The Marine Corps does make Marines and win battles. That it results in good citizens is a by product and not a mission. It stems from the ancient Greeks who believed better men were forged in tougher environments. The selection process is vital. You cannot make tempered steel from aluminum or tin. Nor can you make steel without the fires in the forge.
Pick the right young men, separate the quality from those unsuited and keep holding them to the standards. Who you select, how you train, who you retain and who you promote are crucial to the process.
Stoic selfless service and a servant warrior ethos transfer well into civilian society in the right place and right time. It is not appreciated in others. Fred Smith is the epitome of the right path. A remarkable human being.
As our society drifts further from these values it is critical that the Corps not drift to accommodate. MacArthur’s farewell speech captures it succinctly. Standing firm can make others in society uncomfortable and resentful because they cannot grasp what it takes to prevail on the battlefield. Even if a person does not become highly successful they will,to a remarkable degree be a better person.
The Marine Corps does make Marines and win battles. That it results in good citizens is a by product and not a mission. It stems from the ancient Greeks who believed better men were forged in tougher environments. The selection process is vital. You cannot make tempered steel from aluminum or tin. Nor can you make steel without the fires in the forge.
Pick the right young men, separate the quality from those unsuited and keep holding them to the standards. Who you select, how you train, who you retain and who you promote are crucial to the process.
Stoic selfless service and a servant warrior ethos transfer well into civilian society in the right place and right time. It is not appreciated in others. Fred Smith is the epitome of the right path. A remarkable human being.
As our society drifts further from these values it is critical that the Corps not drift to accommodate. MacArthur’s farewell speech captures it succinctly. Standing firm can make others in society uncomfortable and resentful because they cannot grasp what it takes to prevail on the battlefield. Even if a person does not become highly successful they will,to a remarkable degree be a better person.
Semper Fidelis!