The Beginning of the End

The recent liberal agenda-driven political decision to open American Army and Marine Corps infantry units to women, and the consequent decision by the Obama Administration to force the Marine Corps to fully gender integrate its recruit training (effective practically immediately) make perfect sense to anyone who has never served in an infantry unit in combat or in serious preparation for combat. 

Liberals hate the Marine Corps.  They view Marines as extremists.

They are correct in that assessment.

But the fact is: real Americans want an extreme Marine Corps. 

America wants the Marine Corps to set the bar; to send a loud and clear message to the Republic's enemies; to be the force on which it can depend without one moment's worry.

The Colonel does not mean to impugn the effectiveness of the other U.S. armed services.  They are very good.  But, they ain't the Marine Corps.

Search your feelings, my Army, Navy, and Air Force friends; you know it's true.

The Marine Corps is your daddy.

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Thirty-seven years ago this week, the Colonel -- then a second lieutenant -- was assigned command of an infantry platoon.  Third Platoon, Company G, 2d Battalion, 2d Marine Regiment, 2d Marine Division, to be exact.  He commanded infantry units at every level from 40-man platoon to 3500-man regiment over the next two decades.

In between stints in Marine infantry units, the Colonel commanded significant portions of the Marine Corps' recruiting effort, as well as serving on joint and combined (with other nations) staffs.

The Colonel has served and trained with best in the world, here and abroad.  He knows that there is not a nickle's worth of difference between the young man or woman who joins the Marine Corps or the other armed services in this or any other western nation.  

The difference is the training.

Are there American warfighters better than the Marines at what they do?  Certainly!  The SEAL's standards and training produce men who man for man are better fighters than Marines (although, Special Operations Marines are quickly closing the gap).

There just aren't enough SEALs to really make a difference.

There are enough Marines, and they do make a difference.

Now.  But not for much longer.

Lowering the physical standards for service in the infantry, in general, and the Marine Corps, in particular -- inevitable, in order to meet the social engineering goals of the socialist politicians currently calling the shots -- will reduce American infantry to the status of less than world class.  

World class infantry wins wars, if allowed by world class political leadership. 

When the history of this Republic is written centuries hence -- those Chinese historians will marvel at the rapidity at which America rose to pre-eminence and then just as quickly forfeited its superiority.  They will marvel at the stupidity of American leaders, and issue stern warnings to their own leaders to avoid the same mistakes.

They won't.  The Chinese leadership of the 23rd Century will think themselves infallible after their nation rules the world for a 100 years.  They will begin to tinker with what made them great.

That's the way it has always been.