R 151946Z SEP 11
UNCLASSIFIED//
MARADMIN 525/11
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC DMCS//
SUBJ/OPERATIONAL PLANNING TEAM FOR INSTITUTIONALIZING THE LEGACY OF THE MONTFORD POINT MARINES IN MARINE CORPS HISTORY//
REF/A/MSGID:DOC/WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON DC/25AUG2011//
REF/B/MSGID:SPEECH/CMC WASHINGTON DC/30JUL2011//
REF/C/MSGID:VIDEO/CMC WASHINGTON DC/AUG2011//
REF/D/MSGID:DOC/HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES/AUG2011//
REF/E/MSGID:DOC/HISTORY MUSEUMS DIV /05JUN2002//
REF/F/MSGID:DOC/HISTORY MUSEUMS DIV /29OCT2000//
REF/G/MSGID:DOC/HISTORY MUSEUMS DIV /01DEC1995//
NARR/REF A IS THE PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE TO THE MONTFORD POINT MARINES (AVAILABLE FROM THE MARINE CORPS HISTORY DIVISION OR ARCHIVES DIVISION). REF B CMC ADDRESS TO 46TH ANNUAL NATIONAL MONTFORD POINT MARINE ASSOCIATION NATIONAL CONVENTION (AVAILABLE VIA USMC.MIL OR THE DEFENSE MEDIA ACTIVITY). REF C IS CMC AND SMMC VIDEO HONORING MONTFORD POINT MARINES (AVAILABLE THROUGH HQMC COMBAT CAMERA, USMC.MIL, OR THE DEFENSE MEDIA ACTIVITY). REF D IS HOUSE RESOLUTION 2447; PENDING LEGISLATION TO GRANT THE CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL TO THE MONTFORD POINT MARINES (AVAILABLE VIA HQMC OLA, LIBRARY OF CONGRESS OR CONGRESSIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE). REF E IS THE BOOK BLACKS IN THE MARINE CORPS (AVAILABLE FROM HISTORY AND MUSEUMS DIVISION, (PCN 19000306200)). REF F IS THE BOOK PRIDE, PROGRESS AND PROSPECTS: THE MARINE CORPS' EFFORTS TO INCREASE THE PRESENCE OF AFRICAN AMERICAN OFFICERS (1970-1995) (AVAILABLE FROM HISTORY AND MUSEUMS DIVISION (PCN 19000315300)). REF G IS THE BOOK RIGHT TO FIGHT: AFRICAN AMERICAN MARINES IN WORLD WAR II, (AVAILABLE FROM HISTORY AND MUSEUMS DIVISION (PCN 19000313200)).//
POC/-/-/UNIT:DMCS/-/TEL:(703) 614-2828//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1. IN AUGUST 2011, THE COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS (CMC) TOOK A SERIES OF ENGAGEMENTS TO RECOGNIZE THE SERVICE OF THE MONTFORD POINT MARINES, ANCHOR THEIR LEGACY IN THE RICH HISTORY OF THE MARINE CORPS, AND HIGHLIGHT THEIR CONTRIBUTION TO THE WARFIGHTING READINESS AND ETHOS OF THE CORPS. DURING THESE EVENTS, THE COMMANDANT OUTLINED HIS INTENT FOR A NUMBER OF INSTITUTIONAL INITIATIVES TO TEACH CURRENT AND FUTURE GENERATIONS OF MARINES ABOUT THE MONTFORD POINT MARINES AND THEIR CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE EVOLUTION OF THE CORPS DURING THE LAST HALF OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY.
2. BACKGROUND
A. FROM 1942 TO 1949, APPROXIMATELY 20,000 AFRICAN AMERICAN MEN ENLISTED IN THE MARINE CORPS AND COMPLETED SEGREGATED BOOT CAMP AT MONTFORD POINT CAMP, JACKSONVILLE, NC. MANY OF THESE MARINES SERVED WITH DISTINCTION DURING A NUMBER OF WORLD WAR II'S BLOODIEST STRUGGLES, MAKING THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE, WHILE OTHERS CONTINUED THEIR SERVICE INTO KOREA AND VIETNAM. THESE PIONEERING AFRICAN AMERICAN MARINES ADDED TO THE RICH HISTORY OF THE MARINE CORPS AND PAVED THE WAY FOR FUTURE SERVICE MEMBERS OF ALL BACKGROUNDS - MEN AND WOMEN ALIKE - TO SERVE WITH DISTINCTION.
