OCTOBER 27, 2021 – Marine Corps Recruiting Command conducted its National Operations and Training Symposium in San Antonio, Texas, Oct. 20-21.
Command leadership took time during the symposium to recognize recruiting station and prior service recruiting station commanders, who performed superbly during Fiscal Year 2021. Twenty-seven of the 48 RS commanders and three PSRS commanders were recognized as this year’s Superior Achievers.
“Everyone is rowing hard, but some more than others,” said Maj. Gen. Jason Q. Bohm, Commanding General, MCRC. “We need to recognize everyone performing this challenging duty, which protects the institution and provides the lifeblood of the Marine Corps. We want everyone to be winning, we win together as a team.”
The Commandant of the Marine Corps, Gen. David H. Berger, and Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps, Sgt. Maj. Troy E. Black, joined MCRC leadership in presenting the superior achiever awards. The Commandant then spoke to symposium attendees about the current direction of the Corps and the importance recruiting contributes to the future force design.
“We need to recognize everyone performing this challenging duty, which protects the institution and provides the lifeblood of the Marine Corps.” Maj. Gen. Jason Q. Bohm, MCRC Commanding General
The primary objective of this year’s symposium focused on commander training. The training theme was ‘getting back to the basics’ and Marines from MCRC’s National Training Team focused on helping commanders achieve sustained mission success.
“We need to get back to a sustainable level that is the point we need to get too,” said Chief Warrant Officer 5 Christopher Mayfield, the MCRC National Training Team Training Officer. “That is what getting back to the basics is all about. We need to grow our capability closer to our capacity to help sustain high performance.”
In preparation for challenges that lie ahead for FY22, trainers hammered home returning to the basics of systematic recruiting and bringing effort back to doctrine and programs that were neglected due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The return to systematic recruiting will also be enhanced with new strategies such as the use of virtual communication platforms, artificial intelligence, and the use of gaming methodology to assist recruiting efforts of finding the next generation of talented men and women.
“We don’t know what is coming,” said Bohm. “The time to shore up our lines is now, and getting back to the basics of systematic recruiting and leading Marines is the way we will achieve success.”
By Lance Cpl. Jennifer Sanchez | Marine Corps Recruiting Command