DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY
HEADQUARTERS UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS
3000 MARINE CORPS PENTAGON
WASHINGTON, DC 20350-3000
In Reply Refer to:
MCO 1500.XX
TECOM
DD/MM/YYYY
MARINE CORPS ORDER 1500.XX
From:
To:
Commandant of the Marine Corps
Distribution List
Subj:
MARINE CORPS LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM (MCLDP)
Ref:
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
(e)
(f)
(g)
(h)
(i)
(j)
(k)
(l)
Encl:
1.
Marine Corps Manual W/CH 1-3
MCDP-1 Warfighting
MCWP 6-11 Leading Marines
MCRP 6-11D Sustaining the Transformation
MCRP 6-11B W/CH1 Marine Corps Values: A User’s Guide
for Discussion Leaders
Marine Corps Leadership Development Program website:
www.XXXXXXX.mil
NAVMC DIR 5040.6H
MCO 1553.4B
MCO 1500.60
NAVMC 2795
MCO 1320.11F
MCO P1610.7F W/CH 2
(1) Mandatory Minimum Counseling Guidelines
Situation.
a. The Marine Corps makes Marines, wins battles and,
ultimately, returns quality citizens back to American society.
The Marine Corps Leadership Development Program supports and
guides leaders in the development of their subordinates to meet
the needs of an increasingly complex world while retaining our
honor and ethos.
b. Our warfighting philosophy places a premium on
individual actions and initiative inspired by commander’s intent
and underwritten by trust. Marine leaders build trust through
realistic training, shared experiences, and preparing their
subordinates for success. This style of leadership epitomizes
DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT A: Approved for public release;
distribution is unlimited.
Subj:
MARINE CORPS LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM (MCLDP)
the spirit of our 13th Commandant, General John A. LeJeune, who
likened the senior/subordinate relationship to that of a teacher
and scholar or even a father and son. This program is intended
to be carried out in this spirit and to facilitate the trust and
implicit communications that are critical to our warfighting
philosophy of maneuver warfare.
c. For Marines, entry-level training is not just the
beginning of military service, it is a life-changing event.
This transformation need not be a singular or fleeting
experience. Indeed, that “old Marine Corps spirit” must be
continuously nurtured throughout a Marine’s career by fellow
Marines. The Marine Corps Leadership Development Program
(MCLDP) provides commanders and individual leaders practical
resources to assist in sustaining the transformation in the
lives of their Marines and Sailors.
2.
Cancellation.
NAVMC DIR 1500.58, MCO 1500.58.
3. Mission. Implement and sustain a Marine Corps Leadership
Development Program (MCLDP) to facilitate the personal and
professional development of all Marines and assigned Sailors.
4.
Execution
a.
Commander’s Intent and Concept of Operations
(1) Commander’s Intent
(a) The Marine Corps Leadership Development Program
renews our commitment to personal and professional development.
It is my intent that all Marines receive the regular counseling,
training and mentoring vital to developing ethical
warrior/scholars. I expect all Marines to abide by the spirit
and requirements of this program.
(b) The MCLDP is a recommitment to our time-tested
and combat-proven leadership traits and principles, and our Core
Values. The MCLDP organizes a wealth of resources under a
single program to assist leaders in developing subordinates to
their utmost potential. Undertaken in the proper spirit, the
MCLDP assists Marines and Sailors in establishing positive goals
and dealing with challenges openly and honorably. Poor life
decisions are minimized and Marines and Sailors that require
assistance receive it from their Navy/Marine Corps family.
(c) Desired Endstate. Marines and assigned Sailors
across the leadership continuum fully vested in the development
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Subj:
MARINE CORPS LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM (MCLDP)
of leaders. Marines educated and trained in areas of personal
character and professional competence in order to succeed in the
Marine Corps and in life. Active participation in the program
ensures that the deliberate, ongoing development of subordinates
and long-term mentoring relationships are ingrained in Marine
Corps culture.
(2) Concept of Operations
(a) Leadership Development Strategy. A Marine Corps
leadership development strategy is currently under development.
This overarching strategy will provide the goals and objectives
of Marine Corps leadership development and is expected to
organize, guide, and simplify leadership related training,
education and programs. The MCLDP has been designed with this
approach in mind. While a stand-alone program, the MCLDP
provides an overarching framework that can be used to
proactively address family, combat stress, substance abuse and
issues addressed in other programs, but which are always
mitigated by quality leadership. The MCLDP also provides unit
commanders and individual leaders a deliberate approach to
ensuring that Marines and Sailors “are far better physically,
mentally and morally” for service under their charge (reference
(a).
