R 291630Z AUG 00 ZYW
FM CMC WASHINGTON DC//CMC//
TO ALMAR
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UNCLAS //N05000//
ALMAR 031/00
MSGID/GENADMIN/CG MCRC//
SUBJ/MARINE MAIL//
REF/A/ALMAR 204/95//
REF/B/CMC FRAG ORDER OF 1997//
REF C/MARADMIN 113/99//
REF/D/SECNAVINST 1650.1F//
REF/E/MCO 1650.17F//
POC/C. M. POWALSKI/MAJ/DMCS/TEL (703) 697-1049//
NARR/REF A IS ALMAR TO ESTABLISH MARINE MAIL/REF B IS CMC FRAG ORDER
PROVIDING AMPLIFYING INSTRUCTIONS TO REF A/REF C IS MARINE MAIL
INCENTIVES MARADMIN/REF D IS SECNAV INSTRUCTION ON MILITARY
INCENTIVE/AWARDS PROGRAM/REF E IS MCO ON MILITARY INCENTIVE AWARDS
PROGRAMS//
RMKS/1. THIS ALMAR IS PROVIDED TO REINTRODUCE ALL MARINES, SAILORS
AND CIVILIANS TO "MARINE MAIL." ORIGINALLY INSTITUTED BY GENERAL
KRULAK, "MARINE MAIL" WAS ESTABLISHED TO ENCOURAGE CREATIVITY AND
INNOVATION, PROVIDING EVERY MARINE, SAILOR OR CIVILIAN, REGARDLESS OF
RANK, A METHOD BY WHICH THEIR POSITIVE AND PROFESSIONAL IDEAS COULD
BE HEARD. IT WAS NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR THE CHAIN OF COMMAND AND
OTHER REPORTING PROCEDURES SUCH AS REQUEST MAST, ADMINISTRATIVE
REQUESTS, DISCIPLINARY ACTIONS/APPEALS, MEDICAL BOARDS, EEO ISSUES,
ETC. IN ADDITION, FOUR BASIC QUESTIONS DISCUSSED IN REFERENCES (A)
AND (B) AS FOUND BELOW, PROVIDED GUIDANCE AS TO ITS CRITERIA FOR
SUBMISSION. LATER, TWO INITIATIVES DESCRIBED IN REFERENCE (C) WERE
INSTITUTED TO REGENERATE THIS PROGRAM.
2. THE HQMC STAFF AGENCIES HAVE REVIEWED THE "MARINE MAIL" PROGRAM
DURING MY FIRST YEAR AS YOUR COMMANDANT, AND HAVE PROVIDED ME WITH
VALUABLE RECOMMENDATIONS AS TO ITS FUTURE BENEFIT TO OUR CORPS. AS
A RESULT, THIS ALMAR SUPERCEDES THE GUIDANCE SET FORTH IN
REFERENCES (A) THROUGH (C) IRT THE "MARINE MAIL" PROGRAM.
3. EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY, I SOLICIT YOUR INNOVATIVE THOUGHTS, IDEAS,
AND RECOMMENDATIONS THROUGH "MARINE MAIL." THE INTENT OF
"MARINE MAIL" REMAINS THE SAME. THE CRITERIA FOR SUBMISSION
PROVIDED BELOW CONTINUES WITH ITS ORIGINAL INTENT.
A) WHAT AREN'T WE DOING THAT WE SHOULD BE DOING?
B) WHAT ARE WE DOING THAT WE SHOULD DO DIFFERENTLY?
C) WHAT ARE WE DOING THAT WE SHOULDN'T BE DOING?
D) WHAT NEW CONCEPT OR IDEA SHOULD THE MARINE CORPS INVESTIGATE TO
IMPROVE ITS WARFIGHTING CAPABILITY?
4. I CHALLENGE EACH OF YOU TO EXAMINE THESE CRITERIA AND PROVIDE
YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS. YOU MAY SUBMIT YOUR "MARINE MAIL" THROUGH ANY
OF THE FOLLOWING VENUES: USMC INTERNET WEB PAGE AT
HTTP:\\WWW.USMC.MIL\CMC; FAX TO (703) 614-5035; E-MAIL
TO MARINE
MAIL@HQMC.USMC.MIL; OR POSTAL MAIL TO MARINE MAIL (CMC),
HQMC, 2 NAVY ANNEX, WASHINGTON DC, 20380-1775.
5. I ALSO CHARGE EACH OF MY DEPUTY COMMANDANTS AND THE COMMANDING
GENERAL, MARINE CORPS COMBAT DEVELOPMENT COMMAND, TO TAKE THE
FOLLOWING INITIATIVES FOR IMMEDIATE ACTION.
A) CONSIDERATION FOR INCENTIVE PROGRAMS. AS YOU ARE TASKED BY THE
DIRECTOR, MARINE CORPS STAFF (DMCS) TO RESPOND TO "MARINE MAILS,"
ENSURE THAT ALL "MARINE MAILS" ARE REVIEWED FOR POTENTIAL
CONSIDERATION IAW THE INCENTIVE PROGRAMS DISCUSSED IN REFERENCES (D)
AND (E). IF A "MARINE MAIL" MEETS THE CRITERIA ESTABLISHED IN THESE
REFERENCES, TAKE THE NECESSARY STEPS TO NOMINATE IT FOR AN INCENTIVE
AWARD.
B) QUESTIONS TO THE CORPS. NLT 1 SEP ANNUALLY, SUBMIT ONE QUESTION
VIA THE DMCS, PERTAINING TO YOUR AREA OF RESPONSIBILTY. I WILL THEN
QUARTERLY CHOOSE ONE QUESTION FROM THOSE PROVIDED AND CHALLENGE THE
CORPS--ALL MARINES, SAILORS AND CIVILIANS--TO SUBMIT AN INNOVATIVE
REPLY VIA "MARINE MAIL."
6. TO JUMP START THESE INITIATIVES I CHALLENGE THE CORPS TO UTILIZE
"MARINE MAIL" AND REPLY TO THE FOLLOWING "QUESTION TO THE CORPS" IRT
SAFETY: ANNUALLY, AN AVERAGE OF 100 MARINES DIE IN MISHAPS AND
ANOTHER 2000 ARE SEPARATED DUE TO INJURIES INCURRED IN MISHAPS.
WHAT SHORTFALLS DO YOU SEE FIRST HAND THAT CONTRIBUTE TO THIS
UNACCEPTABLE TREND?
7. STICK TO THE SUBMISSION CRITERIA AND YOU WILL RECEIVE A REPLY
WITHIN 30 DAYS OF RECEIPT. ALL SUBMISSIONS THAT DO NOT MEET AT
LEAST ONE OF THE CRITERIA OR RESPOND TO THE QUARTERLY "QUESTION TO
THE CORPS," WILL BE IMMEDIATELY RETURNED WITHOUT ACTION TAKEN.
8. MY JULY 1999 GUIDANCE DISCUSSED FOUR LEADERSHIP CONCEPTS:
TRUST, TOLERANCE, UNIT BEFORE SELF, AND SAYING "YES" TO OUR MARINES'
REQUESTS. IN THE SPIRIT OF THIS GUIDANCE I VIEW "MARINE MAIL" AS AN
EXCELLENT MEDIUM TO ALLOW ALL MARINES THE OPPORTUNITY TO STRENGTHEN
OUR CORPS.
9. SEMPER FIDELIS, J. L. JONES, GENERAL, U.S. MARINE CORPS,
COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS.//
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