Is there a better venue than the Marine Corps Barracks in Washington, D.C., to hold a farewell tribute for a general who has served nearly 40 years – the last four as vice chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff? Didn’t think so. Marine Corps Gen. James Cartwright’s farewell drew top Pentagon officials to the grounds Aug. 3, including Defense Secretary Leon Panetta and Deputy Defense Secretary William Lynn. With the barracks at 8th and I being the main ceremonial grounds of the Corps, the Marines knew how to put on a show for one of their own. The photo…
Browsing: Leadership
With the dust starting to settle, it’s time to set the record straight about Dakota Meyer, who will become the first living Marine to receive the Medal of Honor in decades. As someone who has covered the fallout of the Sept. 8, 2009, ambush in Gangjal, Afghanistan, since days after it occurred, I’ve noticed a variety of inaccuracies work their way into stories about the incident, Meyer’s service and the Medal of Honor process. Many of them cite my story last week that confirmed the award decision had been made, so it seems fair for to correct the record. Let’s…
Say this about the Marine Corps’ new top enlisted adviser: He certainly doesn’t mind calling things as he sees them. That has become abundantly obvious since Sgt. Maj. Mike Barrett became the 17th sergeant major of the Marine Corps on June 9, taking over for retiring Sgt. Maj. Carlton Kent. Barrett, a scout sniper, already has raised eyebrows in some corners, particularly with his blunt comments on the repeal of the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy were published last month. This week’s Marine Corps Times cover story includes more of that frank talk. In his first interview with our newspaper,…
This week’s Marine Corps Times cover story gets to the heart of the newspaper’s audience: It focuses on changes coming for non-commissioned officers, and the junior enlisted Marines they lead. The lengthy story outlines plans that are underway this summer to reconsider the NCO’s role in the Corps. Of course, they’ll still serve as the backbone of the service, but top leadership has moved to sharpen it. That could mean big changes for infantry NCOs, in particular, but changes to training and education could stretch well beyond that. Th new edition also includes an account from Sangin, Afghanistan, where senior…
With two leadership moves, it’s become apparent who could lead Marine forces in Afghanistan next summer. The Marine Corps has shifted Maj. Gen. Ronald Bailey from Recruiting Command, out of Quantico, Va., to 1st Marine Division, out of Camp Pendleton, Calif. In his place at Quantico, Brig. Gen. Joseph Osterman took over this week. If the Corps keeps a similar footprint in Afghanistan next year, that means Bailey could lead Marine forces in Afghanistan, assuming I Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward) replaces II MEF (Fwd.), commanded by Maj. Gen. John Toolan, on a typical schedule next spring. Toolan took over for…
President Obama is expected to outline his initial plans for a military withdrawal in Afghanistan Wednesday, with up to 5,000 U.S. troops potentially leaving by next month and a reversal of the 30,000-troop surge of 2009 and 2010 eventually planned. We all know what Battle Rattle readers are thinking: What does it mean for the Marines? First, I’d caution anyone against getting ahead of themselves. The likelihood is strong that few, if any Marines will be included in the initial 5,000-troop reduction. If they are, it seems unlikely they’d be infantrymen, something that retiring Defense Secretary Robert Gates and others…
Two years ago, the full-court press was on. President Obama faced a large contingent of military brass pushing for more troops in Afghanistan, especially Army Gen. David Petraeus, then commander of U.S. Central Command. It goes without saying that the general got nearly everything he wanted. Obama approved an increase of 30,000 troops, including more than 8,000 Marines, and they began deploying in December 2009. The assault on Marjah began just two months later, and the Marine Corps established a full forward-deployed Marine expeditionary force in June 2010. At the time, it was hard to find strong military advocates who…
KABUL, Afghanistan — Army Command Sgt. Maj. Marvin Hill is not a household name among Marines, but his career has skyrocketed parallel to that of his long-time friend, Sgt. Maj. Carlton Kent, who stepped down June 9 as sergeant major of the Marine Corps. “I went to high school with Sgt. Maj. Kent, he’s a homeboy and a very close friend,” Hill said June 3 in his office at NATO headquarters, where he is the senior enlisted leader for International Security Assistance Force and U.S. Forces Afghanistan. Translation: He is ISAF commander Army Gen. David Petraeus’ wingman, and has…
This week’s Marine Corps Times should immediately catch the eye of many readers. The cover story features an exclusive, sit-down interview with Commandant Gen. Jim Amos at the Pentagon. Colleague Gina Cavallaro met with the general for the story before flying to Afghanistan last week, where she’ll be embedding with Marine units until mid-July. Amos shares his vision for the future Corps in several regards, weighing in on issues that will affect operational forces, military careers and Marines planning to jump back into civilian life. Look for it on newsstands this week or subscribe here to read it online.
This week’s Marine Corps Times cover story highlights an ongoing debate that could hit service members right where it counts: the wallet. In a trio of stories, Pentagon correspondent Andrew Tilghman explores where cuts could be made to military benefits. Reductions to tuition assistance and pensions are possible, and military officials also are considering a partial pension for those who serve at least 10 years. This week’s newspaper also offers three strong career stories for enlisted Marines. One focuses on promotion opportunities for sergeants, another looks at the Corps’ early-out program, and the third offers tips to Marines seeking their…
