should the Royal marines become part of the army?

[mike webb]

ok, as it seems like a poular topic we might as well start it now!

ok, the army use the same equipment as us, use the same weapons as us, even use the same transport as us... therefore wouldnt it make sense that we moved over to their paycheck, so remanded commando's but lost our association with the navy.

there is no doubt a huge respect within the army for us, and sometimes a greater understanding of our needs, therefore as fellow infantry, shouldnt we join the army but become much like the paras as an elite within an organisation?

some will argue that we need to be part of the navy due to our amphibious nature, however we also use the RAF for transport and operational support yet we dont belong to them, they operate on their own, so why couldnt an army commando brigade use naval assets when such needs arise?

would the money the navy saves on giving the marines to the army be better used to build more aircraft carriers and so forth?

would a royal marines adoption into the army be more cost effective, and allow our skills and knowledge be spread more amongst the british army, creating an overall higher level of soldiering, and further add to the opinion that the british army is one of the best in the world?

however, i must stress... this is me simply playing devils adovcate. one of the reasons i even looked into joining the marines is because of my interest in the navy. sometimes you cant always explain why something is the way it is in black and white, there isnt always an economic, practicle answer to everything... and this is a perfect example... in some ways perhaps a marines/army merger could work and save money, but it wouldnt be right, the navy and the marines go hand in hand, perhaps there is no real solid reasons you can put behind it; its just something that has always existed and always will, sea soldiers, its what we will always be, and no MOD accountants can take that away from us.

hopefully we will get some good debate going here lads, because we need another gooden!!

mike

 

[Death-Oar-Glory]

One reason against the Army/Marines merging is the rapid response nature of the Royal Marines. In planning any amphibious operation, liaison is key, and tri-service communication also. Having Royal as an asset means that even without liaising between the services, there is a force that can deploy anywhere, with minimum 'outside' (ie non Royal) help. This means that if merging with the Army did occur, this rapid reaction would be lost, as there is inevitably a delay in response when tri-service co-operation is called for when planning an op.

Amphibious landings are arguably the most complex assaults to carry out on a country, due to the very nature of the sea. It can hide many obstacles. It can change it's conditions, it can do all sorts, and having a force that needs minimum prep time is vital


Plus, The Marines have been with the Navy (pretty much) from the start, and worked with the army with no real merging taking place very efficiently, and still do. Another reason the Merging wouldn't work is due to the 'Commando' layout, of two basic rifle coy.'s and the 2 support coy.'s. Different format to your regular infantry bde.

 

[Ninja_Stoker]

ok, as it seems like a poular topic we might as well start it now!

ok, the army use the same equipment as us, use the same weapons as us, even use the same transport as us... therefore wouldnt it make sense that we moved over to their paycheck, so remanded commando's but lost our association with the navy.

there is no doubt a huge respect within the army for us, and sometimes a greater understanding of our needs, therefore as fellow infantry, shouldnt we join the army but become much like the paras as an elite within an organisation?

some will argue that we need to be part of the navy due to our amphibious nature, however we also use the RAF for transport and operational support yet we dont belong to them, they operate on their own, so why couldnt an army commando brigade use naval assets when such needs arise?

would the money the navy saves on giving the marines to the army be better used to build more aircraft carriers and so forth?

would a royal marines adoption into the army be more cost effective, and allow our skills and knowledge be spread more amongst the british army, creating an overall higher level of soldiering, and further add to the opinion that the british army is one of the best in the world?

however, i must stress... this is me simply playing devils adovcate. one of the reasons i even looked into joining the marines is because of my interest in the navy. sometimes you cant always explain why something is the way it is in black and white, there isnt always an economic, practicle answer to everything... and this is a perfect example... in some ways perhaps a marines/army merger could work and save money, but it wouldnt be right, the navy and the marines go hand in hand, perhaps there is no real solid reasons you can put behind it; its just something that has always existed and always will, sea soldiers, its what we will always be, and no MOD accountants can take that away from us.

hopefully we will get some good debate going here lads, because we need another gooden!!

mike

Good points Mike, a good topic.

("We", "Us", "our" maybe better left to those who actually are "They", "Them" and "Theirs")

 

[v3locity]

Interesting subject, my own views of this are that it would be a travesty. The Royal Marines are a naval force, have been for the majority of it's history and should carry on to be so. The strong sense of tradition is one of the underlying features of the Royal Marines which makes it so special. It is amusing as a lot of people actually believe the Marines is part of the Army and i delight in telling them actually it is part of the Navy.
Personally i believe the Navy is more efficient in the way it is run and therefore so is the Royal Marines, which has higher standards than the Army. These need to be maintained to keep the elite status which the Royal Marines currently have.
Maybe the Army should be taken over by the Marines... and therefore by the Navy.
Eventually the need for traditional ground troops will diminish with the constant technological developments of the modern world. This given less troops will be needed to carry out operations, meaning a smaller more elite force be required! The Royal Marines.
Thought i would give it a twist and add in maybe as the need for troops will diminish, not disappear just lessen, that the Armies place will disappear and the Navy will carry on as the only force with nuclear capabilites it's place will not disappear.
Just some of my thoughts.
Alex

 

[Touchstone]

I think I need more understanding of the logistical situation and command structure within the Army, but it is my understanding there have been several cutbacks lately, and that the forces are 'stretched' as it is, and I'm sure I read that several Navy personnel where retrained to fulfil some roles that where not able to be met by Army personnel, such as drivers, mechanics etc.

So I would assume that Army's command and logistics would struggle with the addition of the Royal Marines, considering that recently a lot of regiments have been merged and cut down.

While I am against them going with the Army, there are counter arguments. If you look at the Paras they are trained for airborne insertion, but are not part of the RAF, but use their assets to fulfil that need, much like the Royal Marines could in the Army.

 

[MrSkippy]

Or what about the marines becoming a seperate entity?
Considering they use the equipment of the other sections of the armed forces and are also supported by staff from other forces (artillery, engineers, logistics) and not by one force in particular.

Not saying they should be like the yanks though, don't really need them having a air force haha

 

[HHHNNN]

Eventually the need for traditional ground troops will diminish with the constant technological developments of the modern world. This given less troops will be needed to carry out operations,

not for a few hundred years though mate

 

[RM Recruiting Officer]

NO. That's all I will say on the subject.

 

[v3locity]

NO. That's all I will say on the subject.

Well said!

 

[Distant.RM.Cooper]

If you watch a firefight with the Army of a battalion and a firefight with a Royal Marines troop you can see how much more skilled the Marines are.

But it could just be my thought.