PREFACE

Since its birth in 1775, the United States Marine Corps has enjoyed the reputation of a disciplined, reliable, body of well-trained men. To Americans and people the world over, the Marines have come to be known as a special breed of men possessed of an esprit de corps and a determination to see the job through that places them among the elite of military forces. This kind of reputation is not earned through the strength of numbers nor the weight of technology. It is earned by the confidence of one man in another, the teamwork of air and ground units, by the exercise of leadership and knowledge from the lowest to the highest rank.

Primary among these characteristics is leadership, for without it any organization, from squad to division, lacks the unity and direction to perform effectively. The same applies to the performance of the individual and the group in civilian life. The military recognized this quite a few years ago and from this recognition was born the Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps.

The Marine Corps Junior ROTC strives to explore and develop in each student a variety of experiences that can be valuable not only in a few basic military skills but in everyday pursuits as well. The study of leadership traits and techniques is stressed but, more important, each student is provided an opportunity to apply and practice on his own, leadership skills in many different situations. From the development of leadership skills and the discipline of self-conduct, the student is better prepared to face the challenges and obligations of citizenship.

To assist you in gaining knowledge of the many aspects of the Junior ROTC program, the Marine Corps provides you with this text. The subjects covered are many. Some you will grasp immediately while others may take some time, but within these chapters lie many guideposts that will help direct you in your growth as an individual, a citizen, and a leader.

XVII

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Creating a text of this scope, with the many subjects that are covered, can be done only with assistance from many sources and authorities in a variety of specialized fields. Most of the authorities are listed in the bibliography. Those that are not listed are the many unknown Marines and other military personnel involved in the development of Fleet Marine Force Manuals, Field Manuals and other military service publications that have provided much of the substance found within the chapters of this book.

Valuable guidance was provided by the staffs of Leatherneck magazine and the Marine Corps Gazette. Aside from granting permission to use particular articles, staff officers associated with these publications answered many questions regarding book style and format posed by the editor.

A book of this type would not be complete without illustrations, in this regard the assistance of the Combat Pictorial Branch, Headquarters Marine Corps and Photographic Services, Marine Corps Base, Quantico, Virginia, has been invaluable. Officers and men of Guard Company, Marine Barracks, Washington, D.C., provided expert assistance in the development of those chapters relating to military drill.

XVIII