Congressman tries to rename Navy department

[CommunityEditor]

A North Carolina congressman has introduced a bill to add the Marine Corps’ name to the Department of Navy.

Republican Walter B. Jones has asked Congress since 2001 to change the department’s name to the “Department of Navy and Marine Corps,” thus giving the Corps “the recognition it deserves as one of the official branches of the military,” according a release from Jones’ office in Washington.

“There isn’t a subordinate relationship between the Chief of Naval Operations and the Commandant of the Marine Corps,” Jones said in the release. “They are equivalent parts of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and it is time to recognize their equal status.

The legislation does not seek to change secretary’s responsibilities, reallocate resources or otherwise alter either service’s missions, he said. “Rather, it is about showing the nation the true meaning of the department and recognizing the overall importance of the Marine Corps to our national security.”

The bill, HR 24, was introduced Wednesday.


Article: http://www.militarytimes.com/news/2009/01/marine_walterjones_010709w/

[forcedj]

Hmm. Isn’t there also an opposing effort that would split the USMC completely from the DON and make it a relationship similar to the Army and Air Force?

Dan

[Yggdrasil]

I'm all for it. I've had to correct many Sailors - even those senior to me - who think that the Marine Corps "works for" the Navy. I've tried many times to explain that the Navy and Marine Corps are two totally separate branches that have the same secretary - that secretary just happens to be called "Secretary of the Navy."

Of course, I get "deer in the headlights" looks all the time, because they can't grasp what I'm trying to say. Hopefully, if the name change goes through, people will finally get it.

[PAMICH]

What will happen to cool acronyms like My A$$ Rides In Navy Equipment Sir ?

[pbenav]

Dear Congressman Walter B. Jones,
For your information. Marinest attend the Navy Academy not the other way around. Also, why not change the name to: Department of the Navy, Medical Corps, Supply Corps, Constrution Battalion Corps, Air Corps, Submarine Corps, Subterrain Corps, Coast Corps, Marine Corps and SEAL Corps. Respectfully, USN SPECOMM 1972-1993

[MPLisa]

Why not change the name of Congress to: Body politic that never held a real job so they had to try and get elected to this cush job in order to get retirement for life.?

[MIKEYCHALUPA]

This is the same guy who was behind changing French Fries to Freedom Fries.

I'm just saying.

[MexDoc]

As a hospital Corpsman I'm all for the merger. I have a long list of reasons why, but I'll be short. 1. Marines always take better care of their Corpsman then the Navy, don't believe me? There's a news clip going around with Marine E-9's fighting for Corpsman re-up bonuses. Army 68W's get a nice bonus why not us. 2. I have to maintain Marine Corps uniforms that are not covered by my uniform allowance. Those blackened shields and Danner boots get pretty expensive if you want to maintain a good appearance. 3. Marines really do get the shaft when it comes to medical, Go see the 1st Battalion 3rd Marines Battalion Aid Station, it is in an abandoned barracks. 4. There are starting to be many wounded warriors in the Navy due to IA, but atleast here in hawaii the wounded warrior centers are in the Marine and Army bases, none for the Navy. Atleast for my purple heart benefits I've had to turn to the Military Order of the Purple Heart to find anything out. Besides my Chief(who also has a PH) telling me about MOPH the Navy has been no help. I'll stop there.

[MPLisa]

MexDoc - I'm a former HMC and retired MSC officer. Here's some advice for you shipmate: you got to manage your own career, even when you believe the Navy isn't doing the job it is supposed to do. The onus is STILL on you to do what you've already begun to do. Take care of yourself, doc, so you can take care of others. THis includes checking out your service record regularly to ensure it is accurate and complete, make sure your page 13's are all correct. Don't take any chances and leave your fate in the hands of a NCC, PN, YN, HM, or any J.O. I learned from experience a long time ago and am thankful I had some folks on my side all along.

write me if you want to discuss more: mark_laredo@yahoo.com

[CUSEFAN21]

Isn't it high time they the USMC is finally recognized as being their own service and get out from under the USN wing

[SeaChicken]

Isn't it high time they the USMC is finally recognized as being their own service and get out from under the USN wingIf they weren't they wouldn't have a seat on the Joint Staff, and you certainly wouldn't have Marines as a past Chairman and currect Vice Chairman. It is also my belief that you would be hard pressed to find one Marine who thinks of themselves as "under the USN wing".

