Educators see how active duty Marines live and work aboard Miramar

Educators from Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and the Chicago area visited Marine Corps Air Station Miramar today for a look at how active duty Marines live and work aboard a Marine Corps installation. They also visited the flight line to get an up-close look at Marine Corps aircraft and emergency services. After a trip to the Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego Exchange for some souvenirs, the educators were treated to a concert from the Marine Band San Diego party band ensemble and toured the base museum.

Check out their experiences in their own words on the Midwest Marines Webcasts page.

  

Tomorrow, the educators will board the buses before dawn for a trip to Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton where they will see the Crucible, meet recruits who just completed the Crucible, take a turn in the marksmanship simulator, see the rifle range and visit one of the job specialty training schools to see how Marines are trained to perform their daily jobs.

Posted via web from Midwest Marines

Webcast: Michigan & Minnesota educators recount Midwest Marines Educators Workshop Day 1

Wayne "Rusty" Stitt, principal of Sturgis High School (Michigan) and Peter Zak, assistant principal of Eagan High School (Minnesota) share their experiences on Day 1 of the Midwest Marines Educators Workshop. See previous post below for more details on Day 1 -- and a preview of Day 2.

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Pete_Zak.mpeg (1295 KB)

Posted via web from Midwest Marines Webcasts

Midwest Marines educators entrusted to Marine Drill Instructors

Educators from Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota and the Chicago area were introduced to their drill instructors this morning as part of the Marine Corps Educators Workshop in San Diego. By the end of the day, the teachers, counselors and administrators had experienced the "Yellow Footprints", marched several miles, threw punches at each other and negotiated the bayonet assault course. To follow them through their journey, visit the Midwest Marines Webcasts page for an update every day during the week.

Posted via web from Midwest Marines

New webcast features Lt. Col. Roberta Shea

She's seen just about everything in more than two decades as a Marine. Now she's responsible for every woman trying to earn the title. Listen to the newest Midwest Marines Webcast to find out more.

Posted via web from Midwest Marines

New webcast: She's seen combat, jumped from planes & done time in DC. Now she sees every woman who wants to be a Marine

  
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Interview_with_Lieutenant_Colonel_Roberta_Shea_-_Midwest_Marines_Webcast_2-2010.mp3 (6508 KB)

Lt. Col. Roberta Shea is a combat veteran from Iraq and Afghanistan with the combat action ribbon to prove it. She’s jumped from airplanes, directed the Commandant’s staff, served at Guantanamo Bay, seen time in both the enlisted and officer ranks, graduated the U.S. Naval Academy and now commands the Marine Corps’ only unit that transforms young civilian women into Marines. The Midwest Marines’ Captain Amelia Kays had the rare opportunity a few weeks ago to sit down with Lt. Col. Shea at Parris Island, South Carolina, for a personal, inspiring, and even humorous glimpse into the life of a warrior with more than two decades in the Corps. How has she done it? Why has she done it? What should today’s young ladies expect from the Marines? Listen for answers from the most qualified source in the Marine Corps today.

The Midwest Marines would like to thank David Nelson, from Livonia, Michigan, for the questions he submitted for Lt. Col. Shea:

David Nelson said...
Lt. Col Shea,
Given the performance of military women in Iraq and Afghanistan in combat operations, it would seem that the current policy prohibited women from direct ground combat is outdated.
Do you forsee these policies changes? Particularly given the chaning attitudes in the country. Are you supportive of such a change to allow women in combat MOS if the standards are met.
Thank you.

We discussed these very important questions with Lt. Col. Shea prior to the interview, and she felt unqualified to speculate about the future of U.S. policy regarding women in military occupational specialties (jobs) directly related to combat because those decisions reside with the American people and the Department of Defense. She noted that is not her support, but rather that of the American people, that matters with issues as important as assigning combat roles to women.

Webcast #20100402

Posted via web from Midwest Marines Webcasts

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