Quote Originally Posted by Danny View Post
I might weigh in at my blog in a longer article responding to Will, but just to mention a single issue, the objection that Marines might be losing their edge in expeditionary warfare in the future if they continue to engage in COIN is just plain silly (and I suspect that this isn't Will's idea - he heard it from someone in the establishment as a 'talking point'). It just doesn't take that long to requalify already experienced and well-trained Marines to do squad rushes, or to swim with gear.
Actually, it comes from the very top. Reemphasizing amphibious training has been on of Commandant Conway's top priorities, and numerous communities have complained that the emphasis on CoIN and the deployment schedule leaves little time to train in traditional skillsets. Several classes of lieutenants have omitted an amphibious landing from their curriculum to make room for Convoy/IED/MOUT training- that exercise is being brought back for the current class. The worry is not just the loss of HIC skillsets, but of the complex and esoteric art of conducting an amphibious landing.