Marine Corps Base Quantico -- “How many of you made New Year’s resolutions?” Marine Corps Base Quantico Sgt. Maj. Gerald Saunders asked a roomful of enlisted Marines at a monthly troop appreciation session on Jan. 6. “Shout ‘em out.”
The answers came back: take college classes, pay off student loans within the year, eat better, drink alcohol on the weekends only, get promoted, save money.
“Those are good, I like those,” Saunders said. “There’s one I’m not hearing, though.”
Silence.
“How about, be a better spouse or a better father or mother?” Saunders asked. “For some reason, you never hear about that one.”
Saunders told the room that spouses are part of the larger Marine family. He said that his “heart crumbles” when he hears stories of Marines who are driven to reckless behavior because of troubles in their marriages and personal relationships. He encouraged noncommissioned officers to talk to their Marines about what’s going on at home and motivate them to be better spouses.
“How about offering to babysit the kids while your Marine takes his wife out to dinner?” Saunders suggested. “That’s part of being a leader. It’s OK to offer up your services.”
Marines taking care of Marines was the overall theme of the troop appreciation/professional military education session.
“We do a great job of taking care of each other in combat, but in garrison, it’s hands-off. We’re afraid to say something, and I have no clue why,” Saunders said.
He charged Marines who notice that a colleague is struggling to ask questions and find ways to help.
“It’s not getting in their business,” he said. “It’s being a good friend.”
Saunders also reminded the Marines of the commandant’s new motto “Protect what you’ve earned.” He said that means Marines should think about whether their actions might be detrimental to the rank and position they’ve worked hard to achieve.
“That’s not selfish, either,” Saunders explained. “If you get a DUI, for example, someone else in your unit has to pick up the slack. Your whole unit’s going to feel the burn. And think about the consequences of that to your family.”
Saunders addressed the room after base commander Col. Joseph Murray, who welcomed the Marines back from the holiday break and encouraged them to think about how to get their creative juices flowing in the new year. He prodded the audience, which was made up of many single Marines, to visit the Single Marine House and take part in the programs offered there.
“There are a ton of things to do here on base,” he said. “Let’s develop relationships here.”
He asked the Marines to come to him or Saunders with ideas of things they’d like to do on Quantico — ride in a helicopter, for example — which he said could be turned into rewards for hard-working individuals.
After Murray and Saunders spoke, Sgts. Elaine Deloney and Terrill Larkins presented their ideas for a Mardi Gras Masquerade Ball for sergeants and below, which they are organizing to build unit cohesion within Headquarters and Service Battalion and across Quantico. The ball will be held on January 29.
“This is a chance for us to wear civilian clothes, let our hair down, and get handsome — or get pretty for the ladies,” Deloney said.
Tickets to the ball are $25/person. Each Marine will be allowed to bring one guest.
Saunders selected one single Marine at random from the crowd and gave him two tickets.
“This is going to be a good time, devil dogs,” he said.
The Marine he bought tickets for, Lance Cpl. Prince Page, legal services support section, said he was surprised and grateful and that he was looking forward to the ball.
“I’m not sure who I’m going to take yet,” he said. “But I have a few ideas.”
— Writer: auphausconner@quanticosentryonline.com