ALMARS : 001/13
R 021525Z JAN 13
UNCLASSIFIED/
ALMAR 001/13
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC DMCS //
SUBJ/REVISION OF THE COMMANDANTS PROFESSIONAL READING LIST//
REF/A/MSGID:DOC/CMC WASHINGTON DC/YMD:20121127//
REF/B/MSGID:DOC/CMC WASHINGTON DC MCCDC C40 OP/YMD:20080125//
REF/C/MSGID:DOC/CMC WASHINGTON DC MMSB-30/YMD:20101119//
REF/D/MSGID:DOC/CMC WASHINGTON DC MIFD/YMD:20000714//
NARR/REFERENCE A IS CMC WHITE LETTER 4-12, READING IN THE MARINE CORPS... "THIRTY YEAR OLD BODY AND 5000 YEAR OLD MIND," WHICH UPDATES THE COMMANDANT'S PROFESSIONAL READING LIST. REFERENCE B IS MCO 1553.4B, PROFESSIONAL MILITARY EDUCATION. REFERENCE C IS MCO P1610.7F, PERFORMANCE EVALUATION SYSTEM. REFERENCE D IS MCO P1070.12K, MARINE CORPS INDIVIDUAL RECORDS ADMINISTRATION MANUAL.//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1. THE COMMANDANT'S PROFESSIONAL READING LIST (CPRL) AS PROMULGATED IN REFERENCE A REPRESENTS AN UPDATED VERSION OF THOSE BOOKS MOST PERTINENT FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND CRITICAL THINKING AT EACH RANK LEVEL.
2. ACTION. EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY, COMMANDING GENERALS AND COMMANDING OFFICERS ARE TO INCORPORATE THE NEW CPRL INTO THEIR COMMAND AND UNIT PROFESSIONAL MILITARY EDUCATION (PME) PROGRAMS.
A. THE CPRL IS BROKEN DOWN INTO THREE SECTIONS: COMMANDANT'S CHOICE, LEVELS, AND CATEGORIES. COMMANDANT'S CHOICE BOOKS ARE REQUIRED READING FOR ALL MARINES. BOOKS LISTED AT EACH RANK LEVEL ARE REQUIRED, WHILE THE BOOKS LISTED UNDER CATEGORIES CONSIST OF RECOMMENDED READINGS TO EXPAND UNDERSTANDING IN SPECIFIC AREAS. EACH MARINE SHALL READ A MINIMUM OF THREE BOOKS FROM THE "COMMANDANT'S CHOICE" OR "LEVEL" SECTIONS EACH YEAR.
B. I STRONGLY ENCOURAGE MARINES TO DISCUSS AND DEBATE THE ISSUES RAISED BY THE BOOKS ON THIS LIST TO BROADEN THEIR PERSPECTIVES AND BENEFIT FROM THE EXPERIENCES OF OTHERS. THESE PROFESSIONAL DISCUSSIONS SHOULD UNITE MARINES OF VARYING RANKS BY PROVIDING A COMMON LITERARY FRAME OF REFERENCE. I INVITE MARINES TO SUBMIT NOMINATIONS FOR A CPRL BOOK OF THE MONTH PER INSTRUCTIONS ON THE CPRL WEBSITE, PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 6 OF THIS ALMAR.
C. COMPLETION OF THE CPRL READING REQUIREMENT SHALL BE NOTED IN THE INDIVIDUAL MARINE'S FITNESS REPORT AND TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT WHEN ASSIGNING PROFICIENCY/CONDUCT (PRO/CON) REMARKS PER REFERENCES B, C AND D. HOW A MARINE DEMONSTRATES COMPLETION OF THE ANNUAL REQUIREMENT IS AT THE DISCRETION OF THE COMMAND.
