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Marine For Life
Marine For Life: Once a Marine, Always a Marine!
Our Battalion CO once asked us what our "mission" as young Officers was? We all gave standard answers like prepare our units for combat, etc.. The CO then said, "You and every one of your Marines will get out of the Marine Corps at some point. Your ultimate mission is to make good citizens".
Many of your young Marines who are carrying the fight today are the people who are going to be running our businesses, industry and government tomorrow. Marine for life is one tool that you can use to assist you in making better American citizens.
Marine For Life provides assistance to Marines who leave active duty and return to civilian life. Our network—consisting of Marines, Marine veterans, mentors, businesses and civic and veterans' organizations—helps Marines make a smooth and successful transition to the community.
Marine For Life’s ultimate purpose is to maintain a mutually beneficial, lifelong relationship between the Marine Corps and Marines who leave the Corps. We help ensure that all honorably discharged Marines can remain a part of the Marine Corps family and benefit from our Marine-friendly network of support.
We help demonstrate that “Once a Marine, Always a Marine” is not just a slogan but an enduring and vital value that is at the heart of what it means to be a Marine.
Marine for Life connects Marines with Opportunity.
Robert Leckie, A Marine We Should Know
Robert Leckie is known to many Marines for his personal memoir Helmet for My Pillow
about his service as a Machine Gunner and Scout with the 1st Marine Division on Guadalcanal and other campaigns during WWII. Born in Philadelphia in 1920, Mr Leckie grew up in New Jersey. He began his writing career as a sports writer in Hackensack at the age of 16. Robert Leckie enlisted in the Marine Corps the day after Pearl Harbor and served in every major 1st Marine Division campaign during WWII except the battle of Okinawa.
Mr Leckie returned home following WWII and returned to work as a reporter for the AP, New York Journal American and the Star-Ledger among others. His best selling book Helmet for My Pillow was published in 1957. He is the author of over 40 books on American History.
Helmet for My Pillow
and With the Old Breed
by former Marine Eugene B. Sledge are the basis for The Pacific (HBO Miniseries)
about the 1st Marine Division during WWII. Resources for Marines by and about Robert Leckie
Robert Leckie on Wik (author)
Strong Men Armed: The United States Marines Against Japan
Okinawa: The Last Battle of World War II
Delivered from Evil: Saga of World War Two
The Wars of America
Few Acres of Snow: The Saga of the French and Indian Wars
The Battle for Iwo Jima
MARINES!
The March to Glory
The Pacific (HBO Miniseries)
Islands of Hell: The U.S. Marines in the Western Pacific, 1944-1945
Islands of Hell: The U.S. Marines in the Western Pacific, 1944-1945
By the summer of 1944 the tide had turned in the Pacific War against the Japanese. The war was not nearly over, however, and the U.S. Marines had their heaviest combat in front of them. Here for the first time is a detailed photographic history for the Fighting Leathernecks' fierce combat for the Marianas, Peleliu, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa. Illustrated with hundreds of never-before-published photographs and supplemented with full-color maps, Islands of Hell: The U.S. Marines in the Western Pacific, 1944-1945 is a historical and visual treat.
Eric Hammel is a critically acclaimed military historian and author of more than thirty combat and pictorial histories, including the extremely popular Iwo Jima: Portrait of a Battle
. He lives in Northern California.
Other books of interest by Eric Hammel for Marines
is a historical and visual treat. Eric Hammel is a critically acclaimed military historian and author of more than thirty combat and pictorial histories, including the extremely popular Iwo Jima: Portrait of a Battle
. He lives in Northern California. Other books of interest by Eric Hammel for Marines
Guadalcanal: The U.S. Marines in World War II: A Pictorial Tribute
Tarawa and the Marshalls: A Pictorial Tribute (U.S. Marines in World War II)
Bloody Tarawa: The 2d Marine Division, November 20-23, 1943
New Georgia, Bougainville, and Cape Gloucester: The U.S. Marines in World War II: A Pictorial Tribute
Marines in Hue City: A Portrait of Urban Combat, Tet 1968
Chosin: Heroic Ordeal of the Korean War
The Root: The Marines in Beirut,August 1982-February 1984
Khe Sanh: Siege in the Clouds, An Oral History
February 19th - 65th Anniversary - Battle of Iwo Jima
I’ve had the privilege of getting to know an Iwo Jima Veteran very well. These American’s did unbelievable things under the worst imaginable conditions for our Country, Corps and Navy (my friend was a Navy Corpsman with 28th Marines). Their modesty all these years is remarkable. As time goes by there are fewer and fewer WWII vets left. If you have friends that know nothing about Iwo Jima please take the time and encourage them to watch Flags of our Fathers and/or HBO’s the Pacific (next month).
