Photo By Cpl. Abigail Brown | Corporals in the first permanent Corporals Course aboard Marine Corps Air Station New...... read more read more
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MARINE CORPS AIR STATION NEW RIVER, N.C. – Marine Aircraft Group 29 launched a permanent Corporals Course on Marine Corps Air Station New River, due to the success of a trial course held in May 2011.
The intent is to run four courses a year on the air station to relieve the strain on Marines commuting to Camp Johnson, said Sgt. Maj. Bradley A. Prafke, MAG-29 sergeant major and course director.
The course is conducted in a half-day format and is staffed by five instructors who are ensuring the education of 47 corporals from across the air station.
Some of the support MAG-29 received for the 23-day course came from Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron, Marine Aircraft Group 26 and the Station Education Office.
The half days allow the Marines to keep sight of their mission while performing their assigned duties and completing their professional military education, said Staff Sgt. Russell L. Burkholder, chief instructor.
“The aircraft wing has a limited amount of Marines with secondary qualifications,” Prafke said. “This is a win-win situation — Marines can qualify for promotion while performing their mission to keep the squadrons functioning.”
Although conducted in a format unlike most courses, it is approved through the United States Marine Corps Training and Education Command and adheres to the same standards as full-day courses.
The course syllabus and schedule have to be approved through the Camp Lejeune Staff Noncommissioned Officer Academy before every course in order to be issued tests and appropriate teaching material.
Conducting joint operations, training to standards and war fighting are just some of the things students will learn, Burkholder said.
“This is where our corporals can learn to be small-unit leaders and teachers,” said Sgt. Brad Easley, a squad instructor from Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 461.
Those attending are expected to perform to the best of their abilities under the course challenges.
“The best and the brightest will replace me someday and I’m looking for Marines to step out of the box and challenge themselves,” Prafke said. “Always give 100 percent and try to improve, no matter what level that is.”
Instructors for the course were selected based on their personal exemplary performance, speaking abilities and PME completeness, Burkholder said.
“They are the leaders we want our corporals to become,” he added.
Although instructors have different backgrounds and experiences in the Corps, they are all capable of teaching required material. Their preferred instruction method whenever possible is guided discussion, Burkholder commented.
“If we can get our corporals to express their opinions and tell us what influenced that, then we can guide any misconceptions and help them develop sound viewpoints,” he added.
The instructors are responsible to set a proper example and share factual knowledge.
“We make sure the information we pass on is ‘by the book,’ and we make sure our students know where to find it,” Easley said. “I’m looking forward to seeing how the mentorship skills and knowledge of these corporals will change during the course.”
Corporals interested in attending Corporals Course should contact their squadron’s training section for information.
| Date Taken: | 10.11.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 10.11.2011 11:23 |
| Story ID: | 78321 |
| Location: | MARINE CORPS AIR STATION NEW RIVER, NORTH CAROLINA, US |
| Web Views: | 190 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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