CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. - Sergeant Maj. Brett C. Scheuer, the 2nd Assault Amphibian Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, sergeant major, worked hard to begin a Corporal’s Course within his unit and is now close to graduating AA Bn’s very first class.
“We have about 250 corporals in the battalion, and only 30 have been to Corporal’s Course,” said Scheuer. “Now we have just trained 54 Marines at one time.”
The course started out with 54 Marines all of which are from the battalion, and graduated every single corporal Sept. 27, 2013.
Scheuer had to contact the Marine Corps University and the Staff Non-Commissioned Officer Academy in order to begin the course.
“This is something I have been doing since I was a gunnery sergeant. I was the director of corporal’s course in Okinawa, and continued to do this wherever I have gone,” said Scheuer, a Buffalo, N.Y., native.
With all of his experience leading and teaching corporals, Scheuer knew exactly what to do in order to challenge them mentally and physically.
“It was tough. The toughest part for me was studying and writing papers,” said Cpl. Michael A. McClelland, an amphibious assault vehicle crew chief and the honor graduate for the course.
In order to graduate from corporal’s course each Marine had to learn Marine Corps knowledge and leadership skills, write a college-style paper, learn public speaking and conduct physical fitness training.
Prior to the day of graduation Scheuer wanted to continue to challenge his corporals and changed the scheduled motivational run to a motivational hike.
The hike challenged Marines to walk and run five minutes alternatively for a total of four miles.
That wasn’t all Scheuer had planned for the hike. He also challenged the Marines to complete the hike while carrying water jugs, ammo cans, sand bags and sledge hammers.
The Marines didn’t get through the course individually but relied on one another to complete it.
“It’s a good feeling having the support of your peers. It makes all the training better,” added McClelland, from Houston.
One Marine stood out as the motivator of the group and was nominated by his peers to receive the “Gung-Ho” award upon graduation.
“The gung-ho award is given to the Marine who is known as the loudest, the most fun to be around and the most influential Marine in the group,” said Cpl. Joshua J. Craig, the police sergeant for Headquarters and Service Company.
With every Marine of the class graduating, Scheuer plans to conduct a course every six months within the battalion.
“I am very proud of the corporals,” Scheuer said. “They have exceeded my expectations and the commander’s expectations.”