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USS AMERICA, At Sea —Applause resonated throughout the passageways of the future amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA 6) as the names of 32 Marines with Special Purpose Marine Air Ground Task Force South were read from the lectern during a Corporals Course graduation ceremony, Sept. 14.
The Marines completed an accelerated 10-day curriculum for Corporals Course aboard the ship, covering all of the required functional areas as required by the Marine Corps Training and Education Command.
The purpose of Corporals Course is to provide the Marine Corporal with the education and leadership skills necessary to lead Marines. The program places emphasis on leadership foundations and a working knowledge of general military subjects.
“The NCOs here have come together to learn more about leadership and what it means to be a Corporal,” said Cpl. Dalton Kirkey, a fiscal chief with SPMAGTF-South, and a native of Grand Ledge, Mich. “There are large differences of responsibilities between Lance Cpl. and Cpl. that I honestly didn’t see before I came to the Corporals Course.”
The Corporals Course curriculum was modified and accelerated in order to accommodate the time constraints and limited resources associated with being embarked aboard a ship.
“In this course the Marines learned about land navigation, Marine Corps traditions, a modified drill manual due to the condensed course and operations,” said Staff Sgt. Marina Simmons, the Corporals Course faculty advisor supervisor with SPMAGTF-South, and a native of Richmond, N.Y. “They touched on the basics of everything building a foundation so they can go deeper into the subjects as they progress through the Marine Corps.”
Corporals Course brings a unique exposure to diversity that other professional military education courses do not offer. Cpl.’s Courses are made up of multiple military occupational specialties from multiple units across the U.S.
“Usually when you go to the professional schools there are Marines with many different MOSs there,” said Simmons. “You not only learn about leadership, sword manual and knowledge, but you interact with MOSs like combat camera, recon and everyone in between.”
The Marines with SPMAGFTF-South arrived in San Diego aboard America, Sept. 15. The graduated Marines going back to their parent units will be better prepared to serve their commands and the Marines under them.
“PME schools help you develop in more than one way. It gives you a different perspective of the Marine Corps as a whole, not just as a rifleman or what you do every day,” said Simmons. “What you put into the course is what you get out of course. I think the Marines are going to be better prepared going back to their units.”
In June 2012, MARADMIN 314/12 established a non-resident Corporals Course on Marinenet in order to ensure all Cpls have an opportunity to receive PME as they assume additional responsibilities as NCOs. As of Oct. 1, 2013, the MARADMIN made completion of either a command-sponsored or distance education Corporals Course a requirement for promotion to Sergeant.
The Marines of SPMAGTF-South were embarked aboard USS America on her maiden transit, “America Visits the Americas.” A SPMAGTF is a balanced air, ground and logistics force that can be tailored to accomplish missions across a wide range of crises. Through partner-nation activities, key leader engagements and security cooperation activities, the Marines and Sailors of SPMAGTF-South demonstrated the flexibility, utility and unparalleled expeditionary capability the Navy-Marine Corps team provides our nation and partners.
| Date Taken: | 09.14.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 09.21.2014 23:10 |
| Story ID: | 142838 |
| Location: | USS AMERICA, AT SEA |
| Hometown: | GRAND LEDGE, MI, US |
| Hometown: | RICHMOND, NY, US |
| Web Views: | 118 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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