The relationship between the Navy and Marine Corps was first explained to me when I was a Midshipman. I was at a dinner seated between two Marine Officers when I stated that the Marine Corps was "part of the Navy". He he he ... I learned the truth pretty quickly and definatively

DoN, MC would be such a mouthful and would likely end up just being the first step on the road to two separate departments which I don't think would serve either service well. I would support a name change to the Department of the Naval Services. It recognizes two services, but it also recognizes their historic, current and future linkages.

[PWSIVERSON]

I think "The Department of Marine Corps and Navy" is more appropriate. Kidding aside, no matter what the name, the Navy-Marine Corps Team is the most awesome fighting force in the world. The Marines take care of Naval personnel and the Navy takes care of Marine Corps personnel. No other 2 branches of our military work that way or as well. Enough said.

[SeaChicken]

The Marines take care of Naval personnel and the Navy takes care of Marine Corps personnel. Actually, Marine Corps personnel ARE Naval personnel. The term Naval means both Navy and Marine Corps. Marine Corps pilots are Naval Avaiators, and Marine Corps awards citations cite the "Naval Service".

[MarineCandidate203]

Dear Congressman Walter B. Jones,
For your information. Marinest attend the Navy Academy not the other way around. Also, why not change the name to: Department of the Navy, Medical Corps, Supply Corps, Constrution Battalion Corps, Air Corps, Submarine Corps, Subterrain Corps, Coast Corps, Marine Corps and SEAL Corps. Respectfully, USN SPECOMM 1972-1993

As a respectful correction, the Navy and Marine Corps both graduate officers from the United States NAVAL Academy. I think that the Department of Navy and Marine Corps is the best clear cut change but that Department of Naval Services is a great suggestion as well. The objective is not to cut the cord of tradition that binds the two branches together, but to clarify there is no superiority of position between the two. I don't believe anyone would argue that the Corps has not earned that right.

[SeaChicken]

As a matter of survival being the only squid in an office full of Marines I chose to move aggresively to establish a position from with to defend my Navy Honor. I told my Lt Col boss that that Marines are all just Navy staff weenies. Supply Corps, Medical Corps, JAG Corps ... Marine Corps. :D

[USMC_8156]

Whatever. All this means is that I will have to change 5,000 letter heads on existing documents.

Dear Congressman Replaceable,

Get a hobby

[SeaChicken]

Whatever. All this means is that I will have to change 5,000 letter heads on existing documents.

Dear Congressman Replaceable,

Get a hobbyDon't you get it? F-ing with the military IS his hobby.:rolleyes:

[MPLisa]

I still say we change the name of Congress to: "Bunch-of-ne'erdowell-money-grubbers-who-can't-get regular-jobs-so-they-go-into-politics-to-screw-others".

How's that?

[STITCHMARINE]

Why not "Department of Naval Services"? It inclusive, yet not such a pain to say as DoNMC.

[MexDoc]

