MFMC/OCS
Maquis Forces Marine Corps Officers Guide
Most new Maquis Marine officers begin their careers as Second Lieutenants. A few officers receive a direct appointment to a higher grade. There are established points at which time an officer is considered for promotion. Marine officers are selected for advancement based on their being qualified to meet the requirements of the Maquis Marines. The Maquis promotion process is designed to ensure advancement of the best officers, promote career development, and promote officers with the greatest demonstrated potential.
Origins of Officer Ranks
Lieutenant: an officer representing and exercising powers on behalf of his lord or sovereign.
Captain: an officer entrusted with a command or fort under a sovereign or general.
Colonel: an officer commanding a "column" of soldiers.
General: originally meant to be of similar "birth" or "class" with the sovereign; the more recent use is to be
familiar with all facets of the army, no longer a specialist in one area, a "general officer."
The Evolution of Commissioned Officers
Our ranks today evolved from our past history. There are traditions and legal reasons for the particular duties outlined in the military justice system, because law evolves from tradition, precedent, and deliberate reasoning. In addition, there are customs and courtesies that exist and remain, because military forces require links with their past in order to bind their members together in the profession of arms. But one lesson is clear: Battlefield necessity is pragmatic. What works is retained. What fails is rejected. One lesson from our founding that has stood the test of time is the complementing relations and mutual respect between the commissioned officer and the noncommissioned officer. It continues today.
Responsibilities of an Officer
The diversity and complexity of military leadership in an organization the size of the MFMC requires the allocation of specific-types of tasks to various levels in the military hierarchy. A clear understanding of these responsibilities is essential to permit each leader to discharge his own assigned tasks. Such an understanding is also crucial so that each leader can avoid interfering with the accomplishments, responsibilities, and duties of other leaders.
Below are common responsibilities of officers in the MFMC.
- Prescribe missions, establish policies and broad procedural guidelines, and set standards for his unit, as required to attain mission readiness in the defense of the Badlands' established Maquis planets, and to merit the confidence and support of its many populations.
- Insure compliance with his orders, adherence to his policies, and maintenance of his standards by personal visits to his unit, by announced and unannounced inspections, and by reports.
- Exercise his authority with restraint, leading through example, professional competence, and persuasion.
- Enhance the resolve of subordinates to defend the Maquis way of life, by instilling in them a sense of responsibility and imparting to them on a continuing basis an understanding of the necessity for and purpose of military discipline.
- Insure that his superior commanders are fully and accurately informed of conditions in his unit which may impact on mission readiness.
- Assist in the proper professional development of subordinates by his example, and such means as encouraging self-study, periodic rotation of duty assignments, and frequent performance counseling.
- Inspire in subordinates confidence in his leadership, by example, by sound and decisive action, and by his determination and ability to overcome obstacles to Mission Readiness or Mission Accomplishment.
- Strengthen the chain of command through developing initiative, ingenuity, and boldness of execution throughout his unit.
- Employ his staff or assistants as appropriate, to acquire information, prepare detailed plans, assist in supervision of unit, and otherwise relieve him of details so that he may have maximum freedom of action in accomplishment of assigned tasks and missions.
- Insure maintenance of mutual respect and confidence between his headquarters, supporting, supported, and subordinate units.
Officer and NCO Shared Responsibilities
Developing Subordinates
One of the most important responsibilities shared by both officers and NCOs is the requirement to further the professional development of their subordinates. The execution of this responsibility will vary in its application as the officer rotates subordinates among different positions and assigns tasks which are themselves a growth experience. The NCO participates in the development of subordinates through the actual accomplishment of training and direct supervision of the younger troops in the accomplishment of their tasks. This development is based on the logical requirement for investment in the future of the MFMC. Such investment necessitates the provision to subordinates of opportunities for self-development, under conditions which allow them to learn by doing, without over-supervision or the excessive restrictions which results when leaders are so overly fearful of mistakes that they in effect do the subordinate's duty for him in order to attain higher quality short term results. Development of subordinates also entails the shared NCO and officer responsibility to set a proper example for subordinates in all aspects of leadership: ethics and self discipline, determination in their approach to mission accomplishment, and demonstrated concern for the dignity and welfare of the subordinate.
Other Shared Responsibilities
In addition to subordinate development, the officer and the NCO share three basic types of responsibilities:
INDIVIDUAL: Accountability for one’s own actions, conduct, and performance.
