Recruits arriving at Marine Corps Recruit Depots in late November will be the first to go through an additional period of training, which will be known as fourth phase, designed to better prepare them for success as Marines.
Fourth phase will utilize the six F’s of Marine Leader Development framework: Fidelity, Fighter, Fitness, Family, Finances and Future. Marines will be in small groups covering subjects that are critical to success and growth in all aspects of their personal and professional lives.
Neller added that the Corps is seeking more time for these new Marines to get used to the idea that earning the title ‘Marine’ is just the beginning.
“We thought it was important that the drill instructor, the key figure in the development of these new Marines, had a role to play in the transition,” said Neller. “They were their drill instructors, but now they have to be their staff sergeant, their gunnery sergeant and we thought that was very powerful.”
As drill instructors transition from trainers of recruits to mentors of Marines, the expected result is a more resilient, mature, disciplined and better-prepared Marine.
“This is a normal evolution of the recruit training experience,” said Neller. “We are trying to keep the very best of what we do now [in recruit training] and add something to make it even better.”
Recruits at both Marine Corps Recruit Depots Parris Island, South Carolina, and San Diego will first tackle the fourth phase in early February 2018.
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That’s a great idea.
“Six F’s??” I can only imagine the seventh. Look, the program works well in TBS but for enlisted who come out of Basic, they need life skills that will lower the divorce rates, lower financial bankruptcy, lower drug use and lower trates of suicide. If this is a mentor program, I’m all for it. The top brass know they have a problem. But once deployed, this kind of support will lose it’s effectiveness if not continued in some form. How can the “mentor-like” individual follow the career of his or her Marine throughout their career. Things that get measured get done. Find a way for the Drill Instructor to stay in touch. Give them the tools and the time. The Marines don’t have an HR Department and nobody would use it any way. But give them access to a person who they can trust and perhaps you now have any early warning system that can initiate action.
Great idea
Sounds to me like it’ll end up being a kinder gentler portion of boot camp with the reward of earning the title coming even sooner; I think the honor of being called a Marine should be withheld until the very last day after graduation.
No, it doesn’t come sooner. It comes at the same time. This fourth phase is added after the normal three phases. This is what I took from the article.
It will give them a little time to adjust to Marine life and not being yelled at …Hopefully they are not just sitting around doing nothing.
After graduating boot camp in ’79, I was on “Legal Hold” for 2 weeks. I was assigned as company clerk to give me something to do during the day. I got to know my DI’s (and other Instructors) as Marines. This helped me much later in life, as I still look back on these times for what being a leader of men is all about. This “new” system should work well and only improve the quality of Marine produced.
In ’76 when I was at MCRD Parris Island we were trained to be combat warriors. That was the mission of our Drill Instructors. Most of them at that time were combat hardened, Vietnam Veterans. The emphasis was on combat readiness, and Marine Corps values. The next phase of our training was not how to be a peacetime Marine, nor were we prepared for life in the Corps beyond the Boot Camp experience. I was sent to a Army Base, (FT Bliss) for training and was mentored by Army Drill Sergeants. There was no Marine Corps chain of Command other than a small office to process orders and deal with personal issues. This fourth phase is a great idea, and if it is successful will help make the transition from recruit to Marine complete. Many of my fellow Marines failed at being Marines simply because there was nothing to do but spend a day at a time in the “work force”, and not preparing for the life we were expected to live beyond PI or SD.
Question why not add two more weeks to training? The Corps cut something out of training that was deemed important all these years. I think it is away to please PC pun-dents. Maybe you could reinforce Corps history this generation of Marine could care less about Chesty Puller or the term “Semper Fi” I have experienced this first hand on many occasions. Semper Fi tet 68
Great Idea, but it needs to continue through out their enlistment. As a former Marine (Cpl 84-88) I’m anxious to see how it expands and if the start date holds my son will be one of the first to experience it, he departs for MCRD San Diego in late November. Semper Fi!!
i remember the 7 -P’s in life. Prior,Proper,Planning,Prevents,Piss Poor Performance!
i agree with Jack Hanson, above. The new concept has value to these new Marines, but it should not take away from other important recruit training. Add the extra time at the end of current recruit training. Semper Fi Vietnam Vet ’66-’67.
PI summer ’68 .. we did boot in 8 wks, not 12 or 13 .. don’t believe we suffered due to 4-5 fewer weeks. Altho, Crucible would have been useful, but was sorta part of “staging”. In 8 wks I gained 55 lbs, and was the fake platoon Sgt in ITR, and lasted the entire time. Think good idea, but why 2 wks, and why add to 13 wks? Trials are necessary. Cpl 68-70 Pogue!
