Customer Reviews

Marine: A Guided Tour of a Marine Expeditionary Unit (Tom Clancy's Military Reference)

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1 star:		(3)

 

 

I enjoyed reading this book and view this as a prized addition to my military book collection. Also as a Marine (77-81) I'd recommend this book to anybody who is interested in the Marine Corps or the U.S. military in general. While I've been a long time fan of Clancy's "techno thriller" fiction work. I feel that in reading some of his other informative nonfiction books of this series like Armored Cav, Submarine & Fighter Wing - he seems to focus more on the equipment & tactics. But in Marine (as Clancy himself points out) that while the equipment is no less sophisticated (in some cases coming off of the same procurement shelves) the Corps effectiveness has always been the result of the quality of it's People. Along with an in-depth view of the MEU (SOC), Marine gives a good overview of the development of the individual. I feel that this book truly captured the essence of what it means to be a Marine. Semper Fi!

After hearing about this book, I finally chose to read it. However, the circumstances in which i read were unusual. I am currently attached to the 31st MEU(SOC) on Okinawa, Japan, and i read this book on the USS Fort McHenry. We were underway from Crocodile '99, and exercise we do in australia. And i must say, even though i am a Marine infantryman/marksmanship/MOUT/weapons instructor this book opened my eyes. It is amazing what a MEU is capable of. It is the answer to Congress' prayers for a cost effective, easily depolyable, powerful, and flexible tool to secure the United States' foreign policies. I'd like to thank Tom Clancy for a job well done, and I would have to agree with one of my fellow Marines when i say this would make an awesome movie. Semper Fi!

"Marine" is one of a series of Clancy's nonfiction books about particular groups of note in the U.S. military. In this book he surveys what it means to be a U.S. Marine, which he calls the best general-purpose troops in the world. In particular, he examines the MEU (SOC) - a Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) - a team of Marines and naval amphibious ships that can be among the first major American military groups to arrive at a trouble spot in force.
Specifically, Clancy covers the history, training, weapons, tools and transportation of a MEU (SOC), plus an excellent and insightful look at actual group training and deployment. The uniquely Clancy contribution, however, is that he was able to get an interview with the then-Commandant of the Marine Corps, and adds two short stories on how a MEU (SOC) could work in a hypothetical conflict.
Overall, this is an extensive look at a particularly important type of Marine unit without being dry or dull. Note that Clancy doesn't provide a truly in-depth look at the Corp's history, and I found the description of ships and vehicles to be on the long side sometimes and wanted more info on basic and specialized Marine training, but it's a solid edition to any collection of military nonfiction.

I was a Marine at the time this book was written. For me it was a great tool to hand to me friends and family. Although the equipment is now outdated, the mission is still the same. With the majority of today's conflicts becoming lower intensity, the USMC MEU(SOC) is an ever greater tool for American interests abroad. The fact that some posters here are so anti-USMC surprises me. The Army doesn't need to bash the USMC, they have separate missions. This was proven in Iraq and Afghanistan. A large Army is still as relevant and necessary as well as a fast mobile and forward deployed quick reaction force like the Marines. In fact, as the occupation of Iraq shows, we still need a large number of US Army ground pounders to accomplish the age old task or holding the ground so dearly fought for. Let the Marines do their job and the Army do its.

"Some" previous posts ignore a lot of common sense and history. They also distort the numbers. In reality, the army has a 24 to one ratio of support troops to combat troops. The USMC has about 8 to one. Now where's the bargain for the US taxpayers? Truth is the USMC has a lot more than 3 battalions and if you count the Marine Corps creedo of "Every Marine a rifleman" that ratio is now one to one. In addition, the publicity and fear the USMC exerts in the world of international politics is well known. The term "Send in the Marines" is synonymous with taking action and saving the situation. All of the Army's berets and "Army of One" slogans could never buy that kind of reputation.

The truth is the Army is now taking a page from the USMC's manual and shedding its heavy Armor and support units. Lighter faster, more mobile and hard hitting are its new mantras. The fact is the Army has had to adapt to a Marine Corps style of operation to stay relevant, not the other way around. The Marine Corps has no competition in its function. To call ship obsolete, you should call the Army's heavy tanks and armored vehicles obsolete. To compare the British naval action in Argentina with any situation the US Navy might find itself in today is just plain ignorant and shows that "someone" has never read a book on the Falkland conflict. The British navy spent 20 years adapting to a Soviet submarine threat and were wholly unprepared for a giant naval convoy and invasion circa 1944. They had to commission passenger liners and bring ships out of mothballs. Everyone knows their Aircraft were seriously outmatched. Harriers are not air superiority fighters and were no match against the Skyhawks and Mirage's of the Argentine AF. Yet through good old British ingenuity they proved themselves worthy and eventually won the day.

