The Marine Corps Counseling Program: Useless without Accountability
Abstract
Marine Corp Doctrinal Publication 1 (MCDP 1), "Warfighting," describes modern warfare as fluid, filled with friction, uncertainty, disorder and complexity, and as "one of the most demanding and trying of human endeavors." To achieve success in this demanding environment, the Marine Corps looks to its leaders to take action, make decisions, and guide their units to accomplish assigned missions. To achieve its maximum potential for success, the Marine Corps needs to make the maximum investment in its leaders. A key part of that investment is the development of Marine Corps company grade officers. Fresh to the unique requirements and demands of military leadership, lieutenants and captains alike need constructive and detailed counseling to assist them in reaching their maximum potential as leaders and war fighters. The current system relies totally on the discretion of individual commanders to perform counseling as directed. However, the current Marine Corps policies and directives fail to ensure consistent and uniform counseling and professional development of the Corps junior officer by not providing a quantifiable and inspectable process that holds commanders responsible for properly conducting this counseling. To ensure that all Marine Corps junior officers receive standardized and objective professional counseling that will assist them in realizing their full leadership potential, the Marine Corps should establish quantifiable counseling requirements and monitor their implementation.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Feb 07, 2005
- Accession Number
- ADA507213
Entities
People
- Roy H. Ezell
Organizations
- Marine Corps University