Quotes

Gunnery Sergeant Adam Walker	"I do not fear the confrontation of flesh and steel, I know that it must come. I pray only that I will be able to put away my tears for another time, that I will lead my Marines, and bring them home." "The confrontation of flesh and steel will come, a Leader of Marines must prepare his men for that test.”
Major T. A Gibson	“The purpose of the Officer Corps is to serve the Enlisted Corps – through courageous, intelligent, and selfless leadership." “You are now part of something bigger than yourself. If you can’t accept that and subordinate yourself to it, then you don’t belong in the company of men who do." “The Marine Corps has been in existence for 230 years, and it will continue to exist for at least another 230, as long as there are men who are willing to give of themselves, so that it may endure." “One, two, three, or four years from now you will be charged with men’s fate. The quality of their training, their value in the fight, and their worth to the team will all be a product, to greater or lesser extent, of your contribution as their leader. And everything you do – between now and some unknown moment in the future when their lives hang in the balance – everything that you do between now and then will in some way affect that outcome. These are human lives that will be in your hands. These are brothers, sons, fathers, and husbands; and each one has hopes, happiness, dreams, and a future that’s yet to be fulfilled. But at that moment in time, their future will be in your hands. So I’ve got one question for you, the same question that you should be looking at yourself in the mirror and asking every day between now and that unknown moment in the future: What have you done today to change their fate?” “The selfless man will ALWAYS be rewarded." “Preparation is the hallmark of a professional." “Be a man. Know your men. Know your shit." “Training is EVERYTHING, and everything is Training.” “During evening colors, that’s your time to reflect on the Marines who are fighting and dying today." “The minute you think that you’ve got everything it takes to lead Marines, that’s when you’ve stopped learning and stopped trying to be a better Marine. That’s when you’ve quit on your men." “Stand up for those who are in your care – be a man and take ownership." “There is no distinction between mission accomplishment and troop welfare… Troop welfare is ensured through mission accomplishment, and vice versa. They are mutually dependent, not mutually exclusive." “Until you’ve completely subordinated yourself to something that’s bigger than yourself, you’ll never comprehend the true selflessness that embodies the soul of our Corps… and until you’ve selflessly cared for something more fragile than yourself, you’ll never know what it means to be a man." “Today Marines are celebrating their Independence Day in a combat zone, and the only other place I'd rather be than there on this day is OCS. While a nation rests, and celebrates, we train for war. Because it's far from over, and there's alot more fighting and dying to be done. We've committed ourselves to this thing, the same as those whose selfless commitment ended in them giving their last full measure, and it's that kind of commitment that's the reason we have a day like this to celebrate....” “Life isn’t black and white. Leadership involves adjudication of the grey areas – applying judgment to situations that aren’t as cut and dried as we would like.” "Assume nothing. Or else you will leave others to make their own assumption about your failure to either communicate or act."
General William Thornson, US Army	A Peculiar Breed " U.S. Marines are the most peculiar breed of human beings I have ever witnessed. They treat service as if it was some kind of cult, plastering their emblem on almost everything they own, making themselves look like insane fanatics with haircuts to ungentlemanly lengths, worshipping their Commandant almost as if he was a god, and making weird animal noises like a gang of savages. They'll fight like rabid dogs at the drop of a hat just for the sake of a little action, and are the cockiest s-o-b's I have ever known. Most have the foulest mouths and drink well beyond man's normal limits, but their high spirits and sense of brotherhood set them apart. Generally speaking, the United States Marines I've come in contact with, are the most professional soldiers and the finest men and women I have ever had the pleasure to meet. There are only two kinds of people that understand Marines: Marines and the enemy. Everyone else has a secondhand opinion. All militaries harden their recruits, instill the basics, and bend young men to their will. But the Marine Corps provides its members with a secret weapon. It gives them the unique culture of pride that makes the Marines the world's premier warrior force. The Navy has its ships, the Air Force has its planes, the Army its detailed doctrine, but 'culture', the values and assumptions that shape its members is all the Marines have. They call this culture, Esprit de Corps. Alone among the U.S. military services, the Marines have bestowed their name on their enlisted ranks. The Army has Army Officers and soldiers, the Navy has Naval officers and sailors, the Air Force has Air Force Officers and airmen---- but the Marines have only Marines."
Major Rick L. DeTriquet	“Be an example to your men in your duty and your private life. Never spare yourself in your endurance of fatigue and privation, and make sure that your men see that you don’t." “As a Marine you represent the highest in the military profession – technically, tactically, most importantly morally. Our nation deserves nothing less." “Leadership boils down to 3 fundamentals: Be a Man. Know your stuff. Take care of your men." “Cut a wide path." “Lead by example – this is the hardest thing to do day to day." “Teach your NCOs integrity to the Corps, and they will do the same for their Marines." “Make it a point to take care of your wife and family with the same effort that you devote to your profession." “Your wife will be your most important confidante and asset, and will determine the direction of your career." “Just being a Marine has always been enough for me.”
