Their of cake represents the passing of knowledge between the senior Marines and the new Marines who are still being molded to match the vision of the Corps future. The birthday ball also allows the group of Marines to reflect on the year of service they just provided and to remember those who are currently forward in country and can’t be with their friends and family. Courtesies are certain action that show politeness towards another. In the Marine Corps there are various courtesies that are well known but not necessarily rules.
The courtesies can include going to parade rest when a person of a higher rank is speaking to you, utilizing your established chain-of-command, displaying trust and respect towards one another, etc.
Trust is the foundation of every single courtesy between Marines. A strong sense of trust between two or more individuals creates respect. Respect is one of those things that isn’t given, its earned. Respect is also a “two-way street” meaning it has to be given and received on both sides in order to have its true effect of increasing comradery and trust.
A good balance of trust and respect can create a true symbiotic relationship which is one of the basic of being a good person in general. When there is no trust between certain individuals, they are less likely to respect each other and communicate issues. This creates a gap in the chain-of-command that can stop the flow of both work and information. The chain-of-command is basically the order of hierarchy where the Marines will communicate information.
Skipping a rung on this “ladder” can come off as disrespectful towards the Marine skipped and break the trust people have previously established. However, there are scenarios where skipping an individual is justified. Perhaps the Marines were told specifically by a person higher on the “ladder” than those they skipped to directly communicate with them. This is where trust is a big factor. If the leader doesn’t trust the Marine to have been doing the right thing when they made their decision, then why would that Marine attempt to trust those above them that have shown disloyalty. If customs and courtesies had been administered, then the issues would not even present themselves. However, this is in the ideal institution in which the Marine Corps is currently not and will continue to strive to be the perfect fighting force of America.
All these behaviors and morals are not exclusive to the Marine Corps, they can be used with regular people. In fact, treating others like people and not mindless robot can go a long way to build a strong relationship. It has been said countless times by various leaders but if it must be said again then so be it: “Marines take care of Marines”. At least, they are ideally meant to. This should be a priority in a leader’s mind when dealing with their subordinates, regardless if they have given up on themselves or others. Showing that you care will help open a gap in their defenses to show your intentions to help are pure.Customs and courtesies are the baseline which give Marines the ability to effectively communicate between one another whilst showing respect and professionalism. Good communication is the key to success when dealing with groups as large and as compartmentalized as the Armed Services of America. Marine Crops ethics teaches us the morals the institution feels we should share in order to make sound decisions in the face of adversity and to create an environment where we all feel safe and can trust one another. Basic principles like these are of the utmost importance to the Marine Corps because at the end of
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