What types of "white space" training do you want to see?

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 17 Jul 2015 16:47:43 -0400

We all have down time (shhh don't tell higher)... What do you, want to see happen during that time with hip pocket classes... During ITX this year we filled the gaps with classes from 9line casevac to call for fire to classes on how dragons are in fact... Real. Classes like this in my opinion increase readiness and improve on platoon cohesion. So again I ask, what would keep this time informative, boost your knowlage as a Marine but also keep you from throwing rocks?

Response by PO1 John Miller made Jul 17 at 2015 4:51 PM

PO1 John Miller — Fri, 17 Jul 2015 16:51:08 -0400

I suggest you have your Marines read all Terminal Lance cartoons and then have a discussion on how true his situations are.

Response by SSG David McPherson made Jul 17 at 2015 4:51 PM

SSG David McPherson — Fri, 17 Jul 2015 16:51:22 -0400

Get with your Doc to teach buddy aid courses

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 17 at 2015 5:07 PM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 17 Jul 2015 17:07:07 -0400

I would try to make them relevant to that day or weeks training focus. Ideally they would complement the unit training plan or like you suggested be a distraction and lighten the mood. You could get with a MAI/T and look at what tie ins they use after lessons are taught. Those run the gauntlet of various Marine Corps topics.

Marines will never stop throwing rocks.

Response by MGySgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 17 at 2015 5:44 PM

MGySgt Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 17 Jul 2015 17:44:28 -0400

I would recommend classes on tactics. Many times the Officers and Enlisted speak different tactical language based from what they are taught in the school house. Get a copy of the old Army ARTEP and it will provide many checklists of what you need to do for each event (ie AA procedures, passage of lines, relief in place, actions on contact, etc).

Response by Cpl Christopher Bishop made Jul 17 at 2015 5:48 PM

Cpl Christopher Bishop — Fri, 17 Jul 2015 17:48:32 -0400

If I were calling the shots for a week, Id meet with all the NCOs the friday prior and assign each a topic to teach. I would allow them all to decide from a list of topics which each would teach, and Id pretty much assume that they would likely gravitate to what they are most familiar with, but my point is that every NCO would be teaching SOMETHING useful, and that this could help the more recently promoted to an NCO rank earn some respect just from the "He actually knows some shit" point. It would also give them facetime doing the actual teaching. Im not going to get into the specifics of the topic list, mostly because Ive been out too long and I know some things, equipment, processes, etc have changed. But CALL FOR FIRE is an excellent option.

I might start with a few round of these NCOs each teaching what they are most savvy with, while working on getting a routine of scheduling going etc. Later I might rotate them into having them teach some things they might be less comfortable with, requiring them to go study up to make a good presentation...no NEW Corporal wants to look like an idiot in front of their subs. Trial by Fire, if u will. And rest assured some of these topics WILL happen at the base swimming pool...since Marines are Amphibious---we shall ensure they are.

Response by Cpl Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 18 at 2015 11:53 AM

Cpl Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 18 Jul 2015 11:53:36 -0400

You can lay down and watch Harry Potter ! It not only boosts unit cohesion and morale, but watching Harry, Ron, and Hermoine run around trying to find a problem and fix it, and overcoming obstacles, shows all the fundamentals of being a good leader, shows good teamwork, and teaches you situational awareness when they're sneaking around.

Response by Sgt Jerami Ballard made Jul 19 at 2015 4:59 AM

Sgt Jerami Ballard — Sun, 19 Jul 2015 04:59:05 -0400

I had all of my Marines (I had 10 that I was responsible for and all were very "opinionated") study a specific article of the Bill of Rights and give a class on it, afterwards it turned to a discussion about what they had given classes on. I made sure to pick certain topics for certain people that would make them have to face differing opinions from their own when the discussion began.

Except one Marine who thought she could get away with anything she wanted. I made her give a class on Article 91 and how an NJP concerning it could ruin her chances to both be promoted and be retained. (She had 3 couselings about her contempt for any figure with authority.)

The discussions ended up being very informative to them as many of them didn't even know their basic rights and it kept my leadership on their toes as I had been a buffer zone for some of the more questionable things they attempted at times.

Response by Sgt Michael Kieloch made Jul 29 at 2015 2:19 PM

Sgt Michael Kieloch — Wed, 29 Jul 2015 14:19:02 -0400

Bring in outside resources. Have your RO come in and teach the Marines how to use the PRC's. Have the S-3 Training NCO talk about PME opportunities and how school seats work. Have an S-2 Marine show up to talk about how to gather and share valuable intel from patrols. Cross-train.

Conduct hands-on hip-pocket classes instead of lecture. Conduct a vehicle checkpoint and search with whatever you have nearby: tactical vehicles, POV's, gov vans, whatever. Speed reload drills. Measure up 100m of wherever you are and calculate some pace counts.

Make it a competition and tie it to something the Marine Corps expects, trains to, or evaluates. Have an ammo can and its CFT season? 2-min max ammo can lift contest. Fastest speed reload. Fastest diss/ass of a weapons system.

Keep it interesting, keep it varied, and keep it relevant.

Response by Sgt Josh Hardy made Feb 16 at 2016 6:14 PM

Sgt Josh Hardy — Tue, 16 Feb 2016 18:14:45 -0500

I'd suggest having some of the Marines, particularly those over 20, to give a hip-pocket class on something related to their job that they learned prior to joining, or outside the unit's training. For example, I'm a reserve MP, and I work private security where body language is one of our key indicators for a problematic person. We also have a few police officers and vehicle mechanics who can give classes on basic response or maintenance (respectively).