The concept of close order drill has been used in some form in every war since the inception of the U.S. Marine Corps, and the practice still proves useful in the twenty-first century. It is much more than the Silent Drill Platoon performing on commercials to attract young adults to the military. This art form is being set aside in Marine Corps after a decade of war; even though drill influences combat efficiency by instilling precision, automatic response to orders and develops assertive leaders. From the first day of recruit training to a one’s retirement formation, the precision of close order drill is engrained in every Marine’s mind and body. Being in the corps, the desire to achieve perfection in instilled in all of us whether it is in drill, our jobs or our lives in general. The precision of Staff Sgt. Steve Reichert, a scout sniper assigned to Headquarters Company, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, saved the lives of his squad on April 4, 2004 in Lutafiyah, Iraq. While his squad was pinned down by rocket propelled grenades, machine-gun and small-arms fire; Reichert made the shots from 1,614 meters, approximately a mile away, killing two insurgents and wounding two more. According to his platoon leader’s account, “His accuracy was the deciding factor in the outcome of the firefight. ” Reichert’s discipline and precision under pressure saved the lives of his Marines and earned his the Bronze Star Medal for Valor. This Marine’s dedication to his job and his ability to use his sniper rifle requires the same amount of discipline and exactness needed to perform close order drill correctly. Drill is black and white, either you execute the moves properly or you do not. Placement of hands, feet, rifles and swords need to be exa... ... middle of paper ... ...?ID=25833. Marine Corps Times, "Marine officer to receive Silver Star for heroics in Camp Bastion attack." Last modified December 5, 2013. Accessed January 25, 2014. http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/article/20131205/NEWS/312050027/Marine-officer receive-Silver-Star-heroics-Camp-Bastion-attack. Reel, Scott. U.S. Marine Corps, "MSOB Marine awarded Silver Star for Afghanistan efforts ." Last modified December 11, 2013. Accessed January 25, 2014. http://www.hqmc.marines.mil/News/NewsArticleDisplay/tabid/3488/Article/155762/msob-marine awarded-silver-star-for-afghanistan-efforts.aspx. U.S. Marine Corps , "Cpl. William T. Perkins Jr. Medal of Honor Citation." Last modified October 12, 1967. Accessed January 25, 2014. http://web.archive.org/web/20070222174747/http://www.usmc.mil/moh.nsf/ 000003c919889c0385255f980058f5b6/0000033ba9f47a7385255fa40060dad1?OpenDocument.
The Marine Corps today has developed itself into an elite fighting force based on strong naval traditions. The basic Marine is amphibious, which means that the warrior is capable of fighting on land and sea. The idea of an amphibious landing was developed through the training of the Marine Raider Battalions, which was tested and perfected in combat. Although there were two Raider Commanders with very different views on how to prepare their marines, Evans Carlson and Merritt Edson were responsible for training lightly armed Marines for amphibious assaults.
As Marines, we have a well-known motto “One Team, One Fight” that creates an image of strong unity that everyone regardless of rank or size plays an important role. Everyone is necessary to complete the mission. In this book, one particular Marine, (then) Captain Bill Barber, has a story that since has become a crucial tool used as teaching material today for multi-level Marines everywhere. This book serves as a testimony to Captain Barber’s will in the midst of extreme opposition and sets the example of the for mentioned mindset
The United States Marine Corps are a branch of the United States Armed Forces, accountable for providing rapid power projection. Training is an essential aspect of becoming a Marine and being able to do this, so, Ian Tyson arrived at bootcamp, where there was utter chaos and confusion. No one knew what was happening or why, the drill sergeants looked like monsters, and every individual became nothing but a number, a part of the crowd.
During World War II, Beckwith joined the Marines, where he received the Purple Heart for wounds in action in 1943. Considering a military career, he app...
...d their machine gun so that the barrel would point at him. The barrel got snagged on a limb and shot offset from Staff Sergeant Murphy. Staff Sergeant Murphy lobbed a two hand grenades on their position. The grenades killed four and wounded three. This action earned him a silver star. Days later he took a SCR436 radio and about 46 meters towards where the Germans were while they kept directing firing at him. 200 yards from the Germans location, he relayed firing orders to the artillery on the SCR436 radio he had. He remained in position alone for more than an hour directing his men in what they needed to do to complete the mission. When Staff Sergeant Murphy and his men finally took the kill there was around 15 Germans killed and along with that there was 35 injured. Because of his actions it earned him another Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster for his silver star.