B. CURRENTLY, OUR CORPS LACKS THE KNOWLEDGE, AWARENESS AND RECOGNITION OF THE MONTFORD POINT MARINES ALONG WITH THEIR LEGACY OF SACRIFICE AND STRUGGLE TO SERVE WITH EQUALITY. THIS EFFORT WILL CHANGE THAT.
3. ACTION
A. THIS MARADMIN OUTLINES THE CMC INITIATIVES RELATIVE TO ANCHORING THE MONTFORD POINT MARINES IN MARINE CORPS HISTORY, AND CHARTERS AN OPERATIONAL PLANNING TEAM (OPT) UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF THE DIRECTOR, MARINE CORPS STAFF TO ENSURE EXECUTION.
B. THIS OPT SHALL CONSIST OF ONE REPRESENTATIVE EACH FROM THE OFFICE OF THE COUNSEL TO THE COMMANDANT, THE MANPOWER AND RESERVE AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT (MPE), THE OFFICE OF LEGISLATIVE AFFAIRS, THE PUBLIC AFFAIRS DIVISION, AND THE ADMINISTRATION AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT DIVISION, HEADQUARTERS MARINE CORPS (HQMC); AND ONE REPRESENTATIVE EACH FROM THE MARINE CORPS RECRUITING COMMAND AND THE TRAINING AND EDUCATION COMMAND (TECOM). ADDITIONALLY, CG TECOM IS DIRECTED TO PROVIDE ONE REPRESENTATIVE EACH FROM THE MARINE CORPS UNIVERSITY, THE HISTORY DIVISION, AND THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE MARINE CORPS. PROVIDE THE NAME/GRADE (MAJ/LTCOL OR CIVILIAN GS 13/14) AND CONTACT INFORMATION OF YOUR OPT MEMBER TO THE POC OF THIS MESSAGE NO LATER THAN 22 SEP.
C. THE OPT WILL MEET AT A MINIMUM MONTHLY AT HQMC AND WILL COMMENCE ITS WORK NOT LATER THAN 1 OCTOBER 2011 WITH A CONCLUDING DATE ON OR ABOUT 1 MAY 2012. THE OPT DIRECTOR WILL BE A COLONEL APPOINTED BY THE CMC. THE OPT DIRECTOR WILL WORK OUT OF THE OFFICE OF AND REPORT DIRECTLY TO THE DIRECTOR OF THE MARINE CORPS STAFF, WHO WILL MONITOR THE OPT'S PROGRESS AND PROVIDE GUIDANCE, AS NEEDED.
4. FUNCTION
A. THE OPT WILL FOCUS ON OBJECTIVES WITHIN THE FOLLOWING FOUR LINES OF OPERATION AND DESIGN A COMPREHENSIVE CAMPAIGN USING THE MARINE CORPS PLANNING PROCESS WITH THE END STATE TO RECOGNIZE THE SERVICE OF THE MONTFORD POINT MARINES, ANCHOR THEIR LEGACY IN THE RICH HISTORY OF THE MARINE CORPS, AND HIGHLIGHT THEIR CONTRIBUTION TO THE WARFIGHTING READINESS AND ETHOS OF THE CORPS.
(1) EDUCATION AND TRAINING. COLLECT, CATALOGUE, AND ANALYZE USMC HISTORY MASTER LESSON PLANS/PERIODS OF INSTRUCTION TO DETERMINE ADEQUACY OF COVERAGE OF MONTFORD POINT MARINES IN RELATION TO CMC ENDSTATE. IDENTIFY GAPS IN CURRENT LESSON PLANS/PERIODS OF INSTRUCTION AND ADDRESS AS APPROPRIATE. DEVELOP COMMON SKILLS TRAINING STANDARDS AND PROFESSIONAL MILITARY EDUCATION (PME) EDUCATIONAL OUTCOMES TO SPECIFICALLY ADDRESS MONTFORD PONT MARINES IN THE TRAINING AND EDUCATION CONTINUUM AND PME, TO INCLUDE ANNUAL REFRESHER TRAINING. DEVELOP PERIODS OF INSTRUCTION ON THE MONTFORD POINT MARINES FOR USE AT OFFICER AND ENLISTED ENTRY LEVEL TRAINING.  ENSURE PARTICULAR FOCUS AT DEPOT-LEVEL TRAINING IS ON ONE STATION OF THE CRUCIBLE PROGRAM. DEVELOP A DISTANCE LEARNING MARINENET COURSE ON MONTFORD POINT MARINES' CONTRIBUTIONS TO USMC LEGACY. COLLECT AND CATALOGUE PUBLISHED WORKS ON MONTFORD POINT MARINES AND RECOMMEND ONE WORK FOR INCLUSION ON THE COMMANDANT'S READING LIST.
