R 200905Z SEP 01 ZYW
FM CMC WASHINGTON DC//CMC//
TO ALMAR
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UNCLAS //N05000//
ALMAR 042/01
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC/CSG//
SUBJ/ESTABLISHMENT OF THE MARINE CORPS MARTIAL ARTS PROGRAM//
RMKS/1. THE MARINE CORPS HAS LONG BEEN REGARDED AS ONE OF
THE WORLD'S PREMIER FIGHTING FORCES. THIS HARD-EARNED
REPUTATION, WHICH SPANS OUR 226 YEAR HISTORY, IS THE PRODUCT
OF WARRIOR CULTURE STEEPED IN THE FUNDAMENTALS OF INDIVIDUAL
STRENGTHS THAT LEAD TO UNIT CAPABILITY. WE ARE COMMITTED TO THE
PRINCIPLES OF BASIC WARRIOR TRAINING FOR ALL MARINES, WHICH
SUPPORTS OUR CREDO, "EVERY MARINE A RIFLEMAN."
2. THE MARINE CORPS MARTIAL ARTS PROGRAM, IMPLEMENTED IN OCTOBER
2000, IS A NATURAL EXTENSION OF THESE BASIC TENETS. ALTHOUGH IT
IS A SKILL PROGRESSION PROGRAM OFFERING MARTIAL ARTS TRAINING
THROUGH A SYSTEM OF BELT RANKINGS FROM TAN THROUGH SIXTH DEGREE
BLACK BELT, IT IS MUCH, MUCH MORE. IT IS A REFLECTION OF OUR
WARRIOR ETHOS THAT PROVIDES A VEHICLE FOR ENHANCED UNIT COHESION
AND INCREASED SELF-WORTH.
3. LIKE MARKSMANSHIP TRAINING, THIS PROGRAM PROVIDES OUR MARINES
WITH ADDITIONAL TOOLS THAT THEY CAN USE ON THE BATTLEFIELD.
IT WILL REQUIRE A CONSISTENT INDIVIDUAL INVESTMENT OF TIME TO
DEVELOP AND MASTER THE SKILLS. THE BENEFITS OF IMPROVED SELF-ESTEEM,
MENTAL DISCIPLINE, AND PERSONAL PRIDE ARE WORTHY OF THE INVESTMENT
AND PROVIDE SUBSTANTIAL RETURNS FOR OUR CORPS. TO REALIZE THESE
BENEFITS, WE MUST EMBRACE THE CONCEPT AS WELL AS THE TRAINING. WE
MUST INCORPORATE IT INTO THE DAILY LIVES OF OUR MARINES, MUCH AS
WE CURRENTLY DO WITH PHYSICAL TRAINING. WE MUST MAKE IT READILY
AVAILABLE TO THEM AS WE DO OUR SEMPER FIT PROGRAMS. A MARINE SHOULD
BE ABLE TO TRAIN DURING HIS LUNCH HOUR OR AFTER WORK OR ON WEEKENDS.
WE MUST ASSIMILATE THIS TRAINING UNTIL IT IS SECOND NATURE AND AS
MUCH A PART OF OUR ETHOS AS SIT UPS, PULL UPS AND A THREE-MILE RUN.
TO FURTHER INSTITUTIONALIZE THE PROGRAM AND PROMOTE A CAREER LONG
COMMITMENT TO MAINTAINING PROFICIENCY, WE ARE EXPLORING THE
POSSIBILITY AND VIABILITY OF LINKING IT TO THE PERFORMANCE EVALUATION
SYSTEM AND PROMOTIONS.
4. SINCE ITS INCEPTION, WE HAVE ESTABLISHED OVER 150 TRAINING SITES
FOR MARTIAL ARTS INSTRUCTORS AND HAVE CERTIFIED OVER 700 TRAINERS.
BY THE END OF FY02, WE WILL HAVE ANOTHER 160 TRAINING SITES AND AN
ADDITIONAL 700 CERTIFIED INSTRUCTORS, FACILITATING OUR GOAL OF EVERY
MARINE EARNING A TAN BELT BY THE END OF FY03. YOU CAN HELP MAKE
THIS A REALITY. I URGE YOU TO SUPPORT YOUR MARINES AS THEY ACCEPT
THE CHALLENGE AND TO LOOK FOR ADDITIONAL WAYS TO INSTITUTIONALIZE
THIS PROGRAM.
5. SEMPER FIDELIS, J. L. JONES, GENERAL, U.S. MARINE CORPS,
COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS.//
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