Is there an Airborne Mafia? Yes. Is there an Armor Mafia? Yes Is there a Stryker Mafia? Yes. Is the Marine Corp one big Mafia? Yes Does each mafia look after the family business? Yes

I think many of us in this council have been on planning teams for numerous contingencies, and we have all experienced every service, and sub-elements of the services trying to get in on a mission, whether their particular capability fit our not. You go to joint schools and then work in joint commands you quickly learn that the best plan isn't the best plan, but rather the most purple plan is the best plan. Jointness has become a mantra that has over rode common sense. Our entire system is flawed, and yet we hear more call for more jointness! Jointness is good when it facilitates needed dovetailing, but it is evil when it forces illogical combinations. We seem to have a some sort of perverted combination of a socialist and capitialist mentality in the military, where our socialist side begs for equal participation, and our capitialist side urges us to compete with our fellow American Warriors for a key position in the fight. Everyone gets to take credit for it, and everyone can use Operation Whatever to justify future budget requests. I'm not sure there is a solution, maybe one service? If that was the case it should clearly be led by a combination of the Army Airborne and SOF

120mm you're clearly wrong, there is no more important capability than the Airborne!