"Among the Americans who served on Iwo Island, uncommon valor was a common virtue" Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, U.S. Navy
The Marine invasion of Iwo Jima (1st US attack on the Japanese Home Islands) began on February 19, 1945. It was known as Operation Detachment. The Marines were charged with the mission of capturing the airfields on the island which up until that time had harried U.S. bombing missions to Tokyo. Once the bases were secured, they could then be used in the impending invasion of the Japanese mainland.
B-24 Liberators flying from the Mariannas bombed the island for 74 days prior to the invasion. Naval ships consisting of 6 battleships, 5 cruisers and many destroyers of Task Force 54 provided a 3 day pre-landing bombardment. Intelligence sources estimated that the island would fall in a week's time. Unfortunately, no one knew at the time that island had been heavily fortified. There were vast bunkers, hidden artillery and 11 miles of interconnecting tunnels.
The battle produced some of the fiercest fighting in the Pacfic Campaign of WWII. Besides the fortifications, the inhospitable terrain consisting of volcanic ash made walking difficult and building foxholes for protection impossible. Night raids by the Japanese and hand-to-hand combat were common occurrences. The bunkers were connected to the tunnels in such a way that even after the use of flamethrowers and grenades, the Japanese soldiers were able to return to the bunkers and resume their fighting. The Marines literally won the 8 square mile island, inch by bloody inch.
Of the approximate 20,000 Japanese troops on the island, less than 1,000 were taken prisoner. Most Japanese fought to the death or chose ritual suicide instead of surrendering.
Of the 110,000 Marines and Navy Corpsman who took part in the battle, 6,821 were killed (this included over 300 Navy Corpsman) and 19,217 were wounded. The number of American casualties were greater than the total Allied casualties at the Battle of Normandy on D-Day.
On March 26, 1945, the island of Iwo Jima was declared secure ... 37 days after the battle began. Henceforth, Iwo Jima would appear on the list in Marine Corps history alongside such places as Belleau Woods, Chosin Reservoir and Guadacanal.
Twenty-seven Medal of Honor medals were awarded for actions during the battle. Of these, 14 were awarded posthumously. Marines earned 22 of the medals, Navy Corpsman earned 4 and a Naval officer from the USS LCI won the other. Of the total number of Medal of Honor medals awarded to Marines in WWII, 27% of those were awarded to the Marines who fought on Iwo Jima.
By their victory, the 3rd, 4th and 5th Marine Divisions and other units of the Fifth Amphibious Corps have made an accounting to their country which only history will be able to value fully.
"Among the Americans who served on Iwo Island, uncommon valor was a common virtue" Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, U.S. Navy
The Marine invasion of Iwo Jima (1st US attack on the Japanese Home Islands) began on February 19, 1945. It was known as Operation Detachment. The Marines were charged with the mission of capturing the airfields on the island which up until that time had harried U.S. bombing missions to Tokyo. Once the bases were secured, they could then be used in the impending invasion of the Japanese mainland.
B-24 Liberators flying from the Mariannas bombed the island for 74 days prior to the invasion. Naval ships consisting of 6 battleships, 5 cruisers and many destroyers of Task Force 54 provided a 3 day pre-landing bombardment. Intelligence sources estimated that the island would fall in a week's time. Unfortunately, no one knew at the time that island had been heavily fortified. There were vast bunkers, hidden artillery and 11 miles of interconnecting tunnels.
