Posted by J. Donner on
URL: https://coalpha.arkian.net/Group-Cohesion-tp5588680p5590167.html

Drealm wrote

How are core values not enforced? Is there anything done in boot camp but not done in "fleet", which you think would reinforce values?

Let me preface by saying that this comes from a maintenance perspective - the Marine Corps has three major roles (infantry, maintenance, and air-wing) and each of these roles has their own culture. Conversations with Marines in other roles (infantry and air-wing) indicate that similar problems exist throughout the Corps, but I can really only speak to my experience on the maintenance side of the house.

In boot camp and Marine Combat Training, you are inundated with the warrior culture of the Marine Corps (and the ethics that go along with that - Honor, Courage, and Commitment). To a certain extent, this is continued at your MOS (military occupational specialty) school, where you will still see things like the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program. But here, the shift begins - the focus is less on being a "Marine" and more on learning a trade. When you arrive at your first unit, this is amplified. The Marine Corps begins to feel like a job - with shitty hours and stupid regulations that make little to no sense. (Why do married Marines get paid twice as much and aren't required to conduct "field day" - the weekly hazing event where Marines are kept up until midnight cleaning every inch of the barracks?) You show up to your various shifts, you do your job, and then you go home (and often get drunk).

What is done in boot camp and MCT that is not done in the fleet are guided discussions with small unit leaders about core values and ethical behavior. You generally get experienced combat veterans talking to you about what it means to be a Marine - in this generation or in any in the past - and answering questions about values and ethics. But you can't expect people to internalize those ethics in a period of three or four months, especially not when they are only one of the many components of your training during boot camp and MCT.

Continuing these discussions in the fleet would be a boon, but that's not the only thing that should be done. Marines that positively demonstrate the Core Values should be rewarded as such. They should be the first ones considered for meritorious promotions or prestigious/important billet assignments (billets are basically jobs - a "Company Commander" is a billet that can be held by a variety of ranks, from Chief Warrant Officers to Captains and Majors). Positive reinforcement!

Drealm wrote

How does a group with zero history create a meaningful regulation? Do you think meaningful regulations need to evolve over time, or can they be created instantly?

Depends on the group and the group's purpose. For example, a meaningful regulation that could be instantly suggested for this group would be to not associate with or conduct business with feminists. Regulations need to extend naturally from a group's stated purpose and from the group's values (every group has values, but some groups have more clearly defined ones than others).

Focusing on uniforms/hair cuts/marching cadences etc is focusing on style over substance. Create something of substance and the style will naturally evolve from it; style is never the defining element of a truly successful/strong group.