Commandant gets personal, outlines new goals at Quantico

[thedrifter]

Commandant gets personal, outlines new goals at Quantico

2nd Lt. Patrick Boyce

MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va.(Nov. 30, 2006) -- General James T. Conway, the 34th commandant of the Marine Corps, addressed all the officers aboard Quantico at Marine Corps University’s Ellis Hall Monday concerning his new vision for the Corps over the next four years.

Conway’s address was held at two separate times, one at 7:30 a.m. and one at 9:30 a.m., each address an hour in length, in order to accommodate all officers, GS-15s or equivalents and Senior Executive Service members, from both the east and the west side of base.

“You are doing a fabulous job!” Conway said to a packed audience and reemphasized that those Marines and sailors in combat are the Corps’ number one priority.

Conway talked to the audience for half an hour, and then allowed time for the audience members to voice their concerns or ask questions.

Conway outlined several key goals that are included in his planning guidance, which he wants commanders at all levels to review with Marines, sailors and civilians under their command.
“We won’t make changes simply for the sake of making changes,” Conway said.

Conway’s key points included achieving victory in the Long War and providing the nation a naval force that is fully prepared for employment as a Marine Air-Ground Task Force across a wide spectrum of conflict. This means that more training will emphasize combined arms actions and jungle warfare, to name a few, not only counter-insurgency, so that the Corps will be the most ready to counter any global threat, even at times when our nation is least ready.

“We need to be two-fisted,” Conway said about the need to avoid focusing on only one form of combat.

Mission accomplishment must be balanced with troop welfare too, Conway explained. Several other key points he elaborated on included right-sizing the Corps to achieve a 1:2 deployment-to-dwell ration to cut down on deployment stress and improving the quality of life for Marines and their families.

Conway also said in light of recent investigations into incidents at Haditha and Hamdania, the Corps needs to rededicate itself to its core values and warrior ethos so that Marines will be able to make proper ethical choices.

The commandant also outlined several uniform changes. To emphasize the Corps’ edict of “every Marine a rifleman” shooting badges will now be worn within the National Capital Region.
Conway said this will allow Marines to display their warrior mentality with a sense of pride.

Another modification will be the addition of the Dress Blue uniform into the sea-bag issue for Marines. Marines can now expect more use out of their Dress Blues and should also anticipate a new standardized physical training uniform as well.

Following Conway’s address the officers were given the opportunity to ask their new commandant a myriad of questions ranging from individual augmentee billets, the combat action ribbon and the possible effects that the recent election might have on the course of the war in Iraq.

Those who attended the briefing left Conway’s address after getting to know the commandant and his new directives a little more intimately.

For more information on the commandant’s planning guidance, visit Marine Online’s Web site.

Ellie