Photo By Petty Officer 1st Class Austin Ingram | CAMP FOSTER, Okinawa, Japan (May 22, 2025) — Seabees assigned to Naval Mobile...... read more read more
CAMP FOSTER, OKINAWA (June 26, 2025) – While it’s not uncommon for U.S. Navy Seabees to attend the Marine Corps’ Corporal’s Course, it’s rare for one to graduate at the top. Builder 3rd Class Marian Zoe Yvonne Javier, assigned to Camp Shields with Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 3, did just that—earning the coveted honor graduate title in a course designed to forge the next generation of Marine non-commissioned officers.
The Corporal’s Course, an intensive two-week leadership school run by the U.S. Marine Corps, is designed to shape junior enlisted personnel into the next generation of non-commissioned officers (NCOs). It covers topics like small-unit leadership, land navigation, military drill, and physical fitness, all while instilling the core values of honor, courage, and commitment.
Although traditionally attended by Marines, this iteration included three Seabees: Javier, Construction Electrician 3rd Class Jake Dewey, and Construction Mechanic 3rd Class Caleb Oakland.
Javier initially volunteered for the course as a chance to break away from the repetitive pace of her assignment at Camp Shields and push herself in a new environment.
“I saw it as a great opportunity to experience leadership in a different community,” said Javier. “While I enjoy my role in the Material Liaison Office, I needed a challenge to reignite my motivation.”
That challenge arrived in the form of grueling early morning physical training, formation runs through Okinawa’s hilly terrain, and the constant high standards Marines are known for.
“The MAG run was brutal. Three miles with steep hill climbs, in formation, right at 0345 wake-ups—it took everything in me to keep pushing,” she recalled.
Despite early academic setbacks, including failing the first written exam alongside 17 of her 20 classmates, Javier refused to quit. She stayed late after duty hours to improve her physical fitness and sharpen her sword and guidon skills for ceremonial drill. Her perseverance paid off.
By the final assessment, she was one of two students tied for the top score. The honor graduate distinction came down to the quality of a final leadership presentation—where Javier delivered with confidence and clarity.
“Earning honor graduate was a surprise. I wasn’t the fastest, and I didn’t ace every test, but I showed up every day ready to improve,” said Javier. “I proved to myself—and others—that consistency and resilience matter more than early success.”
The course emphasized more than individual excellence. It fostered joint-force camaraderie, as evidenced by a moment during the physical fitness test when a Marine ran back to finish the run alongside Javier, cheering her on.
“That moment stuck with me,” said Javier. “We might wear different uniforms, but we share the same values. We support each other. That’s joint readiness in action.”
Corporal’s Course instructors echoed that sentiment, emphasizing the value of diverse perspectives in building well-rounded leaders.
Through the experience, Javier says she developed a new sense of confidence and leadership style—one defined by humility, conviction, and the ability to lead from the front.
“I used to hesitate before speaking up, worried about being wrong,” she said. “Now, I understand that leadership is about believing in your value, even when things feel uncertain.”
For fellow Seabees considering Marine-led leadership courses, she offers simple advice: “Don’t overlook an opportunity just because it’s unfamiliar. You might discover strength you didn’t know you had.”
As NMCB-3 concludes its deployment across the Indo-Pacific, success stories like Javier’s underscore the value of joint training environments in cultivating tomorrow’s leaders—leaders ready to supervise in peace and lead in war.
Naval Construction Group One (NCG 1) is homeported in Pt. Hueneme, California, and leads and manages the overall capability and readiness of its Naval Construction Regiments (NCRs), Naval Mobile Construction Battalions (NMCBs), Construction Battalion Maintenance Unit (CBMU), and Underwater Construction Team (UCT). NCG 1 provides the required engineering support that the Navy and Nation need to construct and maintain base facilities, repair battle-damaged facilities, conduct defensive operations as required, and to meet disaster preparedness and recovery missions.
| Date Taken: | 06.26.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 06.27.2025 15:55 |
| Story ID: | 501627 |
| Location: | CHIBANA, OKINAWA, JP |
| Web Views: | 1,764 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Builder 3rd Class Makes History as Honor Graduate in Marine-Led Corporal’s Course in Japan, by Oscar Garcia, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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