WASHINGTON, DC --
Who We are
The United States Marine Corps has a long and illustrious history of success on the battlefield. We are unique in the way we train and fight. Our culture is one of competing and winning with a time tested tradition of evolving to adapt to the current and future warfighting environment.
The Marine Corps is always evolving, but the foundation of who we are never changes. We have constantly reinforced the basics throughout our history. We know that in every battle and skirmish, the ingenuity, leadership, and ability of Marines wins the day. New weapons, new equipment, and new tactics have always been a part of how we fight new enemies in new environments, but the adaptability and strength of the individual Marine remains at our core. This is a valuable point when considering how we prepare the next generation of Marines for the next battle. To remain a certain force for an uncertain world our tolerance for change must increase, but we must never accept mediocrity or the lowering of our standards. We are all standing beside one another on the front lines of the future, to be “The most ready, when the Nation is least ready.”
Our Commandant has laid out in his planning guidance his vision for the future of the Marine Corps. In it, he outlines our priorities as a Naval Expeditionary Force, the need to adapt to constantly evolving and complex warfighting domains, the perils of failing to outpace a peer threat, and the increasing reliance on the critical thinking abilities of the individual Marine. As the Marine Corps evolves to meet this mission there are some aspects that must never change. I call these simply “Non Negotiables”.
Non Negotiables. The following eight “Non Negotiables” are fundamental to our identity and success as Marines regardless of the battles being fought or the generation of Marines fighting them. Within them, there can be much debate, but in general they are time proven and lay at the heart of being a Marine.