As U.S. Rep. Walter continues a 15-year effort in Washington to re-designate the title of the , not everyone in Onslow County’s military community sees the need.
Retired Marine Col. Pete Grimes of Hubert refers to the adage ‘If it’s not broke, don’t fix it’ when asked about ‘ fight to re-name the the and Marine Corps.
Beyond the surface of the name change, Grimes doesn’t see any benefit to the organization by disrupting the status quo.
“Why change the name? What does it achieve? At the end, I can’t think of anything that would improve the stature of the Marine Corps,” Grimes.
has seen things differently.
He first introduced a proposal to change the title of the department to Department of the Navy and Marine Corps in 2001 and has stuck to his belief that the two separate services deserve equal recognition.
The House Armed Services Committee passed the National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2018. As a member of the committee, was involved in drafting the defense bill and has several measures attached, including the re-designation of the title.
“The Marine Corps is an equal member of this department, and therefore, deserves equal recognition in its title,” said in remarks on getting the language included in the defense bill.
said the defense bill is expected to go to the House floor for a vote in July. If successful, NDAA will then go to the Senate.
Retired Gunnery Sgt. Joseph Ball of Jacksonville, who served 23 years in the Marine Corps, said whatever name is used is a matter of perception and will vary by a person’s point of view. Regardless of the name, Ball said the operations of the two services are separate and should stay that way.
He said the organization as it is now has been working well.
“Leave it the way it is,” Ball said.
Brian Kramer, a retired Marine lieutenant colonel, said the unique Navy-Marine Corps relationship is an exceptional one within the Department of Defense that should not be changed. He questions whether a name change now could lead to larger, negative changes later.
“I am a traditionalist, and on this issue I think the longstanding relationship between the Navy and the Marine Corps should remain unchanged. This relationship has served both services exceptionally well over the centuries. We (Marines) are called ‘Soldiers of the Sea’ for a reason,” Kramer said. “Our roots are with the Navy, and I see the short-term ‘feel-good’ benefit of a name change having possible long-term negative consequences. Might this be a first step to the Corps being a separate service? I am not certain we want to go there.”
Retired Navy Capt. Rick Welton of Swansboro doesn’t have a particular opinion on the proposed change the title but agreed that the two services have long had a history of working together.
“We’ve been working as a team from the beginning,” Welton said. “We have depended on each other, worked with each other and done outstanding things together.”
Reporter Jannette Pippin can be reached at jannette.pippin@jdnews.com or 910-382-2557.
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I guess my first question would be is how much tax payers money is this costing.?and second it hasnt bothered anyone for well over 200 years why change it now?is it a political correctness thing?or dont these people have enough to do you know with maybe the country is falling apart?and all they can come up with is (light bulb)lets change the name of the dept of the navy.its stupid!
Over 1000 commenters on this FB post agree this idea stinks – and that Congressman Jones needs to review his priorities. And he’s leaving out the Coast Guard. Smells fishy to me, too.
Leave it a lone
As a Marine I say we should remove the Marine Corps from under the Navy and make it it’s own separate Department..Yes the Marines are a Department of the NAvy they are the Men’s Department and as such should be it’s own Department totally separate from the Navy Department completely autonomous.