Photo By Sgt. Daniel Valle | Sgt. Joseph G. Wittee and Sgt. Kia X. White, both students in the sergeants course,...... read more read more
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OKINAWA, Japan - Marines enrolled in the sergeants course at the Okinawa Staff Non-commissioned Officer Academy participated in a small-unit leadership evaluation on Camp Hansen March 27.
Small-unit leadership evaluation, or SULE, allows Marines to practice using the nine warfighting principles during a field training exercise.
While it has been a part of the curriculum for the resident professional military education sergeants course for some time, changes were made locally to improve the SULE.
The evaluation was improved to make it more challenging, according to Gunnery Sgt. Brian C. Walmer, staff non-commissioned officer in charge of the course.
The event’s purpose is to test the students on material covered during the course, using practical application to develop critical thinking skills.
“We were tested on everything we learned in the first couple of weeks of class,” said Sgt. Erika Gongora, a student and supply clerk with Marine Corps Base Camp Butler. “It is good working with your peers and taking knowledge from each other that will make us all better leaders for our units.”
The Marines were pushed both mentally and physically throughout the training, according to Sgt. Jason C. England, a student and heavy-equipment operator with Combat Assault Battalion, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force.
“It was a culminating event for us,” said England. “It allows us to practically apply and evaluate what we learned and what we need to work on.”
The Marines ran to six different stations around Camp Hansen and completed certain tasks at each station.
“The course begins at the academy, which is the first station,” said Staff Sgt. Christopher J. Heater, a faculty adviser for the course who helped revise SULE. “At the first station, they conduct a KIM game, which stands for keep in mind.”
During the KIM game, the Marines are given 10 military items and are told to remember as many details about the items as possible without communicating with each other or taking notes.
From there, the Marines were required to run to the other stations and perform tactical evacuations, assemble five military weapons within two minutes, draw a fire-plan sketch and range card, properly request a call-for-fire mission, and locate an improvised explosive device.
The key to success during the SULE is teamwork, according to Gongora.
“Not only were we individually challenged, but we were challenged as a unit,” she said. “We came together, motivated each other, and pushed each other until we finished. It builds camaraderie between us.”
After the students completed the course, they regrouped at their first station. There, they were again tested with remembering what they could from the KIM game.
The results of the initial SULE will determine if the SNCO Academy will continue the training for future classes.
“We created this new culminating event so when we do our after-action report, we can determine if there is anything we can do to improve the evaluation for the Marines,” said Heater. “If we find any faults we will fix them for the courses to come.”
| Date Taken: | 02.27.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 04.05.2012 23:20 |
| Story ID: | 86354 |
| Location: | CAMP HANSEN, OKINAWA, JP |
| Web Views: | 267 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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