The Marine Corps is phasing out the assault section of rifle companies and abolishing the infantry assault Marine military occupational specialty altogether.
By doing so, the Corps expects to free up about 500 Marines for other jobs deemed essential to defeating future adversaries, such as cyber operations, electronic warfare and intelligence, Military.com reported on Wednesday.
Marine Commandant Gen. Robert Neller recently told Marines that future rifle companies will include combat engineers to breach barriers and destroy enemy fortifications with rockets — tasks which currently are assigned to infantry assault Marines.
Marine Corps officials did not immediately comment Wednesday on Gen. Neller’s remarks.
The Corps had planned to expand to at least 194,000 active-duty Marines, but Defense Secretary James Mattis has told the Marines to focus on improving readiness first.
Without an increase in end strength, the Corps “had to create some trades to buy Marines to do other things,” Neller told Military.com.
Because training is so similar to what other infantry Marines receive, current infantry assault Marines should be able to easily transition to other MOSs, Neller said. Typically, the infantry assault Marine MOS is for Marines at the rank of sergeant and below.
Neller also told Marines that the Corps will begin using the Carl Gustaf recoilless rifle in lieu of the current MK-153 shoulder launched multipurpose assault weapon, or SMAW.
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Being an 0311 in N. I Corps in 1969, riflemen will always be needed. Remember when they thought our aircraft didn’t need guns anymore?
All that is needed is the “Multi-Duty MOS” 1371 Combat Engr.! Problem solved!!! LOL!! Harry
I guess my 0351 Assaultman MOS makes me a legend. I was originally classified as ANTI TANK Assaultman, due to my training on the 106 recoilless rifle, it transitioned to simply Assaultman. They can change what we are called, but Assaulting is still what we will do.
I too was an 0351 from 1969-1979. Vietnam 1971. Hell of a weapon especially on the Ontos. Semper Fi Marine!
At Lejeune and Camp Giger I was trained as a field wireman using the old EE8 telephones and installing telephone lines. When I caught up with 3/7 at Chu Lai I was there about two weeks when they took away my pliers and my M14. They gave me a 45 older than I was and a PRC 10 radio. A 10 minute class in the sand and they send me out to Kilo as the 81 FO radio operator. I’ve been told that 2511 doesn’t exist anymore because of wireless and cellular communications.
Marine LCpl’s don’t retire, they go to cyber a and transition into geeks and nerds. “God help us”
Anything that will limit combat deaths is fine with me.I love those grunts and shudder at what they go thru on a daily basis.Maybe I am getting soft in my old age.Semper Fi.
“Trained nerd and geek killer, Sir”. “God help us”.
I held three MOS’s in the Corps and this was from 86-96 so it’s nothing new. We should teach our Marines how to perform multiple jobs eventually it will help them when they transition to the civilian world. Semper Fi
Been both, 1371 Combat Engineer and 0351 Assaultman. Easy transition. Good for the Corps. Give ’em hell.
I served as section leader in flamethrower section in 2nd Battalion 5th Marines. We lost them in 1972. I am now involved with Marine Corps League in Saint George, Utah as we provided military funerals for Marines and Corpsmen who were attached to Marine units. At time active Marines come from Las Vegas to assist and a young sgt told me he never met anyone with 0351 mos. I guess we will really will become a part of the “old Corps”
Being the tip of the spear (read ASSAULT) has always been the basic foundation, mantra and the primary purpose of our Marine Corps existence. If we evolve into the “standard mode” of specialized high tech and cyber warfare, and abandon our true core (Corps) values, then we will correspondingly truly become a redundancy of the Army mission. It certainly will leave our beloved Corps very vulnerable to future budgetary discussions/decisions by Congress relative to the merging of the Marine Corps mission with that of the US Army’s! It is discussed by Congress in every session and, God forbid, may someday happen. As an old Nam Grunt (D/1/7), I certainly hope that it does not occur within my grandchildren’s lifetime! Semper Fi! Point
I held only one MOS from 1964 -1968 0351 I went to the engineer to learn about disarming mines and booby traps and set explosives. My main job was to carry the ammo for the M20 3.5 inch rocket launcher or the rocket launcher it self. Later they added the 0352 longer after I was out. I loved that weapon I was good with it. I would not trade the training and brothers for any thing.
In Nam back in ’66-’67 I was a 2531 field radio operator on one of the FO teams for the 3/26. It would be very lonely out there without them with us. If this ‘New Experiment’ the Marine Corps plans to do doesn’t stop our future enemies, how long will it take to train the geeks to be ready again as a grunt? I also agree with Bill Goss…someday, and probably not too distant future, the Marine Corp will become obsolete because we will be doing the same jobs as the Army. We will be a redundant force.
This reminds me of the post WW II effort to do away with conventional forces, including the Marine Corps. What saved the Navy, Marine Corps, and Army was the Korean War. The U.S. was forced to confront an invading army with the forces it had on hand. The Truman administration immediately decided not to use the nuclear arsenal, and sought to check North Korean aggression with conventional forces.
As an initial response, Truman called for a naval blockade of North Korea, and was shocked to learn that such a blockade could only be imposed “on paper”, since the U.S. Navy no longer had the warships with which to carry out his request..
In fact, due to the extensive defense cuts and the emphasis placed on building a nuclear bomber force (B-36), none of the services was in a position to make a robust response with conventional military strength. Then came Inchon and the Navy had to borrow Philippine and Japanese LST’s to get in there, and only the 1st Marine Division could get the job done..
Revolt of the Admirals
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Revolt_of_the_Admirals
Hey, Once a 0351, always a 0351. An Hoa , 1969-1970. Carried the M-79 “Thumper” 106 Platoon, 3/5 1MarDiv. H&S Co. Semper Fi. Any Bunker One “Family” out there?
I understand what the Commandant is trying to say, but some where down the road a Marine and his rifle, will be needed to do what Marines have been doing since the beginning of the Corps and that is to take your objective! Semper Fi, brothers!
These wonder boys that are trying to change the MOS requirements of the combat Marines sure must not understand that Marines are COMBAT MARINES, not fancy system/cyber/IT, etc., Marines. Yes those specialist that are needed by Marines are specially trained and educated, but they are also Combat Marines trained. I was being trained as a specialist like the wonder boys in 1959/1960, but ended as a combat Marine, which I am proud to have been. Yes, Marines WILL be doing Amphibious Assaults in the future, like we did in the past. What will these high tech specialist being doing during the assaults, crying in their coffee? What are these wonder boys trying to make us Marines become, like the Army. What a joke. Marines are serious COMBAT MARINES, trained to defeat and kill our enemies any way we can!!!
Why not just add rather than subtract.
As I was a corpsman with 1/3, in 1964-65, we had practiced the infantry assault at cold weather training at Camp Fuji and it in included a live fire exercise. But when I was involved in a fire team/platoon assault in the Lau Chau district SW of Da Nang in July of ’65 I was amazed that any enemy could ever stand against the Marines. They were in total control, everyone did their job, it was truly something that I am glad I was able to experience.
Gen. Keller / Obama, no wonder the Marines are in such pathetic condition! No assault men, I the cyber warriors will take care of business! Father www-2, me, vn(2) I corps, son/son in law, Iraq, Stan, all Marines! Semper Fi, God Bless America, and Good luck new Marines!