A NEW REALITY
Date Signed: 6/15/2007 | ALMARS Number: 041/01
ALMARS : 041/01
R 122300Z SEP 01  ZYW
FM CMC WASHINGTON DC//CMC//
TO ALMAR
BT
UNCLAS  //N02300//
ALMAR 041/01
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC//
SUBJ/A NEW REALITY//
RMKS/1.  THE RECENT TERRORIST ATTACKS ON OUR NATION HIGHLIGHT THE NEW
REALITY OF WARFARE.  THE VERY VISIBLE ATTACKS AGAINST ICONS OF OUR
DEMOCRATIC NATION AND OUR CITIZENS NO LONGER REPRESENT A SIMPLE
VIOLATION OF INTERNATIONAL LAW.  AS WAS EVIDENCED SO GRAPHICALLY BOTH
IN NEW YORK CITY AND WASHINGTON, A NEW FORM OF OPEN WARFARE WAS
DECLARED AGAINST AMERICA, DIRECTLY TARGETING CIVILIAN AND MILITARY
PERSONNEL AND OUR INSTITUTIONS ALIKE.  OUR COMMANDER IN CHIEF HAS
STATED WE WILL RESPOND TO THIS ACT OF WAR, AND WE WILL PREVAIL.  AS
WE RESPOND TO THIS TRAGEDY, OUR FOCUS, AS ALWAYS, IS TO MISSION FIRST
AND PEOPLE ALWAYS.  IN LINE WITH THIS COMMITMENT, I WOULD LIKE TO
OFFER MY CONDOLENCES TO THOSE WHO HAVE SUFFERED THE LOSS OF LOVED
ONES.  I WOULD LIKE TO VOICE SPECIAL THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS FOR OUR
COMRADES-IN-ARMS IN THE ARMY AND NAVY WHO APPEAR TO HAVE BORNE THE
BRUNT OF THE ATTACK AT THE PENTAGON.  WHILE THE PROCESS OF ACCOUNTING
FOR ALL PERSONNEL, ACTIVE DUTY, RESERVE, VETERAN, AND CIVILIAN IS NOT
YET COMPLETE, OUR CORPS APPEARS, THUS FAR, TO HAVE BEEN SPARED ANY
LOSS OF LIFE IN WASHINGTON.  I AM NOT AS OPTIMISTIC WITH RESPECT TO
THE ATTACK IN NEW YORK CITY.  SCORES OF EMERGENCY RESPONSE PERSONNEL
AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC ARE BOUND TO BE MEMBERS OF THE
"MARINE FAMILY."
2.  THE VERY PUBLIC DISPLAY OF THIS NEW FORM OF WARFARE COMES AS NO
SURPRISE TO MARINES.  OUR FOCUS ON DEVELOPING ANTI-TERRORISM AND
FORCE PROTECTION (AT/FP) CAPABILITIES ACROSS OUR FORCE CONTINUES OUR
TRADITION OF INNOVATION AND TRANSFORMATION.  THE THREATS WE SO
VISIBLY FACED HAVE FULLY VALIDATED THE REORGANIZATIONS WE HAVE
UNDERGONE IN THE PAST FEW YEARS, ESPECIALLY IN THE MARINE CORPS
SECURITY FORCE BATTALION AND OUR FLEET ANTI-TERRORIST SECURITY TEAM
CAPABILITIES.  OUR MORE RECENT EFFORTS TO INCORPORATE AT/FP SKILL
SETS IN ALL DEPLOYING MARINE CORPS UNITS HAS PROVEN PRESCIENT IN
ADDRESSING THE LATEST THREAT TO OUR NATIONAL SECURITY.  WHILE OUR
EXPEDITIONARY CULTURE REMAINS THE CENTERPIECE OF OUR WARFIGHTING
CAPABILITY, THE ADDED ABILITY TO EFFECTIVELY DEAL WITH TERRORISM IS
CRITICAL TODAY AND WILL REMAIN ONE OF OUR CORE CAPABILITIES FOR THE
FORESEEABLE FUTURE.
3.  OUR EXPEDITIONARY CULTURE HAS ONCE AGAIN PROVEN VALUABLE TO OUR
NATION AND WE ARE POISED TO RESPOND TO THE ONGOING DISASTER RELIEF
OPERATIONS IN NEW YORK CITY.  IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE NAVY, WE HAVE
ONCE AGAIN DEMONSTRATED THE VALUE OF THE NAVY-MARINE CORPS TEAM IN
RESPONDING ACROSS THE FULL SPECTRUM OF CAPABILITIES THAT OUR NATION
DEMANDS.  IN LINE WITH THE SPECIAL BOND BETWEEN SAILORS AND MARINES,
I HAVE OFFERED THE FULL COMMITMENT OF MARINE CORPS CAPABILITIES IN
SUPPORT OF ANY NAVAL MISSION, ASHORE OR AFLOAT.  COMMANDERS ARE
DIRECTED TO REINFORCE THIS COMMITMENT BY SEEKING OUT THEIR NAVY
COUNTERPARTS AND REINFORCING THIS OFFER OF ASSISTANCE WHEREVER IT MAY
BE NEEDED.  WHILE THIS SUPPORT INCLUDES THE FULL RANGE OF OUR
CAPABILITIES, YOUR FOCUS SHOULD REMAIN ON OUR ABILITY TO SUPPORT THE
AT/FP CAPABILITIES WE CAN PROVIDE.  
4.  WHILE WE HAVE PREVIOUSLY DISCUSSED IN DEPTH THE POTENTIAL FOR
ASYMMETRIC ATTACK, WE HAVE, THROUGH THE MYRIAD ACTIONS AND REACTIONS
THAT TRANSPIRED ON 11 SEP 01, EXPERIENCED THIS PARADIGM SHIFT IN A
MOST PERSONAL FASHION.  IN ORDER TO CONTINUE OUR TRADITION OF
INNOVATION WE MUST CAPTURE THE LESSONS WE HAVE LEARNED REGARDING THIS
EMERGENT FORM OF WARFARE.  COMMANDERS ARE DIRECTED TO COMPILE
APPROPRIATE ISSUES AND THEIR POTENTIAL IMPACT FOR THE FUTURE, AND
SUBMIT THEM THROUGH THEIR ADVOCATES FOR INCORPORATION INTO THE MARINE
CORPS EXPEDITIONARY FORCE DEVELOPMENT SYSTEM.  REALITY IS THAT WHAT
WE HAVE FACED IN THE PAST 24 HOURS IS NOT A SINGLE, ISOLATED EVENT.  
YESTERDAY S ATTACK IS THE MOST VISIBLE MANIFESTATION OF A WAR FOR
WHICH WE HAVE PREPARED THROUGH ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE, AND FOR WHICH
OUR EXPEDITIONARY CAPABILITIES WILL BE HIGHLIGHTED AND IN GREAT
DEMAND.  
5.  THE MANNER IN WHICH WE REACT OVER THE DAYS AND MONTHS AHEAD WILL
ONCE AGAIN HIGHLIGHT OUR READINESS AND ADAPTABILITY TO MEET THE
NATION S NEEDS ACROSS THE SPECTRUM OF OPERATIONS.  IT WILL ALSO
VISIBLY REINFORCE THAT WE ARE ALWAYS READY AND ALWAYS FAITHFUL.
SEMPER FIDELIS, J.L. JONES, GENERAL, US MARINE CORPS, COMMANDANT//
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