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More Marines are coming to infantry battalions, drone units, and air defenses under a sweeping plan to grow the force by more than 6,500 billets over the next five years
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The additional Marines will be spread across 64 initiatives, including reinforcing the Pacific Fleet, creating a drone school, and establishing new occupational specialties, the service announced Tuesday in a statement
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The Corps is aiming for a 4% end strength increase by 2031 and an additional 1% increase by 2032
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The new slots come after the Corps has spent years experimenting, modernizing, and honing its ability to fight in island-studded regions like the Pacific
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Last week, the service released Ground Combat Element 2040, a strategy outlining how its ground forces will change over the next 15 years
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The service also plans to increase crew-served weapons personnel, add more 60mm and 81mm mortars, and create a supplementary heavy machine gun platoon
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A significant part of the growth will enlarge the Corps' infantry formations, adding 19 infantry battalions and two literal combat teams staffed with Marines to create heavy guns platoons and expand precision fires, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities
