MEPS plus 28, Week Five Begins

Today is Monday Training day 18 - One week till Phase 1 Written and Practical
 




In today's classes Sara was taught Marine Corps history from the early 1980’s through today’s current fight in the War on Terror. How many of the following do you remember?

(1) Beirut, Lebanon, (2) Grenada, (3) Operation Just Cause in Panama, (4) The Persian Gulf and Operation Desert Shield/ Desert Storm, (5) Operations in Liberia and Somalia, (6) Operation Deny Flight over Bosnia-Herzegovina, (7) Operations in Haiti, (8) Operations in Kosovo in support of Operation Allied Force, (9) The September 2001 terrorist attacks on New York City and Washington, D.C, (10) Operations in Afghanistan as part of Operation Enduring Freedom, (11) The battles of Fallujah and Ramadi in Iraq as part of Operations Iraqi Freedom.  Quite a bit to learn and be aware of.  Sara said in a recent letter that she is amazed at how much they have learned and how much is still in front of them. 

In MCMAP training today Sara has learned to take control of an opponent using pressure points and joint manipulations.  (I don't think they have Chiropractic in mind here... I would think twice if my Chiropractor was a Marine! lol).  This sounds somewhat Spock-like and a bit intense.  The Making of a Marine.

On duty or off-duty everything done has some degree of risk which, if not properly managed, may result in injury or fatality.  Sara was introduced to Operational Risk Management (ORM) and how to identify, evaluate, and reduce unnecessary risks.  Self preservation, both on and off a battlefield is a priority and is connected directly to the core values, especially Commitment.

And today, Sara was introduced to the third core value of the Marine Corp. Honor. This is actually the bedrock of Marine character. This is the quality that guides Marines to exemplify the ultimate in ethical and moral behavior; never to lie, cheat, or steal; to abide by an uncompromising code of integrity; to respect human dignity; and to have respect and concern for each other. This is the quality of maturity, dedication, trust, and dependability that commits a Marine to act responsibly; to be accountable for his or her actions; to fulfill obligations; and to hold others accountable for their actions. This is leadership.

I am so proud Sara for who you are and for what you are accomplishing and learning.

TOMORROW BEGINS SWIM WEEK!  Sara, the Life Guard, should shine!  But then, she never had to wear full combat gear while saving someone. She will do fine!
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