Service members assigned to Joint Task Force Southern Guard received a unique opportunity to attend the Marine Corps corporals course while deployed at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, Dec. 9-22, 2025.
The course is a demanding professional military education development program designed to prepare Marines for the responsibilities of a noncommissioned officer.
"Training alongside soldiers and Marines in the corporals course gave me a deeper understanding of how each branch executes the mission every day and how leaders overcome the same universal problems," an Air Force attendee said.
A Marine attending the course said the joint environment helped the students understand the culture of the other services and reemphasized the importance of joint interoperability.
"It took some time for me to let my guard down and start communicating with the other branches, but I realized we are all here for the same purpose," the Marine said, adding, "I know now it makes us a much more effective warfighting organization when we can communicate and work closely with our joint service members."
Throughout the course, the students met in a classroom setting to learn the core duties of an NCO through discussion topics on tactical communication, navigation, career progression, leadership fundamentals, drill and ceremonies, and counseling techniques.
In addition to maintaining an academic standard, service members were expected to maintain a physical standard throughout the duration of the course. Every morning, students participated in group physical training. The training also helped prepare them for the obstacle course — physically demanding team challenges that included log jumps, rope climbs, climbing walls, balance beams and pull-up bars, culminating in a sprint to the finish.
After two weeks of training, the students graduated from the corporals course with the confidence to succeed as noncommissioned officers and a newfound appreciation for working in joint environments.
"To be an NCO is to care, not only for your Marines, but it's your job to be the backbone of the Marine Corps," a Marine attendee said. "Being an NCO means being a great leader, mentor and overall good human being. Be a strong leader every day so we can be effective and lethal when the time comes."
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