What books should an aspiring Marine officer read?

Lucas Allen — Fri, 27 Oct 2017 19:28:16 -0400

I am applying for the Platoon Leader's Course and I will have no military commitment during the academic year. In order to be a competent officer I want to do some reading on my own to develop skills and understanding.

Response by SGT Chris Stephens made Oct 27 at 2017 7:33 PM

SGT Chris Stephens — Fri, 27 Oct 2017 19:33:58 -0400

"The Art of War" by Sun Tzu.

Response by Cpl Andrew Vadnais made Oct 27 at 2017 7:38 PM

Cpl Andrew Vadnais — Fri, 27 Oct 2017 19:38:45 -0400

Good for you on wanting to take the initiative, but you don't need to read books to become a good officer. A great officer listens to the advice of his superiors and trains just as hard if not harder than his Marines. And, if you really want to be great you need to take every bit of advice you can from your staff NCO's and NCO's. Because you might make the final call, but missions aren't won by an officer. They're won by the platoon as a whole. Good luck with your time in the Marine Corps.

Response by LCDR Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 27 at 2017 7:46 PM

LCDR Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 27 Oct 2017 19:46:10 -0400

A good place to start would be with the Commandant's Reading List linked here.

http://guides.grc.usmcu.edu/usmcreadinglist

Home - Commandant's Professional Reading List - Official Site - Research Guides Home at Library...

Official site of the Marine Corps Commandant's Professional Reading List per ALMAR 009-16. This site outlines the annual and recommended reading requirements for all Marines.

Response by SSG Alan Pelletier made Oct 27 at 2017 7:52 PM

SSG Alan Pelletier — Fri, 27 Oct 2017 19:52:14 -0400

All of them

Response by SSG James Behnke made Oct 27 at 2017 8:09 PM

SSG James Behnke — Fri, 27 Oct 2017 20:09:40 -0400

"How Not to Eat Crayons" by -A Salty Soldier.

Response by SGM Mikel Dawson made Oct 27 at 2017 8:14 PM

SGM Mikel Dawson — Fri, 27 Oct 2017 20:14:44 -0400

Citizen Soldier: Will give you a good insight into what the American soldier is capable of on his own. How soldiers learn to adapt to a situation, overcome and complete the mission no matter what. Then remember as an officer not to micro manage your troops and let them think and do their job.

Response by CPT Aaron Kletzing made Oct 27 at 2017 8:20 PM

CPT Aaron Kletzing — Fri, 27 Oct 2017 20:20:46 -0400

The Art of War

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Oct 27 at 2017 10:38 PM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Fri, 27 Oct 2017 22:38:49 -0400

That's an interesting question; I've always favored autobiography, as well as biography, a good deal, albeit not necessarily exclusively. Then, too, that depends on your branch, of course. I'd been Army ROTC three years, though I eventually went USAF OTS instead. Fortunately, where I'd been assigned had a really good installation library, as well as a really serious technical library as well. The site mentioned here is quite good, I looked at it. However, to answer you adequately, it'd help, though isn't immediately essential, to know where you're doing undergrad now, which school, which program, which major, your GPA, and your interests. I can pretty much tell you that you're going to have to do a masters immediately, even if part time. If you've done well enough, think about submitting to both USAF AFIT, the

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Oct 27 at 2017 10:55 PM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Fri, 27 Oct 2017 22:55:55 -0400

