Educators’ Workshop
Weekly Update #234 7/14/2024 to 7/20/2024
Rolling in at 3 a.m. tired, sore, and hungry is the perfect conclusion to last week serving as mayor of the best small town in America.
Many hours before sunrise on Monday I headed out the door to participate in a Marine Corps Educators’ Workshop in San Diego. After meeting recruiting officer Gunnery Sergeant Dooling at an event earlier this year he encouraged me to participate in the workshop and learn more about the Marine Corps and join educators and community leaders from around the region to see, hear, and feel a tiny fraction of what a new recruit goes through on the way to becoming a United States Marine. Thanks, Gunny, for the encouragement and the great opportunity to get to know you and many of your fellow Marines over the course of the week.
Tuesday morning our group rolled onto Marine Corps Recruitment Depot (MCRD) San Diego where a team of Drill Instructors, who had just finished a big bowl of R. Lee Ermey flakes, hustled us through the first few steps of any new recruit's journey to being called a United States Marine. The session was followed by a chance for the instructors to take off their hats and share a very informative question and answer session with our group. Over the course of the week we received several educational briefs on various topics, but for now I want to talk about our Combat Fitness Test. While I didn’t pass I did better than I expected with no conditioning related to it beforehand.
The following morning we had a chance to watch as recruits finished up the 54-hour Crucible and were given the Eagle, Globe, and Anchor for the first time and called a Marine before the warrior breakfast. As we ate with them we had a chance to learn their stories of why they chose the Marine Corps and where they came from. They spoke of some of the challenges of the last 54 hours and discussed what it was like to be recruits working towards that moment. While some of the physical activities over the week were fun, I found sessions like this to be the most informative and touching.
Thursday we visited Marine Corps Air Station Miramar and learned about several of the aircraft they use during operations. One piece that stuck with me was the hell hole on the CH35 helicopter and the thought of dropping via rope from it. Later in the day, I learned to tie a harness with a rope and dropped from a hell hole on a 60’ fixed tower stepping off the platform and lowering myself quickly to the ground below.
Trying to fit everything into one weekly update is impossible, but after I met with Brigadier General Ryans I knew that I wanted to talk about the expectation of growth that the Marine Corps places on its members. From tuition assistance for active service members that allow them to use up to $4500 annually on furthering their education to the Post 9/11 GI Bill that they can use for themselves or pass along to their children later, you could see they value team members improving themselves. WIth over 300 career disciplines the options are numerous for a young person who hasn’t decided what they wish to do yet. Take the MCRD’s three part purpose for example. We make Marines. We win our nation’s battles. We develop quality citizens. Even when the Marine Corps may not be your retirement plan they still want to help develop you into a quality citizen for when you do separate from service. Today, I will leave you with a quote from General James Mattis, "The most important six inches on the battlefield is between your ears."