Leading Marines.com

15 Things for Leaders in 15 Minutes

Leading Marines.com — 2012-05-01T23:18:47Z

Deborah Grayson Riegel, author of Oy Vey! Isn't A Strategy, wrote an article in Forbes recently titled "15 Big Little Things You Can Do in 15 Minutes".

Her ideas really boil down to getting out of your office and see what's going on for yourself. It is easy for leaders to get bogged down with problems, sometimes all it takes is just getting out of the office and getting a fresh perspective from your Marines or taking time to think without being interrupted by the people you are surrounded by daily.

Head down to the motor pool and help your Marines work on a vehicle for a few minutes. Don't have a motor pool? Find a Marine giving a MCMAP class, a weapons class or doing squad drills.

15 Big Little Things You Can Do in 15 Minutes

Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap... and Others Don't

John Glenn on Leadership

Leading Marines.com — 2012-04-21T13:43:03Z

Marine recruiting is based on two things: number one—do you want to serve your country? And number two—do you think you’re good enough to join the best outfit?

—John Glenn

27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000 width=460 height=320>

Senator John Glenn served 22 years in the Marine Corps including combat tours as a pilot during WWII and Korea. He was the first American to orbit the earth in 1962 and became the oldest person on a space mission in 1998.

The Ethical, Fighting Warrior

Leading Marines.com — 2012-04-14T21:54:38Z

Article By Lance Cpl. Chelsea Flowers

Students at the Marine Corps Martial Arts instructor trainer course carry their buddies from the obstacle course to the next portion of their training Sept. 13, 2011 at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va. The students completed the obstacle course, waded through a river, climbed a rope wall and participated in water grappling before receiving their wrap-up hero study as part of their morning training. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Chelsea Flowers)

MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va.– The morning dew was still heavy on the ground as students in the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program instructor trainer course at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va., set out for their morning training routine. The Marines climbed ropes, crawled under concertina wire and helped each other over walls before carrying their partners to the next course almost a mile away. When Marines slowed down, succumbing to the pressure of the course, yells of motivation and encouragement from other squad members drowned out their groans and grunts to keep the exhausted Marines pushing through the pain.

For seven weeks, instructor trainees endure physical obstacles, mental hardships and character tests to earn the proud title of MCMAP instructor. It is these Marines who hold the future of the Corps’ martial arts in their hands.

Marine Administrative Message 537/01, issued nearly ten years ago, made the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program official. Over the past decade, MCMAP has seen many changes, but the heart of the program and the desire of Marines dedicated to creating ethical warriors remains the same.

Cpl. Michail C. Wolff puts Lance Cpl Michael E. Klepfer Jr., in an armbar. The communications signal collectors at Headquarters Marine Corps Crpypologic Support Battalion during a brown and black belt Marine Corps Martial Arts Program course Oct. 6, 2011. The three hour a day, three week course held at Fort Meade, Md., built physical and mental disciplines for the Marines to become better warriors. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Daniel A. Wetzel)

“I’ve been around the Marine Corps long enough to see basically four systems of close-combat,” said Master Sgt. Johnny W. Marlow, MCMAP instructor trainer at the Martial Arts Center of Excellence at MCB Quantico, Va. “I think the previous systems died off because they had a lack of the mental and character discipline; they were all about the physical aspects.”

A decade ago, the program was much like the earlier close-combat systems with a focus mainly on physical abilities, close-combat techniques and conditioning the body.

“MCMAP used to be a fight club, a tough man’s club,” said retired Lt. Col. Joseph C. Shusko, MACE deputy director. “Over the years, the emphasis has gone back to the purpose of the program, which is building character.”

Because of the initial concentration primarily on physical performance, as well as multiple injuries early on, many Marines were wary of the program.

“I think the acceptance of MCMAP has been one of the largest hurdles we’ve gradually overcome,” Marlow said. “In the beginning, MCMAP was feared because it was seen as dangerous. “

The Marines at the MACE, however, did not intend the program to be merely for physical conditioning and technique development. The true heart of MCMAP was in the creation of the ‘ethical warrior’.

“Ethical warriors are able to lead Marines with a moral compass that points north,” said Sgt. Cody J. Boudwin, MCMAP instructor trainer. “Anybody can go out and be physically fit, but to also be able to make the right decisions and lead Marines in the right way is a crucial aspect of being a leader.”

The ethical warrior concept is strengthened by incorporating three guiding principles into the program: mental, physical and character development.

“In order to have a very stable foundation, you need to have the three different disciplines,” Boudwin said.

Mental, physical and character developments are all equally important to the instructors at the MACE. These disciplines often referred to by combat instructors as the three-legged stool, provide the bedrock for the martial arts program and are intertwined within the training system.

