Recruiting the Strategic Corporal in the 21st Century (Through the Year 2010)

Abstract

Based upon the maneuver warfare philosophy, Marine Corps command and control doctrine, and military operations other than war, the success of the Marine Corps' mission in the 21st century will depend upon the decisions of small unit leaders who are noncommissioned officers. These decisions will have strategic consequences, hence the term, "Strategic Corporal." According to General Krulak, the roles and missions of the Strategic Corporal are envisioned to grow analogous to that of a second lieutenant 30 years ago. Recruiting an ample number of mature men/women of good judgment and strong character equal to their immense level of responsibility will be the Marine Corps' greatest challenge in the 21st century. Prior to the inception of the all-volunteer force (AVF), the Marine Corps failed to acknowledge significant political, cultural, and social forces adversely shaping the recruiting environment. This neglect, and the failure to establish a strategic plan to successfully recruit, nearly led to the Marine Corps' demise in the early 1970s. The Marine Corps rebounded from the crisis of the 1970s through the determined leadership of Generals Chapman, Wilson, and Barrow. By revolutionizing the manner in which it recruited, while remaining true to its ethos, the Marine Corps incrementally transformed itself from the brink of extinction to the virtuous fighting force of Operations Desert Storm and Restore Hope. Since June, 1995, the Marine Corps has successfully recruited due to the noble leadership of General Mundy and the bold vision of General Krulak; however, it is imperative that the Marine Corps closely examine the political, social, economic, and demographic challenges adversely shaping the recruiting environment of the 21st century. It is recommended that the Marine Corps establish a strategic plan through 2010, based upon the 10 proposals provided throughout this paper, to successfully recruit the Strategic Corporal of the 21st century.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 01, 1999
Accession Number
ADA514644

Entities

People

  • R. D. Coleman Jr.

Organizations

  • Marine Corps War College

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • C4I
  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Human Systems
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Business Administration
  • Demographic Cohorts
  • Demography
  • Employment
  • Enlisted Personnel
  • Ethnic Groups
  • Human Population
  • Instructors
  • Management Personnel
  • Minority Groups
  • National Security
  • Organizational Structure
  • Personnel Management
  • Recruiting
  • Students
  • Urban Areas
  • War Colleges

Readers

  • Maritime Combat Support and Expeditionary Logistics.
  • Military History of the United States in the 20th Century.
  • Naval Personnel Management

Technology Areas

  • Fully Networked C3
  • Fully Networked C3 - Command and Control