POLITICS: Marine General Pace Tapped for Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

President Bush nominated Marine General Peter Pace to the position of Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the highest-ranking military position in the U.S. armed forces. If confirmed by the Senate, Pace will become the first member of the Marine Corps ever to hold the positon. Pace will replace Air Force General Richard Myers who will be retiring later this year.



He looks like a great choice to lead U.S. military operations. I'm really surprised a Marine has never held the post before.

They weren't the best for the position.

Bush was feeling sorry for them, so he broke the tradition.

Why do you feel Marines aren't suitable for the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs positon?

My husband is please to see a Marine General to take such a position he said that he will make history in the Marine's books.

Plus it will help if he decides to have a political career.

This is a real milestone for the Corps. That individual who claims that no Marine has ever been qualified does not know his Marine Corps history. No Marine ever needed anyone to feel sorry for him.

For most of it's history, the Corps did not have a permenant seat on the Joint Chiefs of Staff and it has been only in my lifetime that it has been officially recognized as a separate branch of the service apart from the Navy.

For those who would like a better understanding of the Corps and it's role in American history, may I recommend First to Fight by Victor Krulak.


[edit on 05/4/22 by GradyPhilpott]

Thanks Grady for that post and link, I have to add, when he was presented on TV officially, something that got to me was that he was very move and it showed in his voice.

He just made history.

This nomination reflects the growing recognition in Washington of the crucial role played in the US Military by The Corps. They bring the complete package of combined and coordinated air, water, and ground elements. Impressive firepower impressively applied. And a lot of bang for the buck from the budget angle, too.

I've read that when SEAL Team Six started up, their allocation for practice ammunition alone was more than the entire Marine practice ammo allocation. And what did we get out of that? A bunch of full-scale exercises and red cell debacles that ended up ruining careers, putting senior people in Federal prison, and wasting major investments on future sewer treatment operators.

It is about time, and the nation is long ready, to have a Marine at the Joint Chiefs where Marines have been since 10November1775 in the field; in the lead, on point.

I say uh-rah, sir! to General Pace.



[edit on 23-4-2005 by Icarus Rising]

The Marines have been seen as a Praetorian guard in waiting over the years, let's hope those fears and concerns are unfounded.

It will be interesting to see how the Navy handles being subservient to the subservient service.

This is one of those quandary type moves that could be good for the military and U.S. As a whole.

In the movie Seven Days in May a marine saves the U.S. From military dictatorship. Hope this stays true.

Originally posted by GrndLkNatv
They weren't the best for the position.

Bush was feeling sorry for them, so he broke the tradition.

Hey there!!!

What is that little comment supposed to mean?

Are you gonna give some reasons that you can justufy?

A Marine would be more than capable for the role.
We have not held that position before because naturally due to our small size we have fewer generals than other braches. That's just one reason.

Now your turn



[edit on 23/4/2005 by SportyMB]

Originally posted by JoeDoaks
The Marines have been seen as a Praetorian guard in waiting over the years, let's hope those fears and concerns are unfounded.

It will be interesting to see how the Navy handles being subservient to the subservient service.

Where do you get this nonsense, Doaks? The Corps is now an equal player among the branches of the military and we deserve a shot at the top as well as any other service. General Pace has been an exemplary officer for his entire career and I have not heard one military pundit, most of whom are former members of other services, say one thing bad about him.

[edit on 05/4/23 by GradyPhilpott]

Grady, Chesty would roll over in his grave at some of the things these people say.

Anyways, Here is Gen Pace's Bio from USMC.mil

Bio on Gen Pace

Read it before posting uneducated statements.

