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at Belleau Wood as Teufelhunden, that led to the nickname Devil

Dogs, which remains in use today.18

Every Marine knows the birth date of the Corps. November 10th is

a day of celebration and reflection for all Marines in and out of

uniform. For some, the day is celebrated with a special meal, the

cutting of a cake, and the reading of Major General Lejeune’s message as part of a birthday ball. For others, the day is marked with

the cutting of an MRE pound cake with a Ka-Bar fighting knife

during a lull in the action. And for still others, it’s phone calls to

former squad mates to wish them “Happy Birthday, Marine.”

Marines in Korea celebrate the Marine Corps 176th birthday.

On a shell-scarred ridge in eastern Korea, battle weary veterans of the

1st Marine Division take time out to cut the cake celebrating their

176th birthday on 10 November. No cake knife being available, the

Leathernecks fell back on the trusty bayonet to slice the ceremonial

cake. Complete with frosting and the Marine Corps emblem, cakes were

delivered to every Leatherneck unit in Korea on the historic occasion.
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Among the five Armed Services of our Nation, four have Service

songs; only the Marine Corps has a hymn. Long before it became

fashionable to stand for all Service songs, Marines always stood

when the hymn was played. To this day, while others stand with

cheers and applause to their Service song, Marines stand quietly,

unwaveringly at attention, as the hymn of their Corps is played.

There is a physical and emotional reaction as the Marines’ Hymn

is played or sung—the back straightens, the chest swells, shoulders move rearward, and a tingle runs along a Marine’s spine—

because Marines are different.

A moment in time at the Chosin Reservoir is a testament to the

power of the Marines’ Hymn. “The 1st Marine Division, fighting

its way back from the Chosin Reservoir in December 1950, was

embattled amid the snows from the moment the column struck its

camp at Hagaru [sic]. By midnight, after heavy loss through the

day, it had bivouacked at Kotori [sic], still surrounded, still far

from the sea. [The commanding general] was alone in his tent. It

was his [worst] moment. The task ahead seemed hopeless. Suddenly he heard music. Outside some [Marines, on their way to a

warming tent] were singing the Marines’ Hymn. ‘All doubt left

me,’ said [the general]. ‘I knew then we had it made.’”19

Our uniforms are also rich in history and tradition. Marine officers

still carry the Mameluke sword, which the governor of Derna, Tripoli presented to Lieutenant Presley O’Bannon in 1805. Our NCOs

carry the next oldest weapon in our inventory, the Marine Corps

noncommissioned officer’s sword, which dates back to 1850. Of

course, there is no more distinctive uniform than Dress Blues.
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From the quatrefoil on the

officer’s cover to the eagle,

globe, and anchor on the collar

to the blood stripes on the

trousers, Dress Blues are

steeped in history. It is not just

the uniforms themselves that

set Marines apart; it is the

proud and disciplined manner

in which we wear them. Commandant L. F. Chapman

received a letter from a friend

of the Corps; the letter

described, as well as anyone

could, the importance Marines

place on their uniform and in

setting the example:

Recently I was in an air terminal. Most military people there

presented a pretty sloppy appearance—coats unbuttoned,

ties loosened, etc. There was a Marine corporal in uniform

who was just the opposite. I spoke to the Marine and

pointed out the difference to him. I asked him why it was so.

His answer was: “The Marines don’t do that.”20 

Whether it is our language, birthday, hymn, or uniform, Marine

Corps traditions run deep. They are an integral part of who we are.

Knowing who we are and what we represent is essential to understanding how we lead Marines. 
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Chapter 2

Foundations of Leadership

Leaders must have a strong sense of the great responsibility

of their office; the resources they will expend in war are

human lives.1

—MCDP 1, Warfighting
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The following excerpt from Marine Corps Order No. 29, published 14 August 1920, applies to all Marine Corps leaders and

remains true today. It also provides an excellent framework to

describe Marine Corps leadership.

Young Marines respond quickly and readily to the exhibition

of qualities of leadership on the part of their officers. Each

officer must endeavor by all means in his power to develop

within himself those qualities of leadership, including industry, justice, self-control, unselfishness, honor, and courage,

which will fit him to be a real leader of men and which will

aid in establishing the relationship described below. . . .

