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40 <a href="http://www.mca-marines.org/gazette">www.mca-marines.org/gazette</a> M a r i n e C o r p s G a z e t t e • M a y 2 0 0 9 IDEAS & ISSUES (LEADERSHIP) style of training, unit TTP can develop but not at the risk of becoming the only solution to different problems ex- hibiting some similar characteristics. Training and, more importantly, edu- cation should focus on warfighting principles, understand Marines’ abili- ties to recall similar situations, and fos- ter and encourage creativity. What About the Basics? It is easy to confuse the above argu- ment with the idea of tossing the Training and Readiness Manual (T&R Manual) out the window resulting in each unit (platoon, company, and bat- talion) having very different tactics, but a further examination is needed to see that this is simply not true. The T&R Manual is a good tool to justify train- ing requirements like ammunition and targets. It is good for explaining per- formance steps using the “task, condi- tion, standard” template. If one were to look at it within the three levels of war—moral, mental, and physical—as described by Col John R. Boyd, USAF(Ret) in his Patterns of Conflict (unpublished manuscript, 1986), he would quickly realize that the T&R Manual only touches on the physical level of war. Training to develop cre- ativity is not intended to replace a solid foundation in the science of war. It is intended to use these ideas with train- ing in the science as a vehicle for pro- viding opportunities to study de- cisionmaking and develop creativity. Conclusion Using creativity as the centralized focus with individual education as the decentralized method, a unit can cre- ate an environment conducive to im- proving the application of maneuver warfare. Training to make Marines de- cisionmakers can be a daunting task. Success is not easily quantified. How- ever, by not applying creativity to our decisions, we may be simply playing into the hands of a highly adaptable enemy. Creativity is one of the best skills the Marine Corps can impart on its Marines to be more effective on today’s battlefield. Notes 1. Cropley, Arthur J., Creativity in Education and Learning, Kogan Page Limited, London, UK, 2001, p. 15. 2. Ibid., p. 32. 3. Ibid. Realistic training will enhance the decisionmaking capabilities of our Marines. (Photo by Capt Paul L. Greenberg.)
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