The Down Range Forum
Member Section => Down Range Cafe => Topic started by: ericire12 on May 04, 2010, 09:45:12 PM
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http://congress.blogs.foxnews.com/2010/05/04/house-votes-to-change-the-name-of-the-%e2%80%9cdepartment-of-the-navy%e2%80%9d/?test=latestnews
The House voted Tuesday to rename the Department of the Navy and call it the Department of the Navy and Marine Corps.
After all, supporters of the measure point out that in Marines’ Hymn, the lyrics indicate that Marines “fight our country’s battles in the air, on land and sea.”
Which is where the Department of the Navy comes in.
Rep. Walter Jones, R-N.C., is one of the main authors of the proposed change. He represents Camp Jejune, a key Marine base situated along the North Carolina shoreline. The Marines have long been tucked inside the Department of the Navy. But Jones says this change just recognizes the Marines on an equal footing with the Marines.
The House has approved similar bills for the past eight years. But it’s never made it through the Senate.
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As dumb as this sounds, its actually serious business. The Marines have always been the redheaded step child of the US military when it comes to budgets, equipment, etc. Yet, particularly now, they are, after SOCOM, the Rangers and MAYBE the 82nd, the best suited to deal with the current threat. Do we make them a Co-equal 5th branch, thus getting them a bigger budget, make them officially co-equal to the navy, acknowledging that the days of them leading shore partys and preventing mutinees are long passed or what? I think a case could be made for transferring them to JSOC, or making them their own branch, or making them the co-equal of the Navy with the squids put on notice not to screw with this. Me, I'm not so much waiting for the Army Navy game, as the intra-mural scrimage between Marines and Sailors at Annapolis. Hell, the idea of a Marine Service Academy? Parris Island with a BA, I would pay good money to watch. ;D
FQ13
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The Marines have been a Co Equal branch in fact if not in Name having their own budget and a seat on the Joint Chiefs.
Personally I would like to see Dept of the Marine Corps, and their ride ;D
But from a historical stand point it recognizes the Origins of Navy and Corps both as the projection of American power overseas, the line in the Hymn refers to Marine sharp shooters fighting aboard ships at sea by sniping the enemies officers and gun crews.
At the same time adding the Marines to the name recognizes the growth of the Corps strength and importance, and the shoreward shift in military focus.
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Seems like a good first step.
Anyone who was only aware of the "Spirit" and core of the Corps would be surprised to find they were not an independant branch.