I really dont think your losing such a force as maybe you think you are. Its always been known even the average marine has been above the cut. I mean what do all the people always say. "send in the marines!". Being the small force they've always been just tells you that all marines are special. Yet its the Recon Guy's. They get more training to do the more "hairy missions" Yet there still operating with ARmy SF. So why. Why all the back doors that are going on now. Just let recon go to where they should be. I think if the corps loses the community, the Marines will still have F.A.S.T., STA. and the regular grunt, whose still a badass to the enemy. All the Senior NCO's that you say your losing. The numbers aren't as high as everybody think they are. Its always been a marine tradition of putting the responsiblility down to the lowest rank. Im looking forward to working with the other branches learning from the army on how to do what there known for, I dont think your really losing all this, your gaining a lot more. The marines have been left out of the loop so long its about time there clue'd in on everything. The best way to finish and be successful in a job is to be working together giving one anothers best. Lets focus on fighting terroism and not worrying about who's going to adopt our "Uncle sams miss guided children"