. . . The relation between officers and enlisted men should in

no sense be that of superior and inferior nor that of master

and servant, but rather that of teacher and scholar. In fact, it

should partake of the nature of the relation between father

and son, to the extent that officers, especially commanders,

are responsible for the physical, mental, and moral welfare,

as well as the discipline and military training of the men

under their command who are serving the Nation in the

Marine Corps. . . .The provisions of the above apply generally to the relationships of non-commissioned officers with

their subordinates and apply specifically to non-commissioned officers who may be exercising command authority.2

–Major General John A. Lejeune
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THE RELATIONSHIP 

BETWEEN LEADERS AND THEIR MARINES

Take a moment to reflect on how Major General Lejeune

describes the relationship between leaders and their Marines. Just

like a parent, Marine leaders “are responsible for the physical,

mental, and moral welfare”3 of those in their charge. They are justifiably proud when their Marines succeed and they help them up

when they fall short. This type of relationship requires Marine

Corps leaders to engage their Marines. Leaders care for and know

their Marines. They sacrifice for those in their charge, which is

why leaders take care of their Marines’ needs before their own.

Observe an act as basic as hot chow being served in the field and

you’ll see the junior Marines eating first, followed by the NCOs,

SNCOs, and finally the officers. Marine leaders take care of their

Marines’ physical, mental, and spiritual needs. They also care

about the well-being and professional and personal development

of their Marines. The leaders’ responsibilities extend to the families as well. Additionally, leaders know their Marines: where

they’re from, their upbringing, what’s going on in their lives,

their goals in life, their strengths, and their weaknesses. 

Leaders of Marines assume an awesome responsibility that

requires preparation. First, leaders must be of good character as

defined by our core values and leadership traits. Second, leaders

must learn and understand how to lead by applying the leadership

principles. Third, leaders learn through experience—both their

own experiences and the lessons learned from the experiences of

those who came before.
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LEADERSHIP TRAITS

Effective Marine Corps leaders possess certain character traits.

Developing character begins in boot camp and basic officer training and continues throughout a Marine’s career. The development

of Marine Corps leaders builds upon our core values with 14 timetested leadership traits. Memorizing the leadership traits using the

memory aid JJ DID TIE BUCKLE is just the beginning. Good

leaders develop and sustain these traits in themselves and their

Marines, and these traits bear directly on the quality of our leadership. Each trait is important, and the lack of development in one or

more of the traits makes for imbalanced and ineffective leaders. 

Leaders who possess the trait of justice gain the trust and respect

of subordinates by displaying fairness and impartiality. Leaders

display judgment by making sound decisions. Dependable leaders

can be counted on to carry out an assigned task. Leaders show initiative by adapting when the situation changes. Decisive leaders

give orders clearly, forcefully, and promptly. Tactful leaders treat

everyone with respect and courtesy and possess the ability to handle difficult situations with respect and decorum. Leaders embody

integrity by being truthful and honest. Leaders build enthusiasm

by displaying exuberance in the performance of their duties.

Marines with good bearing look, talk, and act like leaders. Unselfish leaders take care of their Marines first. Courageous leaders do

what is right despite physical danger or potential criticism.

Knowledgeable leaders are technically and tactically proficient.

Loyal leaders, guided by Marine Corps core values, are faithful to

their Country, Corps, unit, seniors, peers, and subordinates. 
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Finally, leaders who possess both the physical and mental stamina

to withstand pain, fatigue, stress, and hardship will endure.

Embodiment of these traits allows Marines to lead with honor

under trying circumstances.
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LEADERSHIP PRINCIPLES

Good character is not enough to lead Marines. Men and women

of character must learn how to lead. In addition to character,

Marine leaders are guided by 11 leadership principles. They are

generally self-explanatory; however, to truly understand these

Marine Corps Leadership Principles

Be technically and tactically proficient

Know yourself and seek self-improvement

Know your Marines and look out for their welfare

Keep your Marines informed

Set the example

Ensure the task is understood, supervised, and accomplished

Train your Marines as a team

Make sound and timely decisions

Develop a sense of responsibility among your subordinates

Employ your unit in accordance with its capabilities

Seek responsibility and take responsibility for your actions
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principles, leaders should discuss them through the use of ethical

and tactical decision exercises, vignettes, and sea stories. Once

understood, effective leaders apply the principles. 

MORALE

Morale is the natural result of a Marine’s confidence in himself,

his fellow Marines, and his leaders. Major General Lejeune

wrote, “Morale is three-fold—physical, mental or professional,

and spiritual.”4 Leaders instill this confidence by developing the

physical, mental, and spiritual readiness of their Marines along

with the esprit de corps of their unit. 

The goal of physical readiness is to develop the strength and

endurance necessary to prevail in combat. Leaders must ensure

their Marines are functionally fit to carry out their duties whether

they are carrying heavy loads over rugged terrain, lifting artillery

shells, loading bombs on aircraft, or stacking supplies on a truck.

Strength alone is not enough. Marines must develop the endurance to perform these tasks over and over again with little sleep

and in the extreme heat of tropics or the brutal cold of the mountains. Marines who are not up to the physical challenge become a

burden on their fellow Marines. 

