R 141400Z FEB 03
FM CMC WASHINGTON DC(n)
TO ML ALMAR(n)
ALMAR
BT
UNCLAS
ALMAR 012/03
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC/CMC//
SUBJ/RE-ESTABLISHMENT OF A USMC COMBAT ASSESSMENT TEAM//
REF/A/DECISION BRIEF/CMC/12FEB2003//
NARR/REF A IS DECISON BRIEF PRESENTED TO AND APPROVED BY CMC//
POC/D. H. WESSNER/LTCOL/-/-/TEL:DSN 278-4766
/EMAIL:WESSNERDH@MCCDC.USMC.MIL//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/-//
RMKS/1.  MY PLANNING GUIDANCE STATES THAT WE MARINES "SUCCEED
DUE TO OUR CONTINUED DEDICATION TO OUR WARFIGHTING EXCELLENCE
AND AN UNFAILING DETERMINATION TO WIN."  ONE OF THE
TOUCHSTONES OF THAT DEDICATION IS THE CONTINUOUS ESTABLISHMENT
OF "PROCESSES THAT FACILITATE ADAPTATION TO A CHANGING,
DYNAMIC WORLD."  THEREFORE, A COMBAT ASSESSMENT TEAM WILL BE
RE-ESTABLISHED IMMEDIATELY TO FACILITATE A COLLECTION OF
LESSONS LEARNED RELATING TO USMC PARTICIPATION IN OPERATION
ENDURING FREEDOM.  THE TEAM WILL NOT ASSESS OPERATIONAL
DECISIONS, BUT RATHER WILL FOCUS ON TITLE 10 ISSUES INVOLVING
ORGANIZING, TRAINING, EQUIPPING, AND PROVIDING THE FORCE, AS
WELL AS TELLING THE MARINE CORPS STORY.  
2.  I HAVE TASKED CG MCCDC TO DEPLOY THE COMBAT ASSESSMENT
TEAM TO CAPTURE DATA AND REPORT LESSONS LEARNED, BASED ON
EXPERIENCE GAINED IN DESERT STORM AND RECENT OPERATIONS IN
AFGHANISTAN.  THE INTEGRATION OF COLLECTION, OPERATIONAL
PLANNING, AND EXECUTION EFFORTS IS VITAL TO DEVELOPING
SUPPORTABLE FINDINGS AND INSIGHTS.  THESE FINDINGS AND
INSIGHTS SUPPORT A RAPID REPORTING AND FEEDBACK MECHANISM TO
INTEGRATE LESSONS LEARNED INTO THE EXPEDITIONARY FORCE
DEVELOPMENT SYSTEM (EFDS).  THE TEAM WILL INCLUDE AN
IN-THEATER ANALYSIS CAPABILITY WITH REACHBACK TO HQMC, AND
THE SUPPORTING ESTABLISHMENT.  ORGANIZATIONS INTERESTED IN
COLLECTING INFORMATION FROM THE AOR SHOULD COORDINATE
THROUGH THIS TEAM.
3.  THIS EFFORT WILL BE BALANCED WITH OPERATIONAL REALITIES,
AND PROVIDE INVALUABLE INFORMATION TO ADDRESS CURRENT AND
FUTURE REQUIREMENTS AND RESOURCE ISSUES, ALONG WITH TIMELY
SUPPORT TO OPERATIONAL COMMANDERS.  ALL HANDS MUST UNDERSTAND
THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS EFFORT TO OUR FUTURE DIRECTION AS A
CORPS.
4. SEMPER FIDELIS, M. W. HAGEE, GENERAL, U.S. MARINE CORPS.//