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thedrifter
02-08-03, 11:46 AM
How much time does it take to prepare for a wall locker inspection? How about to dust the springs of a rack for a field day inspection? Or to cut the loose threads off an ammo pouch for a junk on the bunk inspection? The answer: Too much! I heard that General Gray once said that if a Marine has time to spit shine his boots, then he has too much time. Getting ready for war is a full time job, and we need to rethink how we spend our most limited resource...time.
If a Marine were to walk across the grass (Heaven forbid) someone would surly yell at him; however, if the same Marine were to asked to explain the procedures to call for fire, and he didn't know, no one would care. What should we really be preaching to our Marines? And, when they go back to their barracks room at night, what do we want occupying their time? Do we want them slaving over a pair of boots, or do we want them to have their nose deep in their BST/EST?

What we do as leaders, and the amount of time we spend performing certain tasks, will shape our Marines. Spend a lot of time doing inspections, and you're going to have good-looking Marines. Spend a lot of time in the field simulating combat, and you're going to have Marines ready to fight and win a war. They are two very different things, and I think in peace time we're missing the boat. If your Marines have performed more field days last year than patrols, then you've done your Marines a great disservice.

As leaders, it's easier to only look at the surface of our Marines. Making sure Marines are inspection ready just requires inspection, after inspection, after inspection. To make sure Marines are combat ready you have to be creative, resourceful and vigilant. It requires more effort on our parts, more time, and a whole lot more energy.

I'm not saying we should be easy on our Marines. Not at all. I am saying we should allocate their time to that which would give them the best chance of surviving and being victorious in combat. If someone can make an argument on how dusting the springs of a rack, or trimming the loose threads off a canteen pouch for a J.O.B. makes a more combat ready Marine, I'm willing to hear it. If a task doesn't make a Marine more combat ready, then we need to reevaluate what we're doing. Part of the problem is our own conditioning. Marines are trained to be the best. Being a Marine means living life by different standards. Higher standards. The problem with doing your absolute best in everything is that you have to give everything equal attention. Unfortunately, not everything deserves equal attention. You have to have priorities.

It all boils down to this: If we go to war tomorrow, everything that you've done to prepare your Marines for combat was time well spent. Everything else was a waste of time that could have been spent preparing for that moment. Don't waste your Marines' time. Use it wisely.

Sempers,

Roger

FREDDY
02-08-03, 11:50 AM
amen bro man general grey what a man met him in panama big chest and all.

firstsgtmike
02-08-03, 02:18 PM
I could rewrite the Priorities post, and replace the references to inspections with references to learning how to march. What a waste of time, learning how to march.

When was the last time a Marine marched in a combat situation?

So who needs it?

Right?

MillRatUSMC
02-08-03, 02:26 PM
If the saying;
"You can delgate authority, but you can't delgate responsibility."
A leader must strike or balance between the two.
Train hard for combat, but also inspect to see that every man or woman is ready to deploy at a moment notice.
With his's/her's gear ready and able to function.
If any man/woman dies because their equipment/uniforms weren't up.
It's the sole responsibility of that unit commander.
And he/she will be held accountable.
In the 50's Regiments of the 1st Marine Division would try to out do each other.
The 5th Marines held annual 150 miles/5 days, with full combat gear, walk in the sun every summer.
It was named;
"The Boondocker Supreme".
The Regimental Commander want to know if all the battalions in his Regiment were ready physically and mentally to engage an enemy.
So there has to be a happy medimum of piorites.

Semper Fidelis
Ricardo

Earle Comstock
02-08-03, 02:39 PM
Now I look at this marching thing in a different way . I believe that the marching was to teach us to act as 1 . Always knowing what the man to the front , back , left , and right was going to do . That way , in combat your not worried about who had you covered .
Although I hated the grinder as much as the next guy , even the many , many humps we took together . You knew who you had to watch a little closer , and help out from time to time . And you knew the leaders were going to lead you in the right direction .
Just 1 Marines opinion .

lurchenstein
02-08-03, 02:58 PM
Seems you still need to maintain discipline & move troops on foot from one place to another (don't always have a ride). Close order drill is one way Von Steuben turned the Continental Army from a mob into a credible force (American Revolution). I believe it still applies.

Rob Parry
02-08-03, 03:10 PM
Everybody reckons 'it was better in my day', but maybe not so. I'm with Drifter. Our recruits go through thirty weeks of intense training. the amount of time allocated to drill for example, has been reduced and much more time spent on patrolling skills and field exercises. Skills that will help our Royal Marines when they need them. They still have discipline instilled, it's not necessary to scream in their ears, scare them or dominate them. Just teach the good things, make sure the lesson is learnt and progress made. We still produce the finest fighting troops, but with thought and consideration.
Speak softly, but carry a big stick!

firstsgtmike
02-08-03, 03:11 PM
Earle & lurchenstein,

Since we agree on the benefis of marchng and COD, can we also agree that there are lasting benefits to be found in inspections?

To include JOB's and other "chicken****" varieties?

lurchenstein
02-08-03, 03:41 PM
FIRST SGT: I agree that inspections are still necessary. If anything, I'd make the inspections informal (less ritual, more lets see the "real-time" condition of clothing & equipment).

Rob Parry: I agree with you about the need (unnecessary) to scream, scare & dominate; however, COD wasn't meant to be punishment (I understand it can be used to that affect).