Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps’ Focus Areas in support of the 38th Commandant of the Marine Corps Planning Guidance
29 Jan 2020

In my role as the Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps, I am responsible for offering sound and reasonable advice to the Commandant on all policies and practices that affect the Marine Corps —to include Marines and their families. Additionally, I offer advice on Marine Corps education as it relates to curriculum development and execution of enlisted PME, quality of life and overall readiness of Marines and families. The Commandant has challenged us in his Planning Guidance to train, educate and manage talent within the Corps to be the most ready when the nation is least ready. To that end, I will focus on the three following areas: Recruiting and Retention continuum (Talent Management and Development); Health, Fitness and Wellness; and development of the enlisted force through enlisted PME and Professional/Personal Development.

1. Recruiting and Retention Continuum. 

Our current Street to Fleet program requires an evolution working towards a defined Talent Management model starting with whom we recruit and professionally develop and ending with whom we retain and retire. By thinking about the end of the process from the moment a potential recruit interacts with a recruiter, we can improve our efforts.

2. Health, Fitness and Wellness.

Through our programs we empower Marines to be Fit of Body, Fit of Mind, and Fit of Soul which is necessary to maintain the perseverance necessary to adapt to any environment, to fight, and to win. We must continue to monitor the effectiveness of our existing programs and ensure we are providing all Marines with the tools to develop physical fitness, fundamental nutritional and recovery education, and spiritual wellness.

3. Enlisted PME and Professional/Personal Development.

We must protect the development of enlisted leadership and remain focused on a fundamental and foundational commonality throughout our enlisted ranks. From the Private all the way to the Master Gunnery Sergeant and Sergeant Major, we must continue to expand the development of our general Marine Corps skills, warfighting skills, and individual MOS skills. We must do all this while advancing the ability of our Marines to earn college credits, degrees, and vocational certifications. There is no doubt that focusing on all these areas simultaneously will make the Marine Corps a more lethal and capable fighting force.

The Commandant has authorized me to establish a series of advisory panels to review the current programs, to identify areas for improvement, and to recommend any changes necessary so that these programs are best able to support Marines and their families to ensure we are ready when the Nation calls. Semper Fidelis!