NEW ORLEANS --
The 37th Commandant of the Marine
Corps, Gen. Robert B. Neller, refined and expanded on the 36th Commandant’s
Planning Guidance. The fragmentation
order was released on Jan. 19, 2016 to clarify the Marine Corps’ goals and how to
reach them over the next four years.
Neller explained that he is not
interfering with the previous plan given by former Commandant Gen. Joseph F.
Dunford, now the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Neller listed five areas which are key to
achieving future success: people, readiness, training, integration with the
naval and joint force, and modernization.
Each area consists of three major themes which include maintaining and improving
individuals in the Corps, transitioning out of the wartime mindset, and
modernizing the force.
Neller said the highest priority is
recruiting and retaining the highest quality of people. This means reviewing how all Marines receive
promotions in the reserve, such as advancing lance corporals. Eligible Marines will soon be on a new review
board for lance corporals based on the merit of their performance at their
command. Staff non-commissioned officers
will be leading the boards and deciding if their lance corporals are ready to become
NCOs. The “Marine for Life” program will be reviewed and, with the previously
restricted military occupational specialties opening up, Neller will now look
at and analyze the opportunities to Reserve Marines looking to change MOSs.
Marines can also expect an increase
in readiness efforts to reflect a culture of standards making Marines more
deployable. With this, Marines across the Force are becoming more involved to
make sure Marines stay physically fit. The Marine Corps will develop a new MOS
for a force fitness instructor to keep track of a unit’s physical training
standards. Neller is also putting an emphasis on training being conducted in
the Force with simulation of real life events and will continue to develop and
evolve the Marine Air Ground Task Force to test, fail, adjust, learn and
advance the Marine Corps’ capabilities.
For more information and guidance visit FRAGO 01/2016: ADVANCE TO CONTACT.