1. Purpose. To provide my philosophy of leadership and the underlying principles that guide what I do on a daily basis. This philosophy should be the driving force in our Marine Expeditionary Unit and enable us to reach levels unexpected.
2. Philosophy. My personal leadership philosophy revolves around "Leadership and Discipline" using the tenants of Mind, Body and Spirit. It guides leaders at every level that when in charge, take charge. Set high standards, make sure everyone understands them, and then meet them. Once you have met those standards, then raise the bar and meet new ones. This should start at the NCO level in setting the example and work up. If our NCOs and the Marines they lead are proficient and possess a strong mind, body and spirit, then there is nothing on the battlefield that a unit of United States Marines can’t defeat. It is this entire unit - proficient with both day and night weapon systems, doing the right thing when no one is watching, with members who love the team more than themselves – that will allow the MEU as a whole to be successful. We must come to play on the gridiron prepared every day. We must train how we will fight and must leave all we have on the field, exhausted, each and every day. We must learn from our mistakes and not make the same one’s twice. Brilliance in the basics and flawless execution will be our trademark that we achieve through the tenets below.
3. Tenets of Mind, Body and Spirit: I truly believe in the concept of mind, body and spirit and the strong triangle it forms. I believe Marines can accomplish anything if they possess these attributes as they are intertwined.
MIND: Our minds must be strong. We must seek knowledge and be proficient at what we do. We must have the discipline to strive to get better each and every day. We must use our minds to think before we act and make good decisions when placed in all situations. We must not let our minds defeat our bodies and our spirit.
BODY: We must strive to improve our physical strength and endurance by challenging ourselves. Our endurance will allow us to make good decisions in a timely manner. It will allow us to complete the mission. It will provide us with a peace of mind that we can do anything and will lift our spirits.
SPIRIT: Our spirit is composed of an inner spirit and/or a higher being. It is where we draw strength. It allows us to continue when we feel we can’t. It provides us with a sense of peace and a sense of accomplishment. It provides stability and discipline in making good decisions. We must harness this feeling and keep it a part of us. It is a combat multiplier on the battlefield.
4. Summary. We must use the tenants of mind, body and spirit. We must push to excel in life and on the battlefield. Marines have been successful in all that they have been tasked to accomplish. Our obligation is to not let those who came before us down and make our mark for the generations to come. Therefore, we must work together to set the example and instill the spirit of teamwork in everything we do – our future success depends on it.
BIG MARINE RULES!!!!!!!!
J. D. Christmas