WASHINGTON, D.C.
22 January 2007
MCA Luncheon Features Commandant of the Marine Corps
On Monday, 22 January, the professional association for ALL Marines was fortunate to present General James T. Conway USMC, the 34th Commandant of the Marine Corps, as the guest speaker at the first MCA luncheon of 2007.
In addition to providing a welcome opportunity for camaraderie for the Marine Corps community, MCA luncheons feature prominent military and civilian leaders as guest speakers and offer attendees unique perspectives and insights on issues important to Marines. The luncheons are conducted in the greater Washington DC area, and also at Camp Lejeune and Camp Pendleton. In an effort to reach out to more of the Marine Corps community, MCA plans to conduct an additional series of luncheons at Quantico and Parris Island starting later in 2007.
An increasingly popular venue, MCA Luncheons offer just the right mix, of precursory social interaction with friends and comrades, followed by good food and capped by the challenging remarks of a dynamic speaker. In this first luncheon of the year, set in the greater Washington DC area, the appeal and popularity of our guest speaker, the Commandant of the Marine Corps, generated considerable interest and made this the largest lunch event MCA has conducted.
Following an enjoyable social hour in the foyer fronting the luncheon’s dinning room, the event was initiated by marching on the colors conducted by sharply turned out Color Guard from Marine Barracks 8th & I. Major General Les Palm, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Marine Corps Association, then made introductory remarks.
General Palm extended thanks to the color guard, to the media representatives reporting on the event, to the attendees who braved the recent snow in the area. He also expressed considerable appreciation to the MCA Corporate Sponsors supporting the event.
In his introduction of the Commandant, General Palm stated that the Marine Corps is indeed fortunate to have General Conway as Commandant. He pointed out that General Conway had been in harms way often and knows what is required under the challenges offered by today’s uncertain world situation. He highlighted the fact that General Conway had an extensive background in counter terrorism and that he had made two separate combat deployments to Iraq as the commanding general of the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force.
General Conway offered sincere thanks for his introduction and related that attending events like the MCA Luncheon were very valuable to him because they provided opportunities to widen his perspectives with input from people he does not get to interact with often. Further on that theme, the Commandant then invited audience input following his remarks.
He led off his remarks with a brief summary of findings from his recent trip to the Middle East where he visited Marines in both Iraq and Afghanistan. He pointed out that the Marine Corps seems to be doing a lot better dealing with tribal politics in Iraq. Referring to a number of formerly troublesome towns in strife ridden Al-Anbar province, he said that the insurgents, indiscriminate killing of Iraqi sons and daughters there has caused a real turn around in tribal perceptions and attitudes. Where formerly all tribes in the province were actively hostile, now 12 out of 13 are actively supportive of our stability efforts. The situation in Iraq is more positive than is being reported in the mainstream media.
Addressing his trip to Afghanistan, General Conway spoke about the latest developments with the Taliban, our enemy there. In previous years, the Taliban had tended to become inactive and hide out over the winter months. They don’t seem to be doing that this winter. Stating that they are “staying in the fight” over this winter, he observed that it will probably be a bad spring with a tough fight ahead. Talking with NATO commanders in Afghanistan, General Conway was proud that they all asked him about the possibility of getting a Marine infantry battalion into the theater. He said that he would like to be able to support but that the operational requirements and surge of forces in Iraq precludes sending one to Afghanistan.
He turned with pride to the subject of the presentation of the first Medal of Honor to a United States Marine in 38 years. Referring to Corporal Jason L. Dunham, of Scio, New York, he related that after a 2-year process, the Medal of Honor was finally presented, posthumously, to Corporal Dunham’s family at the National Museum of the Marine Corps. General Conway said the presentation ceremony was well attended by comrades of Corporal Dunham who was awarded the medal for actions to save the lives of his fellow Marines in K Company, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines.
