New U.S. Marine Commandant Redefines The Future Of The Marine Corps

Photo: The 35th Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. James F. Amos accepts command from Gen. James T. Conway during a Passage of Command ceremony presided over by Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates at the Marine Barracks, Washington, D.C., on Oct. 22, 2010. DoD photo by Cherie Cullen

Marine Commandant Vows To Make Corps Lighter, More Mobile -- Stars And Stripes

WASHINGTON — Tasked to redefine the future of the Marine Corps, Commandant Gen. James Amos has pledged to aggressively experiment with unit sizes and the Corps’ overall structure in a rebalancing effort he says will make the Marines a lighter force, ready to fight anywhere they’re called.

Amos’ “planning guidance,” issued Wednesday, is his formal answer to Defense Secretary Robert Gates, who this summer asked Marine Corps leaders to determine what kind of service they want to be. In recent years, Gates and the previous commandant, retiring Gen. James Conway, have worried the Corps has strayed too far from its amphibious roots and were used too long as a second land army in Iraq and Afghanistan.

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More News On the Future Of The U.S. Marine Corps

Commandant spells out priorities for Corps -- Marine Times
Commandant sets Marines on course for future -- Signs On San Diego
Afghanistan, future top priorities for Amos as new Corps commandant -- Desert Warrior
2010 Commandant's Planning Guidance -- Marines.mil
Colors passed, Gen. James Amos becomes 35th commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps -- Stars And Stripes
Amos takes command of the Corps -- Marine Times
Gen. Amos becomes commandant of Marines -- UPI
Gates Tells Gen. Amos: ‘Think Hard’ About the Marine Corps’ Future Role -- National Defense