What's Wrong With Our Reading List?

» sckaroly - Marine Corps reading list

Isn't the Marine Corps reading list broken into recommended reading for the various ranks?

When I was the food service chief for 3rd Naval Construction Brigade Det. out of Port Hueneme, we put out a reading list in the annual training plan for all of our reserve units. Of course, our list looked more like a Marine Corps list because of the nature of Seabee operations.

And, at operational conferences, all CPOs and officers were issued books like Lincoln on Leadership: Executive Strategies for Tough Times. For those who didn't attend the conference, the book was mailed to their home.

I agree that all enlisted, chief and officers should be encouraged to read military and naval histories. But it should also carry to professional civilian reading in their rating. In my experience (which is now dated since my retirement in 1999), the enlisted often didn't have a clue of the thoughts and ideas carried by their civilian couterparts to their rating.

-- posted by sckaroly

» AWillis - Re: Marine Corps reading list

Hi S,

No, the Marines' list is broken up into subject areas, whereas the Navy's is separated by "level" and the Coast Guard's is by rank. If you go to the Naval Institute site http:www.usni.org they have links to all the services' lists.

You mentioned retiring in 99. The Navy's list hasn't been updated since 95.

Lastly, I agree that more outside reading is a good idea. I'm a QM, but I'm planning on crossrating to NC, and I'm also an instructor, so I've been doing a lot of work on outside education resources, and I belong to a training and development listserv. There are things like that out there.

Thanks for reading. Please pass on the column to others as well.

Drew

-- posted by AWillis