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UNCLAS  //N01000//
ALMAR 042/00
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC//
SUBJ/THE VISION STATEMENT OF THE U.S. MARINE CORPS//
POC/CPL WOODS/ADMIN CHIEF/CSG/TEL:(703) 614-2326
/EMAIL:WOODSJP@HQMC.USMC.MIL//
RMKS/1.  AMERICA AND HER MARINES TOGETHER STAND AT THE THRESHOLD OF
A CHALLENGING NEW AGE.  WE HAVE SEEN GLIMPSES OF IT ALREADY: GROWING
INTERNATIONAL INTERDEPENDENCY, NEAR ROUTINE CRISIS AND CONFLICT, AND
INCREASED DEMANDS FOR U.S. INTERVENTION.  EVALUATING THE CORPS IN
THE CONTEXT OF THIS CHANGED ENVIRONMENT WAS THE FOCUS OF NEARLY A
QUARTER OF OUR GENERAL OFFICERS, WHO COMPRISED THE GENERAL OFFICER
FUTURES GROUP (GOFG).  BEGINNING IN FEBRUARY, THE GROUP MET MONTHLY
TO CAREFULLY EXAMINE OUR CORPS FROM THE GROUND UP WITH AN EYE ON
FUTURE REQUIREMENTS.  THE ENTIRE GENERAL OFFICER COMMUNITY THEN
VALIDATED THE RESULTS OF THAT LENGTHY ENDEAVOR AT SEPTEMBER'S
GENERAL OFFICER SYMPOSIUM AND AT THE RECENT EXECUTIVE OFF-SITE.
2.  CENTRAL TO THE GOFG'S EFFORTS WAS COMPOSITION OF A VISION
STATEMENT, QUOTED BELOW.  ROOTED IN OUR TRADITIONS, YET REFLECTIVE
OF EMERGING REQUIREMENTS, THE VISION ARTICULATES IN FUNDAMENTAL
TERMS "WHO" WE ARE, "WHAT" WE WILL BE, AND, MOST IMPORTANTLY, "HOW"
WE WILL ACHIEVE OUR DESIRED END STATE.  THE STATEMENT SERVES A
NUMBER OF PURPOSES.  IT IS A UNIFYING ARTICULATION OF STRATEGIC
CHALLENGES, OPPORTUNITIES, AND PRIORITIES; A GENERAL GUIDE FOR
MODERNIZATION, AND A DURABLE AND FLEXIBLE EXPRESSION OF OUR VIEW OF
TOMORROW.  MANY WHO READ IT WILL OBSERVE, CORRECTLY, THAT THE VISION
PRESCRIBES NO RADICAL CHANGE OR MANDATE FOR WHOLESALE
TRANSFORMATION--WITH GOOD REASON.  THE GOFG CONCLUDED THAT THE CORPS
REQUIRES ONLY MARGINAL ADJUSTMENTS TO SUCCESSFULLY ADAPT.  WE DO, IN
FACT, HAVE IT RIGHT.  OUR DAY-IN, DAY-OUT COMMITMENT TO INNOVATION
AND EXPERIMENTATION AND WILLINGNESS TO EMBRACE CHANGE HAS ENSURED
OUR CONTINUED VIABILITY.  CONSEQUENTLY, WE ARE NOT COMPELLED TO
REINVENT OURSELVES.  WHAT WE DO REQUIRE IS A WELL-PLANNED,
PURPOSEFUL CAMPAIGN TO SYNCHRONIZE OUR EFFORTS TO IMPROVE OUR
CAPABILITIES.  THE VISION'S CAREFULLY CHOSEN WORDS WILL SERVE AS A
LENS TO FOCUS THOSE ACTIVITIES AND LEAD ULTIMATELY TO A DRAMATICALLY
MORE CAPABLE CORPS.