“The physical aspect of MCMAP is the most tangible, but it takes no pre-eminence over the others,” said Lt. Col. Patrick A. Beckett, MACE director.

The current martial arts program was designed so Marines tackle physical challenges throughout program courses while also overcoming mental obstacles and character tests along the way.

During the instructor trainer course, the staff emphasizes the importance of ending each physical challenge with a character or hero study. These studies educate the students on the valor of Marine veterans and provide every day applications for the Corps’ values of honor, courage and commitment.

“The program is tied to what those three words mean,” Shusko said. “Through them, everyone can see the value of this program.”

Close-combat fighting plays a large role in the program, but the staff and processes at the Center set much greater goals for each of their students.

Marine Corps Martial Arts instructor trainer Sgt. Daniel J. Leith looks on as Sgt. Joshua M. Carter, a satellite communications instructor at Fort Gordon, Ga., and Sgt. Andre D. Charles, adjunant noncommissioned officer in charge at Marine Aviation Training Support Group 21 in Pennsacola, Fla., gang up on Staff Sgt. Matthew T. Lightfoot, an instructor at advanced infantry training battalion west at Camp Pendleton, Calif., during the shallow-water grappling portion of the MCMAP instructor trainer course at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va., Sept. 13. The students grappled following a rigorous trainng routine to build up their mental and physical endurance. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Chelsea Flowers)

“Technical skills can be taught anywhere,” said Staff Sgt. Jerry B. Hymas, MCMAP squad instructor. “What I want my instructor trainer students to learn from the program is how to be better leaders. They are going to become more confident in their own abilities. They are going to develop the proper character and mental habits to make themselves better.”

Building self-confidence and the ability to lead through trials are vital aspects of martial arts. The difficulty students face during martial arts training is the tool for achieving that leadership confidence.

“Adversity teaches you that no matter what situation you find yourself in, you can overcome it and push through,” Boudwin said.

The goal of the MACE is to create ethical warriors who are strong, ethical leaders within their shops as well as in actual combat settings. What makes the program so valuable is that it transcends the bounds of Marine occupational specialties to prepare every Marine for whatever the Corps may throw at him, Beckett said.

MCMAP has reached an important milestone as it hits its tenth anniversary. Those at the MACE are happy with what the program has become and are excited about its future.

“I don’t think there’s a whole lot we need to improve in the program,” Marlow said. “But I think the goal of MCMAP would be for it to spread.”

A new perspective on the intentions and goals of program starts with the students at the instructor trainer course. The physical, mental and character discipline they developed through their training will fuel them to inspire and motivate the Marines in their units around the Corps to also become ethical warriors. It is the hope of the MACE instructors that this growing force of ethical warriors continues to form the bedrock of the Corps.

On War and Leadership: The Words of Combat Commanders from Frederick the Great to Norman Schwarzkopf

Lt. Gen. George R. Christmas USMC

Leading Marines.com — 2012-04-06T21:30:19Z

Photo courtesy of the National Museum of the Marine Corps

When Capt. George R. Christmas was in the Battle of Hue City, he put his life on the line, running into a fray of machine gun and rocket fire to properly lead his Marines and ensure they were supported. He lead them from room to room, building to building, until the Marines of Company H, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, proved victorious. For his actions, he was awarded the Navy Cross. As a young company commander, he was in the thick of combat, and as he moved up in rank, he led more and more Marines to greatness from every level. Even when he retired from active duty after 34-years, Lt. Gen. Christmas continued to serve the Corps by educating Marine leaders and striving to preserve Marine Corps history. From heroic actions in Hue City, to establishing the National Museum of the Marine Corps and leading the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation, he has shown what Marine officers are made of.

Why did you join the Marine Corps?

When I graduated from Yeadon High School in Pennsylvania in 1958, I, like my fellow graduates, was facing the draft. Upon enrolling at the University of Pennsylvania, I joined the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps. With four years as a midshipman going through the program, I would have a two-year obligation as a reserve officer upon graduation. While at Penn, I was greatly influenced by the Marine officers and staff noncommissioned officers on the faculty. In my junior year, I requested a Marine Corps commission, then completed T&T, now Officer Candidate School, at Quantico; earning the title Marine and appointed a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps Reserve.

When you were in Vietnam, did you think that your actions in Hue City would become such a large part of history, or that you would receive the Navy Cross for your heroic actions?

I certainly never thought that I would be part of such a significant battle or that I would be decorated for my actions there. Like all good Marines, you are always prepared to do what is asked of you. When the battle occurred, I was blessed to lead a superb company of valorous Marines, Hotel Company, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines. The Marines continually took the fight to the enemy, despite being outnumbered. They were magnificent.

