II MEF leadership emphasize readiness, standards

CAMP LEJEUNE, NC, UNITED STATES

10.30.2014

Story by Sgt. Bobby Yarbrough 

II Marine Expeditionary Force   

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. - Maj. Gen. William D. Beydler, the commanding general of II Marine Expeditionary Force, has a clear message for Marines and sailors - Readiness, Readiness, Readiness.

Beydler said global instability requires Marines and sailors to be in a constant state of preparedness, and his goal is to ensure each service member within the MEF meets or exceeds Marine Corps readiness standards.

"The world is in a constant state of change," said Beydler. "As Marines, we have to be prepared to react to these evolving circumstances. At the most basic level, Marines have to be ready to deploy - physically, mentally, morally. When Marines don't meet these requirements, they impact the capabilities of their unit and our Corps as a whole."

Since taking command in July, Beydler has continuously emphasized individual and unit readiness. Beydler said the Ebola epidemic in Africa and the recent embassy evacuation in Libya prove Marines must be ready to respond to any crisis.

"As a Corps, we do not know what our next war looks like," said Beydler. "We have to be adaptive to any situation. Although the war in Afghanistan is coming to a close, the Marine Corps remains forward deployed in Africa and the Middle East. The MEF will continue to deploy to these regions, and as a commander, I will do all I can to ensure we are prepared to support these missions. "

Sgt. Maj. Bryan Zickefoose, the sergeant major of II MEF, agrees with Beydler. Zickefoose said units must set a higher standard for training and readiness because of deteriorating security conditions throughout the world. Zickefoose said units will need to rely heavily on noncommissioned officers to ensure Marines are meeting the Corps' standards.

Additionally, Beydler and Zickefoose said moral values and leadership characteristics are another important piece to determining readiness.

"We are an organization of shared values," said Beydler. "Marines need to uphold the standard of being a Marine and exemplify our Core Values of honor, courage and commitment. Our Core Values are fundamentally part of individual and unit readiness because we rely on Marines to make moral and ethical decisions on the battlefield."

Beydler said in the future, Marines can expect to see more training that involves getting units into integrated or large-scale exercises to prepare them for a broad spectrum of operations.

Beydler said exercises, such as Bold Alligator, will refocus the Marine Corps on conducting naval operations and crises response. He further indicated that these exercises are paramount because they will strengthen the organizational relationship with the U.S. Navy.

"Exercises such as the Bold Alligator give us an opportunity to assess and strengthen our cohesion as an integrated force," said Beydler. "The Marine Corps and Navy have a strong relationship, and we rely heavily on them as an organization during amphibious operations. The strength of our relationship is vital to our success as a maritime force for global security."

Bold Alligator is a scenario-driven, simulation-supported, amphibious assault exercise and is the largest exercise held on the East Coast of the United States. Bold Alligator is scheduled to be conducted through Nov. 10.

• Date Taken: 10.30.2014
• Date Posted: 10.30.2014 11:21
• Story ID: 146563
• Location: CAMP LEJEUNE, NC, US