R272222Z JUL 10
UNCLASSIFIED//
MARADMIN 415/10
MSGID/GENADMIN,USMTF,2007/CG MCCDC QUANTICO VA//
SUBJ/MARINE CORPS OPERATING CONCEPTS 3RD EDITION//
POC/DOUGLAS KING/GS15/UNIT:CONCEPTS AND PLANS/-/TEL:(703) 432-8143 //
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1. THE EXCELLENCE OF OUR CORPS IS DEFINED BY THE EXCELLENCE OF THE INDIVIDUAL MARINE.  THIS EXCELLENCE IS REFLECTED IN THE WAY WE ACT, THE WAY WE RESPOND TO CHALLENGES, THE WAY WE LEAD AND TAKE CARE OF OUR FELLOW MARINES, AND THE WAY WE THINK ABOUT WHAT WE DO AND WHY.  THIS VERSION OF THE MARINE CORPS OPERATING CONCEPTS (MOC 3) CAPTURES THE CHARACTER, UNIQUENESS, AND OPERATIONAL BREADTH OF OUR CORPS IN A WAY THAT ENCOURAGES THOUGHT AND SUBSEQUENT ACTION - ALL FOR THE PURPOSE OF ADVANCING THE INSTITUTIONAL EXCELLENCE OF THE MARINE CORPS. THE MOC LAYS THE FOUNDATION FOR THIS ADVANCEMENT, PROVIDING THE REFERENCE POINTS TO GUIDE FUTURE CAPABILITY DEVELOPMENT AND IMPROVE THE WAY WE OPERATE AND HOW WE CONTRIBUTE TO NATIONAL SECURITY.
1.A. BUILT AROUND THE CORE MISSIONS OF ASSURING LITTORAL ACCESS AND RESPONDING TO CRISIS, THE CONCEPTS CONTAINED IN THIS DOCUMENT BUILD UPON OUR HISTORY, OUR NAVAL CHARACTER, AND THE MILITARY PROFESSIONALISM DEVELOPED BY GENERATIONS OF MARINES. THESE ENDURING CHARACTERISTICS PROVIDE THE NATION A MARINE CORPS THAT IS ORGANIZED, TRAINED, AND EQUIPPED TO OPERATE AT AND FROM THE SEA AS PART OF A NAVAL TEAM TO ENGAGE, RESPOND, AND PROJECT.  WHILE MANY OF THE MOCS MAIN THEMES WILL SOUND FAMILIAR - POWER PROJECTION, SEABASING, CRISIS RESPONSE, SMALL WARS, AND COUNTERING IRREGULAR THREATS, DONT LET THIS FAMILIARITY LURE YOU INTO BELIEVING THERE IS NOTHING NEW IN THESE PAGES. WHAT IS IMPORTANT IS THAT YOU READ CRITICALLY, THEN DISCUSS, CHALLENGE, AND ADVANCE THE IDEAS PRESENTED IN THE TEXT.
2. EACH OF THE SEVEN CHAPTERS, AND ANNEX A, FOCUSES ON A DIFFERENT OPERATIONAL ASPECT OF THE SAME MAIN THEME - ENSURING THE CONTINUED OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE OF THE MARINE CORPS AND OUR MAGTFS.  THE TOPICS OF THESE CHAPTERS WERE VERY CAREFULLY SELECTED.  THEY REPRESENT THE LINES OF OPERATION ALONG WHICH WE WILL COLLECTIVELY ADVANCE OUR ABILITY TO PERFORM OUR CORE COMPETENCIES. COLLECTIVELY, THESE MARINE CORPS CAPABILITIES CONTRIBUTE TO PREVENTING CONFLICT, PROTECTING NATIONAL INTERESTS, AND ASSURING OVERSEAS LITTORAL ACCESS THAT WILL ENABLE THE UNITED STATES TO PREVAIL IN A CONFLICT.
