By Emelie Rutherford
Gen. James Amos appears to have no significant opposition from lawmakers in his bid to become the next Marine Corps commandant, despite questions over whether potential changes to a major vehicle program influenced his selection by Pentagon brass.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates officially announced Monday night that he recommended to President Barack Obama that Amos, the Marine Corps’ deputy commandant, succeed Gen. James Conway as the service’s top officer. Obama met with Amos last Thursday at the White House.
Obama had not yet announced his intent to nominate Amos as of press time last night. However, he is widely expected to do so.
Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) Chairman Carl Levin (D-Mich.), who will play a significant role in Amos’ Senate confirmation process, said he has heard “only good things” about Amos but doesn’t know him personally.
“I haven’t dug into it more deeply,” Levin told reporters yesterday. “From what we know about it he’ll make a fine commandant….I haven’t heard anything about him that’s negative.”
Speculation has been rampant that Gates wanted to select a new commandant who would be receptive to cancelling the Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle (EFV), General Dynamics‘ [GD] long-delayed amphibious vehicle development program. Conway, who will retire this fall, has been an unabashed EFV supporter, arguing the amphibious service needs the vehicle to quickly carry troops to land. Gates, though, has repeatedly questioned whether the military will launch any more major amphibious landings and really needs such a vehicle.
InsideDefense.com reported the Office of the Secretary of Defense delayed the due date for the Marine Corps’ ground-vehicle strategy, which is expected to address the EFV, until after Conway is gone.
The EFV has both supporters and detractors in the Pentagon and on Capitol Hill.
Levin, in whose state General Dynamics has a significant presence, expressed support yesterday for keeping alive the EFV effort.
“I think we ought to find a way to make it work…find a way if we can,” Levin said about the program that has suffered technical, schedule, and budget problems.
The Marine Corps now is testing redesigned prototypes, do-overs of previous faulty vehicles, developed by General Dynamics.
The service’s new ground-vehicle strategy is being developed under the Marine Corps Combat Development Command’s (MCCDC) Combat Development and Integration (CD&I) division.
Amos led MCCDC until he was promoted to be the Marine Corps’ No. 2 officer two years ago.
Lt. Gen. George Flynn, who succeeded Amos as head of MCCDC and deputy commandant for combat development and integration, told senators in May that the service needs the EFV for “multiple roles,” not just for storming enemy beaches (Defense Daily, May 10).
Gates has not publicly linked the EFV’s future to his selection of Amos to be the next top Marine.
Observers had predicted other Marines including Gen. James Mattis, head of Joint Forces Command, would be tapped for commandant.
Gates’ Monday statement relays Amos’ combat experience, which includes command of a Marine aircraft wing and a Marine expeditionary force during the Iraq war. Gates also recommended Obama nominate Lt. Gen. Joseph Dunford, the commander of I MEF and Marine Corps Forces Central Command, replace Amos as deputy commandant.
“I came to these leadership decisions after a thorough process that considered several outstanding candidates,” Gate said. ” I am convinced that Gen. Amos and Lt. Gen. Dunford are the right team to lead the U.S. Marine Corps at this time, especially as it balances the capabilities needed to support current operations, its unique maritime heritage and its future role defending America.”