R 231813Z FEB 10
UNCLASSIFIED//
ALMAR 005/10
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC DMCS//
SUBJ/MARINE CORPS EXPEDITIONARY ENERGY//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1.  THE MARINE CORPS IS THE NATION'S NAVAL EXPEDITIONARY, COMBINED-ARMS FORCE-IN-READINESS.  EXPEDITIONARY MEANS RAPID DEPLOYMENT BY AIR OR SEA TO RESPOND TO CRISIS; IT MEANS BEING EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE WHILE OPERATING IN AN AUSTERE ENVIRONMENT; IT MEANS PROVIDING A TASK-ORGANIZED FORCE THAT IS MANNED AND EQUIPPED NO LARGER OR HEAVIER THAN NECESSARY TO ACCOMPLISH THE MISSION.  IN SHORT, THE TERM EXPEDITIONARY GOES TO THE VERY HEART OF OUR CULTURE, OUR CORE VALUES, AND OUR WARRIOR ETHOS - IT MEANS EMBRACING A SPARTAN WAY OF LIFE AND REGULAR DEPLOYMENTS ON FOREIGN SOIL IN DEFENSE OF OUR NATION'S INTERESTS.
2.  WITH OUR COUNTRY IN THE MIDST OF A FINANCIAL CRISIS, AND WITH UNREST IN OIL-PRODUCING REGIONS AROUND THE GLOBE, WE MUST PLACE INCREASED SCRUTINY ON HOW WE USE ENERGY.  THIS ISSUE AFFECTS READINESS AND OUR CAPACITY AS AN EXPEDITIONARY FORCE TO OPERATE EFFECTIVELY IN THE UNGOVERNED SPACES WHERE OUR ADVERSARIES HIDE AND PLOT THEIR NEXT ATTACK.
3.  OPPORTUNITIES EXIST TO REDUCE THE DEMAND FOR SUPPLY CONVOYS; TO GENERATE POWER MORE EFFICIENTLY; AND TO MAKE BETTER USE OF ALTERNATIVE AND RENEWABLE ENERGY RESOURCES.  THE EXPEDITIONARY ENERGY OFFICE WAS ACTIVATED LAST NOVEMBER AS A SEPARATE STAFF ELEMENT OF HEADQUARTERS MARINE CORPS TO ANALYZE, DEVELOP, AND DIRECT OUR ENERGY STRATEGY IN ORDER TO IMPROVE EXPEDITIONARY CAPABILITIES ACROSS ALL WARFIGHTING FUNCTIONS.  NOT ALL OF THE SOLUTIONS TO THE MARINE CORPS' CHALLENGES WILL COME FROM THE HEADQUARTERS, AND MARINES ARE ENCOURAGED TO MAKE USE OF THE UNIVERSAL NEED STATEMENT (UNS) OR URGENT UNS PROCESS FOR BATTLEFIELD IMPROVEMENTS, AS WELL AS THE BENEFICIAL SUGGESTION PROGRAM, WHICH MAY PROVIDE CASH AWARDS FOR RECOMMENDING IMPROVEMENTS THAT HELP MARINES.
4.  THE AMERICAN PUBLIC INVESTS GREATLY IN THE MARINE CORPS.  IN TURN, IT IS OUR OBLIGATION TO UPHOLD THEIR SPECIAL TRUST AND CONFIDENCE AND PROVIDE THEM THE BEST RETURN ON THEIR INVESTMENT.
5.  SEMPER FIDELIS, JAMES T. CONWAY, GENERAL, U.S. MARINE CORPS, COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS.//