at least 14 months at home between combat assignments. Current rotations have them in combat seven months and home seven months. That rapid turnover is taking its toll, Conway said. Marine family life suffers, which affects morale and retention. ...
The nation needs a strong, well-trained and well-motivated Marine Corps ready to fight anywhere at a moment’s notice. Whether that comes from having more Marines in uniform, at least until the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have run their course, or better use of the ones we have now, something needs to give. The new commandant is right to give this issue his close and immediate attention.
Raleigh News & Observer
Ellie