Shacknews Document

UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS FACT SHEET

THE ROLE OF THE UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS

Marines are America's only forward-deployed expeditionary force. They operate in a perpetual state of readiness, so they can respond quickly to any emergency anywhere in the world. Marines are trained and equipped to be the first to fight in any conflict. Their role is to get in fast, strike hard, and pave the way for others to follow.

Unlike any other branch of America’s armed services, the Marines integrate air assets with ground forces into single units, each known as a “Marine Air Ground Task Force.” They are organized, trained, and equipped for mobility. For the past quarter-century, Marines have often been referred to as America’s “911 emergency force.”

THE FEW

The Marine Corps is the smallest and most specialized of America’s armed services. While the US Army has over 1.2 million active-duty soldiers, plus another million in the US National Guard and Reserves, the US Marine Corps has fewer than 175,000 active-duty Marines.

It is very difficult to become a United States Marine. In many years, 90% of applicants to the Marine Corps are rejected. The Marine Corps looks for individuals with both strong physical and mental agility. Nearly all Marine Corps officers are college graduates, with many holding advanced post-graduate degrees.

Marines begin their career with three months of intense, high-stress basic training intended to push them to their physical and mental limit. The most intense of this training is called The Crucible. Basic Training is followed by Marine Combat Training, which is followed by classroom and field education, usually at the Marine Corps School of Infantry. After graduation, every Marine is trained in a particular specialty.

HONOR. COURAGE. COMMITMENT.

The Marine Corps describes its mission as “building Marines, winning battles, and returning better citizens to society.” The Marine Corps expects each Marine to live their life by the values of Honor, Courage, and Commitment.

Honor guides Marines to “exemplify the ultimate in ethical and moral behavior.” Courage is the “mental, moral and physical strength to do the right thing, in the right way, for the right reasons.” Commitment is the spirit of determination and dedication leading to the “highest order of discipline for individuals and units.”

The United States Marines are part of a heritage even older than the nation. Formed in 1775 at Tun Tavern in Philadelphia and fashioned after Britain’s Royal Marines, United States Marines have defended the American people since before the Continental Congress approved the Declaration of Independence.

WARRIORS

Every Marine is a rifleman. Each Marine, including all officers, cooks, and administrative personnel, is required to qualify at a range of 500 yards (5 American football fields) with an M16 rifle with no scope every year they’re in the Marine Corps. Every Marine is also required to pass a very rigid physical exam twice per year.

The ethos of the Marine Corps is defined by the battle at Iwo Jima during World War II. Iwo Jima was a virtually impenetrable fortress. Marines advanced rock by rock through the worst possible man-to-man fighting against suicidal Japanese forces until they achieved control of the island. Twenty-four Marines earned a Medal of Honor at Iwo Jima, more than in any other battle in American history. The battle of Iwo Jima established that there was nothing a Marine wouldn’t do, and no cost a Marine wouldn’t pay, to accomplish his mission.

Today, Marines practice a form of warfighting known as “Maneuver warfare.” Maneuver warfare attempts to bypass an enemy’s defenses to penetrate the enemy’s system. Rather than destroying him physically, the aim of Maneuver Warfare is to “shatter his moral, mental, and physical cohesion.” Modern Marine Corps strategy is built on stealth, maneuver, and deception.

SYMBOLS

Marines are elite warriors. They guard America’s embassies and provide helicopter transportation for the President. They are sent to foreign countries for disaster relief and tough peace-keeping operations. They guard America’s most valuable nuclear weapons sites.

Marines are symbols not just of military might, but of the highest ethical standards. They live their lives by a chivalrous code of honor. They are the best America has to offer.