Marine Corps League’s Post

International staffing is tough no matter your sector. Cultural and family ties often deter applicants, leading to a small pool for remote roles. Even with tech aids, many seek to shorten assignments for personal reasons. Kudos to teams like III MEF's warfighters facing 12-hour or more shifts due to these shortages. Let’s be sure to thank LtGen Turner and his family along with the III MEF family for exceeding their call to service. How do you handle the challenges of filling overseas positions and keeping operations strong with fewer hands on deck? #semperfidelis #globalmobility

It was an absolute honor to participate in the I Marine Expeditionary Force (I MEF) change of command with these great Americans. Today, Lt. Gen. Bradford Gering relinquished his command to Lt. Gen Michael Cederholm. Well done to both leaders and their families. The U.S. Marine Corps has led the Joint Force in its aggressive modernization to meet the challenges of tomorrow—while remaining ready at a moment’s notice to respond to the crisis of today. I MEF is the leading edge of that modernization—where theory meets real-world application. While modernization and new technologies give us the competitive edge during combat, the ultimate reason for I MEF's lethality is its #Marines—an advantage that gives adversaries pause. https://lnkd.in/ePwmH-8e

The increasing focus on Marine Research in the Indian Ocean, Sri Lanka’s 2030 Naval Strategy, and the Seabed Resources of the Indian Ocean are interconnected in various strategic aspects, deserving priority attention. https://lnkd.in/eeSijESr

🌍 "Commanding the Red Sea: Mahan, Corbett, and the Houthi Threat; some principles of enduring strategy" ⚓ Pithy and insightful essay follows below from Dr Kevin McCranie (of the US Naval War College) and U.S. Naval Institute. Dr McCranie is an authority on both Alfred Thayer Mahan, the American naval officer, historian and strategist, the highly influential exponent of sea power in the late 19th and early 20th centuries; and his British contemporary, Sir Julian Corbett. McCranie argues that what is happening in the Red Sea echoes the theories of Mahan and Corbett, especially their conceptualisation of the value of navies, the importance of sea lines of communication - and the challenges of commanding the sea. He states that understanding events in the Red Sea through the context of Mahan and Corbett allows the United States (and allies) to better anticipate the possible course and outcome of encounters with the Houthis.  Dr McCranie further notes that the contemporary demand for absolute security for individual (albeit large and highly valuable) ships is at odds with Mahan and Corbett. Both theorists recognised that the best that can be accomplished though command of the sea is to sustain the trading system, it was impossible to avoid the risk to particular vessels. https://lnkd.in/eGkPP-ui #seapower #freedomoftrade #maritimehistory #usnavy #royalnavy

Naval Might: The Evolution and Innovation of Warships Throughout History Introduction to Naval Might Throughout history, naval warfare has been an esse... Read More - https://lnkd.in/dK_BEdaC

They're finally wondering... __________________________________________- However, on closer examination, strategists are right to ask if the U.S. — or more broadly the West — understands the extent to which China values sea power as an enabler for grand strategy. Are we mirroring or projecting our reasonable and rational expectations onto Beijing? The problem with mirroring is that it catalyzes policies aimed at eliciting certain behaviors on the assumption that two actors think alike. Such mirroring can be the product of institutionalization or a lack of imagination, something that took Western naval analysts decades to discern during the Cold War. Even referring to China as the United States’ strategic “pacing challenge” implies an element of mirroring by benchmarking one against the other. Consequently, policymakers should ask three questions to help frame our understanding of China’s view on sea power to formulate sound naval strategy and optimize resources for the future. First, why isn’t China employing its naval force like we do? China is building aircraft carriers, but construction is not the same as operation. Ample evidence suggests China will employ its ships differently than the U.S. or U.K. navies. For instance, Chinese carriers sail almost exclusively in the so-called near seas, rarely venturing beyond the first island chain, which stretches from Japan’s East China Sea islands through the Philippines. This is curious considering these waters are largely enveloped by the weapon zones of China’s neighbors. https://lnkd.in/guAJif24

The expanse of our oceans is too large to be patrolled by primarily manned aircraft and vessels. That’s why naval forces around the world are selecting #MQ9B SeaGuardian to augment their high-demand, wide-area maritime missions. Read here: https://ow.ly/eCTI50QVBqv

This to remind people that the Canadian Naval Review 2024 Canadian Naval Memorial Trust Essay Competition is open for submissions. The deadline is May 31, 2024. The winning entry will be published and awarded $1,000. Submissions must be no longer than 3000 words and submitted to cnrcoord@icloud.com. Topics include but are not limited to: Canadian maritime security; Canadian naval policy; Canadian naval issues; Canadian naval operations; History/historical operations of the Canadian Navy; Global maritime issues (such as piracy, smuggling, fishing, environment); Canadian oceans policy and issues; Arctic maritime issues; and Maritime transport and shipping.

Evolving Chinese Naval Deployments Another good analysis from the China Maritime Studies Institute on evolving Chinese naval deployments to the Indian Ocean. Likely more at play than just staying in region longer. Likely also a function of improved proficiencies at 5 month deployments and associated logistic support from the base in Djibouti and a growing list of friendly ports. Read it here: https://lnkd.in/eUwxbRZV

How to Grow a Navy: The Development of Maritime Power w/ Geoffrey Till YCAPS Indo-Pacific Maritime Hour (via Zoom) Monday, December 4, 2023 - 15:30-16:30 (JST) Navies have become increasingly critical, particularly in the background of U.S.-China competition. Yet, the topic of maritime power development has not been explored sufficiently. In this webinar hosted by YCAPS, Professor Geoffrey Till, Emeritus Professor of Maritime Studies at King's College London and the author of How to Grow a Navy: The Development of Maritime Power, will discuss the development of maritime power and naval strength from historical and contemporary perspectives. He will illustrate the recurring patterns in maritime and naval development that determine their success or failure and examine whether China is following the same pattern illustrated by Britain’s naval development at the start of the 18th century. https://lnkd.in/g8ZspNKq