Leadership

Together, the Secretary of the Navy, the Chief of Naval Operations, and the Commandant of the Marine Corps lead the Navy/Marine Corps Team. By forming this partnership, we are simply recognizing and participating in a relationship founded before the Declaration of Independence, at the very beginnings of what was to become the United States of America.

The 21st century security environment will be characterized by instability and conflict, dynamic political alliances, and shifting economic power. Navy and Marine Corps expeditionary forces - integrated air, land, and sea combined arms units - are ideally suited to meet these challenges. They are powerful instruments of national policy and provide the National Command Authority with a multitude of diplomatic and military options to support U.S. foreign policy initiatives.

Today, regional powers, rogue elements, and non-state actors pose both conventional and non-traditional security challenges. Regional and internal instability will create situations where ethnic, economic, social, and environmental stresses accentuate violence. Multiple belligerents and a blurring of the distinctions and national affiliations among terrorist groups, sub-national factions, insurgent groups, and international criminals will create an environment where a direct attack is often the least likely course of action. Further, weapons of mass destruction, terrorist acts, and information attacks will exact an inordinate price for small lapses in intelligence collection or operational planning. As an expeditionary, task-organized, combined-arms force, we are prepared to promote peace and stability or, if required, defeat our Nation's adversaries across the entire spectrum of conflict.

Meeting the demands of the new century calls for flexible and multi-mission capable forces to respond to the full conflict spectrum. Furthermore, it stresses the need for Joint forces that can address multiple small-scale contingency operations, and that are able to transition rapidly from peacetime operations to full-scale conflict. Naval - Navy and Marine Corps - expeditionary forces are ideally suited to meet these requirements today, and will be more so tomorrow.

As the Nation's premier expeditionary force in readiness, the Navy/Marine Corps Team is prepared to operate anywhere our national interests require. As the leading element within a Joint Force, our forces respond to any level of conflict. Because the Navy/Marine Corps team operates from the sea, we are less encumbered by the political constraints often encountered by forces tied to land-based infrastructure. The only invitation we require to move to a crisis area is a request from the geographic combatant commander and an order from the National Command Authorities. Amphibious and maritime prepositioning forces play an ever-increasing role in supporting the attainment of our national objectives while protecting our national interests. As our operational reach increases so does the depth and degree to which we can influence events ashore.

Whether supporting stability through forward presence and engagement, reducing human suffering due to natural or manmade disasters, or winning battles, our unique capabilities offer the Nation an unparalleled ability to seize opportunities and respond to challenges. Finally, as the number of overseas bases declines and the number of U.S. military personnel permanently stationed overseas dwindles, exploiting the versatility, sea-based agility, and rapid responsiveness of Navy and Marine Corps forces becomes an imperative.