The relationship between physical and mental endurance is well

known. There are countless examples of Marines continuing

beyond the point of physical exhaustion because they had the

mental will to persevere. Many close battles have been lost when
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a commander concludes that he is defeated; those who persevere,

win. Anxiety and fear of the unknown are the enemies of mental

readiness. Leaders can combat these psychological enemies by

keeping their Marines informed. The mind deals better with the

known, no matter how horrible, than with the unknown. Mental

readiness also includes the ability to make sound, timely decisions despite being tired, hungry, or afraid. Professional education and reading combined with stressful, realistic training are

critical to building the mental experience that leaders can use to

recognize patterns, see similarities between experience and new

situations, and make rapid decisions in ambiguous situations. 

The third component of morale is spiritual readiness, which is

the resilience to meet the demands of Marine Corps service and

the harsh reality of combat. Every man and woman possesses a

spiritual reservoir. It is from this reservoir that we draw strength

in the face of difficulty. In combat, Marines face privation,

uncertainty, fear, and death. Outside of combat, Marines also

face personal stressors, often compounded by deployments and

family separation. Marines must replenish their spiritual reservoir from time to time, because when the reservoir runs dry,

Marines break. That is the point where Marines freeze up, withdraw, become apathetic, and feel hopeless. Marine leaders must

watch their Marines for signs of spiritual depletion and ensure

they replenish their reservoir. Lieutenant Colonel Dave Grossman

referred to it this way: 

One key characteristic of a great military leader is an ability

to draw from the tremendous depths of fortitude within his
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own well, and in doing so he is fortifying his own men by

permitting them to draw from his well. Many writers have

recorded this process as being at work in the combat situations they observed. Lord Moran noted that “a few men had

the stuff of leadership in them, they were like rafts to which

all the rest of humanity clung for support and hope.” Victory and success in battle also replenish individual and collective wells.5

Realistic training and frank discussions prepare Marines for the

stress of combat and strengthen their emotional shock absorbers.

The Commanding Officer, 3d Battalion, 5th Marines, Lieutenant

Colonel Patrick J. Malay, understood the importance of realistic

training. In preparation for his battalion’s return to Iraq, he partnered with a local movie studio to provide his Marines with realistic training consisting of the use of authentic role players,

special effects mimicking the dust and noise of explosions,

blood packs on amputees, and the physical sting of simunitions.

This immersive, realistic, and stressful training conditioned the

men of 3d Battalion, 5th Marines to the stressors of combat and

contributed to their success during the Battle for Fallujah in

November 2004.

Major General Lejeune wrote that “Esprit de corps and morale

are kindred subjects.”6

 As leaders develop the individual

Marine’s physical, mental, and spiritual components of morale,

leaders must also develop the unit’s esprit de corps—the common

spirit that bonds all members of a unit. Leaders develop this sense

of camaraderie and purpose by instilling in their Marines a deep
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regard for the unit’s history, traditions, and honor. Esprit de corps

expresses the unit’s will to fight and win in spite of seemingly

insurmountable odds. This unit esprit and fighting spirit were

demonstrated by the 1st Marine Division during November and

December 1950.

Surrounded and under tremendous pressure in the Chosin

Reservoir area, the Division was ordered to withdraw,

which began the epic battle against the bulk of the Chinese

Third Route Army. The Division gallantly fought its way

successively to Hagaru-ri, Koto-ri, Chinhung-ni, and Hamhung over twisting, mountainous, and icy roads in subzero

temperatures. The Marines battled desperately night and

day in the face of almost insurmountable odds throughout a

period of two weeks of intense and sustained combat. The

1st Marine Division, Reinforced, defeated seven enemy

divisions, together with elements of three others, inflicting

major losses which seriously impaired the military effectiveness of the hostile forces for a considerable period of

time. What is truly impressive is the Division emerged from

its ordeal as a fighting unit, bringing out its wounded, its

guns and equipment, and its prisoners.7 One observer from

President Truman’s White House, an Army major general,

reported that “. . . the Marine Corps was everything it

claimed as a force in readiness. ‘The First Marine Division

is the most efficient and courageous combat unit I have ever

seen or heard of.’”8
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DISCIPLINE

Marine Corps discipline is the state of order and obedience resulting from training. Discipline is not a collection of regulations,

punishments, or a state of subservience. It is not blind obedience.

Discipline is the execution of orders resulting from intelligent,

willing obedience rather than obedience based solely upon habit

Nothing stops the Marines as they march south from Koto-ri, fighting their way

through Chinese Communist hordes in subzero weather of the mountains.

Despite their ordeal, these men hold their heads high.
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or fear. Good leaders know that intelligent and willing obedience

to orders often depends on Marines understanding the “why” of

those orders. That is not to say that leaders always have the luxury of time to explain the intent to their Marines. When time permits, however, it is always prudent to explain the purpose of an

order, because when Marines know why they are doing something, they are more committed and can adapt to changing circumstances. Habit also plays a part in discipline, which is why

training includes immediate action drills, close order drill, and

gun drills. Additionally, punishment for breaches of discipline is

sometimes necessary, but only when good order and discipline

demand it. 

