WASHINGTON, DC --
“Demanding superior performance and enforcing high standards should not be viewed as draconian, but rather, should be expected by professionals.” – Gen. David H. Berger, Commandant of the Marine Corps
More than a Catchphrase
Saying that the Marine Corps is a “Standards” based organization is more than just reciting a catchphrase. Whether we are talking about the basic physical standards required to join, the moral and ethical standards needed to serve, or the individual and unit-training standards necessary to win our Nation’s battles, standards are the foundation of what makes the Marine Corps successful on and off the battlefield.
Standards and Performance
Standards are instrumental to how we teach, coach, and evaluate performance. Our success as a Corps is dependent on this simple formula: use high standards to transform civilians into Marines, steadily increase responsibility, and continue to use standards to evaluate personal and professional proficiency in order to retain, promote, and assign talent. In this formula, it is important not to limit performance to meeting the basic minimum of the standard; rather, on pushing towards the high end. Arguably, The Marine Corps is not simply a standards based organization, but a standards and performance based organization.
Organizational Standards
The benefit of having codified standards is that they are not subjective. They provide the necessary ranges of proficiency, from which performance is measured. Standards are doctrine and policy; they are not up for interpretation. Adherence to standards preserves the integrity of the institution over time. They ensure that the actions taken today will equal success on the battlefield tomorrow.