Role of Web in US Marine Intelligence

The report "Alert and Ready: An Organizational Design Assessment of Marine Corps Intelligence" is one of the excellent series of publications from RAND Corporation. It discusses the current transportation and makes recommendations. Some of the findings are surprising, for example, the US Marine Corp does not have a 24 hour a day intelligence service. The staff at headquarters in Quantico turn off the lights and go home at the end of the day, leaving marines in the field with no one to call for information. Another finding was problems with the web site, with Marines preferring to go elsewhere for their on-line information.

Alert and Ready

An Organizational Design Assessment of Marine Corps Intelligence

• by Christopher Paul, Harry J. Thie, Katharine Watkins Webb, Stephanie Young,Colin P. Clarke, Susan G. Straus, Joya Laha, Christine Osowski, Chad C. SerenaClick to Read Online

As the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) has grown in strength, it has needed to add intelligence capabilities. Since the end of the Cold War and, especially, since September 11, 2001, USMC intelligence has had to tailor its organization to meet the evolving demands of the operational environment. This has resulted in a number of ad hoc arrangements, practices, and organizations. A broad review of the organizational design of the USMC intelligence enterprise examined how to align it efficiently and effectively with current and future missions and functions. Specifically, the review, which included interviews with a range of USMC personnel and civilians, considered the organization of (and possible improvements to) the Intelligence Department, the Marine Corps Intelligence Activity, the intelligence organizations within the Marine Expeditionary Forces (specifically, the intelligence and radio battalions), and intelligence structures in the combat elements. A comparison of 48 organizational and functional issues with a series of USMC intelligence and functional issues resulted in a series of recommendations to help improve the "fit" of USMC intelligence organizations with their environmental context. In some cases, the service would benefit not from changing its intelligence structure but by realigning it; in other areas, restructuring would lend greater efficiency and effectiveness to the USMC intelligence enterprise.