Mr Barnum motivating the 26th MEU

H.C. "Barney" Barnum Jr., Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Reserve Affairs), signs his section of a Medal of Honor book for Cpl. Murray Bartlett of Combat Logistics Battalion-26, 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit, aboard the USS Iwo Jima (LHD-7), Dec. 25, 2008. Barnum, a Medal of Honor recipient, visited while the USS Iwo Jima was in port in Bahrain. The 26th MEU is currently deployed aboard the Iwo Jima Strike Group in the Arabian Gulf in support of local operations. (Official Marine Corps Photo by Cpl. Patrick M. Johnson-Campbell) (Released)

Continuum of Service

H.C. "Barney" Barnum Jr., Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Reserve Affairs), serves a Marine from the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit Christmas brunch aboard the USS Iwo Jima (LHD-7), Dec. 25, 2008. Barnum, a Medal of Honor recipient, visited while the USS Iwo Jima was in port in Bahrain. The 26th MEU is currently deployed aboard the Iwo Jima Strike Group in the Arabian Gulf in support of local operations. (Official Marine Corps Photo by Cpl. Patrick M. Johnson-Campbell) (Released)

LtCol Victor H. Krulak Navy Cross Citation

The Navy Cross is presented to Victor H. Krulak, Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism as Commanding Officer of the Second Battalion, First Marine Parachute Regiment, during operations on Choiseul Island, Solomon Islands, October 28 to November 3, 1943. Assigned the task of diverting hostile attention from the movements of our main attack force en route to Empress Augusta Bay, Bougainville Island, Lieutenant Colonel Krulak landed at Choiseul and daringly directed the attack of his battalion against the Japanese, destroying hundreds of tons of supplies and burning camps and landing barges. Although wounded during the assault on October 30, he repeatedly refused to relinquish his command and with dauntless courage and tenacious devotion to duty, continued to lead his battalion against the numerically superior Japanese forces. His brilliant leadership and indomitable fighting spirit assured the success of this vital mission and were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.

Victor H. Krulak, 1913 - 2008

Los Angeles Times December 31, 2008

Victor H. Krulak, 1913 - 2008
Marine general was a war hero

By Tony Perry

Retired Marine Lt. Gen. Victor H. "Brute" Krulak, celebrated for his leadership in World War II, Korea and Vietnam and for his authoritative book on the Marines, "First to Fight," died Monday at Scripps Memorial Hospital La Jolla. He was 95 and had been in declining health for several years.

In a career that spanned three decades Krulak displayed bravery during combat and brilliance as a tactician and organizer of troops.

"Brute was very forgiving of young Marines who made mistakes," said retired Col. G.I. Wilson, a combat veteran. "But he was hell on senior officers who preferred careerism and bureaucracy over decisive action. He detested those who lost sight of looking after their enlisted Marines and young officers."

http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/california/la-me-krulak31-2008dec31,0,3033208.story
or http://snipurl.com/9auir [www_latimes_com]

John W. Ripley

Marine colonel, member of Ranger Hall of Fame, was known for the destruction of a bridge during the Vietnam War

By Nick Madigan
November 3, 2008

John W. Ripley, a retired Marine Corps colonel and a renowned hero of the Vietnam War, was found dead at his home in Annapolis over the weekend, family members said. A cause of death for Ripley, who had undergone two liver transplants, had not been determined yesterday. He was 69.

A Virginia native, Colonel Ripley was best known for a daring feat during the Easter Offensive of 1972, when he dangled for three hours under a bridge near the South Vietnamese city of Dong Ha to attach 500 pounds of explosives to the span, ultimately destroying it. His action, under fire while going back and forth for materials, is thought to have thwarted an onslaught by 20,000 enemy troops and was the subject of a book, The Bridge at Dong Ha, by John Grider Miller.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/obituaries/bal-md.ob.ripley03nov03,0,1985920.story

October 23, 1983

Terrorists crashed a truck loaded with explosives through the perimeter of the Marine Battalion headquarters building at the Beirut Airport, killing 241 Marines. No one attempted, or was able, to stop the truck because, under the rules of engagement as the command understood them, sentries had no automatic or heavy weapons at their posts and they carried unloaded M16s.

