MARINE CORPS BASE HAWAII -- For the first time on the Pacific side of the Marine Corps, lance corporals graduated from the Lance Corporal Leadership and Ethics Seminar, Nov. 21, 2014 at Marine Corps Base Hawaii’s Chaplain Joseph W. Estabrook Chapel.
The weeklong seminar was full of classes and guided discussions on the fundamentals of Marine Corps leadership, counseling and fitness.
Many Marines came to the chapel to show their support to the lance corporals who took the course.
The course was led by noncommissioned officers from the Staff Noncommissioned Officer Academy.
There have been many lance corporal courses that SNCOs have put together themselves around the Marine Corps, said Master Gunnery Sgt. John Willis, special guest speaker at the graduation.
There are courses for corporals, sergeants and other ranks but the lance corporals never quite had a course, which left a knowledge gap in the Corps, Willis said.
“This is a step in the right direction as far as ensuring that we remind our lance corporals the values like honor, courage and commitment they were taught at boot camp,” he said.
Every lance corporal in the Marine Corps will be required to take this seminar to be eligible for promotion to corporal by October 2015, said Sgt. Maj. Steven E. Collier, the seminar director.
“The instructors made sure that all the knowledge that was passed on was given at the right times,” said Lance Cpl. Mitch Saxton, a graduate of the seminar. “It was given in such a way (that) it all just clicked.”
Saxton said as lance corporals they are in the prime position to groom their leadership abilities. He said a good leader needs to first be a good follower and lance corporals have Marines under them to lead but also have Marines supervising them to follow.
The seminar teaches the lance corporals to think outside the box and puts them in a position to be leaders and express themselves as leaders, Collier said. He added that the first official class this went very well.
The course's curriculum is on the Enlisted Professional Military Education website for junior marines who are interested to see the subjects and criteria of the course.
There were 96 applicants for the seminar but only so many seats were available. They plan to run the course next month so any lance corporals that want to, can take the seminar.