Best Defense

Thomas E. Ricks' daily take on national security.

USMC vs. Goldwater-Nichols

Of all the services, the Marine Corps has been the one least persuaded by Goldwater-Nichols (AKA “GNA”). Usually the Marine critiques are about the law’s sins of commission.

U.S. Marines with Special-Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force-Crisis Response-Africa join forces with Spanish Marines and Portuguese Fuzileiros during a trilateral exercise in Pinheiro da Cruz, Portugal, Nov. 3, in support of Trident Juncture 15.
U.S. Marines with Special-Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force-Crisis Response-Africa join forces with Spanish Marines and Portuguese Fuzileiros during a trilateral exercise in Pinheiro da Cruz, Portugal, Nov. 3, in support of Trident Juncture 15.
U.S. Marines with Special-Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force-Crisis Response-Africa join forces with Spanish Marines and Portuguese Fuzileiros during a trilateral exercise in Pinheiro da Cruz, Portugal, Nov. 3, in support of Trident Juncture 15.

 

 

Of all the services, the Marine Corps has been the one least persuaded by Goldwater-Nichols (AKA “GNA”). Usually the Marine critiques are about the law’s sins of commission.

But in the December issue of the Marine Corps Gazette, a Marine officer goes after what he considers a sin of omission: The law’s failure to encourage military officers to learn how to work with the State Department and other parts of the government. “GNA has not proven itself equal to the challenges of the contemporary battlfield,” argues Marine Maj. Gary Sampson. “The Marine Corps must act now to go beyond joint.”

By the way, the December issue is the last one to appear under the command of Col. John Keenan. Please join me in giving him a Best Defense salute as he steps down.

Photo credit: U.S. Department of Defense

Thomas E. Ricks covered the U.S. military from 1991 to 2008 for the Wall Street Journal and then the Washington Post. He can be reached at ricksblogcomment@gmail.com. Twitter: @tomricks1

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