As the author concludes his two-part article, he offers some suggestions to the Corps' leadership. The following observations are focused internally to the Marine Corps. As before, they are based on my limited experience of 30 years, looking from my restricted point of view as a chief warrant officer 5, and are my opinions.
Marines are their own worst enemy.
Some of the convolutions we make ourselves undergo to achieve an objective would overwhelm a normal person. For example, the energy, patience, and persistence required to arrange for use of a training area at most Marine Corps bases could make strong men weep. In this endeavor, we might take a lesson from the Army. During 4 years of inspector-instructor duty where the nearest DoD training facility was located aboard an Army installation, I never received a negative reply for use of any range or training area. Perhaps if we in the Corps concentrated on how to facilitate training instead of how to prevent it, we might provide a climate at our Marine installations that is conducive to unit readiness.