thedrifter
12-18-06, 10:40 AM
December 18, 2006
Conway reiterates goal of more time at home
The Associated Press
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. — The Marine Corps’ commandant is pushing for his troops to spend more time at home between tours of duty overseas.
Gen. James T. Conway told a reporters’ roundtable on Saturday that he wants to “grow the force,” which he said would call for Marines to spend 14 months at home for every seven months of active duty in Iraq or Afghanistan. The ratio is currently about one-to-one.
“Right now there is individual strain in that some of our Marines are going back for a third or fourth time,” Conway said. “And there is institutional strain that we’re focusing on counterinsurgency and not going for the nation some of the other things that we should be.
Out of a total of 180,000 Marines, about 20,000 are currently deployed in Iraq and about 200 are in Afghanistan.
Conway, in town to give the commencement address at Southeast Missouri State University, said his plan could require shifting money away from the 39,000 Marine reservists in favor of maintaining rotating active duty troops.
“It’s putting a strain on these youngsters, and we think we need to do something about it,” he said. “We want to keep them around. We want to make sure Momma at home is as happy as a young Marine out there doing good work.”
Conway, a St. Louis native and Southeast Missouri State graduate, was appointed as the Corps’ 34th commandant by President Bush in June.
He said he and the other Joint Chiefs met with Bush on Wednesday and that the president is open to change.
“I think he is considering a strategy change from where we’ve been. I emphasize the word ‘considering,”’ Conway said.
Among the options is sending five more combat brigades to Iraq. While the Joint Chiefs support that plan, Conway said those brigades are training right now and shouldn’t be thrust into the fight just to maintain the current situation in Iraq.
“If you commit your reserve for something other than a decisive win or to stave off defeat, then you have essentially shot your bolt” and lost flexibility, he said.
Conway also said his troops are making do with equipment that has been in service nine times longer than planned, according to one study. The joint study by the Center for American Progress and the Lexington Institute said the Marines have maintained about 40 percent of its ground equipment, 50 percent of its communications equipment and 20 percent of its aviation equipment for more than three years in Iraq.
Congress recently award just $5.8 billion of the $9 billion the Marine Corps requested outside of the 2007 Pentagon budget to replace vehicles and other equipment damaged in battle.
Conway said he felt his troops are adequately funded and is confident the existing equipment will get the job done.
Ellie
Conway reiterates goal of more time at home
The Associated Press
CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. — The Marine Corps’ commandant is pushing for his troops to spend more time at home between tours of duty overseas.
Gen. James T. Conway told a reporters’ roundtable on Saturday that he wants to “grow the force,” which he said would call for Marines to spend 14 months at home for every seven months of active duty in Iraq or Afghanistan. The ratio is currently about one-to-one.
“Right now there is individual strain in that some of our Marines are going back for a third or fourth time,” Conway said. “And there is institutional strain that we’re focusing on counterinsurgency and not going for the nation some of the other things that we should be.
Out of a total of 180,000 Marines, about 20,000 are currently deployed in Iraq and about 200 are in Afghanistan.
Conway, in town to give the commencement address at Southeast Missouri State University, said his plan could require shifting money away from the 39,000 Marine reservists in favor of maintaining rotating active duty troops.
“It’s putting a strain on these youngsters, and we think we need to do something about it,” he said. “We want to keep them around. We want to make sure Momma at home is as happy as a young Marine out there doing good work.”
Conway, a St. Louis native and Southeast Missouri State graduate, was appointed as the Corps’ 34th commandant by President Bush in June.
He said he and the other Joint Chiefs met with Bush on Wednesday and that the president is open to change.
“I think he is considering a strategy change from where we’ve been. I emphasize the word ‘considering,”’ Conway said.
Among the options is sending five more combat brigades to Iraq. While the Joint Chiefs support that plan, Conway said those brigades are training right now and shouldn’t be thrust into the fight just to maintain the current situation in Iraq.
“If you commit your reserve for something other than a decisive win or to stave off defeat, then you have essentially shot your bolt” and lost flexibility, he said.
Conway also said his troops are making do with equipment that has been in service nine times longer than planned, according to one study. The joint study by the Center for American Progress and the Lexington Institute said the Marines have maintained about 40 percent of its ground equipment, 50 percent of its communications equipment and 20 percent of its aviation equipment for more than three years in Iraq.
Congress recently award just $5.8 billion of the $9 billion the Marine Corps requested outside of the 2007 Pentagon budget to replace vehicles and other equipment damaged in battle.
Conway said he felt his troops are adequately funded and is confident the existing equipment will get the job done.
Ellie