Deployed Airmen participate in USMC Corporals Course

Published Feb. 7, 2024
By Staff Sgt. Allison Payne
406th Air Expeditionary Wing

Djibouti --

For the first time at Camp Lemonnier, U.S. Air Force senior airmen assigned to the 449th Air Expeditionary Group recently participated in the U.S. Marine Corps’ Corporals Course, run by the Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 261 Reinforced, or VMM-261, Jan. 8-26, 2024.

Similar to Airman Leadership School, a Professional Military Education (PME) program unique to the Air Force, the U.S. Marine Corps’ Corporals Course is designed to provide mentorship and expand the professional and personal knowledge of newly promoted noncommissioned officers.

A group photo showing Corporals Course graduates holding their graduation certificates. — U.S. Airmen, Marines, Sailors and Soldiers present their graduation certificates after completing a U.S. Marine Corps Corporals Course at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, Jan. 26, 2024. The course is a Professional Military Education course designed to provide mentorship and expand the professional and personal knowledge of newly promoted noncommissioned officers. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Allison Payne)

Participating in joint operations and training, such as the Corporal’s Course, provides the opportunity to cultivate key relationships with sister services, while continuing to build a stronger joint force.

“The purpose of the course is to train recently promoted corporals on how to conduct themselves at their new rank,” said Marine Sgt. Richard Lamm, VMM-261 course instructor. “PME, such as the Corporals Course, gives Marines a different outlook as new NCOs, while teaching them doctrine and reigniting the spark and their love for service they initially gained at boot camp.”

Service embers perform push-ups. — U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Hunter Knutson, 726th Expeditionary Mission Support Squadron Fly-Away Security Team member, performs physical training exercises during a U.S. Marine Corps Corporals Course at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, Jan. 22, 2024. The course, hosted by the Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 261, ensured service members' ability to receive their required Professional Military Education during deployment. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Allison Payne)

U.S. service members practice combatives. — U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Hunter Knutson, 726th Expeditionary Mission Support Squadron Fly-Away Security Team member, right, practices combatives during a U.S. Marine Corps Corporals Course at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, Jan. 22, 2024. The 17 day training course featured lessons in academics, combatives, land navigation, physical training and other instructions relevant to leadership skills. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Allison Payne)

A U.S. Marine practices a body drag exercises. — A U.S. Marine practices a body drag exercise with a fellow classmate during a U.S. Marine Corps Corporals Course at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, Jan. 22, 2024. The 17-day training course featured lessons in academics, combatives, land navigation, physical training and other instructions relevant to leadership skills. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Allison Payne)

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Jordan Wade, Joint Personnel Recovery Center controller, Senior Airman Uriah Lennox, 726th Expeditionary Mission Support Squadron Tactical Security Element member, and Senior Airman Hunter Knutson, 726th EMSS Fly-Away Security Team member represented the 449 Air Expeditionary Group in the course.

A photo of an Air Force SERE specialist. — U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Zach Levi, Joint Personnel Recovery Center Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape operations noncommissioned officer in charge, observes students plotting coordinates utilized in a training exercise as part of a U.S. Marine Corps Corporals Course at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, Jan. 22, 2024. Levi instructed a land navigation academics and hands-on class for the course, equipping students with potentially life-saving skills. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Allison Payne)

“Representing the Air Force was nothing short of amazing,” said Knutson. “I’ve always wondered if I had what it takes to be a Marine, so it was great to train by their side. Each physical training session we endured as a team was every bit more challenging than any PT I’ve done in my military career, but allowing myself to buy into the mentality that I can do anything I set my mind to really propelled me to get the most out of the course.”

The Corporals Course, enabled by Camp Lemonnier, welcomes service members from all branches of the military to enroll. This iteration featured members from the Marine Corps, Army, Navy and Air Force.

