Ok...now I Am Confused (force Reduction?)

[Tennessee Top]

Saw today where the National Defense Authorization Act for FY-2012 (HR-1540) maintains the USMC's end strength at 202,100. Army reduces by 7,400, Navy decreases by 3000, and Air Force increases by 600.

Have been hearing about how the USMC is resizing (getting smaller) but this number tells a different story.

Am I missing something? Can somebody explain to me what this means?

[micarr57]

hell top you know how washington is with numbers and math

[Tennessee Top]

Looks like, any time you hear or read about the USMC getting smaller, that is only rumor control (at least for the current fiscal year anyway). We may draw down in the future.

[Zulu 36]

My best guess on this, boss, is that the powers-that-be don't want to "lay off" a bunch of military people in an election year AND while coming out of a "victory" in Iraq and a soon-to-be "victory" in Afghan.

The Army and Navy number drops are easily small enough to be handled by routine voluntary attrition and no special RIFs.

However, #1 daughter reports that the Air Force Reserve is in the middle of doing some over-age in grade RIFs now. Her unit commander is an age waivered colonel, but his most recent age waiver request was turned down and he has to retire (the unit is celebrating, however). I guess dentists don't make great commanders of their type of medical unit.

[SGT7477]

Saw today where the National Defense Authorization Act for FY-2012 (HR-1540) maintains the USMC's end strength at 202,100. Army reduces by 7,400, Navy decreases by 3000, and Air Force increases by 600.

Have been hearing about how the USMC is resizing (getting smaller) but this number tells a different story.

Am I missing something? Can somebody explain to me what this means?

Marine Corps is still bigger than when I served if I remember right we were at 196,000 strong,Semper Fidelis.

[bausmc87]

Saw today where the National Defense Authorization Act for FY-2012 (HR-1540) maintains the USMC's end strength at 202,100. Army reduces by 7,400, Navy decreases by 3000, and Air Force increases by 600.

Have been hearing about how the USMC is resizing (getting smaller) but this number tells a different story.

Am I missing something? Can somebody explain to me what this means?

On the cover of the December issue of Marine Times, they say they need to dump 15,000 Marines?? Army times said they were cutting 150,000. Even more confusing. Now I have a question. Do civilain contractors work for the DoD or are they attached to the branches of Service?

[blackshirts]

Obviously they work for the DoD. There still are talks of civilian numbers being cut as well.

The Marine Corps is not planning on cutting the fat off until 2013. It's going to happen, just not in 2012.

[bausmc87]

Obviously they work for the DoD. There still are talks of civilian numbers being cut as well.

The Marine Corps is not planning on cutting the fat off until 2013. It's going to happen, just not in 2012.

My apologies, worded wrong. I kmnow they work for the DoD, are they attached to the Marine Corps and are they getting cut also?


Thanks,

[Zulu 36]

Civilian CONTRACTORS work for the companies that hold a contract from whichever branch let the contract. It could be a DoD-wide contract or just something for the Marines, or Army, etc. For instance, mess hall employees are now usually contractors.

DoD civilian EMPLOYEES work for the the branch that employs them, however, because they are federal civil service employees there are certain bumping and transfer rights they might have. Examples of these are the civilian police and firefighters working on bases.

[LoveOfCountry]

Obama math.

[Marine3451]

It seems like they are prepping for a draw down at a minimum. I know they did away with alot of the re-up bonuses except for critical fields and there seemed to be less boatspaces this year for first term Marines. I can forsee a RIF comming because the ranks are top heavy and promotions are getting harder to come by

[Parks]

It was my understanding that we are cutting our force now, slowly, in anticipation of a mandated drawdown in the near future so that we aren't cutting 15,000 people in one year.

[kabar1]

if it is not broken leave it the hell alone.meaning leave our MARINE CORPS ALONE.

[Tennessee Top]

It was my understanding that we are cutting our force now, slowly, in anticipation of a mandated drawdown in the near future so that we aren't cutting 15,000 people in one year.

That IS the understanding of most of us here. You hear and read exactly that often (for whatever reason)...even from recruiters (we heard it from my niece's recruiter). But, fact is, it's just not true. We are not cutting our force now slowly or otherwise.

[Parks]

It's not that I'm arguing that, but I find it almost impossible to believe we're not slowly getting rid of Marines. My MOS accepted less than 20% of the people that applied for reenlistment this year. Marines with 300 PFT/CFTs getting denied, told there aren't enough boot spaces, whereas last year there was no issue. The CRS sees te numbers and the Corps just isn't retaining that many Marines. Recruiters aren't enlisting as many poolees. With all this going on, there's no way I believe that we aren't cutting numbers.