Gunnery Sergeant Ron Buckley	“Your Staff NCOs are the key to your success. They will either make you or break you.” “When all those around you are looking after themselves… look after your men.” “Never fail to back your men. If they know that you will back them up, they will do anything for you.” “You must listen to your men in order to gain their confidence. Every one of them can teach you something…” “Writing up one of your Marines must be a last resort, because doing so is giving up on them and admitting that your leadership has failed to solve the problem otherwise.”
Colonel Gerald L. Perry	“The greatest challenge a commander faces in combat is to take care of his men." “Individual talent means nothing if you are standing alone – Develop your subordinates." “Forget about yourself. Take care of your Marines and you will be rewarded." “Ask questions now, because it’s too late when the shit hits the fan." “A leader must have 2 essentials: self-discipline and responsibility.”
Captain Peter W. Soverel, US Navy (retired)	“The first requirement of an Officer is PHYSICAL COURAGE." “The most successful combat commanders are people who THINK." “The most basic need of your men is INFORMATION." “The first place discipline breaks down is combat, which is the last place that you need it to. Therefore, PERSONAL DISCIPLINE is paramount to ensure personal security and security of the team.”
Hans Werner Woltersdorf	“Not the uniform, not being in command, but EXAMPLE makes the leader.”
Colonel John Ripley	“Every Marine understands that in war he will be asked, and expected, to do the impossible. He will do his duty while ignoring physical hardship, personal danger and sacrifice, and the certainty of his reward. He will do this simply because it is expected of a Marine – his Corps and his country expect nothing less. And he will always honor the reputation established by the great Marines who preceded him... Semper Fidelis!”
Arthur W. Newcomb	“Show me the leader, and I will know his men. Show me the men, and I will know their leader.”
Lord Moran	“Loyalty to the group is the essence of fighting morale. The commander must cultivate and strengthen it. All other factors are small in comparison.”
J. Glenn Gray	“I may fall, but I do not die, for that which is real in me goes forward and lives on in the comrades for whom I gave up my physical life.”
Unknown	“Men cannot be threatened into fighting; they must be LED.” “The greatest obligation of a politician or General is to understand the nature of the war in which he is involved.” “Every minute that you spend learning about your Marines is an investment… They are the foundation that your leadership is built upon.” “The most important thing is ACTION. Indecision is deadly. Whether a decision is right or wrong is irrelevant, just do SOMETHING.” “Realistic, arduous training builds a strong sense of camaraderie within the brotherhood of misery. Ultimately, it is the best form of life insurance.” “My boss should work for me just as hard as I work for him. He needs to give me guidance, allow me to grow, show me some spirit, teach me and DEFEND me. LEADERSHIP. And if you don't hold up your end of the deal, then I'm going to hold you accountable for that. Because when my leader makes me lead him, it takes time away from the people I really need to lead - my Marines.” “Leadership is the art of influencing people to accomplish the impossible without losing their trust or confidence.” “Leadership in one word: UNCONDITIONAL.” "You may be lost but you are not forgotten. The soldier's greatest comfort is to have his friends close at hand. In the heat of battle it ceases to be an idea or a flag for which we fight. Rather we fight for the man on our right or left. When the years fall away all that remains are the memories of those precious moments we spent side by side."
Robert E. Lee	“You should be expendable… Develop your subordinates." “There are 2 things you must do to lead men: Look after their welfare and show physical courage.” "Do your duty in all things. You cannot do more. You should never wish to do less."
Lieutenant Colonel Given	“The greatest challenge a platoon commander faces is knowing his men.”
LtGen Paul K. Van Riper	“Your CHARACTER is the most important thing you bring to the Marine Corps. “There are 3 types of fitness to a man’s character: physical, mental, and moral.”
First Lieutenant Erwin Rommel	“War makes heavy demands on the soldier’s strength and nerves. For this reason make heavy demands on your men in peacetime exercises.”
German Landser, Eastern Front, WWII	“Always forward, never back. He who runs away before bombs and shells runs toward death.”
LtGen Holland M. “Howlin’ Mad” Smith	“Hit quickly, hit hard, and keep right on hitting. Give the enemy no rest, no opportunity to consolidate his forces and hit back. This is the shortest road to victory.”
Sergeant Major Forbes	“Emphasizing independent action at the lowest possible level reinforces to the individual Marine his degree of responsibility to the success of the unit.” “The most important thing for a new Lieutenant is to gain the CONFIDENCE of his Staff NCOs.”
Professor Bruce Hevly	“A leader must be ready to think SIDEWAYS.”
R. Carter	"Marines are only really motivated two times, "One is when we're going on liberty. One is when we're going to kill somebody. We're not going on liberty"
W. A. Nance	"No person can be a great leader unless he takes genuine joy in the success of those under him."
General H. N. Schwarzkopf	“Don’t make the mistake of confusing your men’s comfort with their welfare.”
President Theodore Roosevelt	"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer or deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweet and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy case, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly. So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat "
General Thomas J. Jackson	"Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve."
Zen Proverb	"To know and not to do, is not yet to know."

