Why the Marines?

[whitehall]

The US Army active duty strength is around 550,000 and the Marine Corps is around 150,000 and yet everyone accepts the fact that the Marines are the first on scene to aid the Filipinos after the typhoon disaster. What does that tell you? The Marines are faster and more flexible and can do it better than the stodgy Army and Air Force?

 

[longknife]

What it means is that the Marines, by the very nature of their mission configuration, are better equipped and trained to meet such disasters and distribute the aid properly.

The Army needs someone to get them there and the air force needs landing facilities which were destroyed.

 

[SteadyMercury]

It tells me the Marines are better equipped to respond to disaster relief in the Pacific.

Brings an interesting discussion though, which military units are capable of the fastest response to an international combat zone? In same cases I'd say it is indeed the USMC, in others probably US Rangers or elements of the XVIII Airborne Corps. I'm pretty sure first boots on the ground to defend Saudi Arabia after Saddam invaded Kuwait was the ready brigade from the 82nd Airborne Division.

It just depends.

 

[longknife]

It tells me the Marines are better equipped to respond to disaster relief in the Pacific.

Brings an interesting discussion though, which military units are capable of the fastest response to an international combat zone? In same cases I'd say it is indeed the USMC, in others probably US Rangers or elements of the XVIII Airborne Corps. I'm pretty sure first boots on the ground to defend Saudi Arabia after Saddam invaded Kuwait was the ready brigade from the 82nd Airborne Division.

It just depends.

But, remember, they needed the Air Force to get them there.

 

[RetiredGySgt]

In Desert Shield the marines could put a 2200 man force on the Ground in Saudi Arabia with supplies for 30 days with in a couple days of the order to go. The Army could air deliver a brigade in a couple days also but with out supplies or heavy equipment until sealift brought it in a month later.

 

[WinterBorn]

The USMC has always been set up for rapid deployment. They are part of the US Navy, so their transport is ready to go anywhere in the world.

The US Army is better equipped to set up command facilities and to maintain areas. They have more men, more equipment and different capabilities.


As for who gets in first, very often it is one of the SEAL teams. But we rarely hear about what they do.

 

[SteadyMercury]

Timeline is here: Gulf War: August 1990

Elements of the 82nd Airborne arrived in Saudi Arabia on August 8th, the same day Bush ordered armed forces to Saudi Arabia. Marines arrived about a week later.


Information on the on the deployment here: Desert Storm: Logistic ops

Marines were the first heavy ground unit, flown by the USAF and their 30 days of supplies came via sealift from Diego Garcia, they were ready for combat ion August 25.

The first three ships of MPS Squadron TWO raced from their Diego Garcia homeport to reach Saudi Arabia 15 August, marking the first use of the MPS in an actual crisis. Within four days of their arrival in the port of Jubail, Navy cargo handlers averaging 100 lift-hours per day offloaded more equipment and supplies from the three 755-foot ships than could have been moved by 3,000 C-141 cargo flights. The 16,500 Marines of the 7th Marine Expeditionary Brigade (MEB), a component of the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF), arrived via the Military Airlift Command. They "married-up" with the MPS equipment and were ready for combat on 25 August-- the first heavy ground combat capability in-theater.
The five ships of MPS Squadron TWO brought the essentials to support the 7th MEB Marines for 30 days of combat-- food, water, fuel, millions of pounds of ammunition for aircraft, artillery and small arms, construction materials and medical supplies. The balance of the equipment for the 1st MEF arrived from Guam aboard the ships of MPS Squadron THREE. Delivering all the equipment delivered by MPS ships to the 45,000 men of the 1st Marine Division would have required 2100 lifts by C-5s, our largest military transport aircraft.

 

[whitehall]

The consensus seems to be that the Marines are better trained, better led and more flexible to deal with any situation. Like always they accept the fact that they usually get the shitty end of the stick.

 

[daveman]

The US Army active duty strength is around 550,000 and the Marine Corps is around 150,000 and yet everyone accepts the fact that the Marines are the first on scene to aid the Filipinos after the typhoon disaster. What does that tell you? The Marines are faster and more flexible and can do it better than the stodgy Army and Air Force?

My dad served in the Navy in the Pacific in WWII. He said that if the Army took an island from the Japanese, you could go have a picnic anywhere on the island in perfect safety.

If the Marines took an island, US troops would be killed by Japanese snipers for months afterwards.

Faster isn't always better.

 

[daveman]

It tells me the Marines are better equipped to respond to disaster relief in the Pacific.

Brings an interesting discussion though, which military units are capable of the fastest response to an international combat zone? In same cases I'd say it is indeed the USMC, in others probably US Rangers or elements of the XVIII Airborne Corps. I'm pretty sure first boots on the ground to defend Saudi Arabia after Saddam invaded Kuwait was the ready brigade from the 82nd Airborne Division.

It just depends.

But, remember, they needed the Air Force to get them there.

Everybody bad-mouths the zoomies...until they need a ride.

 

[SteadyMercury]

The consensus seems to be that the Marines are better trained, better led and more flexible to deal with any situation. .

Heh you're cute in a cheerleader outfit. GOooooo team! Yay!

 

[whitehall]

The consensus seems to be that the Marines are better trained, better led and more flexible to deal with any situation. .

Heh you're cute in a cheerleader outfit. GOooooo team! Yay!

If that's what it takes....Semper Fi.