Sorry, I hit send by mistake, I'd been suggesting you submit th USAF AFIT, the USAF grad school at Wright Pat, as well as Naval Postgraduate School (NPS), Monterrey, Calif, near the Presidio. Also, if your GPA is decent enough, think about trying for Rhodes Scholar, that's just a thought. I can tell you that pretty much guaranteed, you're going to be expected to get a masters pretty much immediately, even if only part time to start, the faster the better. When I'd been USAF, they were really, really serious about wanting their PME done ASAP. I did Squadron Officer School (SOS) and USMC Command and Staff by correspondence, I'd wanted to do the Naval War College (NWC) command and staff correspondence program, and did in fact try, I just wasn't able to get it done, if its allowed, I'd certainly ask. I'd also ask similarly, for like reason, therefore, to be allowed to do PME in other services, by all means, if at all possible. As to specific texts, read Nimitz, by E. B. Potter. Read as many if the Encyclopedia Britannica Great Books series as you can, as well, if they're still in print, trust me, you'd immediately see why, esp. the first volume, called The Great Conversation, about the entire train of Western thought. Read On War by Clausewitz. Read the writings of Nicolo Machiavelli. All ofthe writings of William Manchester, esp. American Caesar about Gen. MacArthur, as well as The Arms of Krupp about the Krupp munition family of WW2. Read the autobiographies of Gens. Grant, Sherman, and Sheridan from the Civil War. Read Plain Speaking by Merle Miller by him and Pres. Truman. Read Crusade in Europe by Gen. Eisenhower. Read Eisenhower was my Boss, by Capt. Kay Summersby, you'd realize why. Read the entire WW2 memoirs of Churchill. Read the autobiography of Gen. Colin Powell, positively, trust me. Let me send this for now, and I'll send you more as rapidly as I can, if you could elaborate on your ambitions, GPA, major, and school, as well as what you'd wamt in grad school, that'd also help, so far as you might care to go into, at all, hope was of interest, many thanks.

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Oct 27 at 2017 10:58 PM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Fri, 27 Oct 2017 22:58:31 -0400

https://www.amazon.com/Great-Books-Western-World-Set/dp/B000NWXN5E

Get the whole set in paperback if you can, trust me.

Great Books of the Western World (54 Volume Set): Robert Maynard - editor in chief; Encyclopedia...

Buy Great Books of the Western World (54 Volume Set) on Amazon.com â FREE SHIPPING on qualified orders

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Oct 27 at 2017 10:59 PM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Fri, 27 Oct 2017 22:59:04 -0400

http://www.mors.org

Join this as well, and read the material on it extensively.

Military Operations Research Society

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Oct 27 at 2017 11:00 PM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Fri, 27 Oct 2017 23:00:59 -0400

http://m.usni.org

Join this ASAP, and get both the Proceedings, as well as their sea power historical magazine.

U.S. Naval Institute

Provide an independent forum for those who dare to read, think, speak, and write to advance the professional, literary, and scientific understanding of sea power and other issues critical to global security.

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Oct 27 at 2017 11:07 PM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Fri, 27 Oct 2017 23:07:03 -0400

Read the sea power works of Capt. Alfred Thayer Mayan, look him up. Get the autobiography of Adm. Gorshkov from the Soviet Navy from the Cold War period, and all biographical and/or autobiographical material on Adm. Hyman G. Rickover, an essential contrast, I can assure you, well worth the effort to read. Get Thucydides History of the Pelopenesian War. Get Tue actual texts by Caesar in the Punic War, as well as all of the Caesarean classics, he actually wrote a good deal, his material has long been deemed essential reading. Get the text The Valor of Homer Lea, from the 1920s-30s in Asia pre WW2, you'll see why. Let me send this and I'll send more, where I'd been assigned had all of that, and more, I can assure you, all well worth the time to read, promise.

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Oct 27 at 2017 11:08 PM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Fri, 27 Oct 2017 23:08:41 -0400

https://www.ausa.org

Join that also.

Association of the United States Army

Voice for the Army – Support for the Soldier

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Oct 27 at 2017 11:10 PM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Fri, 27 Oct 2017 23:10:00 -0400

https://www.afa.org

And that.

Home - Air Force Association

The site home page

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Oct 27 at 2017 11:11 PM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Fri, 27 Oct 2017 23:11:13 -0400

Tell me what you think thus far, if you wamt more, I'll send you more, I just don't want to overwhelm, of course, I'd be most eager to know your thoughts, many thanks.

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Oct 27 at 2017 11:14 PM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Fri, 27 Oct 2017 23:14:54 -0400

https://www.usni.org/store/books/professional-books-sea-services/scarlet-and-gold-professional-series/marine-officers-gui

I'd almost forgotten this, doubtless you might've seen it...

