New Book Examines the Evolution of the U.S. Marine Corps

EL DORADO HILLS, Calif. - Nov. 9, 2017 - PRLog -- To commemorate the Marine Corps birthday on Friday, November 10, Savas Beatie recently announced the release of The Marine Corps Way of War, The Evolution of the U.S. Marine Corps from Attrition to Maneuver Warfare in the Post-Vietnam Era by Anthony J. Piscitelli, a cutting-edge study which examines the evolving doctrine, weapons, and capability of the United States Marine Corps during the four decades since our last great conflict in Asia.

As author Piscitelli demonstrates, the USMC has maintained its position as the nation's foremost striking force while shifting its thrust from a reliance upon attrition to a return to maneuver warfare.

The author enjoyed "inside" assistance in preparing this important study from many of the leading figures responsible for the transition to maneuver warfare.  It includes a multitude of important interviews and insights with several former Generals, including John Kelly and James Mattis (current Chief of Staff and Secretary of Defense for President Trump, respectively).

"The Marine Corps Way of War is the story of how our Marine Corps transitioned away from the traditional attritionist posture of warfighting in the post-Vietnam era," states Piscitelli. "The Corps' exceptionalism and ethos is responsible for this move to its current maneuverist under-pinning's, which has enhanced its ability to project force in any battle-space. Only by the Marine Corps' exceptionalism and ethos could this have been accomplished during the Al Gray Renaissance years."

The institutionalization of maneuver philosophy began with the Marine Corps' educational system, analyzing the actual battle-space of warfare—be it humanitarian assistance, regular set-piece battles, or irregular guerrilla war—and the role that the leadership cadre of the Marine Corps played in this evolutionary transition from attrition to maneuver. Piscitelli explains the evolution by using traditional and first-person accounts by the prime movers of this paradigm shift. This change has sometimes been misportrayed, including by the Congressional Military Reform Caucus, as a disruptive or forced evolution. This is simply not the case, as the analyses by individuals from high-level commanders to junior officers on the ground in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere, demonstrate. The ability of the Marines to impact the battlefield—and help achieve our strategic goals—has only increased during the post-Cold War era.

"The author does an admirable job of chronicling the ingenuity and adaptability of the Marine Corps in cutting through the fog of war to stay ahead of potential enemies. A dramatic and intriguing story," writes Bernard E. Trainor, Lt. Gen. USMC (Ret.).

Throughout The Marine Corps Way of War, one thing remains clear: the voices of the Marines themselves, in action or through analysis, describing how "the few, the proud" will continue to be America's cutting-edge in the future as we move through the 21st Century. This new work is must-reading for not only every Marine, but for everyone interested in the evolution of the world's finest military force.

About the Author: Anthony ("Tony") Piscitelli, Ph.D., is currently an adjunct professor in the Global Transportation Department-SUNY Maritime College, teaching graduate and undergraduate Maritime Security classes. He is an acknowledged expert in security and anti-terrorism physical and electronic security systems specializing in blast, ballistic, and forced entry mitigation.

Dr. Piscitelli played an active role in Global War on Terrorism, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Operation Iraqi Freedom for the Departments of State and Defense. Dr. Piscitelli has spent a significant amount of time working with Arab Christians at risk in Palestine, Lebanon, Jordan, and Israel. His efforts here are directed at educational scholarships, affordable housing, and the development of the LutheranChurch's EcumenicalCenter at the Jordan River Baptismal Site. In addition, Dr. Piscitelli has been a benefactor for both the Marine Corps Law Enforcement Foundation, the Marine Corps Council of New York City, and the Marine Corps' Semper Fi Fund.