Leaders are responsible for the discipline necessary to produce

orderly, coordinated action, which triumphs over the fear, fog,

and friction of battle. Well-disciplined units perform well in

combat. Conversely, poorly disciplined units suffer in combat.

The experience of Colonel John Ripley in Vietnam illustrated

that “really bad units were the ones that lost magazines. My battalion had to relieve a battalion at Con Thien because they ran

out of magazines. We lost Marines doing that. My Marines were

lost because another battalion had such poor discipline—losing

their magazines.”9

The key to discipline is establishing and maintaining standards.

Every disciplined thing we do in training relates to combat effectiveness whether it is not smoking at night, cleaning our weapons

when they need it, wearing ballistic eyewear, maintaining accountability, being aware of our geometry of fires, or treating our
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enemy’s dead with respect. When setting a standard, leaders

should also explain the purpose of the standard. For example, simply telling a Marine to shave because you told him to forces a

Marine to mindlessly maintain a standard and put shaving in the

same category as painting rocks. So what could shaving possibly

have to do with combat effectiveness? First, shaving fosters good

hygiene, which is critical in combat. Lack of hygiene leads to illness; a Marine suffering from a high fever and diarrhea loses combat effectiveness. Second, a Marine’s professional appearance—

backed by our formidable reputation—instills fear in our enemies

and confidence in those we protect. Third, shaving is an act of discipline that keeps Marines behaving like Marines. Colonel Ripley

described it this way: “You’re constantly on them to behave like

Marines and like human beings. It’s easy to drift off. For example,

my men shaved once a day, every day, even on very limited water

(though water was rarely a problem). Shaving marked the day, and

it also marked us. It was a clean start to the day.”10

Volumes have been written about combat leadership and discipline, but Marines most often practice leadership and discipline

in garrison, in training, and in the barracks. It is before combat

that leaders establish and inculcate standards. The Commanding

Officer of 3d Battalion, 4th Marines, Lieutenant Colonel Bryan P.

McCoy, communicated clear standards of discipline to his men

prior to the invasion of Iraq in 2003. The textbox on the following

page contains the section on discipline from his expectations of

combat leaders that he used when talking to his leaders to ensure

they clearly understood his intent.
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Discipline

Do not allow graffiti on uniforms, do-rags, wristbands, or other forms of

jackassery, period.

Pre-Combat Checks and Inspections and Post-Combat Checks and Inspections are SOP [standing operating procedures] and are at the very heart of

leadership. This is a basic habit. They are called Pre-Combat Checks and

Inspections for a reason; they are not Pre-Combat questions and assumptions. Leaders at the squad level carry out Checks and Inspections; platoon

commanders and platoon sergeants verify—no exceptions.

Prescribed Load: Allow no deviations from the prescribed load and basic

uniform—ever. Deviations are conscious decisions by a commanding officer based on analysis of the situation, not personal whims. At a minimum,

Marines and Sailors will have their gas mask and weapons on their bodies

at all times.

Helmets, when worn, will have the chinstrap on the chin; otherwise, it will

not stay on when needed most. Allowing a Marine to wear a helmet without a chinstrap is making the Marine wear useless weight on his head and

is a leadership failure.

Communications discipline: Enforce proper reporting and communications procedure. Use of “pro-words” (standardized radio jargon), reporting

formats, and proper radio checks cut down on traffic and confusion.

Light discipline: Will be strictly enforced. Use of flashlights in the open,

smoking and vehicle headlights from dusk to dawn is a commanding

officer’s decision, not one of personal convenience. We have Night

Vision Devices (NVDs); use them. There is seldom a reason to break

light discipline.

Hygiene discipline: Disease will cause casualties and rob units of combat

power faster than the enemy could ever hope to do. Prior to eating chow

in the field, squad leaders will inspect their squads for proper hygiene,

clean hands, clean weapons, and the prescribed uniforms. Poor hygiene

will rob us of combat power. All Marines and Sailors will perform

hygiene every day, shaving, and brushing teeth at a minimum, with periodic foot inspections by leaders. Hand washing is mandatory and monitored. Leaders at the squad level check; platoon commanders and platoon

sergeants verify— no exceptions.

11
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The combat success of 3d Battalion, 4th Marines fighting from

Kuwait to Baghdad during Operation Iraqi Freedom was due in

no small measure to the standards set and maintained both prior

to and after crossing the line of departure. Discipline has been

essential to success in combat throughout the Corps’ history. Our

NCOs are critical to maintaining discipline. In 1960, Corporal

Gary Cooper described it this way: 

[I]f effective leadership is evident and functioning, we are

strong and ready. If we are well disciplined, of high

morale, possess an unquenchable unit spirit, and are efficient, we are the best in the business.

