Marine: A Guided Tour of a Marine Expeditionary Unit

I was a Marine at the time this book was written. For me it was a great tool to hand to me friends and family. Although the equipment is now outdated, the mission is still the same. With the majority of today's conflicts becoming lower intensity, the USMC MEU(SOC) is an ever greater tool for American interests abroad. The fact that some posters here are so anti-USMC surprises me. The Army doesn't need to bash the USMC, they have separate missions. This was proven in Iraq and Afghanistan. A large Army is still as relevant and necessary as well as a fast mobile and forward deployed quick reaction force like the Marines. In fact, as the occupation of Iraq shows, we still need a large number of US Army ground pounders to accomplish the age old task or holding the ground so dearly fought for. Let the Marines do their job and the Army do its. "Some" previous posts ignore a lot of common sense and history. They also distort the numbers. In reality, the army has a 24 to one ratio of support troops to combat troops. The USMC has about 8 to one. Now where's the bargain for the US taxpayers? Truth is the USMC has a lot more than 3 battalions and if you count the Marine Corps creedo of "Every Marine a rifleman" that ratio is now one to one. In addition, the publicity and fear the USMC exerts in the world of international politics is well known. The term "Send in the Marines" is synonymous with taking action and saving the situation. All of the Army's berets and "Army of One" slogans could never buy that kind of reputation. The truth is the Army is now taking a page from the USMC's manual and shedding its heavy Armor and support units. Lighter faster, more mobile and hard hitting are its new mantras. The fact is the Army has had to adapt to a Marine Corps style of operation to stay relevant, not the other way around. The Marine Corps has no competition in its function. To call ship obsolete, you should call the Army's heavy tanks and armored vehicles obsolete. To compare the British naval action in Argentina with any situation the US Navy might find itself in today is just plain ignorant and shows that "someone" has never read a book on the Falkland conflict. The British navy spent 20 years adapting to a Soviet submarine threat and were wholly unprepared for a giant naval convoy and invasion circa 1944. They had to commission passenger liners and bring ships out of mothballs. Everyone knows their Aircraft were seriously outmatched. Harriers are not air superiority fighters and were no match against the Skyhawks and Mirage's of the Argentine AF. Yet through good old British ingenuity they proved themselves worthy and eventually won the day. So what's my point? Simply that the USMC is here to stay. Read the book and find out why. There is no greater guided tour of what today's Marine Corps is made of. There is nothing quite like them in the world today. They are not elite troops, but they fight and act like it. You'll see that America's 911 force has a lot

As an unbiased reader of Clancy's Marine, I found the very informative and stimulating. Unfortunately, I am disappointed by the interservice rivalry I see surfacing in the large volume of wind generated by pro-army haters who post reviews on this site. The Marines carry out a very important function as a segment of the United States armed forces. Their mission is much different than that of the army, and thus I see the anti-Marine Corps reviews as potentially misleading. Yes, the army is undoubtedly much larger than the Marine Corps. A force is required to make up for in sheer size and firepower what is lacks in training and efficiency. Some would have the reader belive that the Corps is outdated and unnecessary. However, the unique function that the Marine Corps serves debunks this argument. An MEU(SOC) proves a very effective and capable fighting force. Completely integrated and self sufficient (with its own infantry, artillery, armor and air support), the MEU proves hard on logistics officers, but has the Marines potent enough to engage in combat without getting pinned down, and needing someone like the UN to come and rescue them. A perfect example of Marine Corps excellence can be found in the ground war during Desert Storm. During the conflict Marines were actually ordered to SLOW their advance through the Iraqi ranks because they were so badly outpacing the army units who fought beside them. As the Marines bulldozed their way through the Republican Guard (literaly), their greatest danger was not from Iraqi bullets, but from the friendly fire of the army units that were falling so far behind. finally, satellites can just as easily track the massed movement of army troop as they can the movement of Naval vessels. The fact that the rest of the world knows where the Marines are might be as big a deterrent as the torrent of destruction they are capable of raining down. Stop the petty interservice rivalry and jealousy. Give credit where credit is due. Semper Fi.

I'm a huge Tom Clancy fan and I have to say that the book was well researched. Now I know why the first thing a President asks during a crisis is, "Where is the nearest Carrier Group and where are the Marines?" My husband is an ex-Airborne vet in the Army and I always used to hear him complain about the Marines getting so much good press. Now I understand why this is so, because of Mr. Clancy. He seems to capture why the Marines are relied upon so much. It has to do with their warrior mentality and the great amount of training they do in order to get Special Operations Capable certified. Mr. Clancy also helps the reader understand why politically the MEU(SOC) is such a great tool for the President, because they don't require him to have to secure a nearby airbase or port which could escalate a crisis. They show-up with everything they need from from bullets and beans, to helicopters and airplanes, to tanks and SEALS. They don't need to rely on the other services in order to get most of the missions completed, pretty much avoiding command and control problems like the ones I read about in Blackhawk Down in Somalia, or from what my husband has told me in Grenada and Panama.I was also impressed how the Marine's new "over the horizon" strategy will help them surprise the enemy when they attack and help them avoid attacks to their ships similar to what the Brittish encountered in the Falklands. My husband would probably be mad at me for writing a good review about his hated rivals, but hey I'm a military wife and have learned to speak my mind :-). I like to tease him with the old line, "What? You're just jealous..." Just kidding, honey. Buy the book, it's very informative and will make you feel safer knowing that no matter where you travel in the world, these brave men & women will protect you.

I enjoyed reading this book and view this as a prized addition to my military book collection. Also as a Marine (77-81) I'd recommend this book to anybody who is interested in the Marine Corps or the U.S. military in general. While I've been a long time fan of Clancy's "techno thriller" fiction work. I feel that in reading some of his other informative nonfiction books of this series like Armored Cav, Submarine & Fighter Wing - he seems to focus more on the equipment & tactics. But in Marine (as Clancy himself points out) that while the equipment is no less sophisticated (in some cases coming off of the same procurement shelves) the Corps effectiveness has always been the result of the quality of it's People. Along with an in-depth view of the MEU (SOC), Marine gives a good overview of the development of the individual. I feel that this book truly captured the essence of what it means to be a Marine. Semper Fi!

After hearing about this book, I finally chose to read it. However, the circumstances in which i read were unusual. I am currently attached to the 31st MEU(SOC) on Okinawa, Japan, and i read this book on the USS Fort McHenry. We were underway from Crocodile '99, and exercise we do in australia. And i must say, even though i am a Marine infantryman/marksmanship/MOUT/weapons instructor this book opened my eyes. It is amazing what a MEU is capable of. It is the answer to Congress' prayers for a cost effective, easily depolyable, powerful, and flexible tool to secure the United States' foreign policies. I'd like to thank Tom Clancy for a job well done, and I would have to agree with one of my fellow Marines when i say this would make an awesome movie. Semper Fi!