3.  THE NEXT STEP TOWARD REALIZATION OF THE VISION--A CORPS OF
ENHANCED STRATEGIC AGILITY, OPERATIONAL REACH, AND TACTICAL
FLEXIBILITY--WILL BE THE PUBLICATION OF A SERVICE STRATEGY
ESTABLISHING CRITICAL GOALS AND AIMS.  THAT DOCUMENT WILL BE
FOLLOWED BY AN OVERARCHING OPERATIONAL CONCEPT THAT WILL CLEARLY
DESCRIBE THE MANNER IN WHICH WE WILL CONDUCT OPERATIONS IN THE
FUTURE.  THESE DOCUMENTS WILL TOUCH EVERY ASPECT OF OUR INSTITUTION
AND WILL BE REFLECTED IN OUR DOCTRINE, STRUCTURE, TRAINING AND
EDUCATION, AND ACQUISITION PROGRAMS.
4.  DUE TO THE FORESIGHT OF OUR PREDECESSORS AND YOUR DEDICATED
EFFORTS, THE CORPS IS POISED TO CONFRONT THE GREAT CHALLENGES OF THE
21ST CENTURY.  THIS VISION WILL GUIDE US AND ENSURE THAT WE FULFILL
OUR MANDATE FROM THE AMERICAN PEOPLE TO REMAIN THE NATION'S PREMIER
TOTAL FORCE IN READINESS.
5.  THE VISION STATEMENT OF THE U.S. MARINE CORPS IS QUOTED AS
FOLLOWS:
  "AS THE PREMIER EXPEDITIONARY "TOTAL FORCE IN READINESS," THE
MARINE CORPS WILL BE TAILORED TO ANSWER THE NATION'S CALL, AT HOME
OR ABROAD.
   OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES IN THE WORLD'S LITTORAL REGIONS
WILL INCREASE AMERICA'S RELIANCE ON THE CONTINUOUS FORWARD PRESENCE
AND SUSTAINABLE MARITIME POWER PROJECTION OF NAVAL EXPEDITIONARY
FORCES.  THOSE FORCES WILL PROMOTE NATIONAL INTERESTS, INFLUENCE
VITAL REGIONS, AND FIGHT AND WIN THE NATION'S BATTLES.
   THE MARINE CORPS WILL ENHANCE ITS STRATEGIC AGILITY, OPERATIONAL
REACH, AND TACTICAL FLEXIBILITY TO ENABLE JOINT, ALLIED, AND
COALITION OPERATIONS AND INTERAGENCY COORDINATION.  THESE
CAPABILITIES WILL PROVIDE THE GEOGRAPHIC COMBATANT COMMANDERS WITH
SCALABLE, INTEROPERABLE, COMBINED-ARMS MARINE AIR-GROUND TASK FORCES
(MAGTFS) TO SHAPE THE INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENT, RESPOND QUICKLY TO
THE COMPLEX SPECTRUM OF CRISES AND CONFLICTS, AND GAIN ACCESS OR
PROSECUTE FORCIBLE ENTRY OPERATIONS.
    FUNDAMENTAL TO THIS VISION, WE WILL:
         - MAKE AMERICA'S MARINES TO WIN THE NATION'S BATTLES
           AND CREATE QUALITY CITIZENS.
         - OPTIMIZE THE CORPS' OPERATING FORCES, SUPPORT AND
           SUSTAINMENT BASE, AND UNIQUE CAPABILITIES.
         - SUSTAIN OUR ENDURING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE U.S.
           NAVY.
         - REINFORCE OUR STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS WITH OUR
           SISTER SERVICES.
         - CONTRIBUTE TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF JOINT, ALLIED,
           COALITION, AND INTERAGENCY CAPABILITIES.
         - CAPITALIZE ON INNOVATION, EXPERIMENTATION, AND
           TECHNOLOGY.
  AS WE HAVE SINCE 1775, THE MARINE CORPS WILL STAND READY TO
PROMOTE PEACE AND STABILITY AND TO DEFEAT OUR NATION'S FOES."
ENDQUOTE.
6.  SEMPER FIDELIS, JAMES L. JONES, GENERAL, U.S. MARINE
CORPS, COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS.//
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