Strive to create discipline in yourself and your Marines.

Encourage high morale, foster esprit, and train for efficiency. You may never win the Medal of Honor, you may

never be cited for your outstanding example, but you will

have an inner satisfaction that comes only to those [who]

give their all. Then, if you listen carefully . . . you will hear

the voices of all the other good Marines who have gone

before whisper the greatest commendation of them all—

“Well done, Marine.”12

Marine leaders strive to develop self-discipline in their Marines.

Self-disciplined Marines are those who exercise self-control and

take personal responsibility. They subordinate personal considerations such as convenience and comfort to do the right thing.

Self-disciplined Marines do the right thing when no one is looking and they maintain their discipline because their fellow

Marines are counting on them. 
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SETTING THE EXAMPLE

In a letter to the officers of the Marine Corps, Major General

Lejeune wrote:13

To instill self-discipline, Marines lead through personal example.

In that way, their Marines know what right looks like. Disciplined

Marines treat each other with dignity and respect. They do not

You should never forget the power of example. 

The young men serving as enlisted men take 

their cue from you. If you conduct yourselves 

at all times as officers and gentlemen should 

conduct themselves, the moral tone of the 

whole Corps will be raised, its reputation, 

which is most precious to all of us, will be 

enhanced, and the esteem and affection in 

which the Corps is held by the American 

people will be increased. . . . 

Let each one of us resolve to show in himself a 

good example of virtue, honor, patriotism, and 

subordination and to do all in his power, not only 

to maintain, but to increase the prestige, the 

efficiency, and the esprit of the grand old Corps 

to which we belong.

With my best wishes for your success and

happiness, I am, as always,

Your sincere friend,

John A. Lejeune

Major General Commandant
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perpetuate or condone harassment, hazing, or sexual assault. Setting a personal example requires “high moral standards reflecting

virtue, honor, patriotism, and subordination in personal behavior

and in performance.”14 These are inner qualities that mark leaders. Rather than outward marks of greatness, they are often

deeply buried, and, in many cases, one must look closely to see

an individual’s inner strengths. Consider how Major General

Lejeune described Medal of Honor recipient Sergeant Major John

H. Quick: “Perhaps of all the Marines I ever knew, Quick

approached more nearly the perfect type of noncommissioned

officer. A calm, forceful, intelligent, loyal and courageous man he

was. I never knew him to raise his voice, lose his temper, or use

profane language, and yet he exacted and obtained prompt and

explicit obedience from all persons subject to his orders.”15

From left to right: Captain F.H. Delano, Sergeant Major John Quick,

Lieutenant Colonel Wendall Neville, Colonel John Lejeune, and Major

Smedley Butler in Vera Cruz, Mexico. (Photo courtesy of MCU Archives.)
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Leading by example is inspirational. Consider the actions of First

Lieutenant William D. Hawkins at Tarawa, on 20 November 1943: 

The first one off the landing craft, First Lieutenant Hawkins

unhesitatingly moved forward under heavy enemy fire at the

end of the Betio Pier, neutralizing enemy emplacements,

allowing his Marines to assault the main beach positions. He

fearlessly led his men as they fought desperately to gain a

beachhead. Throughout the day and night, he repeatedly

risked his life to direct and lead attacks on bunkers with grenades and demolitions. At dawn the next day, he continued

clearing the beachhead of Japanese resistance, personally initiating an assault on a hostile position fortified by

five enemy machine guns.

Crawling forward under

withering fire, he fired

point-blank into the firing

ports and completed the

destruction with grenades.

Refusing to withdraw after

being seriously wounded in

the chest during this skirmish, he destroyed three

more pillboxes be-fore he

was caught in a burst of

Japanese shellfire and mortally wounded.16 First Lieutenant William Hawkins.
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Although First Lieutenant Hawkins was gone, his scout-sniper

platoon continued their deadly work clearing out enemy bunkers.

He inspired his Marines to carry on without him. They were

well-trained, well-led, and believed in each other and their cause.

Of First Lieutenant Hawkins, the assault commander said, “It’s

not often that you can credit a first lieutenant with winning a battle, but Hawkins came as near to it as any man could. He was

truly an inspiration.”

TAKING CHARGE

It is not enough, however, that Marine leaders set the example.

