Photo By Pfc. Victoria Fairchild | Martin Durette, the head of support branch with Fleet Support Division aboard Marine...... read more read more
Story by Pfc. Victoria Fairchild
MCLB BARSTOW, Calif. — Many retired Marines find comfort in knowing they’ve completed their time on active duty successfully and look forward to living the simple life of a retiree; but one retired Marine still serves Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow and the Marine Corps by setting the example for civilian Marines and uniformed Marines to work together successfully.
Martin Durette, the head of support branch at the Fleet Support Division, aboard the Yermo annex of the base, teaches the Civilian Career Leadership Development program, a comprehensive program, offered quarterly to civilians.
Durette is familiar with both the civilian and military side of the house, as a Marine veteran of 22 years of service and a civil service worker. CCLD offers civilians a chance to understand the daily duties, expectations, and high standards of a Marine and how to work more efficiently alongside them.
Durette, a native of Akron, Ohio, was the youngest of six children in his family, raised by a single mother. He joined the Marine Corps when he was 21 after quickly realizing that the military was something he truly needed in his life. It was indeed perfect timing.
“I wasn’t going in the right direction,” said Durette. “As I was walking down the street, I first walked into the Army recruiting office and no one looked up. I felt like I was wasting their time, so I walked into the office right next door, and the Marines practically jumped over their desks to help me. I thought to myself, ‘This is what I need.’”
In February 1984, Durette became a United States Marine, graduating from Parris Island, S.C., and found his calling.
“It was good to have that kind of direction in my life,” he said. “Failure was not an option anymore.”
During the retired master sergeant’s military career, one mentor remained close from his early years as a junior Marine until he was promoted to sergeant. Gunnery Sgt. Donald Freeman, his staff non-commissioned officer at the time, taught Durette how to lead from the front and how to be fair in making decisions. Freeman was the father figure Durette desperately needed to have while he was still a young Marine.
“I can still hear his voice today,” said Durette. “Before I make a big decision, I can think back to him saying certain things to me and stopping, knowing that it wouldn’t be right.”
Choosing the right path and making the right decisions has allowed Durette in his military career, to hold his position as a leader. It’s also been key to helping him lead and educate others even today.
There is no doubt that Marines and civilians working together as a team, produce positive results at FSD. According to Durette, there are many advantages to having Marines working in the warehouses, alongside the civilian workforce.
“Marines are highly trained in their specified job field,” he said. “They have special duties that they have to keep up with because of the Marine Corps, but they take instructions very well and they don’t quit until the job is finished.”
When Durette retired in 2005, he decided that working with FSD as a civilian would be a great choice for him. The position was already waiting to be filled and he didn’t want to move his family again so he decided to stay in Barstow.
“I’ve never really stopped working alongside Marines,” Durette commented. “It’s interesting now as a civilian to take a step back and realize I need to let the Marine leaders take charge.”
This doesn’t mean however, that the retired master sergeant sits idly by. With only a handful of Marines working in warehouse 406, he still makes it a point to talk with Marines inside and outside of warehouse 406, to see how their lives are going, and checks on their welfare.
“Caring about the Marines and the working environment that they’re in is always going to be important to me,” said Durette.
While working with both civilians and Marines, Durette thinks it’s important for civilians to understand the military lifestyle by teaching the CCLD class for the civilian workforce.
“I teach them that it’s not just a job to the Marines, that they do have lives outside of work that involve the military,” he said. “They are often surprised to find out that the Marine they’re working next to on a vehicle has so many other duties to take care of while wearing the uniform.”
Marines have annual training requirements, formations, standards they have to meet that aren’t even directly related to their occupation, additional duty hours and so much more. CCLD incorporates Marine Corps history, traditions, and the professional mindset that all Marines should have at all times.
“I could bring a young Marine into the class and if I needed them to, they could teach the class,” he said. “My goal is to have the civilian workers understand that Marine Corps knowledge is taught and used all throughout the ranks. To have everyone understand what they’re doing at work is vital to the lives of the Marines overseas, is very important to me. I would die for a Marine; the Corps still means that much to me.”
FSD produces high quality machines that have been fixed after coming back from being overseas, he said. I want everyone that I work with to know that what we do saves Marines lives. “We refuse to accept failure.”
| Date Taken: | 04.05.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 04.20.2012 11:03 |
| Story ID: | 87045 |
| Location: | BARSTOW, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Web Views: | 84 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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