2.A. CHAPTER ONE PROVIDES AN OVERVIEW OF THE CORPS WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF OUR NATIONAL SECURITY POLICY.  IT PROVIDES THE FOUNDATION UPON WHICH OUR CAPABILITIES ARE BUILT, DEFINES OUR VALUE TO THE NATION, AND EXPRESSES THE PURPOSE OF THE CONCEPTS THAT FOLLOW IN CHAPTERS TWO THROUGH SEVEN.  THE 21ST CENTURY MARINE CORPS, LIKE ITS PREDECESSORS OF EARLIER ERAS, PROVIDES THE NATION WITH TWO FUNDAMENTAL CORE MISSIONS AND ASSOCIATED CAPACITIES: ASSURING LITTORAL ACCESS, AND RESPONDING TO CRISES WHILE WINNING COMPLEX AND DIFFICULT MULTIFACETED OPERATIONS THAT ARE OFTEN DESCRIBED AS SMALL WARS.  WHILE THE AMPHIBIOUS ASSAULT ON IWO JIMA IS UNDOUBTEDLY OUR MOST FAMOUS LITTORAL ACCESS OPERATION, IT IS BY NO MEANS THE ONLY ONE, NOR DOES IT REPRESENT THE ONLY, OR EVEN THE PRINCIPAL, CONTRIBUTION THE CORPS MAKES TO OUR NATIONAL SECURITY.  THE MOC MAKES THIS CLEAR.  IN SIMILAR FASHION, THE MOC CLARIFIES AND REMINDS ITS READERS OF THE SIGNIFICANT HISTORY THE CORPS HAS WITH RESPECT TO SMALL WARS.  WHETHER CALLED COUNTERINSURGENES, SMALL WARS, OPERATIONS OTHER THAN WAR, IRREGULAR WARFARE, OR ANY OF THE OTHER LABELS USED TO DESCRIBE THESE COMPLICATED, DANGEROUS OPERATIONS, THE MARINE CORPS HAS AMASSED A DETAILED AND EXTENSIVE BODY OF KNOWLEDGE, GAINED FROM A COMBINATION OF EXPERIENCE, THOUGHT, AND EXPERIMENTATION.  BUILDING UPON THIS, THE MOC CLARIFIES THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE WAYS WE ENGAGE, RESPOND, OR PROJECT POWER AND THE ENDS OF PREVENTING CONFLICT, PROTECTING NATIONAL INTERESTS, OR PREVAILING IN CONFLICT.
2.B. CHAPTER TWO DISCUSSES THE CONCEPT OF MISSION COMMAND.  THIS IS NOT JUST A NEW NAME FOR AN OLD IDEA.  IT IS AN EXPRESSION OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN A COMMANDER, HIS COMMAND, HIS MISSION, AND THE ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH SUCCESS MUST SOMEHOW BE DEFINED, COMMUNICATED, AND ACHIEVED.  EMPOWERING LEADERS WHO ARE OPERATING IN LOCATIONS PHYSICALLY REMOVED FROM THEIR PARENT HEADQUARTERS REQUIRES A DEGREE OF DECENTRALIZATION AND RISK ACCEPTANCE HERETOFORE UNRECOGNIZED IN OUR DOCTRINE OR OUR CAPABILITY DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES.  IT REQUIRES HEIGHTENED LEVELS OF TRUST, RELIANCE, SUPPORT, AND CHARACTER.  THE MOC TALKS ABOUT THIS, AND PROMOTES THE FOSTERING OF AN ENTREPRENURIAL MINDSET AS OUR LEADERS AT EVERY LEVEL THINK ABOUT, PLAN, AND CONDUCT INCREASINGLY DISPERSED OPERATIONS.  THIS CHAPTER IS A MUST READ FOR ANYONE INTERESTED IN UNDERSTANDING THE SPECIAL DNA OF MARINE LEADERS.
2.C. CHAPTER THREE INTRODUCES AND EXPANDS UPON A PARTICULARLY CHALLENGING OPERATIONAL IDEA - ENHANCED MAGTF OPERATIONS (EMO).  THE CHAPTER DISCUSSES WHAT THIS TERM MEANS AND EXHORTS ALL ELEMENTS OF THE MAGTF TO BECOME LIGHTER, MORE ADAPTABLE, MORE DECENTRALIZED, MORE RESOURCEFUL AND FASTER IN RELATION TO THE ENEMY.  EMO DRIVES CAPABILITY DEVELOPMENT THAT LEVERAGES TECHNOLOGY AND EMPOWERS THE INGENUITY OF OUR SMALL-UNIT LEADERS.  IT IS A NATURAL EXTENSION OF THE IDEAS PRESENTED IN CHAPTER TWO.
