Sometimes, the boss comes long ways to check in on his people. That was the case yesterday in Afghanistan, where Commandant Gen. Jim Amos and Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps Mike Barrett dropped in on six bases and outposts, fielding questions from Marines and thanking them for their service. There are at least two accounts of their travels published. A Marine Corps news release said the brass visited Marines at Camp Leatherneck, Forward Operating Base Payne, FOB Geronimo, FOB Jackson, FOB Zeebrugge and Combat Outpost Shir Ghazi. That means they traveled from Kajaki district in northern Helmand all the…
Browsing: The Sgt. Major of the Marine Corps
[HTML1] The Marine Corps hosted the inaugural Semper Fidelis All-American Bowl on Jan. 3 in Phoenix. The competition pitted the East against the West in a game featuring 100 of the best high school football athletes from across the country. On Jan. 4, official B-roll surfaced from the East’s locker room, revealing the pep talk given to players by Maj. Gen. Ronald Bailey, commander of 1st Marine Division, and Sgt. Maj. Mike Barrett, the Corps’ top enlisted Marine. While the West would go on to beat the East, 17-14, Barrett had some strong words to pump the players up. At…
The Marine Corps Birthday is still a few weeks away, but the service extended one tradition tonight by posting its annual birthday video message. Featuring narration by Commandant Gen. Jim Amos and Sgt. Maj. Mike Barrett, the Corps’ top enlisted Marine, it honors Marines everywhere, with special appreciation set aside for those who served in World War II and since the attacks on 9/11. Watch it here: [HTML1] The commandant and sergeant major filmed pieces of the message in New York City and in the Washington, D.C., area at both the World War II Memorial and the Pentagon. They also…
For nearly a year, the Marine Corps’ top officials have stayed on message with two main points regarding manpower: A drawdown wouldn’t begin until after the war in Afghanistan, and it would reduce the service to 186,800 Marines. Those points were reinforced early this year with the release of the Corps’ force-structure review recommendations. It called for a 13 percent reduction in ground combat forces, but stuck with that 186,800 end-strength figure. It’s time for a reality check. In light of the nation’s financial trouble, that plan may not be feasible. In this week’s Marine Corps Times cover story, we…
Say this about the Marine Corps’ new top enlisted adviser: He certainly doesn’t mind calling things as he sees them. That has become abundantly obvious since Sgt. Maj. Mike Barrett became the 17th sergeant major of the Marine Corps on June 9, taking over for retiring Sgt. Maj. Carlton Kent. Barrett, a scout sniper, already has raised eyebrows in some corners, particularly with his blunt comments on the repeal of the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy were published last month. This week’s Marine Corps Times cover story includes more of that frank talk. In his first interview with our newspaper,…
KABUL, Afghanistan — Army Command Sgt. Maj. Marvin Hill is not a household name among Marines, but his career has skyrocketed parallel to that of his long-time friend, Sgt. Maj. Carlton Kent, who stepped down June 9 as sergeant major of the Marine Corps. “I went to high school with Sgt. Maj. Kent, he’s a homeboy and a very close friend,” Hill said June 3 in his office at NATO headquarters, where he is the senior enlisted leader for International Security Assistance Force and U.S. Forces Afghanistan. Translation: He is ISAF commander Army Gen. David Petraeus’ wingman, and has…
This week’s Marine Corps Times cover story highlights an ongoing debate that could hit service members right where it counts: the wallet. In a trio of stories, Pentagon correspondent Andrew Tilghman explores where cuts could be made to military benefits. Reductions to tuition assistance and pensions are possible, and military officials also are considering a partial pension for those who serve at least 10 years. This week’s newspaper also offers three strong career stories for enlisted Marines. One focuses on promotion opportunities for sergeants, another looks at the Corps’ early-out program, and the third offers tips to Marines seeking their…
UFC-style competition will likely be rolled out Corps-wide within a year, according to Sgt. Maj. of the Marine Corps Carlton Kent. While Kent was clear that the final decision rests with the commandant, Marine officials are already in detailed meetings to discuss how an Army Combatives-style tournament system could be rolled out. Early this year, Kent sent Sgt. Maj. Howard Long, the senior enlisted Marines at Training and Education Command at Quantico, Va., on a fact finding mission that took him to the U.S. Army Combatives School at Fort Benning, Ga. There the Army’s master trainer, Sgt. 1st Class Jason…
The Wounded Warrior Regiment would not be denied. Competing Wednesday in the Warrior Games in Colorado Springs, Colo., the All-Marine team swept the All-Air Force team in sitting volleyball. It already had dispatched the Army team a day earlier in the paralympic-style games, which are open to wounded, ill or injured service members. If you’ve been reading Battle Rattle this week, you already know that Commandant Gen. Jim Amos and his wife, Bonnie, attended the event did the wave. Sgt. Maj. Carlton Kent, the Corps’ top enlisted Marine, also visited and offered some blunt motivation for the Marines, according to…
Commandant Gen. Jim Amos and company sure know how to get around. The Marine Corps’ top officer made a surprise visit Wednesday at the 2011 Warrior Games in Colorado Springs, Colo. Also present were his wife, Bonnie, and Sgt. Maj. Carlton Kent, the Corps’ top enlisted adviser. If the photograph above is any indication, the mood was light. The commandant and Bonnie Amos did the wave, even if Kent sat this round out. It happened during a sitting volleyball match between The Wounded Warrior Regiment All-Marine Team and a group of injured airman. The Warrior Games is a paralympic-style competition…