(2) HISTORIOGRAPHY. DEVELOP AND PRODUCE A COMPREHENSIVE AND DEFINITIVE HISTORICAL DOCUMENTARY ON THE MONTFORD POINT MARINES THAT EXPANDS ON MATERIAL CONTAINED IN REFERENCES A THROUGH G. THIS DOCUMENTARY WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR USE THROUGHOUT THE CORPS AS A PME TOOL AND AS A MEANS FOR INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL AUDIENCES TO CONDUCT HISTORICAL RESEARCH ON THE MONTFORD POINT MARINES. ENSURE VIDEO CONTAINS FOOTAGE FROM RECENT INTERVIEWS CONDUCTED BY MONTFORD POINT MARINES IN THE NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION. WORK WITH THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE MARINE CORPS TO IMPROVE PROMINENCE AND QUALITY OF EXHIBITS ON MONTFORD POINT MARINES AT THE NATIONAL MUSEUM OF THE MARINE CORPS AND OTHER MUSEUMS AROUND THE CORPS.
(3) LEGISLATIVE. SEEK AND OBTAIN LEGISLATIVE APPROVAL FOR A CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL TO BE CONFERRED ON THE MONTFORD POINT MARINES. COLLECT AND CATALOGUE INFORMATION AND DOCUMENTS RELATIVE TO CURRENT AND PAST EFFORTS TO GAIN THE NECESSARY CONGRESSIONAL SUPPORT FOR THE CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL FOR THE ORIGINAL AFRICAN AMERICAN MARINES WHO UNDERWENT TRAINING AT MONTFORD POINT CAMP, JACKSONVILLE, NC. ORGANIZE AN EFFORT TO ACQUIRE THE NEEDED CONGRESSIONAL CO-SPONSORS FOR APPROVAL OF THE MEDAL.
(4) STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION. DEVELOP AN OFFICIAL, ANNUAL, INSTITUTIONAL OBSERVANCE PROGRAM FOR THE MONTFORD POINT MARINES THROUGHOUT THE MARINE CORPS. APPROPRIATELY MARKET THE MONTFORD POINT MARINES STORY IN POSTERS, ARTICLES, NEWS MEDIA, SOCIAL MEDIA, AND MEMORABILIA. ENSURE THE UPGRADING AND UPDATING OF ALL RECRUITING MATERIALS AND RECRUITER INSTRUCTION TO INCLUDE THE MONTFORD POINT MARINE STORY.
B. THE OPT WILL COORDINATE AND CONSULT AS APPROPRIATE WITH THE DIVERSITY REVIEW BOARD TO ENSURE UNITY OF EFFORT.
C. THE OPT WILL MAKE QUARTERLY PROGRESS REPORTS TO THE CMC. THE SECOND SUCH REPORT WILL INCLUDE AN ASSESSMENT OF THE OPT'S PERFORMANCE AND EFFECTIVENESS TOWARD ACHIEVING THE OBJECTIVES ABOVE.
D. THE OPT WILL FURTHER EVALUATE AND MAKE RECOMMENDATION ON THE NEED TO ESTABLISH A PERMANENT OFFICE WITHIN HQMC TO OVERSEE THE CONTINUED INSTITUTIONALIZATION EFFORT SUBSEQUENT TO STAND DOWN OF THIS OPT.
5. RELEASE AUTHORIZED BY LIEUTENANT GENERAL WILLIE J. WILLIAMS, USMC, DIRECTOR OF MARINE CORPS STAFF.//