Did you always have a keen interest in Marine Corps history?

My interest in Marine Corps history developed at Penn, as it was part of our Marine option curriculum. Like all Marines who attend recruit training at Parris Island or San Diego, or at officer training at Quantico, I learned of our legacy and storied history. I also learned, as our Marines do today, that I must uphold that legacy, never allowing it to be tarnished, and that we, as Marines, have a responsibility to build upon it. The men and women who make up our Corps today did that in Al Anbar Province in Iraq and continue to do so now in Afghanistan.

What made you stay in the Marine Corps for 34 years?

It was fun! I have truly enjoyed being a Marine. I have been continually challenged and have been privileged to lead great young men and women and be inspired by them.

When you were on active duty, what was your favorite duty station/assignment?

I really do not have a favorite duty station or assignment. They were all great! I was fortunate to command at every level from platoon to Marine Expeditionary Force and to serve in all three of our active infantry divisions.

How important do you think history is to the Corps?

It is extremely important! As I indicated previously, we live our history with the understanding of our responsibility to the Corps’ legacy and to the Marines who have gone before us. We cannot let them down. We must live up to their deeds and forge our own. That is why the National Museum of the Marine Corps and Heritage Center is so important to our Corps. First, it is a wonderful place that honors all Marine and their families – it’s home and belongs to every Marine. Second, it tells the story of America through the eyes of Marines who have served since 1775.

After you retired from active duty, what motivated you to keep working for the Corps?

Upon my retirement, the Commandant, General Chuck Krulak, asked me to become a Senior Mentor with the Marine Air Ground Task Force Staff Training Program, which I gladly did because I believed I could continue to serve and use my experiences to assist upcoming commanders and their staffs in the challenges that war and other contingencies bring. I also became a mentor for our joint forces. At the same time, I was asked to lead the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation and to take the dream of a National Museum for our Corps to reality. As I stated earlier, the decision to continue to support our Corps was and easy one – it was fun and challenging.

What advice would you want to pass on to Marines just entering the service?

Bloom where you are planted! My experience is that if you always do your very best in whatever you are assigned to do, you will soon reap the rewards of your hard work by being respected and sought after for energy and strength of character.

Were there any Marines that you looked up to during your time in service?

I have been blessed and honored to have served with and been influenced by many great Marines, both officers and enlisted. If I were forced to choose, I would identify General Ray Davis and his wife Knox, who were exceptional role models for my wife, Sherry, and me when I served for him. I would also choose Lieutenant General Ernie Cheatham, my battalion commander at Hue City.

What kept you going during the Battle for Hue City, where you actively lead your Marines under fierce combat, often putting yourself in the line of fire to get to and from certain positions?

Responsibility. As the commander you are responsible for those Marine who you are blessed to lead, as well as to accomplish the mission that has been assigned to you and your outfit. There is little time to think of yourself if you are doing your job. It is important to continually find vantage points during battle where you can observe and direct the fight. That means moving to them even in the face of fire.

Do you think you made a positive impact on the Corps while you served?

I certainly hope so. If you were to ask what my most important accomplishments are, I would say, first, leading Hotel Company in Hue City; second, establishing Joint Task Force- Full Accounting when I was the Director for Operations at the Pacific Command (JTF-FA started the efforts that continue today to identify and return home our POWs and MIAs); and building the National Museum of the Marine Corps and Heritage Center.

What were your thoughts when you found out that you were put in for the Navy Cross?

Actually, I did not know that I had been recommended for such an award. I had been hospitalized for my wounds for an extended period and was notified while I was a patient at the Philadelphia Naval Hospital that I would receive the Navy Cross in Washington, DC. I thought then and continue to do so today, that I received the award for ALL the Marines and Sailors who fought that epic battle. On a special note, I received the Navy Cross in Washington along side my father-in-law, Colonel David E. Lownds, who also received the Navy Cross for his actions as the Commander of the 26^th Marines at the Battle of Khe Sanh.

What do you think the future holds for the Corps?

Our Corps will continue to write new chapters that are equal to our illustrious past. We have already done so in Iraq and Afghanistan and, as our nation’s force in readiness, will continue to do so. As long as we understand our expeditionary heritage, remember, “We do windows” and are prepared to do whatever our nation requires, our legacy will be secure and our Corps will flourish.

