CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. -- Marines gathered together for a three day, career-oriented seminar at the air station here July 24 through 26.
The training provided 59 junior Marines from the air station with information to help them succeed in their military careers. The classes focused on the 24/7 conduct of a Marine, customs and courtesies, special duty assignments, nutrition, finance and other Marine-specific training.
This was the second Lance Corporal Seminar; the first was held in January and had 27 Marines. Despite the course’s name, it is open to any junior Marine.
Potential students need to be nominated by their command and are required to meet certain criteria to get into the course such as being full duty and having a minimum of six months of service left.
The course was created by noncommissioned officers and staff NCO’s here coming together and realizing the need for a course to help guide and train junior Marines said Sgt. Timothy Wilson, the lead instructor for the seminar and assistant operations chief for Airfield Operations here.
“The course’s purpose is to bring [junior Marines] in and push them through a training evolution to get them on track with Marine Corps expectations,” said Wilson. “The course sharpens them to become the next noncommissioned officers.”
The unique course is short but still resembles corporal’s course, continued Wilson.
“I’ve learned a lot,” said Lance Cpl. Alexander Keller, a student in the seminar and an aviation operations specialist at the air station here. “We have physical training in the mornings, and it’s heavy set on the knowledge to make sure you are a well-rounded Marine.”
The instructors stressed the importance of leading by example and being ready for the next rank, which contributed to the course theme of becoming a better leader and Marine.
“We definitely learned a lot of good leadership and NCO qualities that we’re going to need to be promoted and succeed in our careers in the Marine Corps,” said Keller.