3. COMMANDANT'S CHOICE
"A MESSAGE TO GARCIA" BY E HUBBARD
"LEADING MARINES (MCWP 6-11)" BY THE UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS
"THE WARRIOR ETHOS" BY S PRESSFIELD
"WARFIGHTING (MCDP 1)" BY THE UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS
4. LEVELS
A. ENTRY LEVEL ENLISTED: RECRUIT/POOLEE
"BATTLE CRY" BY L URIS
"CORPS VALUES" BY Z MILLER
"MAKING THE CORPS" BY T RICKS
"THE RED BADGE OF COURAGE" BY S CRANE
B. ENTRY LEVEL OFFICER: CANDIDATE/MIDSHIPMAN
"BATTLE CRY" BY L URIS
"CORPS VALUES" BY Z MILLER
"I'M STAYING WITH MY BOYS" BY J PROSER AND J CUTTER
"MAKING THE CORPS" BY T RICKS
"MY MEN ARE MY HEROES" BY N HELMS
"THE KILLER ANGELS" BY M SHAARA
C. PRIMARY LEVEL ENLISTED: PVT-CPL
"ENDERS GAME" BY O CARD
"GATES OF FIRE" BY S PRESSFIELD
"MARINE! THE LIFE OF CHESTY PULLER" BY B DAVIS
"MY MEN ARE MY HEROES" BY N HELMS
"RIFLEMAN DODD" BY C FORESTER
"THE LAST STAND OF FOX COMPANY" BY B DRURY AND T CLAVIN
"THE MARINES OF MONTFORD POINT, AMERICAS FIRST BLACK MARINES" BY M MCLAURIN
D. PRIMARY LEVEL OFFICER: WO, 2NDLT, 1STLT
"ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT" BY E REMARQUE
"BATTLE LEADERSHIP" BY A VON SCHELL
"GATES OF FIRE" BY S PRESSFIELD
"MARINE! THE LIFE OF CHESTY PULLER" BY B DAVIS
"MATTERHORN: A NOVEL OF THE VIETNAM WAR" BY K MARLANTES
"THE ART OF WAR" BY S TZU
"THE DEFENSE OF DUFFER'S DRIFT" BY E SWINTON
"THE FORGOTTEN SOLDIER" BY G SAJER
"THE LAST STAND OF FOX COMPANY" BY B DRURY AND T CLAVIN
"THE MARINES OF MONTFORD POINT, AMERICAS FIRST BLACK MARINES" BY M MCLAURIN
"U.S. CONSTITUTION"
"WITH THE OLD BREED: AT PELELIU AND OKINAWA" BY E SLEDGE
E. CAREER LEVEL ENLISTED: SGT, SSGT
"FIRST TO FIGHT: AN INSIDE VIEW OF THE U.S. MARINE CORPS" BY V KRULAK
"ISLANDS OF THE DAMNED" BY R. BURGIN AND B MARVEL
"OUTLIERS" BY M GLADWELL
"QUARTERED SAFE OUT HERE" BY G FRASER
"SOLDIERS OF GOD" BY R KAPLAN
"STORM OF STEEL" BY E JUNGER
"THE DEFENSE OF DUFFER'S DRIFT" BY E SWINTON
"THE FORGOTTEN SOLDIER" BY G SAJER
"THE KILLER ANGELS" BY M SHAARA
"U.S. CONSTITUTION"
"WITH THE OLD BREED: AT PELELIU AND OKINAWA" BY E SLEDGE
F. CAREER LEVEL OFFICER: CWO2, CWO3, CAPT
"ATTACKS" BY E ROMMEL
"BLACK HEARTS" BY J FREDERICK
"FIRST TO FIGHT: AN INSIDE VIEW OF THE U.S. MARINE CORPS" BY V KRULAK
"INFANTRY IN BATTLE (FMFRP 12-2)" BY THE UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS
"INTO THE TIGER'S JAW" BY F PETERSEN