Gunnery Sergeant Adam Walker

"I do not fear the confrontation of flesh and steel, I know that it must come. I pray only that I will be able to put away my tears for another time, that I will lead my Marines, and bring them home."

"The confrontation of flesh and steel will come, a Leader of Marines must prepare his men for that test.”

Major T. A Gibson

“The purpose of the Officer Corps is to serve the Enlisted Corps – through courageous, intelligent, and selfless leadership."

“You are now part of something bigger than yourself. If you can’t accept that and subordinate yourself to it, then you don’t belong in the company of men who do."

“The Marine Corps has been in existence for 230 years, and it will continue to exist for at least another 230, as long as there are men who are willing to give of themselves, so that it may endure."

“One, two, three, or four years from now you will be charged with men’s fate. The quality of their training, their value in the fight, and their worth to the team will all be a product, to greater or lesser extent, of your contribution as their leader. And everything you do – between now and some unknown moment in the future when their lives hang in the balance – everything that you do between now and then will in some way affect that outcome. These are human lives that will be in your hands. These are brothers, sons, fathers, and husbands; and each one has hopes, happiness, dreams, and a future that’s yet to be fulfilled. But at that moment in time, their future will be in your hands. So I’ve got one question for you, the same question that you should be looking at yourself in the mirror and asking every day between now and that unknown moment in the future: What have you done today to change their fate?”

“The selfless man will ALWAYS be rewarded."

“Preparation is the hallmark of a professional."

“Be a man. Know your men. Know your shit."

“Training is EVERYTHING, and everything is Training.”

“During evening colors, that’s your time to reflect on the Marines who are fighting and dying today."

“The minute you think that you’ve got everything it takes to lead Marines, that’s when you’ve stopped learning and stopped trying to be a better Marine. That’s when you’ve quit on your men."

“Stand up for those who are in your care – be a man and take ownership."

“There is no distinction between mission accomplishment and troop welfare… Troop welfare is ensured through mission accomplishment, and vice versa. They are mutually dependent, not mutually exclusive."