(b) Functional Areas of Leadership Development. The
six functional areas of the MCLDP ensure a balanced and
comprehensive approach to leader development. These broad
categories of personal and professional development apply to all
Marines of all ranks. Pursuing excellence in these six areas is
critical to developing the personal character and professional
competence that characterize leaders of influence. Our motto,
Semper Fidelis, means that we strive to remain “always faithful”
to our respective faiths, our country, our families, our Corps,
our unit, our fellow Marines, and ourselves. The six functional
areas provide a clear focus of effort for training, counseling,
mentoring and goal-setting and a structure for the organization
of MCLDP resources.
1. Fighter. Addresses professional and career
development including professional military education, MOS
skills, Marine Corps Common Skills (MCCS) and leadership skills.
2. Fitness. Addresses mental, emotional,
physical, and spiritual fitness.
3. Finances. Addresses the fundamentals of
personal finance to include budgeting, saving, and overcoming
debt.
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Subj:
MARINE CORPS LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM (MCLDP)
4.
family readiness.
Family.
Addresses marriage, parenting, and
5. Fidelity. Addresses Marine Corps and unit
heritage, values and ethics, leadership traits and principles.
6.
Future.
Addresses goal-setting and time
management.
(c) Execution. The MCLDP is designed for execution
at the lowest level. Leadership development in units and at the
senior/subordinate level should be ongoing and continuous.
1. Units. Commanders will holistically
integrate the six functional areas of leadership development
into unit training plans and battle rhythms in accordance with
the instructions contained in this order. The MCLDP is a
commander’s program with wide latitude in execution.
2. Leaders. Individual leaders will help their
subordinates develop personally and professionally across the
six functional areas. Leaders are encouraged to find original
methods and to use all available resources to create an
environment where counseling and mentoring are natural,
continuous, and woven into the battle rhythm throughout their
organizations.
3. Individual Marine/Sailors. Marines and
Sailors are responsible for their own personal and professional
development. This commitment includes progressing in their
military occupational specialty (MOS), making time for education,
and taking maximum advantage of the resources and counseling
provided by seniors and mentors. Though not mandatory, Marines
are encouraged to seek out mentoring relationships throughout
their careers.
(d) Resources. Many existing resources support
training across the six functional areas. In addition,
references (a) through (e) discuss many aspects of leadership
development. The MCLDP website, reference (f), is an excellent
source for both new and existing resources organized around the
six functional areas. Besides discussion guides, example unit
orders and Leader Notebooks, it also includes MCLDP best
practices from units Marine Corps-wide.
b.
Subordinate Element Missions
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Subj:
MARINE CORPS LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM (MCLDP)
(1) Commanding Officers (LtCol and above)(Main Effort):
(a) Ensure integration of the six functional areas
of leadership development into unit annual training plans and
planned safety stand-downs.
(b) Publish a Command MCLDP order.
(c) Appoint a Command MCLDP Coordinator to assist in
facilitating the program across the six functional areas.
(d) Identify and assign, as required, command
Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) to act as advisors and instructors
for leadership development training.
(e) Ensure subordinate leaders document and maintain
local counseling records on their Marines. Ensure regulations
regarding storage and transfer of personally identifiable
information (PII) are followed.
(2) Command MCLDP Coordinator:
(a) Assist the commanding officer with unit-wide
implementation of the MCLDP.
(b) Coordinate with base, station, and/or unit SMEs
to support leadership development training.
(c) Seek feedback on best practices within the unit
for dissemination to HHQ and the Lejeune Leadership Institute.
(3) Inspector General of the Marine Corps (IGMC):
(a) Develop and maintain a MCLDP Functional Area
checklist for commands to evaluate their programs across the six
functional areas.
(b) Inspect MCLDP during command and unit
inspections per reference (g).
(4) Commanding Generals, Marine Forces:
(a) Incorporate leadership development into unit
training plans, safety stand-downs and as a proactive measure to
mitigate negative trends.
(b) Make SMEs available to assist commanders in the
implementation of their command leadership development programs.
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Subj:
MARINE CORPS LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM (MCLDP)
(5) Commanding General (CG), Training and Education
Command (TECOM):
(a) Act as sponsor for the MCLDP.
(b) Integrate MCLDP training and readiness events
for inclusion into the Marine Corps Common Skills Training and
Readiness Manual.
(6) President Marine Corps University:
support and oversight of the MCLDP.
