Modern Day Marine 2022: Day Two

11 May 2022 | Communication Directorate The Official United States Marine Corps Public Website

The second day of Modern Day Marine 2022 brought additional updates on Force Design 2030 and the value of multinational military and industry partnerships though a series of speaker panels. Throughout the day, Marine and partner nations military leadership hosted discussions in the main briefing room at the Walter E. Convention Center in Washington, D.C. 

The day began with an allied panel discussion on littoral operations moderated by U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Gen. Sean M. Salene, director of Strategy and Plans Division for Plans, Policies & Operations. The panel of speakers included military leadership from Australia, Columbia, Japan, Netherlands, Philippines, and Sweden. Lt. Gen. David G. Bellon, commander of Marine Forces Reserve and Marine Forces South, represented the Marine Corps and delivered remarks on the value partnerships bring to future success in the Indo-Pacific area of operations and gaining a competitive advantage in the littorals. 

“While listening to our friends and partners, what we’re talking about is joining the ranks of our friends, partners, and allies, who exist as stand-in forces. They live as, exist in, they are forward…within the weapons engagement zones of our likely adversaries…so you cannot think of this problem set in isolation. In fact, it’s always been the western way of war that we rally together in a common cause to mutually protect each other.” Lt. Gen. David G. Bellon, Commander, Marine Forces Reserve, Marine Forces South

The Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory (MCWL) provided an update on the Marine Corps' Infantry Battalion Experimentation (IBX) 2030 efforts, which included one infantry battalion from each of the Corps' Marine Expeditionary forces. The laboratory synthesized data collected from these units to inform the force development process and shape units to be lighter, more mobile, more lethal, and more able to "sense and make sense" on the modern battlefield. Building on these insights, MCWL is now applying the same experimentation and analysis to the newly-created Marine Littoral Regiment (MLR).

The Deputy Commandant for Marine Corps Aviation, Lt. Gen. Mark R. Wise, led a discussion in the early afternoon on aviation operations in the information environment for Force Design 2030 alongside the Deputy Commandant for Information, Lt. Gen. Matthew G. Glavy. Both Marine leaders emphasized the importance of aviation integration and operations in the electromagnetic spectrum - digitally integrating ground, air, and partner systems to expand command and control capabilities. 

“We set conditions for the Marine Corps to connect at scale. It’s about massive data. It’s about massive computational power to drive outcomes for the warfighting functions.” Lt. Gen. Matthew G. Glavy, Deputy Commandant, Information

The second day of speaking engagements ended with a crowd listening in on the Marine Corps' focus of advancing in the Indo-Pacific arena with the implementation of Force Design 2030 and the value of joint partnerships.

Moderated by Megan Eckstein, reporter for Defense News, Brig. Gen. Joseph R. Clearfield, deputy commander for Marine Corps Forces Pacific, Col. Timothy S. Brady, commanding officer for 3d Marine Littoral Regiment, and Col. Stephen Fiscus, assistant chief of staff for Force Development, came together to deliver remarks on the concept for stand-in forces, and to field questions from the audience. 

“We see how the character of war is changing rapidly because of computing power and over-the-horizon targeting and long range precision. It’s changed. We have to change. We can’t afford not to change.” Brig. Gen. Joseph R. Clearfield, Deputy Commander, Marine Corps Forces Pacific

The panelist were able to take the key principles of Force Design at the strategic level and connect them to the tactical level. 

“I think the Marine Corps as a service is going to be focused on doing two things really well. Premier Crisis Response – it’s going to modernize and grow. The other is standing-in…we’re experimenting and building our first stand-in forces in the Pacific. This is a globally exportable model…it will work anywhere on the globe.” Col. Stephen Fiscus, Assistant Chief of Staff, Force Development

The leaders emphasized the Marine Corps’ need for smart, mature Marines to close kill chains. This aligns with the reasoning behind the Commandant’s second and third priorities: Talent Management 2030 - retaining and recruiting smart, mature Marines - and the upcoming Training and Education 2030 - training smart, mature Marines. The Marine Corps' success in stand-in forces will come through recruiting and retaining mature talent and, training Marines to remain smart and mature throughout their careers. 

The emphasis on operations across the Pacific and the importance of allied partnerships echoed throughout the panels of the second day of the Modern Day 2022 expo, co-sponsored by the Marine Corps League and the Marine Corps Association. 

The Marine Corps is innovating today to win tomorrow's battles. For additional coverage of Modern Day Marine or attend in person, visit: www.marinemilitaryexpos.com

For more information on Force Design 2030 and associated modernization efforts,  visit: www.marines.mil/Force-Design-2030