Article By Lance Cpl. Christofer Baines

http://marinesmagazine.dodlive.mil/2012/03/01/lt-gen-christmas/

The Navy Cross - Extraordinary Heroism in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Other Conflicts

Marine Corps Leadership Traits - JUDGMENT

Leading Marines.com — 2012-04-06T21:28:50Z

Marine Corps Leadership Trait Judgment Definition:

Judgment is your ability to think about things clearly, calmly, and in an orderly fashion so that you can make good decisions.

Even the most sophisticated plan will fail if it's based on bad judgment. Taking on positions of great responsibility, Marines gain wisdom through experience and judgment they can rely on for a lifetime.

Make Peace or Die, 1st Battalion 5th Marines in Sangin

Leading Marines.com — 2012-03-25T14:04:00Z

Leadership, the most important tool in the toolbox.

A documentary film from 1st Battalion, 5th Marines during their deployment to Sangin, Afghanistan in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM.

Marine Corps Leadership Traits - ENDURANCE

Leading Marines.com — 2012-03-16T19:50:37Z

Marine Corps Leadership Trait Endurance Definition:

Endurance is the mental and physical stamina that is measured by your ability to withstand pain, fatigue, stress, and hardship. For example, enduring pain during a conditioning march in order to improve stamina is crucial in the development of leadership.

Suggestions for Improvement: Develop your endurance by engaging in physical training that will strengthen your body. Finish every task to the best of your ability by forcing yourself to continue when you are physically tired and your mind is sluggish.

It's impossible to lead from the front if you're falling behind. Marines continue on when others quit, digging deep to endure - and achieve - more than most think is possible. Marine Corps endurance is more than finding the will within. It's convincing those around you that they too have more to give.

Marine Corps Leadership Traits - UNSELFISHNESS

Leading Marines.com — 2012-03-10T01:40:43Z

Marine Corps Leadership Trait Unselfishness Definition:

Unselfishness means that you avoid making yourself comfortable at the expense of others. Be considerate of others. Give credit to those who deserve it.

Suggestions for Improvement: Avoid using your position or rank for personal gain, safety, or pleasure at the expensive of others. Be considerate of others.

Backbone: History, Traditions, and Leadership Lessons of Marine Corps NCOs

Portraits of Valor; Colonel Reginald Myers USMC

Leading Marines.com — 2012-03-03T20:49:04Z

Colonel Reginald Myers, then a Major, served as the XO of 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines during the Inchon landing and was awarded two Bronze Stars in Sept 1950. He is best known for his heroic actions at the Chosin Reservoir on November 29th, 1950 when, in sub-zero temperatures, he lead a make shift force of 250 Marines and soldiers against 4,000 Chinese Communist to protect the Division's flank. He recieved the Medal of Honor for his actions.

Medal of Honor: Portraits of Valor Beyond the Call of Duty

Uncommon Valor: The Medal of Honor and the Six Warriors Who Earned It in Afghanistan and Iraq

The Last Stand of Fox Company: A True Story of U.S. Marines in Combat

Marine Corps Leadership Traits - COURAGE

Leading Marines.com — 2012-03-01T02:46:35Z

Marine Corps Leadership Trait Courage Definition:

Courage is what allows you to remain calm while recognizing fear. Moral courage means having the inner strength to stand up for what is right and to accept blame when something is your fault. Physical courage means that you can continue to function effectively when there is physical danger present.

Suggestions for Improvement: You can begin to control fear by practicing self-discipline and calmness. If you fear doing certain things required in your daily life, force yourself to do them until you can control your reaction.

Marines learn many forms of courage, from the physical courage to face the unknown to the moral courage to do the right thing. Marines return to their communities with the courage to take on every challenge life presents.

The Greatest U.S. Marine Corps Stories Ever Told: Unforgettable Stories of Courage, Honor, and Sacrifice

Portraits of Valor: Colonel Wesley Fox USMC

Leading Marines.com — 2012-02-25T19:16:55Z

Colonel Wesley Fox spent 43 years on active duty in the Marine Corps. With the exception of Sergeant Major, he held every rank in the Marine Corps between Private and Colonel.

Colonel Fox is a recipient of the Medal of Honor for his actions in the A Shau Valley in 1969 while leading his Marine Rifle Company against NVA forces.

Six Essential Elements of Leadership: Marine Corps Wisdom from a Medal of Honor Recipient (Leatherneck Original)

MARINE RIFLEMAN (Memories of War)

Courage and Fear: A Primer

Iwo Jima Uncommon Valor, Common Virtue

Leading Marines.com — 2012-02-22T01:43:51Z

‎67 yrs ago on 19 Feb, 1945 Marines landed on Iwo Jima. Of those left, the youngest veterans are approx 85 yrs old now. If you happen to see one make sure you shake his hand!