The Marine Officer's Guide, 7th Edition | U.S. Naval Institute

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Oct 27 at 2017 11:16 PM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Fri, 27 Oct 2017 23:16:08 -0400

https://www.amazon.com/Army-Officers-Guide-Robert-Dalessandro/dp/ [login to see]

This too...

Army Officer's Guide: Robert J. Dr Dalessandro: 9780811735285: Amazon.com: Books

Army Officer's Guide [Robert J. Dr Dalessandro] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Published by Stackpole and its corporate predecessors for more than seventy-five years, this book is the bible for U.S. Army officers. Condensed from Army regulations--and the customs and traditions of the service--the guide provides the latest soldier information and frank advice on a variety of issues relating to service life.Practical advice...

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Oct 27 at 2017 11:17 PM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Fri, 27 Oct 2017 23:17:10 -0400

https://books.google.com/books/about/Air_Force_Officer_s_Guide.html?id=3wvCa0XR1EEC&printsec=frontcover&source=kp_read_button

And this....

Air Force Officer's Guide

U.S. Air Force organizations and types of assignments Duties and responsibilities Privileges, benefits, and restrictions Customs and courtesies Career development and promotion Pay and allowances Command and leadership Uniforms and insignia Complete data on Air Force installations worldwide Extensive references to regulations and other informationUpdated to reflect changes in the military in general and the Air Force in particular, this new...

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Oct 27 at 2017 11:18 PM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Fri, 27 Oct 2017 23:18:33 -0400

https://www.amazon.com/Naval-Officers-Guide-Eleventh/dp/ [login to see]

You'll also want this....

Amazon.com: The Naval Officer's Guide Eleventh Edition (9781557506450): William P. Mack, Harry A....

Amazon.com: The Naval Officer's Guide Eleventh Edition (9781557506450): William P. Mack, Harry A. Seymour, Lesa A. McComas: Books

Response by Capt Daniel Goodman made Oct 27 at 2017 11:22 PM

Capt Daniel Goodman — Fri, 27 Oct 2017 23:22:22 -0400

https://www.mca-marines.org/complete-list-all-courses-offered-marine-corps-institute

You'll want this, that should keep you going for a fair while, I should think, I'll wait now, if you'd care to chat further, I'll try to give you more, of course, many thanks.

Complete List of All Courses Offered by the Marine Corps Institute | Marine Corps Association

We believe every Marine is a leader. You stand by Marines each step of their Marine Corps journey by giving them the resources they need for professional development.

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made Oct 28 at 2017 3:02 AM

Sgt Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 28 Oct 2017 03:02:53 -0400

Lucas Allen Four of my favorite books that I have read:

The Frozen Hours by Jeff Shaara
Battle Cry by Leon Uris
With the Old Breed: At Peleliu and Okinawa by E. Sledge
Gates of Fire by Steven Pressfield

Response by TSgt Melissa Post made Oct 28 at 2017 3:46 AM

TSgt Melissa Post — Sat, 28 Oct 2017 03:46:10 -0400

I think any leader should read "A Cup of My Coffee 3". Easy and quick read but highlights some very good points of what a good leader does.

Response by GySgt Charles O'Connell made Oct 28 at 2017 8:13 AM

GySgt Charles O'Connell — Sat, 28 Oct 2017 08:13:46 -0400

"A Soldiers Load", The Mask of Command", Lee's Lieutenants", "The Art of War", etc... There are a huge number of books on Command and Leadership. The Commandants Reading List, is a good place to start. Thing is, they are only books, many set in times gone by, and while many of the traits and principals are valid, they must be, in some ways, adapted to todays military. Study the USMC Leadership Traits and Principals.

Response by SGT Dave Tracy made Oct 30 at 2017 10:25 AM

SGT Dave Tracy — Mon, 30 Oct 2017 10:25:24 -0400

I'd go with whatever is on General Mattis's reading list.

Response by GySgt Charles O'Connell made Oct 30 at 2017 5:31 PM

GySgt Charles O'Connell — Mon, 30 Oct 2017 17:31:20 -0400

"The Last Stand of Fox Company".

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Sep 25 at 2019 3:08 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 25 Sep 2019 15:08:01 -0400

"One Bullet Away" by Nathaniel Fink