COMMAND: Collective or organizational accountability of a commander. A commander is held responsible for mission accomplishment and the care of personnel and property assigned.
Mission accomplishment and safeguarding the men and equipment are the two primary responsibilities of any MFMC leader. Non Commissioned Officers and officers must work closely together to satisfy these responsibilities. At the same time there must be an understanding of who does what. Officers are the leaders of the Maquis Forces Marine Corps. Their roles are like those of corporate managers or executives. Officers lead and manage activities in every occupational specialty in the Marine Corps. They must be able to learn detailed information quickly and be able to adapt to changing assignments and environments.
It is the NCO’s responsibility to insure that subordinates are knowledgeable of their duties, responsibilities, and authority. However, this responsibility can only be adequately fulfilled when open communication is carried on between superiors, subordinates, and peers using the various available communication channels. A marine who is not clear about what is expected of him, should be professional enough to clarify his role with whomever he works, whether peers, subordinates, or superiors. Active role clarification by unit members enhances the teamwork necessary to accomplish the mission, helps insure the fair and equitable portioning of tasks, and keeps vital tasks from being overlooked. Traditionally, NCO and officers have shared the dual responsibilities of mission accomplishment/safeguarding men and equipment.
Both the commander and the NCO need to be aware of the three types of duties:
SPECIFIC: Those duties specifically charged to an individual in official publication or regulation.
DIRECTED: Those duties given verbally or in writing by a superior to a subordinate.
They are not necessarily duties in manuals or regulations but often are to meet specific requirements.
IMPLIED: Those duties covering all aspects of an individual's job, which are not spelled out, yet are vital to mission accomplishment. They include the multitude of tasks involved in leadership and motivation, which result in the job not only getting done, but done better, and causing the unit to function optimally.
According to Maquis Marine Corps Regulations the command structure and promotions will be as follows:
Section 1: Command Staff
MAQUIS MARINE CORPS COMMANDANT
Commander of the Maquis Marine Corps. Responsible for the overall state of readiness of the Maquis Marine Corps. Ensures that the Maquis Marine Corps is capable to respond to missions requested by Maquis Forces International. Reports to the Maquis Forces International Chief of Operations and Vice International Coordinator. Normally a General.
MAQUIS MARINE CORPS DEPUTY COMMANDANT
Deputy Commander of the Maquis Marine Corps. Assists the Commandant in maintaining the high state of readiness of the Maquis Marine Corps. Reports to the Maquis Marine Corps Commandant.
MAQUIS MARINE CORPS CHIEF OF MARINE OPERATIONS
Responsible for keeping a running tabulation of all forces worldwide, maintains the
membership roster, supports Division Commanders and handles disputes between Division Commanders, among other duties. Reports to the Maquis Marine Corps Commandant.
MAQUIS MARINE CORPS TRADOC COMMANDER
Coordinator and maintainer of the Maquis Marine Academy. Will oversee all the Deans of the various
colleges and the administering of academy courses, the grading, and assignment of pass/fail certificates. Reports to the Maquis Marine Corps Commandant.
MAQUIS MARINE REGIMENTAL COMMANDER
Responsible for supporting and maintaining Brigades assigned to their Division. Will report to Maquis Marine Corps Chief of Marine Operations.
MAQUIS MARINE BRIGADE LIASION OFFICER
Responsible for supporting and maintaining Battalions (states or other similiar sized geographic regions) assigned to their Brigade (Region). Will report to the Maquis Marine Regimental Commander their Brigade is assigned to. Considered Regimental Staff.
MAQUIS MARINE COMPANY COMMANDER
Responsible for supporting and maintaining the Maquis Marines assigned to their Company. Will report to the Maquis Marine Brigade Commander their Company is assigned to.
Section 2: Staff Officer Requirements
Staff Officers will be appointed by the Maquis Marine Corps Commandant and Deputy Commandant. These positions will be filled by those who are at least 21 years of age. No officer shall hold more than two (2) positions unless deemed necessary by the General Staff.
Section 3: Promotions
Individual commanders may grant promotions to deserving Marines up to the grade currently held by the unit commander. Flag Rank promotions must be approved by the Maquis Marine General Staff in consultation with the Maquis Forces International Coordinator. MFMC Commandant may promote up to Colonel.
Section 4: Unit Departments