27 Medals of Honor were awarded for the actions at Iwo Jima (almost one per day), 22 Marines & 5 Sailors; 28% of the 82 Medals of Honor awarded to Marines in the entirety of WW II.

As every Marine knows, Mr. Tatum is referring to GySgt John Basilone, the only enlisted Marine in WW II to receive the Medal of Honor (Guadalcanal) and the Navy Cross (posthumously on Iwo Jima).

Give the Gift of GEAR and Save 10% your Entire Order at U.S. Cavalry! Use coupon code USCCJ10 at checkout!

Marine Corps Leadership Traits - KNOWLEDGE

Leading Marines.com — 2012-02-19T14:37:46Z

Marine Corps Leadership Trait Knowledge Definition: Knowledge is the understanding of a science or art. Knowledge means that you have acquired information and that you understand people. Your knowledge should be broad, and in addition to knowing your job, you should know your unit's policies and keep up with current events.

Suggestions for Improvement: Suggestions for Improvement: Increase your knowledge by remaining alert. Listen, observe, and find out about things you don't understand. Study field manuals and other military literature.

Without knowledge, judgement is reduced to intuition; decision-making becomes nothing more than a guess. On the battlefield or in the business world, those who are constantly learning and seeking self-improvement find the most success.

Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10

A Fifthteenth Marine Corps Leadership Trait

Leading Marines.com — 2012-02-19T14:35:59Z

Found this great article in the Desert Warrior, the Marine Corps Air Station Newspaper, by Sgt Maj William Wiseman. The title is "Discernment: The Fifthteenth Leadership Trait?"

The Sgt Maj brings up an excellent point. It just isn't good enough to make decisions, we must be able to comprehend the rationale behind their decision. As the Sgt Maj says, "If Marines can grasp the concept of possessing a level of discernment they will never hear their boss say, "Good initiative but poor judgment."

Marines, read The Fifthteenth Leadership Trait? online
in the Desert Warrior.

Marines-Helping-Marines at MilitaryUniformExchange.com

Gen. Zinni offers Basic School lessons in leadership

Leading Marines.com — 2012-02-16T17:40:23Z

MCB QUANTICO, Va. (Jan. 31) -- It was 50 years ago when Gen. Anthony Zinni got off a train from Philadelphia at Marine Corps Base Quantico and immediately fell into disfavor with the leadership of his platoon leaders class, he told the students and instructors of The Basic School on the evening of Jan. 31.

“The staff sergeant told me, ‘You’ve only been here one day and I already know your name. You might think that’s good, but it’s not,’” Zinni recalled. He graduated on probation, but he credited the Marine Corps’ “attitude adjustment” program for the turnaround that led to his ascent through the ranks and, by the late 1990s, to the position of commander in chief of U.S. Central Command.

“My life in the Marine Corps was one of constantly learning and developing,” he told the crowd of about 1,100 gathered in the theater at Little Hall for this winter’s installment of The Basic School’s Leftwich Leadership Lecture Series. He said he wanted to talk to the group about how to learn and develop in order to become leaders.

Gen. Anthony Zinni, former commander in chief of
U.S. Central Command, speaks to The Basic School
about the qualities that make a leader.
Photographer: Mike DiCicco

While character and education are essential to strong leadership, he said, so, too, is experience. “It isn’t just the experience. It’s what you get out of it. It’s what you learn from it,” he added, noting that the students should learn from their own successes and failures, as well as those of the people around them.

He recalled his first platoon sergeant, who had taught him the relationship between the officer and staff noncommissioned officer running a platoon. While SNCOs prepare individuals for battle, officers prepare units, he said, adding that he had seen many lieutenants trying to be SNCOs.

“I’ve learned from sergeants and I’ve learned from generals,” Zinni said.

He also learned from a captain who seemed to have absorbed his entire bookcase of field manuals and technical manuals, and understood the technical, tactical and strategic side of any military subject, making him highly respected, even by those who outranked him, he said. “I watched colonels and generals defer to him, and what I learned from that was the power of competence.”

Whether in the military or in business, “If you had to pick the No. 1 trait of a leader, it has to be competence,” Zinni said, noting that character and personal traits become irrelevant “if you don’t know what you’re doing.”

He said the other important aspect of leadership is the ability to relate to subordinates. “Every person is a story, and a good leader really cares about that story,” Zinni said. “Don’t ever talk down to them. Don’t ever be condescending in any way.”

He remembered his surprise when one of his best Marines told him he was the closest thing that Marine had to a father. “You may be the one person in their lives they have the most respect for, who they want to lead them the most,” he said. “The relationship has to be teacher to scholar, father to son.” This dynamic makes troops not only feel valued but also feel like part of a team they are proud of, which results in a high-performing platoon, he said.

