CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. -- No matter what your rank, you are a leader. It’s what Marines are taught from the moment they begin basic training.
Senior leadership worked to embed the essential traits taught to their Marines from day one to the sailors with the religious ministry teams throughout the 2nd Marine Logistics Group during a period of military education at the 2nd MLG Chaplains Center aboard Camp Lejeune, N.C., Nov. 30.
During the PME, sailors were taught the 14 leadership traits and 11 leadership principles by Sgt. Maj. Herbert W. Wrench, the 2nd MLG sergeant major, and they were asked to give their best example of each one.
They described what they thought tact, bearing and unselfishness were in their own words along with the several other traits and principles.
As they all took notes and discussed the PME, sailors like Navy Capt. Gregory Todd, the 2nd MLG chaplain, took time to speak and explain the importance of the training.
“It’s always great to get training such as this, but for it to be a sergeant major taking time out of his day to come speak with us just makes it that much more valuable,” he said. “I hope we are all listening and learning from a man who’s been there and done that.”
He wasn’t the only one who appreciated the sergeant major’s tutelage.
“It was incredible to participate in the PME,” said Petty Officer 2nd Class Henry Mensah, a religious program specialist with the 2nd MLG. “When we’ve done other classes with Marines it’s usually a staff non commissioned officer who comes out, but to have the top of the enlisted leadership to teach us was a good experience.”
It was many of the sailors’ favorite class since joining the Fleet, Mensah continued.
“A lot of the guys are new so they’ve been doing nothing but classes and PMEs,” he said. “They seemed more focused while the sergeant major was talking than ever before.”
The sailors in the room kept their eyes glued to the senior enlisted Marine in the 2nd MLG, and Wrench took notice.
“I’m getting real good answers and can see you all are taking this in,” he said. “I want us all here to leave having learned something new, and if we’ve accomplished that, then this PME was a success.”
When stationed on a Marine Corps installation, sailors work with Marines on a daily basis, yet few take the time to learn more about the Corps, mention Mensah.
“When a lot of the sailors come to Camp Lejeune they don’t take the time to learn the different rules, regulations and traditions. They’re just happy with being a sailor,” he said.
“To be completely devoted you must accept the two different cultures and basically become a Marine in your own right. It’s important that we merge as much as possible while working with Marines.”
Though it was just a small portion of the day and an even smaller portion of the training many of the junior sailors still have to come, the 2nd MLG began to implant the seed that will help bridge the gap between Marines and sailors.