I still say it's a good idea to split the two...Marines do get a major shaft when it comes to EVERYTHING...IE Army has been using M4's with M68' for the past 10 years..marines are barely giving up their m16's..who gets the new m4's too? the POGs in Headquarters. If you dont know what POG is you are one....Everything the marines have is waaay outdated compared to the Army(I'm talking active duty infantry) such as army having Javalins or Blue force trackers in every vehicle, MBITRS. When I deployed in 06 we had 1 bft per convoy/patrol, and used old korean war radio's 117's with the headsets only the afghan soldiers wear now since i deployed in support of the Army.....I work for a "Blue Side" Command now and it is amazing what the Navy offers it's sailors compared to what Marines are being offered in medical...I still refuse to believe that the "Training Evolutions" to thailand, signapore, australia, dubai that the navy ships and subs deploy to ALL the time out of hawaii, is more important then getting more MRAPS and Medical gear(Which I had to aquire from blue side commands when I was in division because of no funding.) and other life saving tools for marines. I seen way to many of my friends die or permanantly injured....and lastly if you deployed to afghanistan or iraq but didnt have to shoot back at anyone that was shooting at you..u were on a regular deployment, not combat deployment...too many times I have had officers talk to me like they been there but they sat and ate happy on TQ in iraq and bagram in afghanistan.....my venting is over thank you for listening :)

[PAMICH]

Mexdoc,
Good read, you got a little off topic and you probably need to run your own thread on this stuff. BZ on your efforts and sacrifices in the box. We need more stories from the Centcom AOR

[SeaChicken]

MexDoc, your obviously well directed passion comes through from your post although I do not think that creating a Department of the Marine Corps will solve the problems you describe. First off, the thread is only about changing the name, not the structure of the Department. As it is now, the Navy and Marine Corps are on equal footing. They CMC does not go through the CNO to get to SECNAV, they just both go through the same Secretary to get to SECDEF. If you made a Secretary of the Marine Corps, all you would really do is make another level of beauracracy at the highest level. You would add a lot of Flag/SES egos to the pot. Does it make sense that anything would get easier to be accomplished when it comes to blue/green interaction?

If the Marine Corps is using old and outdated equipment it has nothing to do with the Navy sucking up all the Corps' dollars. When the money comes from Congress to the Department of the Navy, it is already designated as Navy dollars and Marine Corps dollars. If the Marine Corps is not purchasing more M4s but is instead sticking with M16s that is a Marine Corps decision which has nothing to do with blue/green issues.

I know what a pogue is and I know I am a pogue. I did however "deploy" to SouthEast Washington DC. I could have easily been shot at there but was never issued a personal weapon to defend myself. Did the Navy fail me in my "combat deployment" ;)

[MexDoc]

MexDoc, your obviously well directed passion comes through from your post although I do not think that creating a Department of the Marine Corps will solve the problems you describe. First off, the thread is only about changing the name, not the structure of the Department. As it is now, the Navy and Marine Corps are on equal footing. They CMC does not go through the CNO to get to SECNAV, they just both go through the same Secretary to get to SECDEF. If you made a Secretary of the Marine Corps, all you would really do is make another level of beauracracy at the highest level. You would add a lot of Flag/SES egos to the pot. Does it make sense that anything would get easier to be accomplished when it comes to blue/green interaction?

If the Marine Corps is using old and outdated equipment it has nothing to do with the Navy sucking up all the Corps' dollars. When the money comes from Congress to the Department of the Navy, it is already designated as Navy dollars and Marine Corps dollars. If the Marine Corps is not purchasing more M4s but is instead sticking with M16s that is a Marine Corps decision which has nothing to do with blue/green issues.

I know what a pogue is and I know I am a pogue. I did however "deploy" to SouthEast Washington DC. I could have easily been shot at there but was never issued a personal weapon to defend myself. Did the Navy fail me in my "combat deployment" ;)

I appreciate the feedback, I know I apologize for going off track...:D

[ElectricElvis]

Okay. So here's a thought. How about we split the Navy and the Marine Corps completely, change all the letter heads to reflect the change, hire or assign additional staff for the new chain of command from the Secretary level on down, establish new facilities and offices to house that new chain of command and staff, revamp all the forms and paperwork into new versions with new designations...

Perhaps this guy should assess whether he wants to cut the budget like everyone else? Or maybe he expects us to make that 20% budget cut AND support this massive shift?? All this sounds like to me is a politician's attempt at unneccesarily inflating our budget when we're trying to cut spending.

I hear they have very nice rooms for people like him. White canvas padding and special suits.