MARINE CORPS AIR STATION MIRAMAR, Calif. –Third Marine Aircraft Wing sergeants major and master gunnery sergeants participated in a three-day Committed and Engaged Leadership professional military education course aboard Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Calif., Jan. 21-23.
The course highlighted different ideas and options for senior enlisted personnel to apply to motivate their junior Marines while focusing efforts to reawaken the Marine Corps.
“The sergeants major and master gunnery sergeants are getting involved by taking the commanding general’s intent and putting it into action,” said Sgt. Maj. Michael Cayer, Marine Attack Squadron (VMA) 211 sergeant major.
Being involved with Marines just as someone would be with their own families is what committed and engaged leadership is about, guiding and mentoring Marines to inspire them to become great leaders for the future.
“As master gunnery sergeants and sergeants major we want to set the example. We want to be the example that young Marines aspire to be one day,” said Master Gunnery Sgt. Robert Mena, Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron (MALS) 13 aviation supply chief.
Being committed and engaged is a lifestyle designed to reawaken the Marine Corps and invest in the individual Marine.
“The reawakening is realigning us. It’s getting us back to the roots of who we are,” said Mena. “The most common denominator is that we all wear U.S. Marines on our left breast pocket. It doesn’t matter what military occupational specialty you are.”
Committed and engaged leadership empowers noncommissioned officers to help alleviate problems in the Marine Corps.
“Taking care of Marines and growing them individually creates attributes that we want in our society,” said Sgt. Maj. Patrick Kimble, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing sergeant major. “We have nothing to lose and everything to gain with committed and engaged leadership.”