Their followers must be equally aware of the importance of following established standards. Followers are the backbone of any

effective organization because without loyal, dedicated followers

there can be no effective leaders. As one leader put it, “Every

Marine, from the Commandant down, is a follower. The good followers, those who may be depended on to carry out their instructions precisely, without regard to difficulty, hazard, or personal

risk, are the substance of the Corps. And where combat circumstance, as it often does, suddenly thrust upon the follower the

responsibilities of a leader, those who are properly indoctrinated

seize the opportunity and succeed.”17

Corporal James Barrett’s actions demonstrate clearly how the follower’s and the leader’s responsibilities merge. While Corporal
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Barrett served as a squad leader with Company I, 3d Battalion,

26th Marines in the Republic of Vietnam, his “company came

under heavy mortar, rocket, and artillery fire followed by a supported infantry assault by a numerically superior North Vietnamese Army force. In the initial attack, numerous casualties were

taken and the company was forced to withdraw to a more advantageous position. Undaunted, Corporal Barrett courageously maintained his squad’s position and directed accurate counter fire

against the hordes of assaulting enemy. Assuming control of the

platoon when his platoon commander became a casualty, he rallied

his men, reorganized the platoon and led them in an effective counterattack against the enemy. With complete disregard for his own

safety, he moved from position to position, encouraging his men

and resupplying them with ammunition. Unhesitatingly, he aided

the wounded and directed their evacuation. During the 6-hour

ordeal, he repositioned his men five times to thwart the enemy

advance and inflicted numerous casualties on the enemy force.”18

Another corporal’s actions with Embedded Training Team 2-8

(ETT 2-8) in Afghanistan further demonstrate how follower’s and

leader’s responsibilities merge. On 8 September 2009, ETT 2-8

was on a mission to meet with the village elders of Ganjgal.

Major Kevin Williams commanded the ETT and organized his

unit into four elements: an observation post, a quick-reaction

force, a dismounted patrol, and a security element at the objective

rally point. Corporal Dakota Meyer was part of the security element at the objective rally point: 

Just after dawn, the dismounted patrol began moving up the

winding 1-mile track to the village. Around 0530, the ele-
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ment led by First Lieutenant Michael Johnson came under

intense small arms and rocket propelled grenade (RPG) fire,

trapping them in a U-shaped kill zone. Major Williams’ element also came under intense fire. From the overwatch

position, Corporal Steven Norman repeatedly attempted to

suppress the enemy, which drew machine gun and RPG fire

from multiple directions. Realizing the situation was rapidly

deteriorating, Corporal Meyer and Staff Sergeant Juan

Rodriguez-Chavez repeatedly asked permission to enter the

kill zone, but they were denied in an effort to prevent more

people from becoming trapped in the ambush. Finally, with

First Lieutenant Johnson and his men no longer responding

to radio calls, Staff Sergeant Rodriguez-Chavez and Corporal Meyer decided to act. 

Corporal Meyer, despite being junior in rank, naturally

assumed the role of vehicle commander in the vehicle’s turret, directing Staff Sergeant Rodriguez-Chavez around

obstacles and toward US and Afghan troops pinned down in

the kill zone. Without regard for the intense enemy fire

directed at them, Corporal Meyer killed a number of enemy

fighters, some at near point blank range, as he and his driver

made repeated trips into the ambush area. 

During the first two trips, they pulled out two dozen Afghan

soldiers, many of whom were wounded. When his Mk-19

became inoperable, Corporal Meyer directed a return to the

rally point to switch to another gun-truck with a functional

.50-caliber machine gun for a third trip into the ambush area
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where he provided fires to support the remaining US personnel and Afghan soldiers fighting their way out of the

ambush. Despite a shrapnel wound to his arm, Corporal

Meyer made two more trips into the ambush area accompanied by four other Afghan vehicles to recover more

wounded Afghan soldiers and search for the missing US

team members. On the fifth trip under heavy enemy fire, he

dismounted and moved on foot to locate and recover the

bodies of his team members. For their actions, Corporal

Meyer received the Medal of Honor and Staff Sergeant

Rodriguez-Chavez received the Navy Cross.19 

Corporal Dakota Meyer.
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PHYSICAL COURAGE

“Since war is a violent enterprise, danger is ever present. Since

war is a human phenomenon, fear, the human reaction to danger,

has a significant impact on the conduct of war. Everybody feels

fear. Fear contributes to the corrosion of will. Leaders must foster the courage to overcome fear, both individually and within

the unit. Courage is not the absence of fear; rather, it is the

strength to overcome fear.”20 Physical courage is the mastery of

the fear of death, bodily harm, or pain. Marines overcome our

natural fear of injury and death and fight for three chief reasons:

(1) we are well-trained and well-led, (2) we have convictions

that will sustain us to the last sacrifice, and (3) we fight for one

another.21 The actions of Corporal Jason L. Dunham, Lance Corporal Kyle Carpenter, and Sergeant Barbara O. Barnwell are just

three examples that represent countless displays of physical courage throughout our history.

