Marine Corps Base Quantico -- Headquarters Marine Corps has opened its first Survey Office at the James Wesley Marsh Center. It will create cost effective solutions for ever-growing survey use throughout the Marine Corps. The release of the new order provides guidance for the use of the office in efforts to reduce the survey burden placed on Marines from internal and external organizations.

The staff will also coordinate with the Department of Defense and Secretary of the Navy to gather statistics specifically intended to use for Marine Corps civilian personnel, active-duty and reserve Marines, and their family members.

According to Maj. Mark J. Muratore, operations analyst for the Manpower Studies and Analysis Branch at Manpower and Reserve Affairs, the signing of the Marine Corps Order 5300.18, requires all survey requests be approved by the Survey Office, with specific exceptions.

Corporate-wide, surveys are often duplicative or not properly categorized; the survey office here will help avoid this occurrence.

“All surveys cost time and money,” said Muratore. “There has to be a demonstrated need to conduct survey analysis since the data leaders are trying to obtain may already exist. By reviewing all generated survey requests, staff will approve only those surveys that are mission essential.”

The proper use of the Survey Office will provide leaders with information that paints a true picture of the lives and wellness of Marines and civilians.

“Our situational awareness is only as good as the number of requests we receive,” said Muratore who encourages the use of surveys. “The intent behind the order is to reduce survey redundancy and burden, but not to operate as a barrier to commanders trying to obtain information or data.”

Accurate information is critical to create informed decisions of needs assessment, investigate previous training, review the relevance of established programs, and gather common opinions of military policies.

“Survey coordination and control is required to ensure Marine Corps surveys are technically sound, avoid duplication of effort, minimize impact on Marine operational tempo, and provide for Marine Corps survey life-cycle management,” as stated in The Marine Corps Survey Program, MCO 5300.18

Some quarterly and annual surveys can be licensed for up to three years, but must be reviewed if the questions change at any time.

Although the Marine Corps has followed procedures established to conduct past surveys, the new expertise and manpower established in the Survey Office will finally be able to enforce proper compliance of new procedures.

— Writer: iirby@quanticosentryonline.com