“Until you’ve completely subordinated yourself to something that’s bigger than yourself, you’ll never comprehend the true selflessness that embodies the soul of our Corps… and until you’ve selflessly cared for something more fragile than yourself, you’ll never know what it means to be a man."

“Today Marines are celebrating their Independence Day in a combat zone, and the only other place I'd rather be than there on this day is OCS. While a nation rests, and celebrates, we train for war. Because it's far from over, and there's alot more fighting and dying to be done. We've committed ourselves to this thing, the same as those whose selfless commitment ended in them giving their last full measure, and it's that kind of commitment that's the reason we have a day like this to celebrate....”

“Life isn’t black and white. Leadership involves adjudication of the grey areas – applying judgment to situations that aren’t as cut and dried as we would like.”

"Assume nothing. Or else you will leave others to make their own assumption about your failure to either communicate or act."

General William Thornson, US Army

A Peculiar Breed

" U.S. Marines are the most peculiar breed of human beings I have ever witnessed. They treat service as if it was some kind of cult, plastering their emblem on almost everything they own, making themselves look like insane fanatics with haircuts to ungentlemanly lengths, worshipping their Commandant almost as if he was a god, and making weird animal noises like a gang of savages.

They'll fight like rabid dogs at the drop of a hat just for the sake of a little action, and are the cockiest s-o-b's I have ever known. Most have the foulest mouths and drink well beyond man's normal limits, but their high spirits and sense of brotherhood set them apart. Generally speaking, the United States Marines I've come in contact with, are the most professional soldiers and the finest men and women I have ever had the pleasure to meet.

There are only two kinds of people that understand Marines: Marines and the enemy. Everyone else has a secondhand opinion. All militaries harden their recruits, instill the basics, and bend young men to their will. But the Marine Corps provides its members with a secret weapon. It gives them the unique culture of pride that makes the Marines the world's premier warrior force.

The Navy has its ships, the Air Force has its planes, the Army its detailed doctrine, but 'culture', the values and assumptions that shape its members is all the Marines have. They call this culture, Esprit de Corps.

Alone among the U.S. military services, the Marines have bestowed their name on their enlisted ranks. The Army has Army Officers and soldiers, the Navy has Naval officers and sailors, the Air Force has Air Force Officers and airmen---- but the Marines have only Marines."

Major Rick L. DeTriquet

“Be an example to your men in your duty and your private life. Never spare yourself in your endurance of fatigue and privation, and make sure that your men see that you don’t."

“As a Marine you represent the highest in the military profession – technically, tactically, most importantly morally. Our nation deserves nothing less."

“Leadership boils down to 3 fundamentals: Be a Man. Know your stuff. Take care of your men."

“Cut a wide path."

“Lead by example – this is the hardest thing to do day to day."

“Teach your NCOs integrity to the Corps, and they will do the same for their Marines."

“Make it a point to take care of your wife and family with the same effort that you devote to your profession."

“Your wife will be your most important confidante and asset, and will determine the direction of your career."

“Just being a Marine has always been enough for me.”

Gunnery Sergeant Ron Buckley

“Your Staff NCOs are the key to your success. They will either make you or break you.”

“When all those around you are looking after themselves… look after your men.”

“Never fail to back your men. If they know that you will back them up, they will do anything for you.”

“You must listen to your men in order to gain their confidence. Every one of them can teach you something…”

“Writing up one of your Marines must be a last resort, because doing so is giving up on them and admitting that your leadership has failed to solve the problem otherwise.”

Colonel Gerald L. Perry

“The greatest challenge a commander faces in combat is to take care of his men."

“Individual talent means nothing if you are standing alone – Develop your subordinates."

“Forget about yourself. Take care of your Marines and you will be rewarded."

“Ask questions now, because it’s too late when the shit hits the fan."

“A leader must have 2 essentials: self-discipline and responsibility.”

Captain Peter W. Soverel, US Navy (retired)

“The first requirement of an Officer is PHYSICAL COURAGE."

“The most successful combat commanders are people who THINK."

“The most basic need of your men is INFORMATION."

“The first place discipline breaks down is combat, which is the last place that you need it to. Therefore, PERSONAL DISCIPLINE is paramount to ensure personal security and security of the team.”

