Every
day, sergeants shoulder the responsibility of leading and improving their
junior Marines. One way sergeants improve themselves as the backbone of the
Corps is through Sergeants Course.
I graduated from Sergeants Course Class 4-12 at
Staff Noncommissioned Officers Academy aboard Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton
June 12, 2012. After my time spent attending the course, I now believe it is
crucial for all sergeants to attend and not just to be professional military
education complete. It’s crucial for the simple fact that like a doctor or
lawyer spends years perfecting their trade, sergeants must study in a
structured environment to cultivate learning to benefit future leathernecks.
For roughly seven weeks, more than 100 sergeants and
I studied and learned a range of subjects, including military history,
counseling, administrative procedures and combat operations.
The diverse groups of sergeants provided fresh perspectives and new ways to handle tasks and duties, whether it be conducting physical training or counseling Marines. Often during class, sergeants would voice their opinions and share their experiences.
The
class was divided into six platoons, each led by a staff sergeant serving as a
faculty advisor, or FA, the equivalent of a teacher or instructor. Their
primary responsibilities primarily were teaching classes and guided discussions
on issues all noncommissioned officers face.
Each day began with physical training led by the
staff or the students. A majority of the PT sessions involved running, and
strength training. Concluding PT, we received our lessons from FA’s inside an
auditorium or as platoons in classrooms.
We often did homework, writing essays on the Corps
valiant NCO’s, reading course books late into the night and answering scenario
based questions. All these assignments covered combat leadership, integrity and
mentoring subordinates. Infantry Marines who are used to making fire-plan
sketches and creating patrol orders will be familiar with this curriculum to an
extent. The essay writing I found straightforward, mainly due my background as
a combat correspondent.
“A
lot of Marines tend to forget basic knowledge,” said Staff Sgt. Luis Figueroa,
faculty advisor of 2nd Platoon, Sergeants Course, SNCOA Camp Pendleton. “Even though you may be a combat engineer,
you are ultimately still a Marine and that entails a lot of things: from the
traditions that we have to the basic skills, from performing drill to knowing
how to disassemble a M240B, land navigation to learning how to write up awards.
Those are things that pertain to every occupation. Not just a specific one.
Eventually you will have to touch an aspect of what we teach here.”
The course had to cover all the basics. Many of us
needed to be educated on combat fundamentals regardless of our MOS. I, being a
non-infantry Marine, really benefited from the infantry-based training.
Creating patrol orders, learning how to call for fire and leading a patrol
served as sobering reminders of the responsibilities sergeants face in war.
The education not only benefits us but also the
academy, with many sergeants providing insight on their own experiences during
class.
“Every cycle,
it doesn’t matter what your rank is, knowledge knows no rank,” said Figueroa.
“A [NCO] can teach a [SNCO] something new and vice versa. Every cycle I learn
something new whether it is Military Occupational Specialty related or just
Marine Corps knowledge in general. Just because you are a sergeant doesn’t mean
you can’t teach me something new, just as sergeants learn from their peers.”
In addition to FA led classes, we also had visiting
civilian professionals give us lessons on nutrition, Tricare, the base
counseling center, and many others. The information presented to us came with a
two-fold purpose. The information is for our benefit and for us to take the
information and impart it onto our Marines. This will empower the junior
Marines to get help where they need it.
We learned about time honored traditions such as
Mess Night, an evening dinner with set customs and courtesies. There were some
sergeants who had never been part of a formal Mess Night. We convened our own
Mess Night, practicing how to toast, behave and follow more than 70 years of
tradition. It was a fun time, something that reminded me of how we all have a
big role in passing on those customs.
Near the end of the course, we were tested on our
warfighting knowledge with a culminating event. One day of patrolling combined
with battlefield scenarios tested platoons of 20 Marines individually and
collectively.
“I whole heartedly believe our
sergeants are among the best in the world,” said Sgt. Maj. Walter C. Baldwin,
director of SNCOA Camp Pendleton and Marine of 29 years. “Marines hold
themselves to a different standard. We offer the challenge, ‘Can you become one
of us?’ We aggressively seek that person wanting a challenge. In general,
Marines are coming in better educated than they used to. We are making a better
educated force, mainly because we’ve increased our standards. This course
creates a better rounded Marine returning to their unit.”
We attended Sergeants Course with
our own reasons. Some came to fill a check in the box. Others came to seek
information never before taught to them. One constant for all of us is that we
return to our respective units armed with resources and a wealth of knowledge
to utilize.
“It’s a relief to graduate,” said Sgt. Nick Reineke,
a Sergeants Course student with 1st Platoon, Class 4-12. “I learned so much
about the Performance Evaluation System, promotion and small details some
leaders might forget to hit. It’s good for every sergeant, especially early in
their grade. Basically because it gives you the tools to perform as a sergeant
right away, instead of learning slowly as years go by.”
What will happen as the Marine Corps
shifts their focus from fighting in Afghanistan
“Sergeants Course will have more required reading,
articles and peer discussion among themselves,” said Baldwin
We sergeants now serve in a climate not experienced
since our brothers returned from Vietnam
I believe the role as backbone sums up the NCO and
especially the sergeant. Like a spine, we must be flexible enough to stay
mobile, rigid enough to remain unwavering, straight and upright to support the
requirements of those above and never fail the needs of those below as
sergeants of Marines.
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