Marine Corps Base Quantico -- By participating in a Professional Military Education exercise recently, approximately 70 Marines from Marine Corps Base Quantico Corporals Course 2-17, traveled to Yorktown, Virginia and stood on the same battlefield in which their predecessors once fought to earn the freedoms which many American’s enjoy today.
The purpose of the event was to educate the junior noncommissioned officers (NCOs) from Corporals Course Class 2-17 on the rich military history of the Battle of Yorktown during the Revolutionary War, thus shaping their leadership capabilities.
It was Yorktown Park Ranger Robbie Smith who guided the Marines through the in-depth history of Yorktown and what has been historically referred to as the last siege of the Revolutionary War.
As the graduating class progressed through the fields, bunkers and waterways of Yorktown, they learned about the tactical strengths of Gen. George Washington’s militia and the fall of British Gen. Charles Cornwallis at Yorktown.
It was this knowledge that the Marines then turned around and used for their exercise to develop five paragraph commanding orders.
According to Maj. Christopher Smith, S-3 officer with MCBQ and organizer of the trip, this was something that was never fully explained to him as a young Marine and he wanted to ensure that these Marines were able to understand.
“It is important that these Marines are able to effectively draw up a plan of attack, thinking through each angle and then effectively being able to communicate it to their fellow Marines,” Smith said.
The Marines were given a real life scenario from the Battle of Yorktown to initiate their mission strategy and orient their goals.
They used the Siege of Redoubts nine and 10 to format their plan and then were judged on them accordingly as they presented them to the course.
The end result of the PME exercise was to enhance tactical understanding, develop esprit de corps and improve morale among the NCOs.