I sense that the corp has taken a few steps back since I enlisted in “69” but was not grant to enter till “72”, This is my opinion and thoughts , The USMC has gotten soft in really making true marines , or it the leadership of who is in charged, I have been asked by my son, are the Marines better than the Army, in a honest reply I say yes Like they say once a Marine always a Marine. But I wonder what’s next after phase 4 ??
Smart move. The “someone to trust” factor is important. Who better than the DI(s).
If you have never been a D.I. you don’t know what your talking about. D.I.’s don’t want to big dad these pukes. It’s their job to train them to be basically trained Marines just as the D.I. oath says, that’s all, nothing more. I think it’s a joke and just trying to be politically correct.
A lot of Marines here are remarking we need a mentoring system after Parris Island/San Diego. We have one already and it should be the best in the world. That is one of the primary duties of every Marine NCO and Officer – take care of your people. I entered the Corps in 1977 – the ‘post Vietnam’ era. It is considered a low point in the history of to Corps, requiring a rebuilding of the NCO ranks. Modern times might be a parallel. I worked for a Gunner who was God’s gift to me and the Corps. He cared deeply about the people who were around him and it showed every day. 40 years later I would still cut off my right nut for this man if he asked for it. If the leadership in the Corps does not have that kind of a leader, they should be focusing all their attention on it because technology cannot replace it.
I think that this is a great idea and an important part of the training of new Marines! I wish that we had this trading back when I went through Boot Camp in 1981.
I like the idea, but the mentoring should be done by Staff NCO’s who have plenty of experience in FMF. Drill instructors have a stressful job of making marines. I am not saying they are not capable by any means, but their job is making marines not baby them. Will this type of mentoring continue when a Marine enters FMF? I think it should because it would help create good leaders in the Marine Corps. Cpl 92-96 Comms
In 1964 i got the works from PI and after camp Geiger, I was ready for anything, I was ready to be the leader that I had been taught to be, I didn’t need a Big Daddy. My whole term seemed hot, from house to house fighting in Santo Domingo to Vietnam Nam in 1967. While in the Mud Flats I witnessed one of my drill instructors get killed on a mine sweep. It was one of those things for me to get (3) Purple Hearts and get stationed with one of my drill instructors. A marine should be able to fall right in a leadership position when the need arrives. Sorry for the flash back, this is what I live now, Still a proud Marine
RCH, you’re ate up brother. Marines must evolve quicker than our counterparts to keep the advantage. We can’t live in the past. We can only learn from it.
If they can’t hack it after 13 weeks, adding 2 more weeks isn’t going to make any difference. Mentoring? We were mentored for 13 weeks in 65, and that was plenty. The one thing I totally disapprove is once they pass the Crucible they will be called Marines in the 4th Phase. No boot earns the title of Marine until the leave San Diego or Paris Island. Why not call them Marines in boot camp? This is beginning to look more like the Army than the Corps.
Sounds like a very wise and intelligent decision. The primary objectives are what every person should know. I’ll be anxious to hear feedback from new Marines and Drill Instructors. (from a former Drill Instructor at Parris Island-1967-68)
OOHRAH!. If recruits see what NCO’s can help with while in Boot Camp, they’ll more readily accept mentoring from NCO’S out in the Fleet. Better than asking Joe S*it the ragman on the third crapper from the left.MARINE CORP!
Are we forgetting about their time at SOI/MOS Training. I spent time Instructing at SOI and DI/SDI. My most rewarding time in the Marine Corps was my time as a Drill Instructor. That should never change. Extend the time at their MOS school after boot camp by being mentored by those Marines training them in their MOS. A private, PFC and LCPL’s mentoring should come from those NCO’s and the NCO’s in the Fleet. 83 – 2003. Semper Fi!
I agree pretty much with you. This “added” training must be done during the MOS training. I feel I got mine at Camp Geiger during my MOS (1371) training. This also sounds to much like other branches of the services and we don’t need that to fall into the Corps. Semper Fi
It’s hard to improve on perfection, but if it can be done, the Marines will do it!
I agree with Mark Goldman. I believe the NCO’s and SNCO’s in the fleet in their MOS would be the best Marines for that purpose. That’s the way it was when I was in back in 74-76. Semper Fi!
The six F’s, important and necessary. Good call Commandant!
I got my “added” training in Staging Regiment and first PDS.
I got my “added” training in Staging Regiment and first PDS.