"ISLANDS OF THE DAMNED" BY R BURGIN AND B MARVEL
"ON KILLING" BY D GROSSMAN
"OUTLIERS" BY M GLADWELL
"QUARTERED SAFE OUT HERE" BY G FRASER
"SOURCES OF POWER" BY G KLEIN
"THE VIRTUES OF WAR" BY S PRESSFIELD
"U.S. CONSTITUTION"
"WAR MADE NEW" BY M BOOT
G. INTERMEDIATE LEVEL ENLISTED: GYSGT, MSGT, 1STSGT
"ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT" BY E REMARQUE
"AMERICAN SPARTANS" BY J WARREN
"FIELDS OF FIRE" BY J WEBB
"FLAGS OF OUR FATHERS" BY J BRADLEY
"HELMET FOR MY PILLOW" BY R LECKIE
"ON KILLING" BY D GROSSMAN
"THE AGE OF THE UNTHINKABLE: WHY THE NEW WORLD DISORDER CONSTANTLY SURPRISES US AND WHAT WE CAN DO ABOUT IT" BY J RAMO
"THE CHANGING FACE OF WAR" BY M VAN CREVELD
"THIS KIND OF WAR" BY T FEHRENBACH
"U.S. CONSTITUTION"
"WE WERE SOLDIERS ONCE AND YOUNG" BY H MOORE AND J GALLOWAY
H. INTERMEDIATE LEVEL OFFICER: CWO4, CWO5, MAJ, LTCOL
"BATTLE CRY OF FREEDOM" BY J MCPHERSON
"BLINK" BY M GLADWELL
"BOYD: THE FIGHTER PILOT WHO CHANGED THE ART OF WAR" BY R CORAM
"BRUTE: THE LIFE OF VICTOR KRULAK" BY R CORAM
"CARNAGE AND CULTURE BY V HANSON
"COMMAND CULTURE" BY J MUTH
"DEFEAT INTO VICTORY" BY W SLIM
"FORGOTTEN WARRIORS" BY T HAMMES
"HOT, FLAT AND CROWDED" BY T FREIDMAN
"JUST AND UNJUST WARS" BY M WALZER
"MILITARY INNOVATION IN THE INTERWAR PERIOD" BY W MURRAY AND A MILLETT
"RIPPLES OF BATTLE" BY V HANSON
"THE AGE OF THE UNTHINKABLE: WHY THE NEW WORLD DISORDER CONSTANTLY SURPRISES US AND WHAT WE CAN DO ABOUT IT" BY J RAMO
"THE WARRIORS: REFLECTIONS ON MEN IN BATTLE" BY J GRAY
"THIS KIND OF WAR" BY T FEHRENBACH
I. SENIOR LEVEL ENLISTED: MGYSGT, SGTMAJ
"ACHILLES IN VIETNAM" BY J SHAY
"ASSIGNMENT PENTAGON: HOW TO EXCEL IN A BUREAUCRACY" BY P SMITH AND D GERSTEIN
"COMMAND CULTURE" BY J MUTH
"FORGOTTEN WARRIORS" BY T HAMMES
"HOT, FLAT AND CROWDED" BY T FREIDMAN
"JUST AND UNJUST WARS" BY M WALZER
"NO BENDED KNEE" BY M TWINING
"THE FACE OF BATTLE" BY J KEEGAN
"THE MASK OF COMMAND" BY J KEEGAN
J. SENIOR LEVEL OFFICER: COL-GEN
"ANOTHER BLOODY CENTURY" BY C GRAY
"ASSIGNMENT PENTAGON: HOW TO EXCEL IN A BUREAUCRACY" BY P SMITH AND D GERSTEIN
"DERELICTION OF DUTY: JOHNSON, MCNAMARA, THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF AND THE LIES THAT LED TO VIETNAM" BY H MCMASTER
"DIPLOMACY" BY H KISSINGER
"HOW WARS END" BY G ROSE
"LANDSCAPE OF HISTORY: HOW HISTORIANS MAP THE PAST" BY J GADDIS
"LITTLE BOOK OF ECONOMICS: HOW THE ECONOMY WORKS IN THE REAL WORLD" BY G IP