“Marines, by nature, are expeditionary fighters who almost always find themselves working inter-service,” said Lamm. “For that reason, I believe our sister services benefit from being included in our operations, such as the Corporal’s Course. Historically, the branches have worked together to accomplish many feats, and I think the continuation of joint operations, such as PME courses, will deepen our camaraderie and inter-service relationships to become a stronger fighting force as a whole.”

U.S. service members sit and rest together between training exercises. — U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Jordan Wade, Joint Personnel Recovery Center controller, left, and U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Uriah Lennox, 726th Expeditionary Mission Support Squadron Tactical Security Element member, center, rest between training exercises alongside their teammates during a U.S. Marine Corps Corporals Course at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, Jan. 22, 2024. Similar to Airman Leadership School, a Professional Military Education (PME) program unique to the Air Force, the Corporals Course is a PME course designed to provide mentorship and expand the professional and personal knowledge of newly promoted noncommissioned officers. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Allison Payne)

The 17-day training period consisted of both an academics and hands-on portion. The academics portion featured lessons on professional communication, combat operational stress control, joint operations and other topics relevant to leadership skills. During the hands-on aspect, they performed group physical training, drill and land navigation.

“The best way to face adversity is with a team by your side,” said Wade. “Certain objectives during this course felt impossible, but they became achievable once I saw the rest of my team trying. My biggest takeaways would be to remember that adversity can be succeeded through team effort and to never feel like you’re alone.”

Service members discuss coordinates during a training exercise. — U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Zach Levi, Joint Personnel Recovery Center Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape operations noncommissioned officer in charge, gives students coordinates to utilize in a training exercise as part of a U.S. Marine Corps Corporals Course at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, Jan. 22, 2024. The course, hosted by the Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 26, provided participating students essential Professional Military Education to bolster leadership and joint operations capabilities. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Allison Payne)

U.S. service members discuss tactics. — A U.S. Airman and Soldier work with their U.S. Marine teammates to discuss tactics during the land navigation portion of a U.S. Marine Corps Corporals Course at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, Jan. 22, 2024. The Corporals Course is an enlisted Professional Military Education course designed to provide mentorship and expand the professional and personal knowledge of newly promoted noncommissioned officers. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Allison Payne)

U.S. Marine and Navy service members check their communications equipment. — U.S. Marine and Navy students participating in a U.S. Marine Corps Corporals Course check their communications equipment prior to a training exercise at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, Jan. 22, 2024. The 17-day training course featured academic and hands-on lessons to bolster students’ joint combat capabilities, including combatives, land navigation, physical training and joint operations. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Allison Payne)

During the course, students dove into the history of Marine Corps standards and traditions. They were also taught about the fundamentals of being a noncommissioned officer, such as the value of mentoring subordinates, communication and promotion systems. Though the course was originally intended for Marines, other services can benefit from the leadership skills taught throughout the training.

“I think the best kind of Airmen are the ones willing to step out of their comfort zones to do something different,” said Wade. “This furthers our efforts to convince our own Airmen to do the same. This course taught us to breed confidence in yourself and maximize the efforts you put forward, which I plan to do when I lead my own Airmen.”

Camp Lemonnier is an operational installation that enables U.S., allied and partner nation forces to be where they are needed to ensure security and protect U.S. interests. The installation provides world-class support for service members, transient U.S. assets and 38 local tenant commands, including VMM-261 and the 449th Air Expeditionary Group.

U.S. Marines lie on the ground to simulate being injured. — U.S. Marines simulate being injured, waiting for their teammates to rescue them during a U.S. Marine Corps Corporals Course at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, Jan. 22, 2024. The course teaches corporals the values and responsibilities of a noncommissioned officer through various academic lessons and hands-on training. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Allison Payne)

“I believe attending the course bettered me as an Airman because it allowed me to break out of my shell and finally start becoming a leader,” said Knutson. “The talks we had during our leadership time with instructors really gave me a new perspective on how I want to lead my future Airmen. My advice to anyone else who may be afraid to step out of their comfort zone is to attend the Corporals Course.”