As professional problem-solvers, he said, officers should never stop educating themselves, cultivating “a breadth of education and a true sense of curiosity.” When he was carrying out assessments in Iraq and Afghanistan in recent years, he said, he was surprised at how many non-military jobs Marines had needed to adapt to, employing skills they had not learned in boot camp or officer candidates school.

Communication skills are also essential to leadership, and involve more than arranging a five-paragraph order, Zinni said. “It’s a matter of confidence and the way you deliver it.”

Finally, every officer has to determine his or her reputation, which is “the only thing you’ll take with you,” he said. “You need to take a moment to yourself and think about what your code is. What do you believe? And do you really mean it and live it?”

The Leftwich lectures, named for legendary Marine Corps Lt. Col. William Leftwich Jr., are held twice a year with the goal of bringing in “a speaker who will focus on company leadership at the lieutenant and captain level,” said Capt. Roberto Scribner, protocol officer at The Basic School. He said the talks are aimed at the second lieutenants and warrant officers who attend the school, as well as the captains who work there as instructors before returning to the field.

Scribner said Zinni was selected as a speaker because he not only spent 39 years in the Marine Corps as everything from a platoon commander in Vietnam to the commander in chief of Central Command, but also because, as a general officer, “he was very outspoken about how things were conducted, and he was very accurate in his predictions” about the war in Iraq and other conflicts. “He’s a leading thought guy across the board,” Scribner said.
— Writer: mdicicco@quanticosentryonline.com

Marines for more stories like this view the Quantico Sentry Online.

Books by and about General Zinni

Leading the Charge: Leadership Lessons from the Battlefield to the Boardroom

The Battle for Peace: A Frontline Vision of America's Power and Purpose

Battle Ready First Edition

Inside CentCom: The Unvarnished Truth About The Wars In Afghanistan And Iraq

Marine Corps Leadership Trait JUSTICE

Leading Marines.com — 2012-02-12T16:03:33Z

Marine Corps Leadership Trait JUSTICE Definition:

Justice is defined as the practice of being fair and consistent. A just person gives consideration to each side of a situation and bases rewards or punishments on merit.

Marines frequently work in chaotic conditions, which makes it all the more imperative that they be able to depend on a sense of order. It is crucial for unit cohesion that rewards, punishments, opportunities and assignments are given impartially, consistently and justly. This same commitment to a system of justice enables Marines to prevent and resolve disputes encountered in their communities.

With the Old Breed: At Peleliu and Okinawa

Through the Eyes of Infantrymen (Continuing Operations) (Features)

Leading Marines.com — 2012-02-09T00:01:22Z

Article By Cpl. Tommy Bellegarde

PATROL BASE 7171, Helmand province, Afghanistan – Infantry Marines deployed to Afghanistan endure trials that Americans unfamiliar with military life cannot begin to fathom. Inclement weather, insatiable hunger, perpetual fatigue and direct combat with enemy forces are challenges frequently confronting the infantryman because he regularly operates in austere, hostile conditions. The infantry Marine in Afghanistan, commonly 18 years old and fresh out of high school, is often significantly more mature than others his age because of his unique experiences.

The Marines of Fox Company, 2nd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, face the challenges of combat as they participate in Operation Double Check, an ongoing battalion-level offensive to rid areas in southern Musa Qal’eh district, Helmand province, of insurgents and establish a government presence in places that have been insurgent safe havens in recent years.

Double Check started in the early hours of Jan. 3 when the infantrymen, commonly called grunts, helicopter inserted into the area under the blanket of darkness and began clearing compounds believed to be improvised explosive device manufacturing factories. An early discovery of contraband suggested the enemy might be near.

“We moved into a compound; it ended up being abandoned, but after we searched it, we found one room that had homemade explosive [materials] all over the floor and walls,” said Staff Sgt. Justin Smith, a squad leader with Fox Company from Clinton Township, Mich. “We searched the rest of the compound, keeping our eyes open for anything else, and then we came across a locked door – it wasn’t really a full weapons cache, but we did find some machinegun parts in there as well.”

The initial resistance directed at Smith’s squad began as the Marines continued to clear compounds while the sun crept above the horizon. They received machinegun fire from a concealed enemy position, forcing many of the Marines to duck for cover. The Marines responded by launching grenades, maneuvering to a dominant position, and returning direct fire at the insurgents, which caused them to flee, according to the 27-year-old Smith.

