Corps to expand ahead of schedule

[unhappycamper]

Corps to expand ahead of schedule
By Jeff Schogol, Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Friday, May 2, 2008

FORT BLISS, Texas — The Marine Corps will expand to 202,000 in 2009, two years ahead of schedule, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Thursday.

Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell said that Corps Commandant Gen. James Conway told Gates and other military leaders about the Corps’ accelerated time line last week.

Gates made the announcement while speaking to the United States Army Sergeants Major Academy at Fort Bliss, Texas.

Shortly after taking office in 2006, Gates announced that both the Army and the Marine Corps would be getting bigger.

The Corps’ plan was to get to 202,000 by fiscal 2011, which was part of an effort to give Marines two months at home for every month they were deployed in combat.


Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=54483