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MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII – On October 30, 2025, 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment hosted a professional development seminar focused on translating historical lessons into actionable items for the regiment's future. The seminar was led by 3rd MLR’s commanding officer, Col. Gabriel L. Diana, featured naval historian Trent Hone, and was sponsored by the Marine Corps Association. It examined the U.S. Navy's transformation between World War I and World War II, using it as a blueprint for the regiment’s ongoing evolution under Force Design.
3rd MLR stands at the forefront of expeditionary advanced based operations, actively developing and refining concepts for operating in contested littoral environments. The regiment’s innovation and initiative are enabled in part by a commander with a clear strategic intent: to develop leaders who can think critically, act independently, and adapt rapidly.
The seminar centered on Hone's works, which examine the Navy's transformation by focusing on experimentation, decentralized command, and continuous learning. Leaders from across the regiment also studied Adm. Chester Nimitz's leadership approach during World War II, applying these historical lessons to the regiment in today’s security environment.
During the seminar, groups examined what cultural elements must exist within 3rd MLR to foster warfighting effectiveness by drawing parallels to the culture that enabled Adm. Nimitz to trust his subordinates with independent action across vast distances. The discussion focused on system debriefs, after-action reviews, and wargaming, which are used to capture and disseminate lessons throughout the regiment and Fleet Marine Force as a whole.
A critical theme that emerged was the necessity of balancing doctrinal clarity with tactical flexibility and adaptation to meet the needs of an evolving multi-dimensional battlefield. 3rd MLR’s leaders are continuously challenged to test new concepts, and the discussion reinforced the importance of recognizing operational biases when a creative solution could be warranted. The distinction between confirmation and exploration is pivotal in shaping how 3rd MLR conducts future experimentation during distributed maritime operations.
At the conclusion of the seminar, leaders made recommendations to inform how 3rd MLR will operate, train, and develop leaders over the next twelve to twenty-four months. By studying how the Navy strengthened its adaptability, 3rd MLR is strategically positioning itself for success in unpredictable and continuously evolving security environments.
The seminar affirmed that cognitive readiness, decentralized execution, and continuous learning are not theoretical ideals, but practical necessities for modern warfare's complexity. As the regiment implements these recommendations, it fulfills its role at the leading edge of Marine Corps innovation, where intellectual preparation and operational experimentation combine to create warfighting advantages for expeditionary advanced base operations.
3rd MLR is a dedicated U.S. Marine Corps unit specializing in amphibious and littoral warfare operations. Stationed on Marine Corps Base Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, and deployed throughout the Indo-Pacific region, 3rd MLR is committed to promoting regional security and stability through strategic partnerships and collaborative efforts with the joint force and allied and partnered nations.
| Date Taken: | 11.05.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 11.17.2025 21:43 |
| Story ID: | 551476 |
| Location: | HAWAII, US |
| Web Views: | 13 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Naval Historian Trent Hone Leads Seminar with 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment, by 2LT John Kim, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
