As we continue to train the Iraqi and Afghan security forces for taking control in their respective countries, and in light of rising economic and energy concerns, the Marine Corps faces a number of challenges in 2010. Our standing pledge to Congress remains to exercise fiscal discipline and act as good stewards of the re sources they provide while maintaining the capability to operate across the full range of military operations. As the Nation's premier expeditionary force in readiness, the Marine Corps must remain fast, austere, and lethal. In November 2009, we established the Marine Corps...

We offer this 2009 edition of Concepts and Programs as a current picture of the state of the Marine Corps. It reviews our current exercises and deployments and describes how we fight- our operating concepts and the organization of our forces. It contains our vision of the future and the strategic direction of the Marine Corps. It reflects current information on our programs of record and our major end item equipment. Finally, it includes our annual almanac, which contains a digest of facts and figures on our personnel and budget. We pride ourselves on being good stewards of the resources...