REMARKS
BY
GENERAL MICHAEL W. HAGEE
COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS
BEFORE
THE
COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES
UNITED STATES HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
REGARDING
THE OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM
FORCE ROTATION PLAN
JANUARY
28, 2004
Chairman
Hunter, Congressman Skelton, distinguished
members of the Committee, it is my privilege
to report on your Marine Corps and our
participation in operations in support of
the Global War on Terrorism.
I
thank the members of the Committee for their
continued support of our Marines.
Let me assure you that the Marine
Corps' first priority is, and will continue
to be, warfighting readiness and excellence
in support of our Nation's security.
Operation IRAQI FREEDOM
During
this past year, the Marine Corps, both
active and reserve, was engaged in
operations from
Afghanistan
, to the
Arabian Gulf
, the Horn of Africa,
Liberia
, the
Georgian
Republic
,
Colombia
,
Guantanamo
Bay
, and the
Philippines
. Most
prominent in highlighting the value and
power of the Nation's naval expeditionary
capability was the Marine Corps'
participation in Operation IRAQI FREEDOM.
The
I Marine Expeditionary Force deployed a
combat ready force of almost 70,000 Marines
and Sailors in less than 60 days.
Exploiting the operational speed,
reach, and inherent flexibility of seapower,
the Navy and Marine Corps, closely
integrated with joint and coalition partners
and Special Operations Forces, engaged in 26
days of sustained combat operations and
fought 10 major engagements, destroying
eight Iraqi divisions, before stopping in
Tikrit - almost 500 miles inland.
Following
major combat operations, I Marine
Expeditionary Force assumed responsibility
for security and stability in five central
Iraq
provinces until they were relieved of the
last province by coalition forces this past
September.
Setting the Force
Since
the end of major combat operations, the
Marine Corps has been setting the force in
order to enhance and maintain warfighting
readiness for future contingencies.
Reloading of combat equipment and
material on Maritime Preposition Force
shipping is nearly complete.
We are using provided funding to
repair, refurbish, and where necessary,
replace equipment.
During this period, Marines have
continued to forward deploy, and Marine
Corps units have continued to support
numerous operations to include Operation
ENDURING FREEDOM in
Afghanistan
and operations in the Horn of Africa.
We have conducted a major program to
identify and analyze lessons learned from
the campaign.
We have also begun to assimilate
these lessons and determine where and how
our force should be rebalanced.
Operation IRAQI FREEDOM II
The
Marine Corps is currently preparing to
deploy forces to relieve the 3d Armored
Cavalry Regiment and the 82d Airborne
Division in western
Iraq
in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM II.
These forces will be deployed in two
rotations of seven months each.
This rotation policy will result in
the least disruption for the long-term
health of the Marine Corps, precluding
stop-loss/stop-move and unnecessary
interruptions in recruit training, career
progression and development, professional
military education, and other deployment
requirements.
The first rotation, from March until
September 2004, will include 25,000 Marines
and their equipment and includes almost
3,000 reserve component Marines.
A second rotation - of like size
and composition - will overlap the first
and ensure a smooth and stable transition.
In
preparation for Operation IRAQI FREEDOM II,
I Marine Expeditionary Force has analyzed
lessons learned from their experiences in
conducting security and stability operations
from March to September 2003 and recent Army
lessons learned.
As they did last year, I Marine
Expeditionary Force is already working
closely with the Army forces in
Iraq
; they have conducted a number of liaison
visits with the Army units they will
relieve.
They have drawn from procedures used
by the Los Angeles Police Department for
neighborhood patrolling in gang dominated
areas, the tactics of the British in
Iraq
, which reflect years of experience in low
intensity conflicts and peacekeeping
operations, as well as our extensive
"Small Wars" knowledge.
We have assimilated these lessons
through a comprehensive training package
that includes tactics, techniques,
procedures for stability and
counter-insurgency operation.
We have conducted rigorous urban
operations training and exercises.
Over 400 Marines are receiving Arabic
language immersion training, and all
deploying Marines and Sailors are receiving
extensive cultural education.
Our
supporting establishment is focused on the
equipage, logistical, and training
requirements of this force - paying
particular attention to individual
protective equipment, enhanced vehicle and
aircraft hardening, and aviation survival
equipment and procedures.
While the operational tempo remains
high, recruiting and retention continue to
exceed our goals.
During this next year Marine
Expeditionary Units will still deploy, units
will rotate to
Japan
, and some of those forces will further
deploy in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM
II. We
are diligently ensuring that the Marine
Corps remains ready for all our current and
future responsibilities.
I look forward to presenting a more detailed
statement on the current posture of the
Marine Corps when I return before this
committee on the 12th of
February.
