Which branch of the Military

can't remember anymore, that a Marine Expeditionary Unit can be inserted in a trouble spot and hold out for 30 days 'til the rest of the folks show up. It is supposed to be self contained, including artillery, tanks, etc. Most MEUs travel via the Navy and either land by beachcraft or helicopters. Being a former Marine I am somewhat partial.


Tom

The ideas above are mine and should be believed by everyone!

Since the world is covered by 3/4's by water it makes sense to have a navy. To "project" naval power has always been a corner stone of the USA gunboat policy. It is however an expensive one, so when you factor in the cost of just keeping any ship, "fueled" you get the idea. Plus, any new ships aren't picked from a tree they cost big time. This isn't just for the navy but any armed forces branch. It just costs so much to even have a standing armed force and to engage in warfare adds to that. To what costs is left to the bean counters to factor in what can and can not be done with for the immediate future and unfortunately that's too common a problem dealing with the "now factor". Remember, we won the cold war overall becuase we out spend the commies and they couldn't keep-up, excluding the diplomacy side of things. The seams of the modern military are getting to be exposed and to what as a nation are we if "left to us" really can afford. Alot of military pork belly spending gets by because the politics of the US spreads it around and few turn it down. In todays $, you fight many WWII's of thier dollars at the time, dollar for dollar excluding inflation/deflation and all that yada-yada. Its really not that hard to figure out, something(some branch) has to give. -----Willy

.... I would quickly say "Air Force" , that would not be true.

Most of the supplies needed to support ground troops go by sea. Invasion troops, Army or Marines, go by sea. Subnarines patrol, gather intelligence, and can fire ordinance. It also fires missiles at ground targets. Ships can lauch planes and fire ordinance. Thge Navy , the Army, and the Marines have heliocopters.

Navy Seals perform covert activities on and near the shores

Heliocopters carry troops, supplies, support the ground troops, and can fire ordinance. They also perform rescues.

The Coast Guard watches our ports, our waters, boards ships and boats, and performs rescues. They also have heliocopters.

The Air Force has huge cargo planes, both for ferrying supplies, personel, wounded (equipped to give medical care), and heavy equipment.

The fighter and bomber planes go in first, taking out radar installations, enemy troop encampments, heavy equipment like tanks and planes on the ground, airstrips, battles enemy planes in the air, takes out communication and anti-aircraft systems, and others to make the way more clear for the ground troops. AWAC planes continue to patrol the skies, gather intelligaence, spot targets. Un-manned planes gather intelligence.

So I see the branches being intertwined, necessary for the missions.

I have expressed my quarrel with fownsizing before, especially as to turning some functions over to the civilan sector. It was said this was to save money (cut down on costs for housing, active duty medical care, the needs for dependents, no GI Bill to pat for, etc.). But I have my doubts it has saved money.

I also do not agree with the opinion that a "leaner" military is possible due to all of the technological advances and smarter weapons. IMO, this was born of the idea that future wars would be "spot" ones, to which our people could be rapidly deployed. That would be true had we now not learned that is not the case. We just don't have enough humans to be in two full scale wars. I don't think some realize just how thinly we are spread, and the effect this has on those in the war zones. I'll go even futher and draw fire .... we should not start a war with Iran without the strong coalition we had in the Gulf War. If it's neighbors and those with whom it trades aren't concerned (and they are closer to Iran), I don't think it should fall on us to protect them unilaterally from their own folly.

There are aspects and duties of the military branches that are already being shared among them

As to reducing the number of ships, any nation can sail in international waters. "Cargo ships" travel to world ports. We're not the only country with submarines. IMO, we need no less than what we now have on the seas.

Angeline
Speakeasy Moderator
click here to email
semods4@yahoo.com

service is more vital than the other.

I've always had admiration for the Marines ever since their vallent effort in capturing those numerous South Pacific islands during WWII. Course the Navy helped tremendously also, like my uncle who drove a landing craft in several of those island battles. Then again the US Army was hard at it ever since the Europe D-Day. The Air Force also helped by clearing most of the sky & bombing factories before D-Day, and then our good Allies with all their military were vallent.

The Air Force (SAC) was the most war-deterrant in the early days ot the 'Cold War' and then later ICBM's and Navy's Nuclear Subs with ICBM's.

Oh, talking about today, the Navy is vital and has a role in peace-keeping/war-deterrant with the SEALS, Carriers, Subs, and Cruise Missles, but I can't say they are any more vital than the other services....

can wage a war themselves. We have the Carrier Battle Groups, which can dominate anywhere on sea or land. The Amphibious Battle Groups have the armaments, manpower, and resources to support and hold an amphibious landing.
Our sub service patrols the seas and coasts, and can strike anywhere at anytime (including nuclear strikes).

Finally, the biggest reason that the Navy and MArines rock - an overwhelming majority of the world's population live in or close to coastal areas.

Of course

arguing about who's more important. The bottom line is the whole is greater than the some of the parts, and we'd be in tough shape without any of them!

-- Dave K, Speakeasy Moderator
click here to email semods4@yahoo.com

The opinions expressed above are my own,
and do not necessarily reflect those of CNET!

all encompassing organization. Separate the wheat from the chafe. It would save tons of money. Lot's of top brass could be retired. All the elite forces could remain. Their is a lot of duplicity in the services. 5 groups reaching for the same dollars. Of course there would be a long transition period.
Giuliani did that in NYC soon after his election creating the largest pd in the country-25K+. That ended bitter rivalry and infighting. It made him the crime stopper NYC needed. Without this action the 9-11 aftermath would have been much worse.

the Seals a run for the money and they also have stealth vessels technology ?Skjold".

TO: Toni
FM: Joseph ALNAV
SUBJ: Blue Water Navy & Wings of Gold

I wish that I could fly, Into the sky, So very high, Just like a dragonfly
I?d fly above the trees, Over the seas in all degrees, To anywhere I please?
I want to get away, I want to get away, I want to fly away?Yeah yeah yeah
[From Lenny Kravitz's ?Fly Away? ]

Toni, FLY TO:

http://www.nol.navy.mil/homepages/vp4/index.htm

Click on the picture of the Skinny Dragon?s P3 Orion and enjoy the flight...JP

Well, a little off subject with what you are asking, but aviation with great pilots in the Navy, Marines, Army, Coast Guard, and USAF, I have been struck with a since of feeling for our pilots/crews that the poem "High Flight"
deplicts.

The poem "High Flight" by Major John Gillespie Magee, Jr, was made into three short films by the USAF and shown as a Television Sign-Off piece that were seen by millions of people across the United States during the 1960's and 1970's. The films featured seperately the F-104 Starfighter, T-38 Talon, and F-15 Eagle with appropriate music.

High Flight:

"Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings,
Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
Of sun-split clouds - and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of - wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there,
I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air.

Up, up the long, delirious burning blue
I've topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace
Where never lark, or even eagle flew.
And, while silent, lifting mind I've trod
The high untrespassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand, and touched the face of God."

Source: "The Last High Flight", Flying, January, 1993, p.36.

President Ronald Reagan quoted the poem in his address to the nation following the loss of the space shuttle Challenger on 28 January 1986.

John Magee Jr was killed in a flying accident at age 19.
On his grave are enscibed the lines:

"Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth - Put out my hand and touched the Face of God."