DYESS AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- Seven Airmen had the opportunity to enhance their leadership skills by attending in the two-week-long Marine Corps’ Corporals Course.
Transitioning to the noncommissioned officer corps is an important part of a military career. It is a follower’s move to leader, and learning a new variety of responsibility that comes with becoming a leader. This transition requires more training for the individual and each branch caters their training to the duties assigned to its NCOs. For the Marine Corps, their training is called the Corporals Course.
The Corporals Course focuses on providing the skills necessary to lead and is designed to provide warfighting skills, core values and the mindset necessary for effective leadership of a team and subordinate service members.
“In this course we go over what it means to be a NCO, leadership skills, discipline, teamwork and refreshers on what they should already know,” said Sgt. Marlana Stephens, U.S. Marine Corps Corporals Course instructor. “Our main goal is get them ready for the rank they are in and preparing them for the next one.”
The course is designed to challenge the leadership and skills of every participant to ultimately strengthen their weaknesses and make them better as a person and a leader. Some of the challenges they faced were: guided discussions, standing up and taking control of a small unit.
“This is a leadership course, so we are putting the Marines and Airmen in a situation that are forcing them out of their comfort zones, not only as individuals but as leaders,” Stephens said. “The biggest thing for us is leadership. That’s what we are building on and hoping to grow them on. In order to grow they have to stretch their selves and put themselves in situations they’ve never been in, that way they know how to handle that situation on their own back in their respective units.”
The Airmen who participated in the course had to immerse themselves in the Marine Corps’ customs and courtesies.
“It forced me out of my comfort zone in many situations,” said Senior Airman Jonathon Strader, 7th Civil Engineer Squadron Explosive Ordnance Disposal technician. “The hardest part was picking up Marine lingo and learning a new rank structure.”
Airmen attending the Corporals Course makes Airmen better leaders, strengthens the bond between the different branches of the military, ultimately making the military better as a whole.