2.D. CHAPTER FOUR, DEVOTED TO THE IDEAS THAT UNDERPIN MILITARY ENGAGEMENT, TIES TOGETHER LONG-HELD IDEAS AND CAPABILITIES WITH NEW REALITIES.  THE CONCEPT HOLDS AS MANY IMPLICATIONS IN THE AREAS OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING AS IT DOES OPERATIONS AND PROPOSES A STRUCTURE AND EMPLOYMENT OF SECURITY COOPERATION MAGTFS.  THE PRESENCE OF FORWARD DEPLOYED NAVAL FORCES GIVES AMERICAN POLICY MAKERS AN EXPANSIVE RANGE OF OPTIONS TO INFLUENCE EVENTS AND PROJECT POWER IN PEACETIME, CRISIS, AND WAR. THE MOC EXPANDS UPON THE UTILITY OF AMPHIBIOUS-BASED MAGTFS ACROSS THE RANGE OF OPERATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH BUILDING PARTNER CAPACITY, ENGAGEMENT, AND SECURITY COOPERATION.
2.E. CHAPTER FIVE DISCUSSES CRISIS RESPONSE, IN THE CONTEXT OF COMPLEX FUTURE ENVIRONMENTS, AND EMPHASIZES HOW THE MARINE CORPS WILL IMPROVE SPEED, FLEXIBILITY, AND OPERATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS TO INCREASE ITS RESPONSIVENESS AND BETTER MEET COMBATANT COMMANDER DEMAND.
2.F. CHAPTER SIX ALSO DISCUSSES A TRADITIONAL CAPABILITY OF THE MARINE CORPS - POWER PROJECTION.  IS MODERN POWER PROJECTION JUST A MODERN EXPRESSION OF WHAT WAS DONE IN PAST WARS, OR IS IT SOMETHING DIFFERENT?  HOW DOES THE PROBLEM OF REDUCED ACCESS COMPLICATE THE PROJECTION OF POWER?   WHAT ARE THE LOGISTICAL AND COMMAND AND CONTROL IMPLICATIONS OF MODERN POWER PROJECTION?  THIS CHAPTER ADDRESSES ALL OF THESE ISSUES, AND MORE.  THE ABILITY TO PROJECT AND SUSTAIN COMBAT POWER ASHORE IS THE BASIS OF OUR CONVENTIONAL COMBAT CREDIBILITY.  ENHANCING THIS ABILITY, ESPECIALLY IN A FUTURE SECURITY ENVIRONMENT CHARACTERIZED BY ANTI-ACCESS CHALLENGES, WILL BE A KEY FACTOR IN ENABLING THE UNITED STATES TO NOT ONLY WIN, BUT DETER, FUTURE CONFLICTS.
2.G. THE FINAL CHAPTER ADDRESSES COUNTERINSURGENCY OPERATIONS AND BUILDS UPON THE WEALTH OF UNDERSTANDING AND EXPERIENCE GAINED IN RECENT CONFLICTS, TEMPERED WITH THE LESSONS LEARNED BY MARINES OF EARLIER GENERATIONS.  OUR CAPABILITY DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES AND OPERATIONAL PRACTICES MUST UNDERSTAND AND MAINTAIN THE BALANCE BETWEEN COMBAT OPERATIONS, TRAINING AND ADVISING HOST NATION SECURITY FORCES, SUPPORTING ESSENTIAL PUBLIC SERVICES, AND THE PROMOTION OF GOVERNANCE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND STABILITY. CHAPTER SIX ADDRESSES THE CHALLENGES ASSOCIATED WITH THIS, AND PROMOTES WHOLE OF GOVERNMENT SOLUTIONS IN WHICH OUR MARINE FORCES SERVE AS ENABLERS.