So what's my point? Simply that the USMC is here to stay. Read the book and find out why. There is no greater guided tour of what today's Marine Corps is made of. There is nothing quite like them in the world today. They are not elite troops, but they fight and act like it. You'll see that America's 911 force has a lot more going for it than other posters will ever allow themselves to admit.

For a final parting shot I ask the posters who feel the USMC is irrelevant and a waste of money -Who occupies three of the six most prestigious military posts in the US Armed Forces. Let's see:

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of staff (incidently the #1 spot) - General Peter Pace
Supreme Allied Commander, Europe (SACEUR)- Gen James Jones
NATO Military representative, Gen Edward Hanlon

What branch of service do you suppose these gentlemen came from?

The United States Marine Corps.

The thoroughness and deep respect Tom Clancy brings to this analysis of a US Marine Corps Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable), or MEU (SOC), will not surprise anyone at all familiar with the author. What makes this book different from his similar titles about Army and Air Force units, as he notes early on, is that whereas technology is a key element in defining the armored cav unit or air wing, the principle distinctive for the Marine Corps is the Marine ethos and, therefore, the Marines themselves. Clancy does a fine job in capturing what makes the USMC unique among American, and indeed the world's, military forces.

Liking or disliking Clancy's writing is largely a matter of taste. Though I generally find him informative and reasonably insightful, he does tend to go on. Though "Marine" is relatively more compact than some other of his titles, here too I occasionally found myself skimming over long sections on training or, especially, the various weapons and other "tools of the trade" the Corps uses. Other people might find these the highlight of the book, though. To each his own.

On the whole, this book is a fine overview, not only of what a MEU (SOC) is and how it operates, but the larger issue of why we have a Corps and what makes it distinctive. As some of the reviews on this page indicate, the Corps is the only American military force that continually has to justify (to some) its existence. This book, like Victor Krulak's "First to Fight" (USNI Press, 1984), helps do that. It would also be a very valuable read for someone considering becoming a Marine, or for family members and friends wondering what their Marine has gone through, and why. This book may not be for everyone, but Clancy fans will definitely enjoy it, and interested readers will probably get a lot out of it.

As an unbiased reader of Clancy's Marine, I found the very informative and stimulating. Unfortunately, I am disappointed by the interservice rivalry I see surfacing in the large volume of wind generated by pro-army haters who post reviews on this site. The Marines carry out a very important function as a segment of the United States armed forces. Their mission is much different than that of the army, and thus I see the anti-Marine Corps reviews as potentially misleading. Yes, the army is undoubtedly much larger than the Marine Corps. A force is required to make up for in sheer size and firepower what is lacks in training and efficiency. Some would have the reader belive that the Corps is outdated and unnecessary. However, the unique function that the Marine Corps serves debunks this argument. An MEU(SOC) proves a very effective and capable fighting force. Completely integrated and self sufficient (with its own infantry, artillery, armor and air support), the MEU proves hard on logistics officers, but has the Marines potent enough to engage in combat without getting pinned down, and needing someone like the UN to come and rescue them. A perfect example of Marine Corps excellence can be found in the ground war during Desert Storm. During the conflict Marines were actually ordered to SLOW their advance through the Iraqi ranks because they were so badly outpacing the army units who fought beside them. As the Marines bulldozed their way through the Republican Guard (literaly), their greatest danger was not from Iraqi bullets, but from the friendly fire of the army units that were falling so far behind. finally, satellites can just as easily track the massed movement of army troop as they can the movement of Naval vessels. The fact that the rest of the world knows where the Marines are might be as big a deterrent as the torrent of destruction they are capable of raining down. Stop the petty interservice rivalry and jealousy. Give credit where credit is due. Semper Fi.

I'm a huge Tom Clancy fan and I have to say that the book was well researched. Now I know why the first thing a President asks during a crisis is, "Where is the nearest Carrier Group and where are the Marines?"

My husband is an ex-Airborne vet in the Army and I always used to hear him complain about the Marines getting so much good press. Now I understand why this is so, because of Mr. Clancy. He seems to capture why the Marines are relied upon so much. It has to do with their warrior mentality and the great amount of training they do in order to get Special Operations Capable certified. Mr. Clancy also helps the reader understand why politically the MEU(SOC) is such a great tool for the President, because they don't require him to have to secure a nearby airbase or port which could escalate a crisis. They show-up with everything they need from from bullets and beans, to helicopters and airplanes, to tanks and SEALS. They don't need to rely on the other services in order to get most of the missions completed, pretty much avoiding command and control problems like the ones I read about in Blackhawk Down in Somalia, or from what my husband has told me in Grenada and Panama.

I was also impressed how the Marine's new "over the horizon" strategy will help them surprise the enemy when they attack and help them avoid attacks to their ships similar to what the Brittish encountered in the Falklands.