"MILITARY POWER: EXPLAINING VICTORY AND DEFEAT IN MODERN BATTLE" BY S BIDDLE
"MODERN STRATEGY" BY C GRAY
"SUPREME COMMAND: SOLDIERS, STATESMEN AND LEADERSHIP IN WARTIME" BY E COHEN
"TEAM OF RIVALS: THE POLITICAL GENIUS OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN" BY D GOODWIN
"THE FEDERALIST PAPERS" BY A HAMILTON
"THE GUNS OF AUGUST" BY B TUCHMAN
"THE LANDMARK THUCYDIDES" BY R STRASSLER
"THE REVENGE OF GEOGRAPHY" BY R KAPLAN
5. CATEGORIES
A. CATEGORY: AVIATION
"100 YEARS OF MARINE CORPS AVIATION: AN ILLUSTRATED HISTORY" BY R KAUFMAN
"HAMMER FROM ABOVE: MARINE AIR COMBAT OVER IRAQ" BY J STOUT
"MARINE AIR: THE HISTORY OF THE FLYING LEATHERNECKS IN WORDS AND PHOTOS" BY R DORR
"ON YANKEE STATION: THE NAVAL AIR WAR OVER VIETNAM" BY J NICHOLS
"THE ART OF AIRPOWER, SUN TZU REVISITED" BY S KAINIKARA
"THE NAVAL AIR WAR IN KOREA" BY R. HALLION
"U.S. MARINE CORPS AVIATION SINCE 1912" BY P MERSKY
B. CATEGORY: LOGISTICS
"ALEXANDER THE GREAT AND THE LOGISTICS OF THE MACEDONIAN ARMY" BY D ENGELS
"CLOCKSPEED" BY C FINE
"FEEDING MARS: LOGISTICS IN WESTERN WARFARE FROM THE MIDDLE AGES TO THE PRESENT" BY J LYNN
"KEEP FROM ALL THOUGHTFUL MEN: HOW U.S. ECONOMISTS WON WWII" BY J LACEY
"PACIFIC EXPRESS: THE CRITICAL ROLE OF MILITARY LOGISTICS IN WWII" BY W MCGEE
"RECURRING LOGISTIC PROBLEMS AS I HAVE OBSERVED THEM" BY C MAGRUDER
"SUPPLYING WAR" BY M VANCREVELD
C. CATEGORY: COUNTERINSURGENCY
"COUNTERINSURGENCY WARFARE" BY D GALULA
"LEARNING TO EAT SOUP WITH A KNIFE" BY J NAGL AND P SCHOOMAKER
"STREET WITHOUT JOY" BY B FALL
"THE ACCIDENTAL GUERILLA" BY D KILCULLEN
"THE VILLAGE" BY B WEST
"WAR COMES TO LONG AN" BY J RACE
D. CATEGORY: ROOTS OF MANEUVER WARFARE
"AIR POWER AND MANEUVER WARFARE" BY M VAN CREVELD
"ASSAULT FROM THE SEA: ESSAYS ON THE HISTORY OF AMPHIBIOUS WARFARE" BY M BARTLETT
"MANEUVER WARFARE" BY G GALVIN AND R HOOKER
"MANEUVER WARFARE HANDBOOK" BY W LIND
"THE U.S. MARINES AND AMPHIBIOUS WAR: ITS THEORY AND PRACTICE IN THE PACIFIC" BY J ISELY AND P CROWL
E. CATEGORY: WOUNDED WARRIOR
"ASCENT" BY B MCGHIE
"COURAGE AFTER FIRE: COPING STRATEGIES FOR TROOPS RETURNING FROM IRAQ AND AFGHANISTAN AND THEIR FAMILIES" BY K ARMSTRONG, S BEST AND P DOMENICI
"DOWN RANGE: TO IRAQ AND BACK" BY B CANTRELL AND C DEAN
"ODYSSEUS IN AMERICA: COMBAT TRAUMA AND THE TRIALS OF HOMECOMING" BY J SHAY
"ONCE A WARRIOR ALWAYS A WARRIOR: NAVIGATING THE TRANSITION FROM COMBAT TO HOME" BY C HOGE