Provide program
(7) Director, Lejeune Leadership Institute:
(a) Act as program manager for MCLDP.
(b) Assist in developing MCLDP training and
readiness events for inclusion into the MCCS T&R Manual.
c.
Coordinating Instructions.
(1) Professional Military Education (PME). Professional
military education and reading are critical components of
leadership development reference (h). At the unit level, PME
positively affects command climate when incorporated into
training plans. Staff rides, book clubs, commanders’ calls and
discussion groups are effective methods of unit PME.
Individually, Marines benefit when PME is pursued with the same
vigor as physical training. The Marine Corps’ renewed emphasis
on professional reading, to include an updated and more
accessible Commandant’s Professional Reading List, provide units
and individual Marines a road map for continuous self-study.
(2) Counseling. Counseling is a process of two-way
communication between a senior and a junior to help the junior
achieve or maintain the highest possible level of performance.
It supports and reinforces good performance as well as corrects
deficiencies. Regular counseling sessions are a critical
component of effective subordinate development. Familiarity
with reference (i) also enables leaders to identify and direct
Marines and assigned Sailors needing assistance to the next
level of support such as the Force Preservation Council or Human
Factors Council. Reference (j) provides guidance on how to
schedule, plan for and conduct counseling sessions. Minimum
counseling intervals are delineated in enclosure (1), but
seniors may direct counseling sessions at any time they deem
necessary.
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Subj:
MARINE CORPS LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM (MCLDP)
(3) Mentoring. Mentoring relationships have always
existed in the Marine Corps. The MCLDP encourages Marines to
seek out and engage in mentoring. Such relationships are vital
to the long-term development of career-oriented Marines.
Mentoring often occurs outside the chain of command and can be
initiated by either a senior or subordinate. Such relationships
typically endure beyond a single tour of duty and provide an
important source of encouragement and perspective. Commanders
are encouraged to foster the practice of mentoring and assist
Marines and Sailors in the process of finding and becoming
mentors.
(4) Transitions. Marines undergo transitions throughout
their careers, whether a permanent change of station (PCS), an
assignment to temporary additional duty (TAD) or their eventual
return to civilian life. Reference (k) highlights the all-toocommon problem of “check-in orphans” who get off to a bad start
in their new unit through passive neglect or poor role models.
Such transitions are challenging, and leaders must be
particularly vigilant, proactive and attentive to the needs of
Marines during such times.
(5) Subject Matter Experts (SMEs). SMEs assist and
advise the commanding officer in specific areas of leadership
development. SMEs may be professionals from agencies such as
MCCS or volunteers from within the unit who have a particular
skill set or desire to contribute. Their contributions may be
in the form of advice and/or in the execution of unit training.
SMEs will generally be appointed in writing by the commanding
officer. Examples of unit-level SMEs are listed below:
(a) Education Officer
(b) Marine Corps Martial Arts Instructors and
Instructor-Trainers (MAIs/MAITs)
(c) Chaplain
(d) Family Readiness Officer (FRO)
(e) Command Financial Specialist (CFS)
(f) Substance Abuse Control Officer (SACO)
(g) OSCAR Team Members
(h) Career Planner
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Subj:
MARINE CORPS LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM (MCLDP)
(i) Flight Surgeon/Corpsman
(6) Creativity. Creativity in the execution of this
program is bounded only by the imagination of the unit commander
and/or individual leader.
(7) Recognition for Achievement. Incentives for
individual and unit excellence in the area of leadership
development are encouraged. Achievements by Sergeants and above
should be appropriately recognized in block F.2., (“Developing
Subordinates”) of the fitness report, and in Section I, in
accordance with reference (l).
(8) Report unit best practices to the Lejeune Leadership
Institute via the MCLDP website (reference (f)).
5.
Administration and Logistics
a. Leadership related policies and references, Periods of
Instruction, unit and individual leader resources, and best
practices are found in reference (f).
b. MCLDP support is available from the Lejeune Leadership
Institute, Marine Corps University. Commercial phone: (703)4324688.
6.
Command and Signal
a. Command. This order is applicable to Active and Reserve
component Marines and assigned Sailors.
b.
Signal.
(1) Reference (f) MCLDP website may be found at
<www.XXXXXXXX.mil>
(2) This Order is effective the date signed.
JAMES F. AMOS
Commandant of the Marine Corps
Distribution: PCN
Copy to:
Electronic only, via Marine Corps Publications Electronic
Library web site, http://www.usmc.mil/directiv.nsf/web+orders
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