Stating that everyone in the Marine Corps was about to become a Recruiters Aid, General Conway announced that the Corps will grow by 27,000 new Marines over the next couple of years. He pointed out that the Marine Corps follows higher personnel standards than other services and that the pressure of recruiting and maintaining personnel at this increased manning level will put pressure on decision makers to lower standards. Lower standards would negatively impact the quality and effectiveness of the Marine Corps.
The Commandant indicated that he had just returned from a trip to the west coast and had selected a new Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps. He announced that Sgt Maj Carlton Kent, Sgt Major of 1st Marine Expeditionary Force will be promoted into his new position shortly.
General Conway published his initial planning guidance to the Marine Corps shortly after his appointment as Commandant. Both of the MCA’s flagship magazines, Leatherneck and The Marine Corps Gazette carried the Commandant’s planning guidance in the January editions of the Magazines. Turning to the subject of his most important priorities, General Conway addressed some of the key items in his published guidance.
He said we have to fully support the troops in contact. That has to be our focus. As a related matter, he said we have to fix the operational deployment cycle which currently recycles Marines in and out of operational deployments every 7 months or so. In a really insightful observation he indicated that the cycle does not seem to be creating unsustainable individual stress now. But that it is likely to create serious organizational stress later as Marines with several operational deployments under their belt face returning to the fleet’s grueling operational tempo from “B” billets. He speculated that making the decision to stay Marine under the circumstances would be rough and the Corps might lose many good Marines as a result.
Pointing out that the Marines are “the nation’s shock troops” he expressed considerable concern that most of Marine Corps was involved in counter insurgency in Iraq and Afghanistan. Stating that while the Marine Corps had become the country’s counter insurgency experts, it did not relieve the Corps of other critical requirements which are not being pursued at the moment. Among competencies not being pursued adequately, he named combined arms and mountain warfare among others. He said that it is a dangerous world out there and the Marines have got to be prepared to do other things.
Addressing the subject of equipment, he asserted that the Marine Corps has got to fix our gear. He advised the audience that what Marines have is good and works well but that it has all been used very hard for too long and is starting to wear out. He then dwelt on the resulting dilemma. Does the Corps buy the same vintage items we have now (buy new, old stuff) or do we skip a developmental generation and buy more advanced items in the future? Indicating that this is one of the key challenges and priorities for him and his staff, he said that the U.S. Congress has been very good to the Marine Corps on this continuing issue.
One of his key priorities is living space for Marines. He said that this was an issue that was broken and, as a result, is aggressively pursuing the construction of 105 new sets of barracks around the Corps to replace worn out buildings and to accommodate the 27,000 new Marines being recruited to increase our end strength.
Care of wounded Marines proved to be a very special concern of General Conway’s. In a very unique approach to the problem of caring for wounded Marines who are in hospitals all over the country and in parts of Europe, he said the Marine Corps would create a Wounded Warrior Regiment with a Battalion headquarters at Camp Lejeune and another at Camp Pendleton. The organization’s mission is to exert greater accountability and provide better support to these needy Marines. Radiating vital concern for those in need, it was clear that General Conway’s view was that we owe them the best possible support and that we will deliver.
He announced one decision that played very well with the crowd and is sure to be a motivating factor with Marines across the Corps. He stated that the Marine will put dress blue uniforms back into the sea bag issues at the recruit depots. Further, on the subject of uniforms, he pointed out that Marines need an official physical training uniform and that he is taking steps now to design one that will look better than what the other services have.
General Conway concluded his lunchtime address by fielding a few questions from the audience. One question on the subject of the stopping power of the M-16 rifle’s 5.56mm round produced an interesting exchange. The power of the M-16 was compared unfavorably to the ubiquitous Kalashnikov family of weapons. General Conway said that he had talked to many combat troops and they said that if they hit a target, it went down. Dwelling on this, the Commandant stated that what we really need to do is to address marksmanship against moving targets.
The Marine Corps Association thanks General Conway for taking time from his busy schedule and sharing his perspectives and insights on crucial issues facing our Corps.
Additionally, the Marine Corps Association thanks our corporate sponsors for supporting the first MCA luncheon of 2007.
