Series Commander
Encyclopedia
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
officer assigned to a Recruit
Recruit
Recruit can refer to:* a recently enlisted member of a military or paramilitary corps, still in training, as in :** Army recruit** Seaman Recruit...
Training Company who is responsible for the conduct and instruction of Marine recruits and Marine Corps Drill Instructor
Drill instructor
A drill instructor is a non-commissioned officer or Staff Non-Commissioned Officer in the armed forces or police forces with specific duties that vary by country. In the U.S. armed forces, they are assigned the duty of indoctrinating new recruits entering the military into the customs and...
s within one of the two series, lead or follow. Series Commanders are typically of the rank of First Lieutenant
First Lieutenant
First lieutenant is a military rank and, in some forces, an appointment.The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations , but the majority of cases it is common for it to be sub-divided into a senior and junior rank...
(O-2) or captain (O-3), and they are assisted in their duties by a Series Chief Drill Instructor (MCRD San Diego) or a Series Gunnery Sergeant (MCRD Parris Island).
The Series Commander is primarily charged with supervision and safety during recruit training. Before a recruit is allowed to run the Obstacle Course
Obstacle course
An obstacle course is a series of challenging physical obstacles an individual or team must navigate usually while being timed. Obstacle courses can include running, climbing, jumping, crawling, swimming, and balancing elements with the aim of testing speed and endurance. Sometimes a course...
or the Confidence Course, the Series Commander must run the course first and check each obstacle for any unsafe conditions. The Series Commander will then oversee his Drill Instructors as they lead the recruits through the course. The Series Commander also serves as a verifying officer and safety officer during the Rifle Range
Shooting range
A shooting range or firing range is a specialized facility designed for firearms practice. Each facility is typically overseen by one or more supervisory personnel, called variously a range master or "RSO – Range Safety Officer" in the United States or a range conducting officer or "RCO" in the UK...
, A-Line, Basic Warrior Training, and The Crucible.
Though Series Commanders do not train recruits in the same way as Drill Instructors do, they do conduct PT, lead conditioning hikes, conduct hygiene and uniform inspections, make on the spot corrections, and teach classes covering Marine Corps policies on Hazing
Hazing
Hazing is a term used to describe various ritual and other activities involving harassment, abuse or humiliation used as a way of initiating a person into a group....
, Fraternization, and Equal Opportunity
Equal opportunity
Equal opportunity, or equality of opportunity, is a controversial political concept; and an important informal decision-making standard without a precise definition involving fair choices within the public sphere...
. Additionally, the Combat Training Pool, Martial Arts
Marine Corps Martial Arts Program
The Marine Corps Martial Arts Program is a combat system developed by the United States Marine Corps to combine existing and new hand-to-hand and close quarters combat techniques with morale and team-building functions and instruction in what the Marine Corps calls the "Warrior Ethos". The...
Instructors, Academic Instruction Company, and Crucible Training Company are all commanded by former Series Commanders. A Recruit Training Battalion Operations Officer will most likely be a former Series and Company Commander from that Battalion.
The role was also created to provide another layer of authority to monitor more closely the individual drill instructors, as a result of the Ribbon Creek incident
Ribbon Creek Incident
The Ribbon Creek incident is the most common term for events which occurred on the night of April 8, 1956, when Staff Sergeant Matthew McKeon, a junior drill instructor at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, South Carolina, marched his assigned platoon into Ribbon Creek, a swampy tidal...
. Throughout the training cycle, every recruit is interviewed personally by the Series Commander to ensure their drill instructors have acted in accordance with the proper orders and policies. The purpose of these interviews is twofold; first, it allows individual recruits access to a commissioned officer, and second, it allows the Series Commander the opportunity to speak with each recruit in his series individually throughout the course of boot camp. Underlying the policy in the Standard Operating Procedures for Recruit Training against recruit abuse, recruit interviews are also used to ensure recruits are not physically or verbally abused by their drill instructors or any other personnel in the training command.
Responsibilities
- Ensure the welfare and safety of each recruit in his care.
- Provide positive leadership to the Marines assigned to him for duty.
- Support by example and authority the letter and spirit of the Standard Operating Procedures for Recruit Training.
- Ensure the Drill Instructors train recruits in accordance with the Recruit Training SOP.
- Evaluate the effectiveness of the recruit training process and recommend improvements or corrections as necessary.
- Maintain the objectivity and integrity of the recruit training process.
- Lead by example ensuring strict compliance with core values, Commandant of the Marine Corps' vision for recruit training and the Commander's Intent.
- Foster spirit and discipline within the series through positive leadership; ensure that drill instructors are routinely given objective and accurate written performance assessments.
- Ensure the safety, health, and welfare of recruits and drill instructors.
- Maintain accountability of personnel and equipment within the series.
- Responsible for screening all pick-up and drop evaluation folders and recruits.