Photo By Lance Cpl. Jeffrey Pruett | U.S. Marines with III Marine Expeditionary Force pose for a photo after an Advanced...... read more read more
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OKINAWA, Japan – U.S. Marine Corps administrative specialists with III Marine Expeditionary Force participated in the first-ever Advanced Administrative Specialist Course in Okinawa, Japan, from July 1-26, 2024. The course is traditionally six weeks and hosted at Camp Johnson, North Carolina, but instead was condensed to a period of four weeks and instructed on Okinawa for the first time.
A team of two instructors, Gunnery Sgt. Mayra Christino and Gunnery Sgt. Bryan Campbell, both administrative specialists assigned to the Personnel Administration School, Marine Corps Combat Service Support Schools, located in Camp Johnson, formed a mobile training team to instruct the course.
AASC is designed for staff-noncommissioned officers within the administrative field, elaborating on their skills and leadership capabilities as subject matter experts in their military occupational specialty. The Marines expanded their knowledge on promotions, military pay, awards, and several other tasks typically completed within their respective sections.
Gunnery Sgt. Miguel Pantoja, an administrative specialist at Installation Personnel Administration Center, Marine Corps Installations Pacific, mentioned the importance of the course.
“As SNCOs, we need to ensure we keep up with the operational tempo of the units we’re assigned to support,” he said. “This course allows us to become better equipped subject matter experts in our unit to facilitate requests without hindering timelines. This course also allows us the opportunity to network with each other and all work on the same page, instead of various units creating different processes.”
Pantoja also mentioned that having the course in Okinawa allows a streamlined approach to administrative processes.
“Okinawa is extremely busy in the administration sector, this course allows a great networking aspect to sharpen our skills,” he mentioned. “We’re also gaining new skills and that is going to benefit the Marines in III MEF collectively, because all of the administrators inherit the skills, we’re passing down to them from attending courses such as AASC.”
The initiative was spearheaded by U.S. Marine Corps Master Gunnery Sgt. D'Angelo Beard, the G-1 Chief of III Marine Expeditionary Force, who envisioned a mobile train team of instructors coming from the Personnel Administrative School to train the Marines in Okinawa.
Beard said that the new course saves both time and funding for the Marines and their units. "This is a great opportunity for our Marines to receive the training they need, while also saving time and resources," he said. "Typically, the Marine Corps will fund a Marine thousands of dollars to attend their follow-on training, and sometimes the units can’t let their Marines go for that long. With a team of instructors coming to Okinawa, we’ve eliminated the need for that funding and shortened the length of time the Marine will be gone.”
The capabilities of the leaders within the administrative field are imperative to the unit’s mission. Marine Corps Lt. Col Leo Ferguson, Commanding Officer, PAS, spoke about the benefits of the course.
“This course creates a well-rounded Marine, hones their critical skills, and creates open lines of communication between the fleet and the school-house environment,” he mentioned. “We are constantly getting better because we’re having discussions with each other and recognizing potential shortfalls; we are constantly adapting to meet the demands of the Fleet Marine Force. The mission here at III MEF is a priority, so ensuring the administrative leaders are getting trained is imperative.”
| Date Taken: | 08.13.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 08.12.2024 20:31 |
| Story ID: | 478439 |
| Location: | OKINAWA, JP |
| Web Views: | 220 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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