The prospective 37th commandant of the Marine Corps sailed fairly unscathed through his confirmation hearing Thursday until the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee called him out for lack of commitment to putting boots on the ground in Iraq, again, and arming troops at recruiting centers.
The two-hour hearing went very smoothly for Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Robert Neller, who enlisted in the Marine Corps fresh out of college in 1974, with senators of both parties extolling his lengthy service, some of whom were using the definitive language of “when you are confirmed” as opposed to “if you are confirmed.”
“I think the actions we’re taking now, in support of the Iraqi government, the effectiveness remains to be seen,” Neller said, answering a question from Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.). “Right now, they are in the process of trying to regain control of Ramadi. I believe the Iraqis can do this. I believe they have the capability and if well led and supported, they have the will.
“To the bigger question of do we need to go after ISIL and make sure they do not create a safe haven and continue to foment their violent theories of how life is supposed to be, yes, sir, I do,” he added. “If confirmed, I would look forward to offering potential other options that could possibly be more effective.”
Just before adjourning the hearing, committee Chairman John McCain (R-Ariz.), took issue with Neller’s view that the current strategy of conducting air strikes as a means of countering Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria was the correct course of action.
“General, if you think we’re doing what we need to do in Iraq and Syria, we have a real strong and different view of the situation there,” McCain said. “We lost too many good Marines in the Battle of Fallujah and Ramadi. Senator [Lindsay] Graham was over there and one of my sons fought there. For us to say we’re doing what we need to do, I think, frankly, is not in keeping with the appreciation of the sacrifice that those brave young people made.”
McCain has been adamant that the Obama Administration should authorize the deployment of U.S. forward observers and tactical air strike controllers to combat zones in Iraq. Military leaders, to include outgoing Army Chief of Staff Gen. Raymond Odierno, have agreed. Neller did not specify what his alternative options would be.
Committee Ranking Member Jack Reed (D-R.I.) came to Neller’s defense, saying “I don’t think anyone understands the sacrifices the Marines made in Iraq better than Gen. Neller.
“I think his comments are his professional opinions based upon what he knows, not only as the commander in Iraq, but as the aspirant to be the commandant,” Reed said. “I certainly know that no one feels more deeply about the situation in Iraq.”
Much of the remainder of the hearing dealt with Neller’s prospective handling of modernization and personnel matters that the Marine Corps faces between the modernization requirements of having exited 14 years of war and a cash-strapped future.
In 2012, the Marine Corps was at a peak endstrength of about 187,000. The service has drawn down to about 184,000 Marines today. Over the next two years, the Marine Corps will reduce its manpower by another 2,000 troops to 182,000. If Congress does not repeal or find relief for sequester-level budgets set to go into effect in fiscal year 2016, the force will be further reduced to about 174,00 Marines.
The smaller the service, the longer Marines must stay deployed in the field compared to the time they are allowed stateside with their families. The ideal force of 186,000 Marines would in turn allow for the ideal “deploy-to-dwell” ratio of one to three, meaning that for every month overseas, a Marine would be allowed three months at home, Neller said. That ratio is currently at one to two.
Neller would take over a Marine Corps searching for its maritime roots following 14 years of landlocked combat in Iraq and Afghanistan. During that time, near-peer competitor nations have developed anti-access, area-denial capabilities like anti-ship missiles with terminal guidance systems that would deter a Marine Corps amphibious landing.
He will also be responsible for overseeing the introduction of several major weapon programs. The F-35B is on the cusp of being declared operational, which likely will happen under Neller’s watch. He’ll be responsible for ushering the long-awaited jet into service and developing its concept of operations, which may prove a more daunting task than declaring it ready for battle.
The KC-53 King Stallion heavy lift helicopter, which has suffered developmental delays and manufacturing defects in an auxiliary gear box, will also likely come into service under Neller’s Watch.
On the ground, he would be the first commandant to command units driving the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle (JLTV), of which the Marine Corps will buy 5,500 as a replacement for its Humvees. Neller confirmed that he is committed to the program, which seeks a vehicle that has the speed and maneuverability of a Humvee and the blast protection of a mine-resistant, ambush-protected (MRAP) vehicle.
The Marine Corps also is in the market for a replacement for its amphibious assault vehicles (AAV) that carry troops from ship to shore during forced-entry operations. Neller towed the line his predecessors have that the current AAVs are four decades old and that they need to be replaced as soon as possible. He doubled down on the plan hatched under Dunford’s predecessor, Gen. James Amos, to buy an off-the-shelf vehicle that satisfies most of the service’s needs, rather than hold out for a prohibitively-expensive, high-water speed-planing vehicle that could also withstand bomb blasts on land.
McCain pressed Neller on how he would handle these and other programs, especially those that have become notorious for running huge tabs and failing to deliver on schedule. Asked whether service chiefs should have a larger, more authoritative role in the acquisition process, as has been floated in recent months and is a provision of the National Defense Authorization Act now under scrutiny, Neller agreed.
“I don’t think any of us who are on the receiving end of the acquisition process are totally pleased,” Neller said. “I’m not an acquisition professional. But I think we all wonder why it takes so long, costs so much money, why there’s delays. If confirmed … I look forward to improving this process and involving the service chiefs in this process.
“I would like to believe, if confirmed, that I could provide value added to the process and make it more effective,” he added.
Several committee members mentioned the recent shooting in Chattanooga, Tenn., of four Marines and a sailor and asked if they should have been issued weapons to defend themselves. After repeatedly explaining that military recruiters must regularly interact with the public and recruit at schools, where sidearms are forbidden, Neller was pressed to say “they should have been able to defend themselves, senator.”