Marine Corps Moms: SecDef on Troop Rotation

September 16, 2004

SecDef on Troop Rotation

Donald Rumsfeld recently spoke at Fort Leonard Wood and was asked about the differences between Army (12 month) and Marine (7 month) rotations in Iraq and Afghanistan. Here's his reply:

I?ve had two meetings with the Army and two meetings with the Marines on this. And I look at it and I say to myself that doesn?t make a lot of sense. You got seven-month rotation for the Marines, 12 months for the Army. And the Marines argue vigorously that they?re circumstance is that they have many more younger people who come in, serve a tour and leave and that the way they?re rhythm ? their rotation rhythm is that they can get seven months and then have those people go back and then get them again ? possibly, depending on their tour length ? and end up with 14 months during a period when the Army may have had 12.
And then you raise the question, well, -- but isn?t that inefficient. You have to bring them back and bring them forth and they say, well, now we?re doing that with the Army anyway. After six months, we?re sending them back home for two weeks. And then you say, well, isn?t it a little short, seven months to get situational awareness and to really get good at what you?re doing.

And they argue on the contrary, that it works for them. And they say that sometimes when you have a 12-month tour in a combat zone, about the last three or four or five months, your head?s kind of getting out of the game and you?d like to get out of there. So there are pluses and minuses for both arguments. Pete Schoomaker and the Army are absolutely convinced that they?re doing it the right way at a maximum of 12 months. The Marines are absolutely convinced they?re doing it at a seven-month rotation and I am as uncertain of either as I was before I had my two meetings with each of them.

Now that?s ? confession is good for the soul. [Laughter] They each make good points. And I am very big for jointness and it bothers me to think that people in the Army will look at the Marine rotating in and leaving after seven months and thinking they?re not pulling their oar. And so it?s that disconnect that worries me the most about it. There?s no plan at present to change it. And I have no plans to have anymore meetings with either of them on this subject. [Laughter]

Speaking as the mother of a Marine who is beginning his second seven month rotation, I hope that Secretary Rumsfeld sticks to his plan. Troops come home, train, reconnect with family, and return to the sandbox refreshed and motivated. New troops serve along seasoned Marines. Situational awareness is there; due in part to this mix of experience and training.

Posted by Deb at September 16, 2004 08:36 PM

Comments

I'm surprised Rumsfeld didn't differeniate between the two TYPES of deployment. The Army maintains and operates out of FOBs (forward operating bases) same as the Marines. Difference being that Marines only see those operating bases once a week or once every couple of weeks. Marines put pressure on the enemy by pursuing them whenever and wherever. 24/7. Their philosphy is based on what is called a "Small Wars" mentality and it is totally different and much more physically demanding than anything the Army Regulars do. You would have to get into the Rangers to find anything close to what a Regular Marine Infantryman does.

The pressure mounted on the enemy is a constant while they rotate our Marines and bring in fresh legs. This is something the enemy cannot match and it eventually wears them down and they are defeated in the long run. The sheer physical toll on the average Marine Grunt is twice that of an Army Infantryman. Look at the exhaustion of the Grunts at the end of their tour as case in point.

You can also visualize the amount of terrain a Marine BN will cover. Look to Warlord Six's final letter to the 2/2 families as an example. When the Warlords returned to Mahmudiyah they relieved FOUR BNs of Army and their infantry units. Now the 2/2 alone is running an area that is 800 sq kilometers in size and doing a bang up job. You cannot pacify that large an area with BN strength by operating daily from an FOB. That type of presence requires staying in the field and accomplishing your mission. It is a physical hardship but one the Marines are trained for. Their work-ups are spot on!

Now I'm not being derogatory to the Army. That is not my intention. What I am saying is simply that the Marine Corps philosophy is different than the Army. The Army has far greater numbers to work with but the Marines are far more aggressive. I'll leave it to you to make up your mind as to which strategy is more effective!

Posted by: JarheadDad at September 17, 2004 06:03 AM