general principles and concepts were already in place as Marine Corps doctrine
and could have been found in MCDP1
and MCDP1–3. The NCOs, however,
did not know they existed and were unable to benefit from the knowledge
contained in these publications.
There is a simple solution that could
rectify this deficiency in Marine Corps
training and education. A 3-day “
Professional Warfighters Course” could be run
at the battalion level that would both familiarize junior officers and NCOs with
current doctrine and increase their fighting efficiency. The course should include
all platoon commanders, platoon sergeants, squad leaders, and fire team leaders. There is a critical need for junior
leaders to connect intellectually prior to
entering a combat zone. In the Forward
to the 1997 edition of MCDP 1, Gen
Krulak commanded every Marine “
enlisted and commissioned—to read this
book, understand it, and act upon it.” 13
The inherent complexity of the counterinsurgency battles in Iraq and
Afghanistan requires all ranks to be able
to “think” as well as shoot, move, and
communicate. The decentralized nature
of future warfare only compounds this
need.
The Professional Warfighters Course
would provide a unique opportunity to
build an intellectual connection with all
leaders in an infantry platoon. PMEs
and field training evolutions do not
allow for this type of mental interaction. Generally, PMEs are structured to
separate officers and NCOs and teach
skills necessary for the accomplishment
of their respective duties. Field training
focuses on specific tactics, techniques,
and procedures projected to defeat a
conventional or nonconventional foe.
The Professional Warfighters Course,
however, would place all ranks together
in an educational environment designed to stimulate critical thinking and
problem-solving skills. This would
allow platoon commanders, platoon
sergeants, squad leaders, and fire team
leaders to understand how each individual thinks. By connecting mentally
with one another, the platoon’s leaders
would learn to trust each other’s deci-
0700–0830
0830–0930
0930–1030
1030–1130
1130–1300
1300–1400
1400–1500
Day 1
Introduction and Explanation of Course
MCDP 1 Chapter 1 “The Nature of War”
MCDP 1 Chapter 2 “The Theory of War”
MCDP1 Chapter 3 “Preparing for War”
Chow
MCDP 1 Chapter 4 “The Conduct of War”
Summation and Guided Discussion
0700–0800
0800–0900
0900–1000
1000–1030
1030–1130
1130–1300
1300–1330
1330–1400
1400–1500
1500–1600
Day 2
MCDP1–3 Chapter 1 “Understanding Tactics”
MCDP1–3 Chapter 2 “Achieving a Decision”
MCDP1–3 Chapter 3 “Gaining Advantage”
MCDP1–3 Chapter 4 “Being Faster”
MCDP 1–3 Chapter 5 “Adapting”
Chow
MCDP 1–3 Chapter 6 “Cooperating”
MCDP1–3 Chapter 7 “Exploiting Success and Finishing”
MCDP 1–3 Chapter 8 “Making It Happen”
Summation and Guided Discussion
0700–0800
0800–0845
0845–1000
1000–1130
1130–1300
1300–1400
1400–1415
1415–1445
Day 3
Critical Thinking and Creativity on the Battlefield
Initiative in Combat
Leadership
Training Evolution Without Troops
Chow/Study
Summation
Course Critique (Oral and Written)
Distribution of Completion Certificates
Table 1. The Professional Warfighters Course.
sions. On the battlefield, trusting one’s
subordinates and superiors translates
into reduced reaction time. 14
. . . trustingone’ssub-
ordinates and superiors
translates into reduced
reaction time.
Instructors for the course should be
drawn directly from the battalion to
decrease the need for external support.
Company commanders and officers
who attended the resident Expedi-
tionary Warfare School (EWS) are outstanding choices for instructors. Graduation from the resident EWS
demonstrates an individual’s understanding of Marine Corps doctrine as
well as personal cognitive ability. Using
company commanders as instructors
has the added benefit of demonstrating
their expertise to all of the battalion’s
leaders. This promotes an atmosphere
of trust between superiors and subordinates that will decrease the amount
of friction in combat.
For the first 2 days of the course, instructors would teach the major principles contained in MCDP1 and MCDP
1–3. One day should be dedicated to
each manual, and every chapter should
be taught and discussed in an open
