Originally Posted by Willard Whyte
The USMC is about the same size as all three of our services combined. They have boats 'n planes 'n tanks, just like us. Not many SSBNs it's true, but otherwise quite similar...
Not really. It doesn't have any SSNs either, let alone aircraft carriers, LPHs, LPDs, destroyers, frigates, survey vessels, MCMVs, fleet support vessels, etc. It relies on the US Navy, including its Military Sealift Command, for such platforms (see
Marines Worry about Future Shortage of Navy Ships) and I'm sure there is a similar dependency on the other services. It certainly relies on the USAF's Air Mobility Command for much of its airlift.
I suspect the other services occupy a proportionally greater number of the higher echelon national (e.g. NSA and other government agencies) and international appointments (e.g. NATO, foreign exchange posts, diplomatic missions, etc.) too.