But several weeks earlier, the President had changed the rules of engagement to allow the Marines to initiate stronger measures for self-defense. Unfortunately, as that directive went through multiple layers in the chain of command, its intent was reversed, and the Marines on the scene believed they had in fact been ordered to remain in a "peacetime" mode. As described by former SecNav John F. Lehman in his book, Command of the Seas (1988) (pp. 322-23):

"[T]he September 12 directive ... went from the president to the secretary of defense; from the secretary of defense through the JCS and their seventeen-hundred man staff; to CINCLANT and CINCLANTFLT and Fleet Marine Force Atlantic in Norfolk for coordination; from the JCS organization thence to the European theater commander in Belgium; from Belgium to the Deputy European Command headquarters in Stuttgart; from Stuttgart to the commander of U.S. naval forces, Europe, in Naples; from Naples to the deputy NAVEUR headquarters in London; from London to the U.S. Sixth Fleet command headquarters in Gaeta, Italy; from Gaeta back to the U.S. commander, Task Force 60, in Naples; from Naples to the U.S. commander, Task Force 61, off Beirut; and from CTF-61 ashore to CTF-62, Colonel Geraghty, in command of the marines. The [blue-ribbon investigative] commission documented how in whispering-down-the-lane fashion the chain of command simply neutralized the impact of the September 12 message by reminding the marines later that the mission and the ROE had not changed."

As you work on your taskers, remember: Words matter. Accuracy counts. Understand what you're doing. Get it right.

25 years after Beirut

By Bryan Mitchell - Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday Oct 22, 2008 20:40:15 EDT

Every October, Judith Young makes a solemn trip from her home in southern New Jersey to Jacksonville, N.C., to honor her late son, Sgt. Jeffrey D. Young.

Along the way, she wonders about the life her son might have lived: A wife, possibly children and maybe a full career in the Corps he loved to serve.

“He loved jumping out of airplanes and rappelling down buildings, but I have no idea what he would have done,” she said. “Who knows? He was only 22.”

http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/10/marine_beirutintro_102308/

Marines Anticipate Reaching Five-Year Goal Two Years Early

By Army Staff Sgt. Michael J. Carden
September 12, 2008

Even without offering big cash bonuses, promising opportunities for college or assuring a better life after service, the Marine Corps anticipates meeting its five-year force-growth goal two years early, the commander of Marine recruiting said via teleconference today from his headquarters in Quantico, Va.

The Marine recruiting message is dynamically different from that of other services, Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Robert E. Milstead Jr. said as he discussed the current state and contemporary challenges in recruiting Marines.

http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=51148

Marine Corps Vision and Strategy 2025 (new)

"The purpose of the vision and strategy document is to inform all Marines where we intend to take our Corps to give combatant commanders a concept of how we might best be employed, and to provide our civilian leadership a reference point as to how we see Marine Corps contributions to national defense in the coming years and decades. This document is grounded in the Marine Corps’ identity, ethos, values, and competencies. It serves as the principal strategic planning document for our Corps and reflects our legislated roles, functions, and composition. Derived from strategic guidance at the national and departmental level, it illustrates our utility and value within the joint warfighting community."

http://www.marines.mil/units/hqmc/cmc/Documents/MCVS2025%2030%20June.pdf

For summary and more, see our friends at Small Wars Journal:
http://smallwarsjournal.com/blog/2008/06/marine-corps-vision-and-strate/

Ready for life after NMCI?

Few specifics so far for next-generation intranet system

By Antonie Boessenkool - Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday Jun 18, 2008 12:41:05

When the Navy’s $9.9 billion contract for its sprawling Navy-Marine Corps Intranet program expires in a little over two years, there will be changes.

Whether they will be the kind of changes that will make sailors and Marines — fed up with years of error messages and piles of other user problems — dance for joy remains to be seen. As for the Next Generation Enterprise Network, the follow-on to NMCI, Robert Carey, the Navy Department’s chief information officer, wouldn’t comment on when the Navy would put out a request for proposals.

http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/06/navy_nmci_061608w/

Marine general lays groundwork for unprecedented change

By Elaine M. Grossman, National Journal
May 30, 2008

James Cartwright has a passion for Pop-Tarts. Not the fruity flavors, mind you: no blueberry and no strawberry. But bring this Marine Corps general a brown sugar cinnamon pastry fresh from the toaster and he's yours.

That might be useful advice for the nation's next president. Cartwright is just nine months into what could be a four-year term as the second-highest-ranking officer in the nation. As vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the 58-year-old Rockford, Ill., native has a powerful and unique role in determining how the military invests its vast resources just as a new commander-in-chief will be coming into office.

Whether it is John McCain, Hillary Rodham Clinton, or Barack Obama at the helm, the Pentagon expects to undergo some changes. Yet, to a degree known only by a few Defense Department insiders, Cartwright is already laying the groundwork for unprecedented change at the one federal agency that claims more than half the annual federal discretionary budget and is frequently the central instrument of U.S. policy abroad.

http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=40091&dcn=e_tma

Navy changes course on IT outsourcing

By Bob Brewin bbrewin@govexec.com
May 8, 2008

The Navy, which had outsourced the management and defense of its most crucial network to industry, plans to bring that function back in-house, saying it now views such information technology functions as a "warfighting imperative," requiring the service's managers to supervise the systems.

http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20080508_1459.php

Marine burned on 97 percent of body dies

By Dan Lamothe - Staff writer
Posted : Sunday May 4, 2008 11:18:50 EDT

Sgt. Merlin German's death halted an endless cycle of surgeries, skin grafts and doctor’s appointments that began Feb. 21, 2005, the day a gas-fed improvised explosive devise detonated near German’s Humvee outside Camp Ramadi, according to a Web site started in Merlin’s memory.

Family members described German on the Web site, www.merlinsmiracles.com, as a proud American who loved children. Before he died, German told family members he "had a vision to help burned children and their families," the family said on his Web said. "He wanted the foundation to be named Merlin’s Miracles."

.http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/05/marine_german_050108w/

Keel laid for MoH Marine’s namesake DDG

BATH IRON WORKS


Dan and Debra Dunham, parents of the late Cpl. Jason Dunham, stand April 11 in front of the keel of what will be the USS Jason Dunham, a destroyer named in their son's honor. Cpl. Dunham was awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously in 2007 for diving on a live grenade in Iraq in 2004, saving the lives of two fellow Marines. He died from his injuries after being sent back to the U.S.


http://www.navytimes.com/news/2008/04/navy_dunham_ddg_041808w/

Transcript: DoD News Briefing with Commander, Regimental Combat Team 1 in Iraq

Today our briefer is Marine Colonel Lewis Craparotta, who is the commander of Regimental Combat Team 1. His unit began operations as part of Multinational Forces-West in January, and this is our first opportunity to talk to the colonel since he's taken responsibility in that AOR. He is speaking today from Camp Fallujah. And as is our normal format here; he's going to give you a brief overview and then take some questions.

http://www.defenselink.mil/transcripts/transcript.aspx?transcriptid=4215

Marine commander warns of stress on forces, families

By Greg Grant ggrant@govexec.com
February 14, 2008

Any decision by the Bush administration to halt reductions in American troop strength in Iraq this summer should await input from the Joint Chiefs of Staff on other global risks and the stress on the military caused by constant deployments, the Marine Corps commandant said Thursday.

Gen. James T. Conway spoke at a Government Executive Leadership Breakfast in Washington.

Referring to news reports that Defense Secretary Robert Gates advocates halting troop reductions this summer once the extra surge units have returned home, Conway warned of the strain this placed on Marines to maintain force levels in Iraq and the inability to train for other missions. It will only get worse with the deployment of about 3,500 Marines to Afghanistan this spring, he said.

http://www.govexec.com/dailyfed/0208/021408g1.htm

Marine Corps continues building Special Operations Command force

By Megan Scully CongressDaily November 29, 2007

The commander of the Marine Corps' nascent Special Operations Command Thursday said he has roughly 65 percent of his force in place, with plans to fill all 2,600 positions by next year. Maj. Gen. Dennis Hejik said growing the new command, which was created in February 2006, initially proved challenging because he had to recruit from within the Marine Corps' ranks.

