Behind the Cover

Behind the Cover: A colonel under fire

By Andrew deGrandpre on December 13, 2010 Behind the Cover, Leadership, Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego

In this week’s print edition, West Coast bureau chief Gidget Fuentes lays out the host of complaints made by Marines about a full-bird colonel currently serving as Headquarters Battalion commander at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego. Col. Stephanie Smith, a judge advocate by training, is a decorated officer and the recipient of numerous judicial accolades over her 23 years in the service. The complaints against her — which include claims made by officers and NCOs that she abused her authority and intimidated subordinates — came to light recently after a former drill instructor filed an appeal of his special…

Behind the Cover: What Amos wants now

By Dan Lamothe on December 7, 2010 Behind the Cover, MARSOC, The CMC

This week’s Marine Corps Times cover story cuts right to the chase: It’s all about what the service’s new top officer has planned. Commandant Gen. Jim Amos sat down with Marine Corps Times senior writer Gina Cavallaro and managing editor Andy deGrandpre last week, outlining a variety of priorities for the service. Among them, he wants to see Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command continue to grow, new re-enlistment rules and better unit cohesion. He also disclosed his feelings on the Corps’ tattoo policy. If you look at the cover image above, you’ll also see a teaser that says he “almost declined…

Behind the Cover: Tough new swim quals

By Dan Lamothe on December 1, 2010 Behind the Cover, Training

More than a year ago, Marine Corps Times broke news that the Corps was considering overhauling its swim qualification program, taking aim at a surprisingly large number of Marines who met only the minimum standard for combat water survival. Now, the Corps has rolled out those new standards, dramatically altering the way the program is structured. It goes straight to the heart of being a Marine, a “green, amphibious monster who arose from the sea,” as the saying goes. They differ significantly from what was proposed more than a year ago and previously outlined in our pages. Marine Corps Times…

Behind the Cover: New rules for MCMAP

By Gina Cavallaro on November 22, 2010 Behind the Cover, MCMAP

Less training hours, more safety rules, new testing on values and stricter injury reporting criteria. These are just some of the details contained in this week’s Marine Corps Times on the new rules for the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program. All Marines will still be required to have a tan belt, the lowest belt on the five-belt MCMAP system, but Marines wishing to move up can do so more quickly as the requirement for training hours has been significantly reduced. It’s all in the chart on page 20. If a Marine gets hurt beyond reason, not only will the injury…

Behind the Cover: An exclusive interview with Dakota Meyer, Medal of Honor nominee

By Dan Lamothe on November 15, 2010 Afghanistan, Behind the Cover, Ganjgal

By now, many Marine Corps Times readers have read the news that the service has recommended that a former Marine corporal receive the Medal of Honor for valor last year in eastern Afghanistan. It’s a story that we first broke last Monday online, citing a Marine source with knowledge of the awards process. It was subsequently confirmed by other Marine sources last week. The circumstances of the case should make it no surprise that former Cpl. Dakota Meyer, 22, is hesitant to discuss his actions. As we first outlined in a cover story in July, he is credited with running into…

Behind the cover: The new commandant's plan

By Gina Cavallaro on November 1, 2010 Behind the Cover, The CMC

In this week’s print edition, details of what the first aviator to head the Corps, Gen. Jim Amos, has in store for you and the Marine Corps over the next four years. There’s a lot of attention paid to the big stuff like equipment, training and fossil fuel, but we’ve pulled out the information that matters most to the individual Marine and it’s clear that Amos wants to make sure Marines and their families are taken care of. His TOP priority, without a doubt, is to make sure everyone’s got what they need for the fight in Afghanistan. Related to…

Behind the Cover: Gunny's plan to jumpstart MCMAP

By James Sanborn on October 27, 2010 Behind the Cover, MCMAP

In this week’s print edition Deputy News Editor James K. Sanborn gives readers and overview of one gunnery sergeant’s innovative plan to overhaul the Marine Corps Martial Arts program by bringing mixed martial arts competition to bases and incorporating MCMAP into existing required career courses. Gunnery Sgt. Samuel Carter, a battle-hardened 3rd-degree martial arts instructor trainer based at Quantico, Va., says MMA competition, long shunned by Marine leadership, would give Marines a positive outlet to stay sharp and build morale by competing against each other and even soldiers. “That would be as good as Army-Navy football,” he said. He laid…

Behind the Cover: Your 2011 paychart

By Dan Lamothe on October 19, 2010 Behind the Cover

In this week’s Marine Corps Times, on newsstands now, we present a perennial favorite: the paychart. In classic fashion, the issue outlines how the 1.4 percent pay raise troops are expected to receive affects Marines of all ranks. An accompanying story written by congressional editor Rick Maze outlines a number of pay and benefit increases troops are likely to see, but notes that there is the potential for turmoil with reenlistment bonuses if Congress fails to approve the 2011 defense authorization bill by Dec. 31. Additionally, Marines will be interested in the feel-good story of three privates first class, who…

Behind the Cover: MARSOC's new sales pitch

By Andrew deGrandpre on October 12, 2010 Behind the Cover, Camp Lejeune, Fitness, MARSOC, Recruiting, Training

In this week’s print edition, on newsstands now, staff writer Gina Cavallaro takes readers inside the Corps’ new special operations warm-up course at Camp Lejeune, N.C. Called the Assessment and Selection Preparation and Orientation Course, or ASPOC for short, it represents Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command’s latest effort to curtail a 46 percent attrition rate among Marines looking to become elite critical skills operators. The commandant has challenged MARSOC leadership to cut that rate to 20 percent — a tall order indeed, and one the command is taking very seriously. This three-week course, conducted at Lejeune’s Stone Bay training…

Behind the Cover: Your 2011 Marine Corps promotions outlook

By Dan Lamothe on October 5, 2010 Behind the Cover

On Oct. 19, the 2010 promotion boards for sergeant major, master gunnery sergeant, first sergeant and master sergeant kick off. They’re important panels that will decide who will become the Marine Corps’ senior-most Marines — and by default, who may be forced to retire. With that in mind, Marine Corps Times rolls out this week its 2011 promotion outlook, assessing the odds that all Marines going before 2010 boards in the next year face. That’s of particular interest to sergeants and staff sergeants going before some of their first promotin boards as a Marine, but also for junior Marines who likely…

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