"ONCE A WARRIOR: WIRED FOR LIFE" BY B CANTRELL AND C DEAN
"OVERCOMING POST-DEPLOYMENT SYNDROME: A SIX STEP MISSION TO HEALTH" BY D CIFU AND C BLAKE
"SHADOW OF THE SWORD" BY J WORKMAN
"SOFT SPOTS: A MARINE'S MEMOIR OF COMBAT AND POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER" BY C VAN WINKLE
"UNBROKEN: A WWII STORY OF SURVIVAL, RESILIENCE AND REDEMPTION" BY L HILLENBRAND
"WAR AND THE SOUL: HEALING OUR NATION'S VETERANS FROM POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER" BY E TICK
"WARRIOR MINDSET" BY M ASKEN, L CHRISTENSEN, D GROSSMAN
"WHAT IT IS LIKE TO GO TO WAR" BY K MARLANTES
F. CATEGORY: STRATEGIC THINKING
"CRITICAL THINKING: TOOLS FOR TAKING CHARGE OF YOUR PROFESSIONAL AND PERSONAL LIFE" BY R PAUL AND L ELDER
"GENERAL SYSTEM THEORY" BY L VON BARTALANFFY
"HARNESSING COMPLEXITY" BY R AXELROD AND M COHEN
"RETHINKING THE PRINCIPLES OF WAR" BY A MCIVOR
"THE BLACK SWAN: THE IMPACT OF THE HIGHLY IMPROBABLE" BY N TALEB
"THE COPERNICAN REVOLUTION" BY T KUHN
"THINKING FAST AND SLOW" BY D KAHNEMAN
"THINKING IN TIME: THE USES OF HISTORY FOR DECISION MAKERS" BY R NEUSTADT AND E MAY
G. CATEGORY: REGIONAL AND CULTURAL STUDIES
"ANGRY WIND, THROUGH MUSLIM BLACK AFRICA BY TRUCK, BUS, BOAT AND CAMEL" BY J TAYLER
"EASTWARD TO TARTARY: TRAVELS IN THE BALKANS, THE MIDDLE EAST, AND THE CAUCASUS" BY R KAPLAN
"MONSOON" BY R KAPLAN
"NOTHING TO ENVY: ORDINARY LIVES IN NORTH KOREA" BY B DEMICK
"THE GREAT ARAB CONQUESTS" BY H KENNEDY
"UNDERSTANDING ARABS: A CONTEMPORARY GUIDE TO ARAB SOCIETY" BY M NYDELL
"WHAT WENT WRONG?: THE CLASH BETWEEN ISLAM AND MODERNITY IN THE MIDDLE EAST" BY B LEWIS
H. CATEGORY: LEADERSHIP
"DEVELOPING THE LEADERS AROUND YOU" BY J MAXWELL
"HEROIC LEADERSHIP" BY C LOWNEY
"LEADERSHIP AND THE NEW SCIENCE" BY M WHEATLY
"LINCOLN ON LEADERSHIP: EXECUTIVE STRATEGIES FOR TOUGH TIMES" BY D PHILLIPS
"ONCE A MARINE" BY N POPADITCH AND M STEERE
"START WITH WHY" BY S SINEK
"THE POWER OF COMMUNICATION" BY H GARCIA
"THE STARFISH AND THE SPIDER" BY O BRAFMAN AND R BECKSTROM
6. THE MARINE CORPS IS PUTTING FORTH MAXIMUM EFFORT TO OBTAINPRINT, ELECTRONIC AND AUDIO FORMATS FOR EACH BOOK. THE CPRL AND INFORMATION REGARDING AVAILABLE FORMATS CAN BE FOUND AT: HTTP:(DOUBLE-SLASH)GUIDES.GRC.USMCU.EDU/USMCREADINGLIST.
7. SEMPER FIDELIS, JAMES F. AMOS, GENERAL, U.S. MARINE CORPS, COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS.//