The battle produced some of the fiercest fighting in the Pacfic Campaign of WWII. Besides the fortifications, the inhospitable terrain consisting of volcanic ash made walking difficult and building foxholes for protection impossible. Night raids by the Japanese and hand-to-hand combat were common occurrences. The bunkers were connected to the tunnels in such a way that even after the use of flamethrowers and grenades, the Japanese soldiers were able to return to the bunkers and resume their fighting. The Marines literally won the 8 square mile island, inch by bloody inch.
Of the approximate 20,000 Japanese troops on the island, less than 1,000 were taken prisoner. Most Japanese fought to the death or chose ritual suicide instead of surrendering.
Of the 110,000 Marines and Navy Corpsman who took part in the battle, 6,821 were killed (this included over 300 Navy Corpsman) and 19,217 were wounded. The number of American casualties were greater than the total Allied casualties at the Battle of Normandy on D-Day.
On March 26, 1945, the island of Iwo Jima was declared secure ... 37 days after the battle began. Henceforth, Iwo Jima would appear on the list in Marine Corps history alongside such places as Belleau Woods, Chosin Reservoir and Guadacanal.
Twenty-seven Medal of Honor medals were awarded for actions during the battle. Of these, 14 were awarded posthumously. Marines earned 22 of the medals, Navy Corpsman earned 4 and a Naval officer from the USS LCI won the other. Of the total number of Medal of Honor medals awarded to Marines in WWII, 27% of those were awarded to the Marines who fought on Iwo Jima.
By their victory, the 3rd, 4th and 5th Marine Divisions and other units of the Fifth Amphibious Corps have made an accounting to their country which only history will be able to value fully.
Those we Lead
Every Marine Leader has an awesome responsibility to those he leads.
Whether you're a Corporal or Colonel you have an inherent duty to make sure your Marines and Sailors are prepared in every way and always put in the best possible position to win.
You owe them nothing less.
Whether you're a Corporal or Colonel you have an inherent duty to make sure your Marines and Sailors are prepared in every way and always put in the best possible position to win.
You owe them nothing less.
"A Warrior Culture"
Warriors First!
The below short recruiting video "A Path for Warriors" says almost everything that needs to be said about the Warrior Culture of the Marine Corps.
"Brilliance at the basics" at all levels.
The below short recruiting video "A Path for Warriors" says almost everything that needs to be said about the Warrior Culture of the Marine Corps.
"Brilliance at the basics" at all levels.
Look at things from a different angle
Have you ever noticed that really outstanding leaders have a knack for it? They seem to have a sixth sense and automatically know the right thing to do, the right thing to say and the right time to do or say it.
These great leaders are able to see around corners. They can anticipate the positive consequences of their actions, sometimes months away, and make small decisions that have lasting impact on their units. The great leaders get it right almost all of the time.
The Marine Corps has proven that individuals can be taught to be good and effective leaders. Some turn into great leaders, but for the most part the Marine Corps produces really good leaders. How could the Marine Corps produce more great leaders?
Lets say that the difference between good and great leadership is the knack, that sixth sense that gives a great leader the ability to anticipate well into the future. How then, does someone learn that sixth sense for leadership?
Hopefully you're still with me. I believe the sixth sense for leadership can be learned and that is boils down to learning how to look at everything involved with leadership and problem solving from a different angle.
Malcolm Gladwell is someone who looks at things from different angles and has written extensively on subjects that can benefit any leader. In his books Blink
, The Tipping Point
and the Outliers
he examines topics from an angle so different that it really makes you think. He uses examples in his books that Marines can easily relate and translate into their Marine Corps experiences.
After reading his books several times I've become a big fan of Gladwell and believe they have a lot to offer Marine Corps leaders. He takes a different approach in analyzing his topics. Gladwell has the ability to look at problems from a different angle. Marine leaders can learn much from his books and perhaps even more from the method he uses to approach his topics. Read between the lines in his books and learn to look at things from different angles.
Blink is about something Marines do everyday, making decisions. Gladwell examines why some people make inherently good decisions while others make inherently bad decisions. By looking at decision making from a different angle, Gladwell offers a window on how we can teach ourselves and our subordinates to make better decisions.