“No one freaked out under fire even though a lot of us almost got shot,” said Smith, a 2002 graduate of L’Anse Creuse High School in Harrison Township, Mich. “[The Marines] would get shot at, and they’d just get right back up and look at the enemy like, ‘Try again!’”

Mother Nature was also unkind to the Marines during the operation’s first weeks. Freezing temperatures made life miserable for the Marines at night, who only had sleeping bags, cold weather jackets and warming layers to try and keep warm. The gear helped, but the cold proved inescapable.

“We settled in, tried to fit as many guys as we could in small rooms, as small as these rooms are, to keep warm at night,” said Dayton, Ohio, native Cpl. Russell Swabb, a fireteam leader with Fox Company. “We would find some nasty, nasty blankets and pillows that were left in compounds and just kind of snuggle up next to each other to stay warm when we weren’t on post. While on post, me and whoever I was on post with, we’d throw a tarp over each other and just stay close.”

The Marines traveled everywhere by foot and tried to keep their packs as light as possible. Most packed only the bare essentials needed for survival in a combat zone, such as food, cold-weather gear and batteries. Even still, the bags were awkward and heavy to carry for the Marines, who were also wearing full combat gear.

“It’s definitely exhausting, regardless of if you’re somebody who has to carry around a lot of stuff or if you’re just carrying the bare minimum,” said Edmond, Okla., native Lance Cpl. Nathan Aschenbrenner, an automatic rifleman with Fox Company. “The only way to really do it and keep positive about it is to think of it like a joke like, ‘I can’t believe I’m doing this.’

“I just take it from checkpoint to checkpoint,” added the 24-year-old. “If I’m thinking, ‘Oh my gosh, I’ve got to move so many kilometers tonight or so far today,’ it’s just going to beat you down, but if you take it from checkpoint to checkpoint or objective to objective, it goes by pretty quick.”

The Marines have stayed busy during the operation, spending most of their time moving positions, sending out security patrols, or standing posts. When the infantrymen do get some spare time, they spend it hanging out with other Marines from their squads, sitting around a fire, playing cards or joking around.

“Most of the time if we’ve got some downtime we really try to sleep, but that’s really when all the jokes and horseplay really comes out,” said Aschenbrenner, a 2005 graduate of Edmond North High School. “If we’ve got a chance to horse around and have some fun, kind of boost morale, that’s definitely what we do.”

Experiences like Double Check may seem like a nightmare to people who have never experienced a combat operation – volunteering to be cold and miserable, to go without bathing or using a toilet, to have incessant hunger, and to regularly put one’s own life in danger for an extended period of time may seem crazy.   There is an upside, however.   The infantrymen of Fox Company share special bonds with members of their squads because on deployment, grunts spend every day together, sharing every triumph, every hardship – shared experiences in Afghanistan have made them friends for life.

“We’re all around each other 24/7 living in small tents or sleeping in small buildings, getting together close for warmth so we don’t freeze to death, and these are the best friends you’re ever going to have,” said Swabb, who graduated from Belmont High School in 2008. “I’ve got good friends back home, but honestly I’m closer to these guys than I’ll ever be with anybody else.”

Marines - find more articles like this on:

Marines Blog - The Official Blog of the Marine Corps

Give the Gift of GEAR and Save 10% your Entire Order at U.S. Cavalry! Use coupon code USCCJ10 at checkout!

Marine Corps Leadership Principles

Leading Marines.com — 2012-02-05T15:28:36Z

Retired Marine Colonel and long-time test consultant Rick Craig describes the Marine Corps Leadership Principles, how they apply to Marines and how civilians can use USMC Leadership Principles to become a better leader and, as a result, a better test manager or tester.

Former Joint Chiefs Chairman recalls lessons from battlefield

Leading Marines.com — 2012-02-03T23:47:12Z

MCB QUANTICO, Va. (Jan. 3) -- Retired Gen. Peter Pace still remembers the Marines who were killed in battle under his command in Vietnam, and at Reasoner Hall on Jan. 23, he began rattling off their names and ranks for the students of Fox Co. at The Basic School.

Retired Gen. Peter Pace addresses the lieutenants of
Fox Co. at Reasoner Hall, days before they graduate
from The Basic School. Photographer: Mike DiCicco

Rather than live racked by guilt over those deaths, Pace said, he let those men provide him with a moral “crutch” for the rest of his life. “I made a deal with myself that I would live my life in a way that would respect their sacrifice,” he told the officers, who would graduate days later.

As a lieutenant in the battlefield, which many members of Fox Co. will soon become, Pace said it’s easier to do the dangerous work oneself than to delegate it to others knowing that they could be injured or killed. However, he warned against giving in to this temptation.