Marine, you are going to risk your life and go in and get that Marine and
Introduction: The Infantry faces many different challenges when it comes to making the training realistic and valuable to keep our infantrymen ready to fight in today’s complex operating environment. The term “train as you fight” is not necessarily true when training in a garrison atmosphere. The doctrine or methods of training used by the conventional infantry are outdated and paralyzed with range limitations and unrealistic guidelines and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs). The infantryman is a master of his assigned weapon system, and the Army needs to do better at preparing our Soldiers for the battlefield. Marksmanship skills are essential for any unit conveyed to a wartime theater. This paper will examine the four significant army marksmanship
“The Unknown service member from the Vietnam War was designated by Medal of Honor recipient U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. Allan Jay Kellogg Jr. during a ceremony at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, May 17, 1984” (“The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier”). On Memorial Day of the same year, President Reagan presented the Medal of Honor to the Unknown.
The Army requires its members to adhere to prolonged training and learn specialized skills. From the moment a soldier transitions from the civilian sector into the Army, he is indoctrinated with training. Regardless of rank, the Army demands each soldier to be technically proficient and mentally competent in order to be qualified in a respective Military Occupation Specialty. As a soldier progresses in his military career, he is required to continue his education and training. Army leaders are expected and required to continue developing their skills through academic studies, operational experience, and institutional training. An opposing view argues that anyone can learn these skills; however, statistics show less than 0.5% of the population serves in the armed forces, indicating a soldier is a rare mix of intelligence and character.1 These lessons are necessary qualifications to achieve what General Martin Dempsey describes as “effectiveness rather than efficiency.”2 Much like the profession of medicine which must heal, the media which must provide truth, and law which must provide justice, the profession of arms must provide secur...
Exemplary performance has always attracted accolades and numerous prices; this gives morale and vigor for everyone to achieve their best. In the disciplined forces, particularly the marine, the service members always receive a major reward that elevates them in rank; this is the medal. This rewards them for their bravery and contribution in the missions they are involved in. Indeed, they contribute a lot to the peace and security of the world at large and they truly deserve these medals for recognition (Tucker, 2011). This has been a practice for the U.S. Marine to issue Corps medals since the Civil War to present day. Among the Corps Medal categories include American Defense Medal-WWII, Armed Forces Civilian Service Medal, Bronze Star Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, and Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal among others. Since the Civil War there have been over 120 U.S. Marine Corps Medals. This paper identifies Lieutenant General Lewis Burwell “Chesty” Puller and describes why he has been one of the most decorated marines in the history of the U.S.
James H. O’Neill, (14 March 2014) 2-15-2014) “George S. Patton”.wikipedia.org. Web.
Staff Sergeant (SSGT) Louis Moeller shaped me into the Recon Marine I wanted to be and the Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO) that I am now. By embodying the Recon Creed and always setting the example, he made me want to be an NCO that my troops would look up to and want to follow. Even when not in charge he was constantly the one peers and junior Marines alike, turned to for guidance and inspiration. To this day, I still find myself asking “What would Louis do?” when confronted with a leadership dilemma.
MacArthur, Douglas. “Duty, Honor, Country.” Sylvanus Thayer Award Acceptance. West Point, NY. 12 May, 1962.
This book substantially explains the vigorous training platoon 3086 went through in order to earn the title of being a Marine.
The plan should take the Soldier from enlistment to discharge or retirement. The plan begins with the transformation process during Basic Combat Training (BCT). It is here where the training plan begins to take shape in molding a civilian into a highly skilled and qualified Soldier prepared to contribute as a team member. It starts with the introduction of the Army way of life, to understand, accept, and live the Army seven values and Warrior Ethos. It must build upon character development, focus on strong leadership traits, and instill the core values of the Army. Weapons immersion; Soldiers must be comfortable and proficient with all of their assigned weapons, to include individual, crew-served and less-than-lethal weapon systems. Our Soldiers will be able to employ their weapons under any conditions, anywhere in the world to destroy our nation’s enemies. Lastly, the ultimate goal for BCT is to produce a well-disciplined and physically fit Soldier ready to take on the challenges and stresses of a complex