The Tipping Point is about making effective change. Gladwell uses specific examples to illustrate that we can make effective and lasting change through minimum use of resources and/or disruption. It isn't always about adding more people or money to a solve problem, it is about finding the critical vulnerability, or Tipping point. Find the one or two dominoes that will knock the others down and you've solved your problem forever.
Outliers is about training to be the best. Again Gladwell looks at this issue from a different angle. Gladwell disproves the overnight success story. One becomes the very best in his field through training and practice. 10,000 hours of training according to Gladwell. You may not be able to get 10,000 hours of training, but the more you can put yourself in a position to lead and make decisions, the better you and you're Marines will become. Put yourself and your Marines in a position to make decisions and see what happens.
I've attached a couple of videos of Gladwell speaking about his books. Granted he isn't the typical person a Marine might gravitate to, but get over that and listen to what he has to say. It might be worth your while.
These great leaders are able to see around corners. They can anticipate the positive consequences of their actions, sometimes months away, and make small decisions that have lasting impact on their units. The great leaders get it right almost all of the time.
The Marine Corps has proven that individuals can be taught to be good and effective leaders. Some turn into great leaders, but for the most part the Marine Corps produces really good leaders. How could the Marine Corps produce more great leaders?
Lets say that the difference between good and great leadership is the knack, that sixth sense that gives a great leader the ability to anticipate well into the future. How then, does someone learn that sixth sense for leadership?
Hopefully you're still with me. I believe the sixth sense for leadership can be learned and that is boils down to learning how to look at everything involved with leadership and problem solving from a different angle.
Malcolm Gladwell is someone who looks at things from different angles and has written extensively on subjects that can benefit any leader. In his books Blink
, The Tipping Point and the Outliers he examines topics from an angle so different that it really makes you think. He uses examples in his books that Marines can easily relate and translate into their Marine Corps experiences.After reading his books several times I've become a big fan of Gladwell and believe they have a lot to offer Marine Corps leaders. He takes a different approach in analyzing his topics. Gladwell has the ability to look at problems from a different angle. Marine leaders can learn much from his books and perhaps even more from the method he uses to approach his topics. Read between the lines in his books and learn to look at things from different angles.
Blink
is about something Marines do everyday, making decisions. Gladwell examines why some people make inherently good decisions while others make inherently bad decisions. By looking at decision making from a different angle, Gladwell offers a window on how we can teach ourselves and our subordinates to make better decisions. The Tipping Point
is about making effective change. Gladwell uses specific examples to illustrate that we can make effective and lasting change through minimum use of resources and/or disruption. It isn't always about adding more people or money to a solve problem, it is about finding the critical vulnerability, or Tipping point. Find the one or two dominoes that will knock the others down and you've solved your problem forever.Outliers
is about training to be the best. Again Gladwell looks at this issue from a different angle. Gladwell disproves the overnight success story. One becomes the very best in his field through training and practice. 10,000 hours of training according to Gladwell. You may not be able to get 10,000 hours of training, but the more you can put yourself in a position to lead and make decisions, the better you and you're Marines will become. Put yourself and your Marines in a position to make decisions and see what happens.I've attached a couple of videos of Gladwell speaking about his books. Granted he isn't the typical person a Marine might gravitate to, but get over that and listen to what he has to say. It might be worth your while.
Noble Warrior: The Life and Times of Maj. Gen. James E. Livingston, USMC (Ret.), Medal of Honor
Noble Warrior: The Life and Times of Maj. Gen. James E. Livingston, USMC (Ret.), Medal of Honor
Major General James E. Livingston received the Congressional Medal of Honor for his role as an infantry company commander at Dai Do, Vietnam, during a three-day grinding battle of attrition in which the 2nd Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, numbering only 800 men, victoriously battled 10,000 or more NVA. His remarkable life and career is recounted in a book that has it all: exciting first-person eyewitness account of historic battle; the history of the development of tactics and strategies used in today’s war on terror; and a compelling story of leadership in action and individual courage in combat.