As you can see he is more than qualified

[edit on 23/4/2005 by SportyMB]

[edit on 23/4/2005 by SportyMB]

Chesty would roll over in his grave at the mere suggestion of a Marine as chairman.

heartland
"We had all heard that he had issued an order that all officers would eat after the enlisted. We got the idea that he never forgot that he was a sergeant. That’s why we all would have gone to hell with him if he’d asked us," said Ross, "and we just about did!"
-and-
But Puller’s state of health remained a controversial subject and led to his forced retirement. Thwarting tradition, he had a sergeant major who had worked for him in more glorious days, pin on his third star before he retired Nov. 1, 1955.

military quotes
"Paper-work will ruin any military force
"- Lieutenant-General Lewis B. "Chesty" Puller
"The mail service has been excellent out here, and in my opinion this is all that the Air Force has accomplished during the war."
- Chesty Puller in a letter to his wife while in Korea
"They are a damn site better than the U.S. Army, at least we know that they
will be there in the morning."
- Lewis B. "Chesty" Puller
when a journalist asked him about being surrounded by 22. enemy divisions

My two favorites:

Vital signs
One of the issues that drove Butler to anger was the misuse of the Marine Corps for the benefit of specific business interests. While intervening in Nicaragua in 1910, Butler wrote to his parents that

What makes me mad is that the whole revolution is inspired and financed by Americans who have wildcat investments down here and want to make them good by putting in a Government which will declare a monopoly in their favor. The whole business is rotten to the core and I am ashamed to think that a Republican [Taft] administration is, if anything, assisting the revolution.

He referred to himself as a "racketeer for capitalism." In a 1935 article for the socialist magazine Common Sense, Butler wrote:

I helped make Mexico and especially Tampico safe for American interests in 1914. I helped make Haiti and Cuba a decent place for the National City Bank boys to collect revenues in. I helped in the raping of a half a dozen Central American republics for the benefit of Wall Street. The record of Racketeering is long. I helped purify Nicaragua for the international house of the Brown Brothers in 1909-1912. I brought light to the Dominican Republic for American sugar interests in 1916. I helped make Honduras "right" for American fruit companies in 1903. In China in 1927 I helped see to it that Standard went its way unmolested . . . Looking back on it, I feel I might have given Al Capone a few hints. The best he could do was to operate his racket in three city districts. We Marines operated on three continents.

And to all those that decry 'peace protestors'-

Naval war College Review
He volunteered for active service during the Vietnam War (his request was understandably denied). A vocal critic of government policy during the war, Puller watched his son, Lewis Puller, Jr., carry on the Puller name in combat.

The marine have always been seen as the final line, the one that protects American citizens from militarism. Now, with a Marine in charge who protects us from them?

I left out Smedley Butler only because of space. He, likewise, would have a 'grave' negative reaction to a Marine as chairman.

In closing (this post), all the pro-Marines out there need to remember the #1 duty of a Marine officer-
to lead (from the front)

Perhaps some of you 'Marines' need to re-read the Corp's history?

Absolutely nothing you have posted, Doaks, has anything to do at all with the Joint Chiefs of Staff or its leadership. When Pace takes the chair of the JCS, it will be the crowning moment of the Corps' long history of having to fight its most vicious battles in the halls of Congress for its very survival. We all know how Puller and Butler felt about their roles in the Banana Wars, but we all know the invaluable lessons the Corps learned in those wars, most of which would have helped a lot in Vietnam, were it not for an old fool named Westmoreland.

Perhaps some of you 'Marines' need to re-read the Corp's history?

Unlike you, I do not have to google up Marine Corps history to know it.

And back to my original question:

Are you gonna give some reasons that you can justufy?

You have not yet justified your claim that the JCS is not ready for a Marine as it's leader or However you wish to word it.

The marine have always been seen as the final line, the one that protects American citizens from militarism. Now, with a Marine in charge who protects us from them?

I agree with you here on the first part of the above statement.

Your statement is contradicting itself. If Marines "have always been seen as the final line, the one that protects American citizens from militarism".
Then according to that logic a Marine in that billet would be able to further see that it stays that way and that American citizens are protected from militarism.

As for the second part, It's more of a "Leadership" position to be chairman of the JCS. Just because someone holds that billet does not mean they can order the Navy to do this or the Airforce to go buy a gabillion jets.
They still have to run it by the branch heads.