My husband would probably be mad at me for writing a good review about his hated rivals, but hey I'm a military wife and have learned to speak my mind :-). I like to tease him with the old line, "What? You're just jealous..." Just kidding, honey. Buy the book, it's very informative and will make you feel safer knowing that no matter where you travel in the world, these brave men & women will protect you.

Tom Clancy's books "Submarine," "Fighter Wing," "Airborne," and "Marine" should be required reading for any junior officer, NCO, cadet, or midshipman in any branch of the military who wants to understand what each service contributes to the national defense. This book is particularly worthwhile in that it describes how the Navy-Marine Corps team supports national policies while we are at peace as well as at war. The description of the Marine Corps' ethos and Corps Values is also of particular interest to anyone who thinks that "Full Metal Jacket" accurately depicts how Marine leaders train and care for their people. The only down-sides are the two or three mis-representations of our officer training as well as his comment that "the most dreaded of all duties for a Staff Sergeant is to be issued a new Second Lieutenant to watch over and hopefully make a decent officer out of him." Come on, Mr. Clancy--give the staff at TBS a little bit of credit!

As with the other volumes in this non-fiction series, Mr. Clancy hits the mark for detail, accuracy, and scope when describing different segments of the American military in a way that both military and civilian types can understand and enjoy. The Marines are a fine force and this aptly describes their magnificent capabilities and character. The only correction I could suggest deals with the comparison of the Marine markmenship with their Army brethern. While the Marine Corps basic markmenship training is impressive and unmatched, the Army trains it's basic recruits to engage targets with an M16 at ranges as close as 50 meters to as far 350 meters not 100 yards as in the book. We would not want Mr. Clancy to lose any of his loyal fans and readers from the Army. The book is a great read, with highly detailed accounts of the Marine support structure rarely seen in print. The book shows the value of both the individual Marine doing his job and the team spirit needed in such a multi-purpose force. Highly recommend.

This book first came out when I was a young, eager, yet naive Cadet at The Citadel pursuing a commission in the USMC. When it hit the shelves I snapped it up instantly and suddenly realized that there was much more to the Marine Corps than Cammie Paint, Physical Training, Marksmanship, and Dress Blues. This book gives the reader a nuts and bolts breakdown of the expeditionary force in readiness of the USMC the MEU (SOC).

Though most of the technology covered in the book is well out of date at this point in time, the formations, unit size, missions, and structure remain basically unchanged. Anyone interested in the way the Marine Corps task organizes for combat and other real world operations should read this book. Moreover, anyone interested in the day to day operations and training of Marines for war will find this book informative. Make no mistake though, it can get very technical and it is about the primary function of the Marine Corps which is Warfighting. Warfighting is not just a sexy term, it embodies all the funtions of Marine operations and is in fact, the way that everything in the Marine Corps is geared towards.

Personally, this book helped shape the course of my career. I knew that I wanted to go out on a MEU (SOC) and at the time I came in the Corps the place where the MEU was the mission was Camp Lejeune, NC. (Not a dig to the Hollywood Marines, I MEF has always had bigger fish to fry. Not disputing that.) Camp Lejeune where the book is set has truly mastered what it takes to assemble a MEU, lash them together, and send them into harms way. The MEUs from Camp Lejeune have performed every mission of the MEU in their history. Beirut was Lejeune Marines, the first wave into Bosnia were Marines from a Lejeune MEU, the Non-combatant Evacuations of Liberia were performed by Lejeune based MEUs. I wanted very much to be a part of all of that. Also, being assigned to a MEU makes being stationed at Camp Lejeune easier to cope with, it's a great place to live as long as you're away from it 50% of the time!

The MEUs are truly where the Marine Corps puts its long ball hitters. Of the major characters covered in Marine, Colonel Allen went on to command The Basic School (where Marine Lieutenants are trained), is currently a Major General and is now the deputy division commander of II MEF. Colonel Battaglini also made it to Major General and retired recently having been the Director of Expeditionary Warfare Division, Department of the Navy, having also commanded the 1st Marine Expeditionary Brigade and the 3rd Marine Division. Another one of the commanders in the book LtCol Lefebvre went on to command the 22nd MEU as a Colonel, is currently a Brigadier General and is the Commanding General of MCRD Parris Island and the Eastern Recruiting Region. These 3 gentlemen are just 3 examples of the type of officers who succeed in the Marine Corps, they are Warfighters up one side and down the other. I would go to war with any one of them, any day.

If you are looking for a primer in modern Marine Corps Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures as well as an easy to comprehend picture of Expeditionary Operations this is a book you will enjoy. This is truly how the United States projects power throughout the world, responds to crisis, and influences tense international sitiations. Well worth the money.