Free & Public leadership workshop: 14 traits for success in life and business 6-8pm tonight at IU's Forest Quadrangle with Midwest Marine officers

Midwest Marines and officers from across the country will host a free
leadership workshop 6-8 p.m. tonight in the Forest Quadrangle on Indiana
University's campus in Bloomington, Ind. The workshop-style mentorship
program called "Tools for Graduation" is open to the public, and it
demonstrates how to use the Marine Corps' 14 core leadership traits for
success in college and everyday life. The leadership workshop offers students (and business professionals) the
opportunity to collectively explore principles of success through a
series of large and small group sessions, hands-on applications, and
round-table discussions about leadership in the public and private
sector, government, and the military. Participants will receive a
Certificate of Completion, take-home items, and invaluable skills to
engage group and community leaders.

For more information, please contact Capt. Brian Blaine at (317)
554-0515 or by e-mail, Barney.Blaine@Marines.USMC.mil. Members of the
media who wish to cover this event are encouraged to contact Captain
Blaine in advance and interview requests for Marine Corps mentors are
welcomed.

Posted via email from Midwest Marines

Sexual Assault Prevention in the Corps - Are We Doing Enough?

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM) throughout the Department of Defense (DoD). This year’s SAAM has increased importance, as reported cases of sexual assault in the Marine Corps are increasing; in 2008 there were 244 reported cases of sexual assault, the highest the Marine Corps had seen. In 2009, there were approximately 266 reported cases of sexual assault, according to the remarks of the Commandant made to the Department of the Navy Sexual Assault Summit held 8 September 2009.    

 

To put this number in context, DoD wide there are about 70 alleged sexual assault victims per 100,000 military members (according to the DoD Care for Victims of Sexual Assault Task Force 2007) while in the civilian population this number is 110 assaults per 100,000 persons (according to the National Crime Victimization Survey). Although the percentage of assaults in the military is significantly lower than comparable populations in the civilian world, any number is unacceptable in an institution that prides itself on brotherhood.

 

The Marine Corps does not know if sexual assaults are increasing or if reports of sexual assault are increasing; however, the increased reports have caused the Commandant to take action to ensure fair and compassionate treatment for victims and swift justice in sexual assault prosecutions.  The Commandant tasked the Marine Corps’ Inspector General’s Office to conduct a Corps wide survey to determine what percentage of Marines have been sexually assaulted and what type of sexual assault prevention training Marines receive. As a result of this survey, the Commandant has directed additional sexual assault training be conducted at the Recruit Depots. The Commandant also sent white letters to his commanders and his Judge Advocates providing them with his guidance in dealing with sexual assault.  

 

The Department of the Navy (DoN) and the DoD are also taking greater action to prevent sexual assault.  The DoN is conducting its first Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Program Summit later this month. The DoD launced a new website in January to help military members find information about reporting sexual assaults.     

 

This issue is one of great interest to me. I have the privilege of serving as the Sexual Assault Response Coordinator (SARC) for Marines stationed throughout the Midwest. As the SARC, I wonder if myself and the Uniformed Victim Advocates (UVAs) with whom I work are doing enough to provide sexual assault prevention training and assistance to victims. I also consider this from my perspective as a Judge Advocate (military attorney). My first contested (the defendant pleads not guilty and requests a trial) general court-martial with members (equivalent to a civilian felony trial in front of a jury) was a rape case. I tried the case with less than one year’s experience as a Judge Advocate.  It was an acquittal. I have watched parts of several rape cases tried in military courts; convictions are infrequent.

 

In the Commandant’s white letter he tasked Judge Advocates to “gain and maintain the proficiency necessary to maximize your contribution to the fair and complete administration of sexual assault allegations.”  He also tasked the senior leadership in the lawyer community to provide annual sexual assault training to all judge advocates. In a letter to Colonel Vaughn Ary, acting Staff Judge Advocate to the Commandant, dated 1 December 2009, the Defense Task Force on Sexual Assault recommended that the Marine Corps go one step further and establish “military justice litigation tracks” for Judge Advocates to ensure that subject matter experts in sexual assault are identified. I agree that this step should be taken. Trying the sexual assault case to which I was assigned was one of my greatest challenges as an attorney and as a Marine. When the victim took the stand, it was a tremendous example of her personal courage. Anything we can do as Judge Advocates to increase our expertise in this complex and emotionally challenging area of law, we owe to some of our most courageous Marines — our sexual assault survivors.   

Posted via web from Midwest Marines

Sexual Assault Prevention in the Corps - Are We Doing Enough?

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM) throughout the Department of Defense (DoD). This year’s SAAM has increased importance, as reported cases of sexual assault in the Marine Corps are increasing; in 2008 there were 244 reported cases of sexual assault, the highest the Marine Corps had seen. In 2009, there were approximately 266 reported cases of sexual assault, according to the remarks of the Commandant made to the Department of the Navy Sexual Assault Summit held 8 September 2009.    

