Major Maxwell Stewart

There is growing demand across the fleet for information about China’s military and naval capabilities. The Office of Naval Intelligence receives requests for briefings from commanding officers, senior civilians, and the joint force weekly—but there is no coordinated effort to meet this critical educational need. Intelligence briefs may detail specific weapon systems for tactical employment.

In his poem “The Laws of the Navy,” Royal Navy Rear Admiral Ronald Hopwood advises, “Count not upon certain promotion, but rather to gain it aspire; though the sight-line shall end on the target, there cometh, perchance, a miss-fire.” You have taken the “hard jobs.” You’ve done a third department head tour, or perhaps a third division officer tour earlier in your career. You have good paper. You are a happily motivated career officer with 16 years in, and you are in zone.

Today’s security environment is fluid and laden with potential threats. Peer competitors seek to challenge the United States in all elements of diplomatic, informational, and economic power. As the nation’s force in readiness, the Marine Corps is redesigning its force structure and capabilities to compete with and deter potential adversaries. Beyond technological improvements, the Marine Corps also is in the process of developing a more mature and experienced force.