Pace has been the Vice Chairman for sometime now (The #2 spot),
There will be a difference, of course, as with all turnovers.
But not to the point to where the American Citizens need to be protected from "them" as you say.

I broke it down as "Barney" style as I could so you can better understand my point.

Originally posted by SportyMB
Your statement is contradicting itself. If Marines "have always been seen as the final line, the one that protects American citizens from militarism".
Then according to that logic a Marine in that billet would be able to further see that it stays that way and that American citizens are protected from militarism.

- -
I broke it down as "Barney" style as I could so you can better understand my point.

Like I said earlier, the Praetorian Guard.

Thanks for the breakdown, I need all the help I can get understanding how the people that are supposed to guard 'us' from others now become the inner circle.

You and some others think this is good for the Corps- I don't think it is good for anyone.

Interesting thing about heroes- (Puller/Butler in this example), they don't always say what you want them to.

'Google'- sure. This is the Internet.

Your understanding of Corps history being what you allude to then why did you bring up Puller? Of all the Marines that could have been brought up, he would not be in approval of this from his own statements, but then neither would Butler.

fas org
War is just a racket. A racket is best described, I believe, as something that is not what it seems to the majority of people. Only a small inside group knows what it is about. It is conducted for the benefit of the very few at the expense of the masses.

Butler and Puller were cut from the same cloth. They thought the Corps had been used as international enforcers.

Back to Butler once more:

ftdcards
A curious footnote to American history suggests that, except for the personal integrity of a remarkable American general, a coup d'état intended to remove President Franklin D. Roosevelt from office in 1934 might have plunged America into civil war.

Now with the Corps in charge just who prevents something like from happening again? No one.
.
.

I still haven't seen one cogent argument against a Marine holding the chair of the JCS. We are members of the JCS and there simply isn't reason why a Marine shoud not hold the position if he is qualified. In fact, individual qualification is the only issue, not branch of service.

It must be borne in mind that in the minds of many soldiers and sailors, taking orders from a Marine is about a low as a person can sink. Let them grovel at the feet of a Marine. It's about time.

Originally posted by GradyPhilpott
It must be borne in mind that in the minds of many soldiers and sailors, taking orders from a Marine is about a low as a person can sink. Let them grovel at the feet of a Marine. It's about time.

I rest my case.

The Praetorians!

Thanks Grady

Oh, for Christ's sake!

[edit on 05/4/24 by GradyPhilpott]

I really only worry about two things with Gen. Pace (I do think he will do a fine job)

#1 an under current from the Air Force/Army 'boys'
I'm not talking the straight legs- I'm talking the career beltway boys

#2 Pace may over react and keep deserving grunts out for fear of 'appearance'

Even though I personally would rather see a Marine in the field because it makes me feel safer, this may be a smart move. The entire military will be just a bit tighter. Maybe some of the Army pet projects will have to finally answer up.

The entire world's military apparatus will notch up a bit because of this. They will know that America's military is run the way it should. There will be some filed commanders taking early outs within 6 months of his taking office.

We'll see.

PS- I knew that Grady- I just didn't think any of you guys would 'say it'

Even though I personally would rather see a Marine in the field because it makes me feel safer, this may be a smart move. The entire military will be just a bit tighter.

So you would rather see a Marine in the field. That's nice to know.
Still you have not produced any reasons why a Marine should not be
CJAS. The only thing you can do is write about Chesty Puller and Smedley Butler, Whoopty Freakin Dooo for you. When I originally brought up Chesty I simply used his name while making a comment to Grady, not you!

In your opinion Marines are only fit for the field. This shows me that you know nothing about this subject. Clearly this is a waste of my time and a waste of yours since we are both seem to be concrete, you in your uneducated opinons and me with my facts.

One more question:

How old are you? Im just curious, maybe it can help explain some things.

Sporty...OUT!

[edit on 24/4/2005 by SportyMB]