 

To put this number in context, DoD wide there are about 70 alleged sexual assault victims per 100,000 military members (according to the DoD Care for Victims of Sexual Assault Task Force 2007) while in the civilian population this number is 110 assaults per 100,000 persons (according to the National Crime Victimization Survey). Although the percentage of assaults in the military is significantly lower than comparable populations in the civilian world, any number is unacceptable in an institution that prides itself on brotherhood.

 

The Marine Corps does not know if sexual assaults are increasing or if reports of sexual assault are increasing; however, the increased reports have caused the Commandant to take action to ensure fair and compassionate treatment for victims and swift justice in sexual assault prosecutions.  The Commandant tasked the Marine Corps’ Inspector General’s Office to conduct a Corps wide survey to determine what percentage of Marines have been sexually assaulted and what type of sexual assault prevention training Marines receive. As a result of this survey, the Commandant has directed additional sexual assault training be conducted at the Recruit Depots. The Commandant also sent white letters to his commanders and his Judge Advocates providing them with his guidance in dealing with sexual assault.  

 

The Department of the Navy (DoN) and the DoD are also taking greater action to prevent sexual assault.  The DoN is conducting its first Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Program Summit later this month. The DoD launced a new website in January to help military members find information about reporting sexual assaults.     

 

This issue is one of great interest to me. I have the privilege of serving as the Sexual Assault Response Coordinator (SARC) for Marines stationed throughout the Midwest. As the SARC, I wonder if myself and the Uniformed Victim Advocates (UVAs) with whom I work are doing enough to provide sexual assault prevention training and assistance to victims. I also consider this from my perspective as a Judge Advocate (military attorney). My first contested (the defendant pleads not guilty and requests a trial) general court-martial with members (equivalent to a civilian felony trial in front of a jury) was a rape case. I tried the case with less than one year’s experience as a Judge Advocate.  It was an acquittal. I have watched parts of several rape cases tried in military courts; convictions are infrequent.

 

In the Commandant’s white letter he tasked Judge Advocates to “gain and maintain the proficiency necessary to maximize your contribution to the fair and complete administration of sexual assault allegations.”  He also tasked the senior leadership in the lawyer community to provide annual sexual assault training to all judge advocates. In a letter to Colonel Vaughn Ary, acting Staff Judge Advocate to the Commandant, dated 1 December 2009, the Defense Task Force on Sexual Assault recommended that the Marine Corps go one step further and establish “military justice litigation tracks” for Judge Advocates to ensure that subject matter experts in sexual assault are identified. I agree that this step should be taken. Trying the sexual assault case to which I was assigned was one of my greatest challenges as an attorney and as a Marine. When the victim took the stand, it was a tremendous example of her personal courage. Anything we can do as Judge Advocates to increase our expertise in this complex and emotionally challenging area of law, we owe to some of our most courageous Marines — our sexual assault survivors.   

Posted via web from Midwest Marines

Post questions now for Chicago & Kansas City educators at Marine boot camp

We had a blast last week with St. Louis and Milwaukee educators in San Diego getting a first-hand look at what training and life are like for Marines, as you can tell from the photos below and the webcasts on our sister site.

Chicago & Kansas City educators are at boot camp in San Diego this week, so feel free to post questions here that you’d like to ask educators from your area about their experience, and we’ll do our best to get answers from them for you. Of course, stay tuned for their stories.

For a brief overview of the program, see the video below, or get details on upcoming Midwest Marines Educators Workshops for educators and members of the news media.

 

Posted via web from Midwest Marines

Educators Workshop Webcast: Bayonet course puts Midwest educators as close to boot camp as you can get without getting your head shaved first

Midwest high school educators overran the bayonet assault course at Marine Corps boot camp in San Diego Tuesday. More than half of the 70 Midwest Marines Educators Workshop participants from Milwaukee and St. Louis screamed, ran, crawled, crossed rope bridges, climbed walls and bayoneted dummies amidst the sights and sounds of battle during the week-long program that makes them experts on Marine Corps basics.

Here's what it sounded like for a four-person team from Illinois and Missouri, which also seemed to have a pretty good time.

• (Team Leader) Brandon Holthausen is a guidance counselor at Hillsboro High School in Hillsboro, Mo. (south of St. Louis)
• Saeward Jones is a physical education teacher at Marion High School in Marion, Ill.
• Michelle Elwood is a guidance counselor at Marion High School
• Dave Peirce is Hillsboro High School’s Freshman at Risk teacher

  
Download now or listen on posterous

Missouri Educators tackle Bayonet Assault Course during the first Midwest Marines Educators Workshop of 2010.wma (2469 KB)

Want more? See photos of other educators going through the Bayonet Assault Course.

Posted via email from Midwest Marines Webcasts

Album: St. Louis & Milwaukee educators tackle the bayonet assault course during the Midwest Marines Educators Workshop Feb. 22-26, 2010

See and download the full gallery on posterous

Photos courtesy of Staff Sgt. Joseph Paulsen, Midwest Marines Recruiting Station Milwaukee

Want more? Our webcast lets you join four educators going through the course.

• If you would like to participate in an upcoming Midwest Marines Educators Workshop, find out more here. 

Posted via email from Midwest Marines