"That in itself was a little bit difficult to start with," Hejik said. But over the last 20 months, he has attracted hundreds of special operators, all of whom have combat experience. The command, Hejik added, is "a very top-heavy organization" by Marine Corps standards, with most personnel having eight to 10 years of experience. Of the 1,700 personnel under his command, Hejik said 70 are majors -- an unusually high number of mid-grade officers for the Corps.

http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=38691&dcn=todaysnews

Army, Marine Corps struggle with mandate to expand

By Art Pine, National Journal

The Bush administration's plan to increase the size of the Army and the Marine Corps by 92,000 troops over the next five years is running into trouble.

In January, Defense Secretary Robert Gates proposed adding 65,000 soldiers and 27,000 marines to bring the Army's total to 547,000 troops and the Marines' to 202,000. The idea was to relieve pressure on today's overstressed ground forces in Iraq and Afghanistan and to better equip the military to deal with similar unconventional wars in the future. The move, designed to provide six more combat brigade teams and their support units, complements President Bush's order late last year to boost U.S. troop strength temporarily for the current "surge" in Iraq.

Now, nine months later, the services are clearly struggling with the expansion, and there are signs that the effort may face serious problems. Although Army leaders announced last month that they will meet Gates's targets by 2010 -- two years sooner than the secretary called for -- outside analysts say that the numbers belie such optimism. The Army fell short of its monthly recruiting goals in May and June, and it has begun lowering standards for new entrants in an effort to fill the gap. It also is paying unprecedented bonuses -- as much as $35,000 -- to retain midlevel officers and sergeants.

Full story: http://www.govexec.com/story_page.cfm?articleid=38540&dcn=e_wfw

Mattis Watch Bulletin: JFCOM Change of Command

Allied Command Transformation, U.S. Joint Forces Command honor outgoing commander, welcome new leader

NATO's Allied Command Transformation and U.S. Joint Forces Command honored its outgoing commander, Air Force Gen. Lance Smith, and welcomed the Supreme Allied Commander Transformation and commander of U.S. Joint Forces Command, Marine Gen. James Mattis, in a change of command ceremony aboard the aircraft carrier USS George Washington.

By MCC(SW/AW) Chris Hoffpauir USJFCOM Public Affairs
(NORFOLK, Va. – Nov. 9, 2007) – Air Force Gen. Lance Smith relinquished command of NATO's Allied Command Transformation (ACT) and U.S. Joint Forces Command (USJFCOM) to Marine Gen. James Mattis at a change of command ceremony aboard the aircraft carrier USS George Washington here today.
As Supreme Allied Commander Transformation (SACT), Mattis will lead the transformation of NATO's military structures, forces, capabilities and doctrines to improve interoperability and military effectiveness of the Alliance and its partner nations.
As commander, U.S. Joint Forces Command, he will oversee maximizing present and future military capabilities of the United States by leading the transformation of joint forces in the areas of providing joint forces to combatant commanders, joint training, joint interoperability, and joint innovation and experimentation.
***
Mattis discussed his enthusiasm in taking over both organizations.
"We have all inherited our freedoms here today thanks to the blood, sweat and tears of our predecessors, and here today ambassador, secretary, chairman, I pledge to give all I've got to build the strongest coalitions, the most agile forces, and the most ethical defenders of our nations, because we too have an obligation to pass on these freedoms to our children… and our children's children. Thank you. I look forward to working with all of you."
***
More at http://www.jfcom.mil/newslink/storyarchive/2007/pa110907.htm

Senate Confirmation Hearing: http://www.jfcom.mil/newslink/storyarchive/2007/pa092707.htm

A Cooperative Strategy for 21st Century Seapower

The web site is active now (www.navy.mil/maritime) and includes the complete strategy document http://www.navy.mil/maritime/MaritimeStrategy.pdf as well as video and other graphic support material.