Corporal Jason L. Dunham was born on 10 November 1981, so it is

not surprising that he was destined to become a Marine. 

On 14 April 2004, Corporal Dunham’s squad was conducting

a reconnaissance mission in the town of Karabilah, Iraq,

when they heard rocket propelled grenade and small arms fire

erupt approximately 2 kilometers to the west. Without hesitation, he led his Combined Anti-Armor Team toward the

engagement to provide fire support to their battalion commander’s convoy, which had been ambushed as it was traveling to Camp Husaybah. The team quickly began to receive

enemy fire. After dismounting, Corporal Dunham led one of

his fire teams on foot several blocks south of the ambushed
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convoy. Encountering seven

Iraqi vehicles in a column

attempting to depart, the

team stopped the vehicles to

search them for weapons.

As the team approached the

vehicles, an insurgent

leaped out and attacked

Corporal Dunham. Corporal

Dunham wrestled the insurgent to the ground and, in

the ensuing struggle, the

insurgent released a grenade. Corporal Dunham

immediately alerted his fellow Marines and without

hesitation, he covered the

grenade with his helmet and body, bearing the brunt of the

explosion and shielding his Marines from the blast. In recognition of his selfless act of physical courage that saved the

lives of at least two fellow Marines, Corporal Dunham

received the Medal of Honor.22 

On 19 November 2010, a team of engineers, an interpreter, Afghan

National Army personnel, and a squad from 3d Platoon, Company

F, 2d Battalion, 9th Marines established Patrol Base Dakota in a

small village in the hotly contested area of Marjah in Helmand

Province, Afghanistan. Around 0900 on 21 November, Lance Corporal Kyle Carpenter and Lance Corporal Nicholas Eufrazio were

manning an observation post atop the combat operations center

Corporal Jason Dunham.
Leading Marines

2-25

when the enemy began engaging with sporadic small arms fire. In

the ensuing hour, the enemy forces maneuvered close enough to

the perimeter to throw three grenades over the compound wall.

The first grenade exploded near the west entry point, wounding an

Afghan soldier. The second grenade failed to detonate. The third

landed on top of the combat operations center. Immediately recognizing the danger and with complete disregard for his personal

safety, Lance Corporal Carpenter covered the grenade with his

body and absorbed most of the blast. For his courageous and selfless act that left him grievously wounded and saved the life of

Lance Corporal Eufrazio, Lance Corporal Carpenter received the

Medal of Honor. 23 

Lance Corporal Kyle Carpenter and Lance Corporal Nicholas

Eufrazio in Marjah, Afghanistan, during their 2010 deployment. 
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Displays of physical courage are not limited to combat. Sergeant

Barbara Barnwell was on her 2-week reserve drill at Camp Lejeune in

1952. While swimming 100 to 150 yards offshore, she heard cries for

help from a male Marine who was struggling in the heavy surf 50 feet

from her. Without regard for her safety, Sergeant Barnwell quickly

swam to the near-hysterical man and managed to secure a hold on

him, despite the fact that he fought and scratched her and pulled

her underwater several times. For 20 minutes, she battled both the

Marine and a severe undercurrent as she courageously towed the

man to shallow water where she was met by a lifeguard. They

pulled the now unconscious man to the beach and administered

artificial respiration. Once she realized the artificial respiration

was successful, Sergeant Barnwell modestly left the scene without

learning the identity of the man she had rescued. In recognition

of her selfless act of physical courage, Sergeant Barnwell was

the first woman to receive the Navy and Marine Corps Medal.24

General Lemuel Shepherd, Jr. presenting the Navy and

Marine Corps Medal to Staff Sergeant Barbara Barnwell.
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2-27

MORAL COURAGE

Moral courage is the mastery of the fear of social consequences

such as being perceived as disloyal, alienation, ridicule, punishment, job loss, or loss of social status. The Marine Corps trains us

to endure combat, violence, and death—along with other less

arduous situations. It trains us to make life or death decisions

over both our Marines and our enemies. In the end, the decisions

we make must pass the test of ethical behavior, which often

requires moral courage. Ethical choices often involve a moral

dilemma: the necessity to choose between competing obligations

in circumstances that prevent one from doing both. Moral courage compels us to make the right ethical decision in situations

where the easiest or most expedient action fails to adhere to a

higher standard of personal conduct.

Marines fight with, and for, honor, which means we adhere to

defined standards of conduct no matter how hot, tired, or frustrated we may be. Imagine it is the summer of 2004 and you are

part of a mounted patrol in Iraq. You are feeling the stress of the

oppressive heat, lack of sleep, and an elusive enemy. Suddenly,

you feel the thump of an explosion behind you. The patrol

leader’s voice crackles through the radio’s speaker, directing the

convoy to halt. Following the battle drill, you dismount and begin

sweeping the field to your right, searching for the triggerman.

