it is not new. Regardless of conflict type, our officers are decisive and selective. As I mentioned, we look at this as a profession. Just the mechanics, as it was with the week- end-warrior model, don’t cut it any longer.
What is your vision for this professional force? When the commandant called me about this job, I had only been back a few months from the war. Given my ex- periences in command in Iraq, MARFORRES is going in the direction we need to go. Our Marines are 100-percent Marine. Jack Bergman turned over an organization going in exactly the direction the commandant wants it to go. This is a force eager to support operations worldwide.
How does the reserves’ performance in Iraq and Afghanistan fit in with the direction of the force? It is our units’ success that tells me there is nothing for me to tinker with here. I will maintain the momentum. Even after things wind down in this war, I see the reserve remaining integral to overall Marine Corps operations.
Could you elaborate on the Marine Corps Reserve’s performance in the war? This is a thinking person’s fight and is ideal for the reserve. In fact, we are finding our Marines’ civilian ex- perience is very useful now. Here’s an example: When I was there commanding I MEF (Forward), we were training Anbar police with infantry Marines. We went as far as we could. We put the word out through the reserve component asking for Marines with police ex- perience, especially city policing. Wouldn’t you know? They existed. And they came. They thrived under the challenging conditions. These reserve Marines volun- teered to come armed with the policing experience that only law enforcement professionals possess. Only the reserve can do that, and this capability is a deal-maker in current operations. Right now in Afghanistan, the Marine commander
needs 15 to 20 agricultural specialists — farmers, county agriculture agents, and the like. I don’t know how many we’ll field, but my Marines are raising their hands to go. In the past, we would have called on the Department of Agriculture, but what we need is some- one who understands cows and chickens. Our people have this experience.
Given what some might consider unusual skill sets for Marines, what else are you seeing the reserve bring that you might not have otherwise? The first thing that leaps to mind is maturity. On aver- age, these Marines are older and more experienced. Recently, I was reading an investigation. It was phe-
nomenal. The top-caliber reservist who wrote it turned out to be a U.S. attorney from Chicago. This seasoning is important in a war where going for firepower is not always the first thing we do.
Given your experience with Capitol Hill, what are you sensing from lawmakers? Well, you know, I’ve learned if Congress makes a bad decision, it’s because we did not do our job to inform them. They listen to us. I make a friendly visit now and then. They ask me about the stresses and strains on the force. There was a time when we lacked predictability and units would be blindsided by call-ups. Force gener- ation has greatly reduced that. Lawmakers are becom- ing aware there is less stress on the Marines [and] their families and employers.
How is your experience with Congress different now? It’s the Marine Corps’ experience that’s different. The Ma- rine Corps has long viewed itself as a total force, blurring that active and reserve label. At one point, Congress want- ed to know if the services were getting the bang for their buck from the Guard and Reserve. Congress took the view that the Marine Corps had the best approach — because of the tremendous active duty investment we make in the reserve. Congress has long held the Marine Corps Reserve as a sort of the gold standard to measure the reserve.
Can you explain this active component investment? We have active component Marines who are the full-time support staff for the reserve units. We call them Inspec- tor-Instructors, or I-and-Is. They train, outfit, and handle the day-to-day needs of the reserve units. It is a consid- erable investment of personnel and other resources and allows reserve component Marines to concentrate on training. It has proved successful for us.
What about equipping the force? There was a time when the reserve seemed far down the priority list for gear. What can you tell me? Under the force-generation model, the newest equip- ment goes to those who need it the most. That may be an active or reserve unit getting ready to head to Afghani- stan. Whoever is going next gets the gear, so the reserves are not stuck at the end of the supply chain.
You talk about the effect reserve policies have on the families. Given that it seems they are far from traditional base support networks, what are you doing to assist families? I’d say the most helpful program is the family readiness officer. We support predictability by pushing family
AU G U S T 2 0 1 0 MI L I T A R Y O F F I C E R 5 3
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92