Submitted by: MCB Quantico
Story Identification Number: 2000122085511
Story by Sgt. John Sayas



MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va.(Dec. 20, 1999) -- Good leadership and the ability to take charge makes a team successful. Students from The Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania examined how the Marine Corps teaches leadership during a visit to Quantico Dec. 8.

Wharton graduates may not consider their work of life-or-death importance, but the same leadership skills Marines employ can be used to successfully run a multi-million dollar businesse. The ability to organize, develop a vision and execute are keys to a successful and well-organized Marine Corps. The four students and their professor were able to look at these Marine skills in a business sense as they were briefly introduced to the Corps' university and officer training grounds.

"The Marine Corps teaches its leaders at all levels the importance of caring for their Marines while accomplishing the mission," said Vincent Martino, Wharton School student and former Marine communications officer. "The goals of Marine Corps leadership can draw many parallels to the civilian world. Such leadership abilities can have a huge impact in a corporation's profit, morale, and long-term viability."

Throughout their visit, Marines explained the training involved at the schools. Visiting the university and training area helped give the students a better focus on how they want to implement it into their own curriculum.

"The Marines are very talented," said Martino.

"We are looking for things to borrow from the Marine Corps. There are methods of teaching in the Marine Corps and we just need to find a way to implement it into our school."

Learning about leadership is nothing new to the students. The Wharton School has taught their students about leadership, however, most students have not experienced the whole aspect of leadership. For example, they cannot see how good leadership can affect a business, as Marine candidates learn with basic training in a combat environment.

Candidates are tested on their abilities to work under pressure, make sound and timely decisions and solve problems throughout their initial training, said Capt. Robert S. Weiler, Training and Education Command.

"We teach leadership here (OCS)," said Weiler. "We search and screen for leadership potential. The Wharton students have come to the right place to learn these skills."

One place where all candidates demonstrate their potential is at the Leadership Reaction Course, which the students witnessed and experienced during their visit. The course originated from the Germans during WWI and was later adopted by the Marine Corps because it taught candidates poblem-solving and leadership skills. It challenged the students by forcing them to use only what equipment was available to accomplish a series of missions.