Major General James E. Livingston retired from the United States Marine Corps following more than thirty years of active duty service. He and his wife, Sara, live in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. Professor Colin D. Heaton served in the U.S. Army and later in the Marine Corps under Livingston's command as a scout sniper. He teaches history at American Military University. Colin lives in Southport, North Carolina. Anne-Marie Lewis is currently a graduate student in International Relations at American Military University. Anne-Marie lives in Southport, North Carolina.
Resources
Noble Warrior: The Life and Times of Maj. Gen. James E. Livingston, USMC (Ret.), Medal of Honor
The Magnificent Bastards: The Joint Army-Marine Defense of Dong Ha, 1968
Medal of Honor: Portraits of Valor Beyond the Call of Duty
United States Marine Corps Medal Of Honor Recipients: A Comprehensive Registry, Including U.s. Navy
Negative Leadership = Negative Results
If you've ever been in a unit where the commander sucks the life out of everyone below him, you know that negative leadership never works. You had to hit the snooze button a few times in order to get out of the rack and head to work. I've been in a few units where we all found ourselves wishing we were somewhere else. The only thing I took away from those experiences was what not to do. Not much worth copying, but I could fill a book with what not to do.
Your commander was what is referred to as an Authoritarian Leader. He wasn't authoritarian some of the time, he was authoritarian all of the time. He probably used threats, was abusive, pitted Marines against each other and maybe even relieved a few people to make the point that he was in charge.
In my opinion Authoritarian Leaders fall into three categories. They are either lazy, insecure or incompetent. In any case they are almost always bullies. They are successful in the short term, but never successful in the long term. Ultimately esprit de corps is eroded to the point where loyalty and trust are replaced with fear and infighting. An Authoritarian leader almost always holds his subordinates to a higher standard than he does himself. He'll make mistakes, but turn around and crush his Marines when they make mistakes.
Leadership takes time, energy and effort. It takes none of those to say "Do it my way or the highway". Authoritarian Leaders are usually blinded by their short term success and fail to see the long term negative impact they have on their own unit.
Below are just a few leadership indicators and how they're impacted by negative leadership.
Initiative: One sign of a good unit is Marines doing things without being told. If the boss is going to be critical of me every time I do something that isn't right in his eyes, I'm going to get the picture real quick. I'll get tired of getting chewed out and soon realize that I can't get chewed out if I don't do anything. As others start to do the same thing (why would they want to get chewed out) the lack initiative starts to have a collective negative impact throughout the unit. Think of how great things would be if everyone in a unit had great initiative. The impact is the complete opposite.
Trust: Trust is always a two way street. If you can't trust your subordinates to do the job, how are they ever going to trust you? By its very nature negative leadership erodes trust and replaces it with fear. Marines are fearful making mistakes or of losing their jobs/careers.
Mentorship: Part of any leaders inherent responsibility is to mentor his subordinates. Getting your NCOs ready to be Platoon Sgts, your Lts ready to be Company Commanders etc.. The leadership example a negative leader sets is one that his young Marines are likely to follow. If they know nothing else, they are likely to emulate the negative traits shown by their leader when they are given positions of more responsibility.
Teamwork: During a MEU critique several years ago one of the MEU staff officers was getting a really hard time from the CO. It was the norm from this commander. We were all sitting quietly thinking to ourselves "I'm glad it isn't me" when the staff officer blurted out something like "It isn't my fault, the BN screwed that up" as he pointed to his BN counterpart sitting with us. He threw one of our guys under the bus just to get the CO off his back and it worked. The CO got completely off track and went after our guy for the next 10 minutes. The environment on that staff was to blame anyone and everyone to get the CO off their back. Forget teamwork among the staff and with their subordinate units, it was every Marine for himself.
Communication: Negative leaders stifle two way communication. Subordinates become inclined to tell negative leaders what they want to hear, instead of what they need to hear. Leaders need honest opinions and feedback in order to make good decisions.
I've never seen, or heard, of one good unit that had a Negative Leader. In every case the unit could have been much better had the leader taken the time, energy and effort to show positive leadership and we all knew it.
Thoughts? Leave a comment below.