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1. INFORMATION
This Planning Guidance is the 31st Commandant's strategic direction for the Marine Corps. As discussed in the reference, it serves as the keystone document for Marine Corps planning and provides a common direction to the Marine Corps Total Force. It is a road map that delineates where the Marine Corps is going and why, what the Marine Corps will do, and, in some instances, how and when prescribed actions are to be implemented. Specific responsibilities in execution of this Planning Guidance will be assigned in the following pages.
2. INTENT
The two most important things that the Marine Corps does for the nation are to make Marines and to win battles. The success of my predecessors in accomplishing these tasks has earned the respect and confidence of the American people. That will continue.
a. ALMAR 191/95 outlines the five pillars of my most strongly held beliefs: warfighting, people, core values, education and training, and our naval character. Each will be the subject of future correspondence from me. This document takes the first step in defining how we will translate those beliefs into action. In essence, the CPG serves as the Commandant's intent for the next four years and beyond.
b. Specific objectives and priorities contained in this document will be used in dayto-day decision making. That decision making process must be a participatory one, and our policies must be based on a long-range view with a singular focus on where and what we want the Marine Corps to be in the 21st century. Therefore, all policies will be developed without regard to the tenure of any one Commandant, one administration, or one congressional session. Every plan or program developed in support of this planning guidance must include a divestiture strategy to ensure we do not retain outdated policies, organizations, weapons systems, acquisition strategies, or doctrine.
3. BACKGROUND
a. The purpose of my intent is to ensure unity of effort. To that end, I want our institutional objectives to be perfectly clear. In all that we say and do, we must continually return to the strategic concept that makes the Corps a unique institution within our national military establishment. That concept, articulated by Congress and contained in law in Title 10, reflects our very...