With the temperature in excess of 100 degrees, the inside of your

body armor feels like a furnace, your heart is racing, and you gasp

for breath. You and two other Marines see a figure darting into a

building. One of the Marines shouts that he is ready to engage. As

the senior Marine in your group, you order him to wait until he
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has positive identification. As the moments slowly pass, a frightened and clearly noncombatant woman emerges. At this point,

you re-cross the field to join several other Marines who have

detained the proprietor of a roadside stand. It is clear from the

proximity of the stand and the abandoned sandal of someone fleeing the scene that the man obviously knows who initiated the

attack. Understanding what is right keeps you from physically

attacking the liar and beating him until he tells you who triggered

the improvised explosive device (IED). By exercising restraint,

you retained your honor and set the example of moral courage for

your Marines.

Marine leaders must also make difficult choices in peacetime. At

times, these choices will place them in an unfavorable light with

either subordinates or higher authority. It was standing operating

procedure in Company A to award a 72-hour liberty to platoons

that went 30 days with no disciplinary problems. Returning from a

lengthy field exercise, 1st Platoon reached 28 days with no problems, only to have a Marine go UA [unauthorized absence] on the

29th. No one outside the platoon knew he was missing. The platoon commander faced a moral dilemma: ignore the UA and ensure

his Marines went on a well-earned liberty; or report the absence

and forfeit liberty and, perhaps, the morale of his platoon. The platoon commander chose the latter and reported the UA to his company commander. The Marines were disappointed—not only at the

loss of hard-earned liberty, but also, initially, in their leader. But

slowly, over succeeding days, they came to respect the difficult

choice made by the platoon commander. Soon, they came to realize

that they could count on their leader to do what was right, no matter

how difficult or unpopular. Moreover, the company commander
Leading Marines

2-29

realized he had a subordinate he could trust. Regardless of the circumstances, the Corps expects all Marines to make the ethically

correct choice and to be held accountable for a failure to do so.

Even given the best training, how well Marines perform depends

on the leadership and courage demonstrated by their leaders—their

moral courage. A unit led by an able and aggressive leader who

commands respect because he set the example and demonstrated

courage and confidence will perform any task asked of them.25

Marine leaders must be capable, on a moment’s notice, of deploying literally anywhere and doing whatever must be done upon

arrival—attacking, protecting, or assisting. Many times, Marines

will have to make decisions, under the partial protection of a poncho, in the drizzle of an uncertain dawn, and without all the facts.

In combat, decisions often must be immediate and instinctive.

During those times, it will not always be possible to identify all

the components of the problem and use a lengthy, logical problem-solving process to reach a decision. As such, the Marine

Corps continues to prepare leaders of all ranks for this moment.
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Chapter 3

 Overcoming Challenges

An army that maintains its cohesion under the most murderous fire; that cannot be shaken by imaginary fears and

resists well-founded ones with all its might; that, proud of

its victories, will not lose the strength to obey orders and its

respect and trust for its officers even in defeat; whose physical power, like the muscles of an athlete, has been steeled

by training in privation and effort; a force that regards

such efforts as a means to victory rather than a curse on its

cause; that is mindful of all these duties and qualities by

virtue of the single powerful idea of the honor of its arms—

such an army is imbued with the true military spirit.1

—Carl von Clausewitz
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FRICTION

Carl von Clausewitz wrote, “Everything in war is very simple,

but the simplest thing is difficult. The difficulties accumulate and

end by producing a kind of friction that is inconceivable unless

one has experienced war.”2

 Friction makes simple tasks hard, acts

constantly to tear down the will of the individual Marine, and

interferes with unit cohesion. It operates across the entire spectrum of conflict, from garrison activities to combat, from Marine

air-ground task force command elements down to the most forward fighting position. Friction can be caused by external factors

such as the physical environment, the nature of the mission,

friendly decisions, or enemy action. 

Inadequate or inaccurate intelligence also contributes to friction

by causing uncertainty. This uncertainty is sometimes called the

“fog of war,” where things are not always what the leader

expected. “This expression [fog of war] describes both the literal

fog created by the dust, smoke, and debris of the battlefield, and

more importantly the mental fog of confusion and uncertainty

created by lack of knowledge of the enemy, the chaotic noise,

mental and physical fatigue, and fear.”3

The 1975 Cambodian seizure of the unarmed American container

ship SS Mayaguez, and its subsequent recapture, is a classic

example of what friction can do to leaders at all levels and its ultimate impact on ground forces. In this case, the rushed planning,

convoluted command relationships, misleading intelligence, lack

of joint procedures, and confused decisions created friction that

cost the lives of Marines, Sailors, and Airmen.