Defense Department Opposes Marine/Navy Name Change

[Rocky C]

By James K. Sanborn - Staff writer
Posted : Monday Jun 7, 2010 17:51:07 EDT

The Defense Department officially opposes renaming the Department of the Navy the Department of the Navy and Marine Corps, according to an official Dod letter sent to Sen. Carl Levin, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee.

“In our view, the renaming of the Department is unnecessary, would incur additional expense of several hundred thousands dollars a year over the next several years … and would not enhance the standing or reputation of the Marine Corps,” wrote Jeh Charles Johnson, DoD’s general counsel.

Every year since 2001, Rep. Walter B. Jones, R-N.C., has spearheaded an effort to rename the department. Slow to gain support in its initial years, the bill passed the House this year with a record-breaking 425 co-sponsors.

A sister bill in the Senate, authored by Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., has been referred to the Armed Services Committee. The bill has yes to receive widespread support from the Senate, although this year it has an all-time high of 28 co-sponsors

[temarti]

Then we shall keep fighting

[Rocky C]

Then we shall keep fighting

[Kegler300]

"Department of the Marine Corps - Navy In Tow"

[Rocky C]

"Department of the Marine Corps - Navy In Tow"

[USNAviator]

The Marines should have been cut loose from the Navy after WW2, just as the Army Air Corps became the Air Force.

The Corps should be autonomous. It should have an equal say in what goes on in the Joint Chiefs. Hell, I bet if they were finally cut loose, maybe they would get some decent equipment for their TOA instead of hand-me-downs!

[temarti]

The Marines should have been cut loose from the Navy after WW2, just as the Army Air Corps became the Air Force.

Great point and a good piece of history that many do not know unless they took Aviation history in College.

[Quinbo]

Navy running around saying they are in the Marines. Marines running around saying they are in the Navy. Cats and dogs living together. WTF?

Why not just make it the department of everything then everyone gets to play Marine? You know every Marine is a rifleman .... every sailor is a rifleman. We'll all go to boot camp at great lakes and learn how to paint a ship navy grey. They're already all but wearing our uniform. Why not just tack the navy monicker on to the Marines.

Not the other way around.

[Lynn2]

Seems to me that if you sat down with a blank sheet of paper and a group of military experts and you had to draw up a new "US Military" and you had a budget ($$$) to keep within its not out of the question that a Marine Corps as we know it would not make the final cut.

Seems to me that you would be hard pressed to argue why a 2nd ground force. Especially since landing from the sea would be a very rare thing now.

[yanacek]

Personally, I though this proposal was nothing more than BS to make Marines feel good. It's virtually the only legislation proposed by my congressman that I did not agree with. The CMC is already and equal member of the JCS and has been for years. Of course, I thinks its BS that the DOD cites the reason of additional expenses in hundred thousand dollar range--like $500,000 or so is going to bankrupt the nation. I would much rather eliminate the Department of the Air Force and put it back under the Army (War Department). Less bureaucrats to pay that way.

[kenrobg30]

Personally, I though this proposal was nothing more than BS to make Marines feel good. It's virtually the only legislation proposed by my congressman that I did not agree with. The CMC is already and equal member of the JCS and has been for years. Of course, I thinks its BS that the DOD cites the reason of additional expenses in hundred thousand dollar range--like $500,000 or so is going to bankrupt the nation. I would much rather eliminate the Department of the Air Force and put it back under the Army (War Department). Less bureaucrats to pay that way.

I have to agree with you, Yanichek. This bill, opens up a can of worms, that will only make things hairier than they have always been. The Navy has a history of old Navy officers advocating the abollishment of the Marine Corps, for as long as I can remember. If this bill gets passed, those old swabbies are going to bring up the arguement, that The Country already has an Army, with a half dozen 'Elite' Units, such as the Green Beanies, and the Airborne, so what do we need a Marine Corps for ? The Berets, and The Chutists are being used as examples, to advocate, disbanding the Marine Corps, and it's being done, right under our noses. I say leave it as it is, Our Corps will live longer. S/F!! Ken

[AAV Crewchief]

We are a department of the NAVY, the MEN'S DEPARTMENT

[AAV Crewchief]

I would much rather eliminate the Department of the Air Force and put it back under the Army (War Department). Less bureaucrats to pay that way.

Uh, HELL NO. I'm in the AF reserves and resent every word of that.

[FattyTheFerret]

The Marines should have been cut loose from the Navy after WW2, just as the Army Air Corps became the Air Force.

The Corps should be autonomous. It should have an equal say in what goes on in the Joint Chiefs. Hell, I bet if they were finally cut loose, maybe they would get some decent equipment for their TOA instead of hand-me-downs!

The Corps does have an equal say in the JCS. The Commandant is one of the Joint Chiefs.

[USNAviator]

The Corps does have an equal say in the JCS. The Commandant is one of the Joint Chiefs.

That is entirely true. But the point I was trying to make was that over the history of JCS, very few times were Marines represented by other than the Commandant. In 2010, The Chairman is USN and the Vice-Chair is USMC. The other four are from their respective branches USA, USN, USMC and USAF. The Commandant obviously represents the Corps

When the JCS was formed in the '40s, there was no representative of the Marines to be found. Admiral King spoke for both the Navy and the Marines. And I'm sure if you go back and look over the history of the JCS, you will find the Corps represented far fewer multiple times than any other branch. And the reason I feel this exists is because the Corps is still part of the Navy