An idea floating around the Pentagon has been raising chatter among Marines Corps Times readers: Should Marines wait four years before going infantry?
It would be a profound change that would make Marine infantry units older, but potentially stacked with additional skill sets. It would also further blur the line between conventional infantry Marine and special operator, as they’d be plucked from the same pool.
Whether the 18-year-old grunt Marine model can continue to compete on the future battlefield is a question being scrutinized at the top levels of the Defense Department and among top officials close to Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, who is himself a former Marine infantry commander.
One such man leading the charge is a retired general who chairs Mattis’ Pentagon task force focused on boosting lethality of grunts.
“The optimal age for a close-combat soldier, the balance is … mid to late 20s,” retired Army Maj. Gen. Robert Scales told Marine Corps Times.
He admits it may be “a bridge too far,” but we want to know what you think!
Vote below, and send us an email at letters@marinecorpstimes.com. Keep an eye out for our next issue to see the answers.