2.H. LASTLY, ANNEX A IS DEVOTED TO A CAPABILITY BECOMING MORE AND MORE INTEGRAL TO EVERYTHING THE MAGTF DOES - STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION.  THE CHAPTER DICUSSES THE MAIN THEMES ASSOCIATED WITH STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION AS BOTH AN OPERATING PHILOSOPHY AND A FUNCTIONAL SKILL IN SUPPORT OF MAGTF OPERATIONS.  IT RECOGNIZES THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE TRADITIONAL KINETIC DOMAIN AND THE COGNITIVE DOMAIN - THAT AREA IN WHICH OPINIONS ARE DEVELOPED AND BEHAVIORS ARE MODIFIED.  STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION WAS CHOSEN AS AN ANNEX BECAUSE OF ITS WIDE-SWEEPING INFLUENCE ON ALL FUTURE MAGTF OPERATIONS.  IF THERE IS ONE CONSTANT WE CAN ANTICIPATE REGARDING FUTURE OPERATIONS, IT IS THAT MARINES WILL NEED TO POSSESS, SIMULATANEOUSLY, THE MINDSET OF A WARRIOR, A DIPLOMAT, A PUBLIC SERVANT, A BUILDER, A MEDIC, AND A GOOD SAMARITIAN.  THE ABILITY TO LISTEN CAREFULLY AND ACT IN A MANNER THAT CONSISTENTLY CONTRIBUTES TO SUCCESS, HOWEVER IT IS DEFINED, WILL BE AS IMPORTANT FOR INDIVIDUAL MARINES AS FOR THE MAGTF.
3. THOSE MARINES CURRENTLY ENGAGED DIRECTLY IN CAPABILITY DEVELOPMENT TODAY, WHETHER ASSIGNED AT MCCDC, AT THE PENTAGON HEADQUARTERS, IN THE OPERATING FORCES, OR ELSEWHERE, ARE ENCOURAGED TO READ THESE CONCEPTS CAREFULLY AND USE THEM AS YOU WORK TO ESTABLISH, JUSTIFY, EXPLAIN, AND FURTHER DECOMPOSE THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE FUTURE CORPS.
3.A. THOSE MARINES CURRENTLY IN POSITIONS OF LEADERSHIP IN THE OPERATING FORCES, OR ELSEWHERE, REGARDLESS OF RANK, BILLET, MOS, OR CAREER INTENTIONS ARE LIKEWISE ENCOURAGED TO READ, DISCUSS, AND INCORPORATE THE IDEAS CONTAINED IN THE MOC IN YOUR PME SESSIONS AND TRAINING EVENTS.
4.  IN SHORT, FULLEST DISSEMINATION OF THIS DOCUMENT ACROSS THE ENTIRE MARINE CORPS IS DIRECTED.  IN SUPPORT OF THIS AIM, A THIRD EDITION MOC ROLLOUT PLAN IS IN THE FINAL STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT AT CD AND I.  THIS PLAN INCLUDES A LARGE NUMBER OF ACTIVITIES, PRESS RELEASES, AND MEDIA EVENTS WHICH CLEARLY REFLECTS THE LEVEL OF IMPORTANCE I ASSOCIATE WITH THIS SEMINAL DOCUMENT.  FOR EXAMPLE, BRIEFINGS WILL BE PROVIDED TO OLA, COMBATANT COMMANDERS, OSD STAFF, AND ACADEMIA AND A SPECIAL ROLL-OUT EVENT, HELD AT QUANTICO, IS CURRENTLY PLANNED TO OCCUR DURING THE SECOND WEEK OF JULY.
5.  THE MARINE CORPS OPERATING CONCEPTS (MOC 3) CAN BE DOWNLOADED AT WWW.QUANTICO.USMC.MIL FROM THE LINK HALF WAY DOWN THE RIGHT SIDE. THOSE WHO DOWNLOADED AN EARLIER DRAFT VERSION WILL NOTE THAT SMALL WARS HAS BEEN INCORPORATED AS AN ELEMENT WITHIN THE CORE MISSION OF CRISIS RESPONSE IN THIS FINAL EDITION. AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO DOWNLOADING FROM THE WEB, INDIVIDUAL COMMANDS MAY EMAIL CAPTAIN TIM MAAS, CD AND I G3/G5, AT ALBERT.MAAS@USMC.MIL WITH THEIR UNIT ADDRESS AND A REQUESTED NUMBER OF HARD COPIES.
6.  THIS MARADMIN IS APPLICABLE TO THE MARINE CORPS TOTAL FORCE.
7.  RELEASE AUTHORIZED BY LTGEN GEORGE J. FLYNN, DEPUTY COMMANDANT FOR COMBAT DEVELOPMENT AND INTEGRATION.//