Hans Werner Woltersdorf

“Not the uniform, not being in command, but EXAMPLE makes the leader.”

Colonel John Ripley

“Every Marine understands that in war he will be asked, and expected, to do the impossible. He will do his duty while ignoring physical hardship, personal danger and sacrifice, and the certainty of his reward. He will do this simply because it is expected of a Marine – his Corps and his country expect nothing less. And he will always honor the reputation established by the great Marines who preceded him... Semper Fidelis!”

Arthur W. Newcomb

“Show me the leader, and I will know his men. Show me the men, and I will know their leader.”

Lord Moran

“Loyalty to the group is the essence of fighting morale. The commander must cultivate and strengthen it. All other factors are small in comparison.”

J. Glenn Gray

“I may fall, but I do not die, for that which is real in me goes forward and lives on in the comrades for whom I gave up my physical life.”

Unknown

“Men cannot be threatened into fighting; they must be LED.”

“The greatest obligation of a politician or General is to understand the nature of the war in which he is involved.”

“Every minute that you spend learning about your Marines is an investment… They are the foundation that your leadership is built upon.”

“The most important thing is ACTION. Indecision is deadly. Whether a decision is right or wrong is irrelevant, just do SOMETHING.”

“Realistic, arduous training builds a strong sense of camaraderie within the brotherhood of misery. Ultimately, it is the best form of life insurance.”

“My boss should work for me just as hard as I work for him. He needs to give me guidance, allow me to grow, show me some spirit, teach me and DEFEND me. LEADERSHIP. And if you don't hold up your end of the deal, then I'm going to hold you accountable for that. Because when my leader makes me lead him, it takes time away from the people I really need to lead - my Marines.”

“Leadership is the art of influencing people to accomplish the impossible without losing their trust or confidence.”

“Leadership in one word: UNCONDITIONAL.”

"You may be lost but you are not forgotten. The soldier's greatest comfort is to have his friends close at hand. In the heat of battle it ceases to be an idea or a flag for which we fight. Rather we fight for the man on our right or left. When the years fall away all that remains are the memories of those precious moments we spent side by side."

Robert E. Lee

“You should be expendable… Develop your subordinates."

“There are 2 things you must do to lead men: Look after their welfare and show physical courage.”

"Do your duty in all things. You cannot do more. You should never wish to do less."

Lieutenant Colonel Given

“The greatest challenge a platoon commander faces is knowing his men.”

LtGen Paul K. Van Riper

“Your CHARACTER is the most important thing you bring to the Marine Corps.

“There are 3 types of fitness to a man’s character: physical, mental, and moral.”

First Lieutenant Erwin Rommel

“War makes heavy demands on the soldier’s strength and nerves. For this reason make heavy demands on your men in peacetime exercises.”

German Landser, Eastern Front, WWII

“Always forward, never back. He who runs away before bombs and shells runs toward death.”

LtGen Holland M. “Howlin’ Mad” Smith

“Hit quickly, hit hard, and keep right on hitting. Give the enemy no rest, no opportunity to consolidate his forces and hit back. This is the shortest road to victory.”

Sergeant Major Forbes

“Emphasizing independent action at the lowest possible level reinforces to the individual Marine his degree of responsibility to the success of the unit.”

“The most important thing for a new Lieutenant is to gain the CONFIDENCE of his Staff NCOs.”

Professor Bruce Hevly

“A leader must be ready to think SIDEWAYS.”

R. Carter

"Marines are only really motivated two times, "One is when we're going on liberty. One is when we're going to kill somebody. We're not going on liberty"

W. A. Nance

"No person can be a great leader unless he takes genuine joy in the success of those under him."

General H. N. Schwarzkopf

“Don’t make the mistake of confusing your men’s comfort with their welfare.”

President Theodore Roosevelt

"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer or deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweet and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is not effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy case, who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement and who at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly. So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat "

General Thomas J. Jackson

"Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve."

Zen Proverb

"To know and not to do, is not yet to know."

QUOTES