The US Marines Corps wants to revolutionize its Human Resources strategy to face China

Since his arrival at the head of United States Marine Corps in March 2019, the General David H. Berger undertook a huge transformation project for this elite unit. While since the end of the Cold War, the Corps had gradually evolved into a high-quality mechanized infantry unit, widely deployed in Afghanistan and Iraq for example, it had to profoundly disrupt the very structure of this professional army to return to its fundamental mission, the amphibious assault, in particular to be able to meet the potential challenge posed by the modernization of the Chinese People's Liberation Army. To do this, General Berger began by wiping out all the legacies of this post-Cold War period, in particular his Abrams tank units and much of his field artillery, with the aim of restoring his units to the lightness and flexibility essential to their main missions.

Following this, General Berger undertook to modify Corps engagement doctrine, by fully integrating the new capabilities offered by the Joint All-Domain Command and Control doctrine of the Pentagon. The objective announced since then is to allow small autonomous and mobile units to fight independently, in particular through the acquisition of new designated light assault ships. Light Amphibious Warships capable of deploying and supporting a force of 70 Marines and their equipment, while offering significant interoperability capabilities so as to maintain the benefit of the concentration of firepower, without having to go through the concentration of forces which now exposes to distant and formidable enemy strikes against assemblies of troops. This approach also necessitated a profound modification of the structure of the Corps' combat units, which traditionally evolve on a company-wide scale, thus making it possible to have, at all times, all the skills necessary for the conduct of operations.

It is to meet this need that General Berger published yesterday a new strategy for recruiting, training and retaining Marines themselves. According to him, if the corps were to come up against forces like those of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, it would not have nor the numerical advantage, or even technological advantage, and its only added value therefore rests on the Marines themselves. There is therefore no longer any question of relying on a troop made up mainly of young recruits aged 18 to 20, 3/4 of whom will leave the Corps following their first engagement, it is now essential to rely on seasoned, trained military personnel. in several positions, able to speak several foreign languages, and especially more mature than the young Marines who form the main body of the troops today.

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