“Taking care of your Marines includes not getting yourself killed,” he said, adding that Marines wanted their commanders to lead, not do the work of a lance corporal. “If you get yourself killed, you have robbed your unit of a leader.”

Pace, who went on to eventually serve as commander in chief of the U.S. Southern Command and as the first Marine to hold the positions of vice chairman and then chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, is one of three outside general officers who speak to all seven classes that graduate TBS each year. His talk on Monday was the culmination of Fox Co.’s ethics curriculum.

Capt. Roberto Scribner, protocol officer at TBS, said Pace was a favorite speaker on ethics and leadership because he had experience at all levels, from platoon leader to advisor to the president and from Vietnam to Washington, D.C., and “because he’s always been outspoken about doing the right thing, regardless of the consequences.”

Pace, however, remembered a time when he almost did the wrong thing. While he was patrolling near a village, a sniper shot his machine gunner, who died in his arms, he said. Enraged, Pace called for artillery fire on the village, drawing a look from his sergeant. “I could tell by the way he was looking at me I was doing something wrong,” he recalled. He called off the artillery and conducted a foot sweep instead.

Until that day, he said, he had thought his “moral compass” was firmly set. “That stunned me, what I was capable of doing,” he said, adding that he did not know how he could have lived with himself if he had ordered a shelling that killed innocent people. Making sound ethical decisions “is so fundamental to who you are as an officer and who you are as a human being,” he said.

Much like his situation outside that village, Pace said, the most difficult moral challenges arise when one is least prepared to deal with them, and they are never identical to some lesson studied in TBS. Rather than memorizing coursework, he said, the students need to train themselves to decide and act under pressure. He told them how he tries, at the start of each day, to work through the ethical challenges the next 24 hours might bring. Though most of those dilemmas never arise, he said, the exercise helps keep him thinking about who he is and how he makes choices.

It takes only three to five seconds to make a serious decision, Pace said, even if that short time seems like an eternity when facing one’s boss. “You’ll know whether it’s you or not, and if it’s not you, don’t do it,” he said. “You have your name and your integrity, and nobody can take either one of those from you. You can give them away, but nobody can take them from you.”

Among the most important moral and operational obligations officers have is the responsibility to take care of their Marines, Pace said. This means developing relationships with those in their command, learning about the problems they face and, when possible, helping with those problems. “Take five minutes a day and talk to one of your Marines about anything but the ongoing mission,” he advised.

“The reason to take care of your Marines is, it’s absolutely what you should do as a leader,” he said. But he added that, in addition to fulfilling a moral obligation, this kind of leadership also results in a higher-functioning unit, in which Marines will understand their commander’s intent and do their best to achieve the desired outcome. On the other hand, if a leader cares more about climbing the ranks than about his or her subordinates, those Marines will execute orders verbatim, regardless of the results, and let their commander bear the consequences, Pace said.

He advised against adopting the leadership styles of others if they don’t feel natural, recalling the time when he experimented with bawling out an errant subordinate simply because a more experienced sergeant regularly used this approach. “I felt like a complete fool,” he said. “Don’t do what you’re not comfortable doing. You’ll come across as phony.”

He reiterated this theme when a student asked how to prepare for losing Marines in the field. While leaders deal with the situation differently, Pace said commanders should let their Marines see that they care about them and that they are human too. “I’ve got a lot of Italian blood. Tears might come to my eyes quicker than yours,” he said, adding that he had never been embarrassed about letting his men see him cry for a fallen comrade. He suggested talking with the unit about the Marine who had been lost. If a commander feels some responsibility for the death, he should say so, Pace said. “I think if you just do what you’re comfortable with, you’ll be OK.”

And he urged the officers to stay calm under pressure and to have some fun with their units when possible. “The worse things are, the more you have to find a little humor,” he said.

After a long career including lofty positions, Pace told the lieutenants in the crowd that the job that had made the biggest impact on his life and character was his time as a second lieutenant on the battlefield. “If you’re sitting here wondering if you’re good enough, you’re my guy,” he said.

— Writer: mdicicco@quanticosentryonline.com

Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson

Marine Corps Leadership Trait LOYALTY

Leading Marines.com — 2012-01-29T15:36:04Z

The Marine Corps Leadership Trait Loyalty means that you are devoted to your country, the Corps, and to your seniors, peers, and subordinates. The motto of our Corps is Semper Fidelis!, (Always Faithful). You owe unwavering loyalty up and down the chain of command, to seniors, subordinates, and peers.

The motto, Semper Fidelis, represents the loyalty to those on their left and right, from the Marines they fight alongside to the communities they will one day rejoin.

Resources

14 Marine Corps Leadership Traits