The Program

32The Second Standard of a Leader: Take Care of Your Teammates

THE SECOND STANDARD to which every leader is held is Take Care of Your Teammates. When Eric was at the Infantry Officer’s Course (IOC), he and his teammates had an opportunity to meet a Marine Corps legend. They were coming to the tail end of “The War,” the culminating exercise at IOC, and a brutal test of their leadership ability while battling hunger, extreme fatigue, and brutal weather conditions. There was over two feet of snow on the ground for its entirety. Eric and his teammates knew someone important was arriving when they were called in and ordered to sit around a large fire to prepare for the guest speaker. It was the first warmth they had been allowed in almost two weeks, and they knew that it had to be quite a special guest. They were still surprised when they were joined by General Al Gray. General Gray had served as the 29th Commandant in the Marine Corps and was revered as a leader and a warrior. For his official commandant’s picture, he chose not to wear the dress blue uniform (the Marine Corps’ formal uniform adorned with medals and ribbons) that every commandant before, and since, has worn. Instead, he took the photo wearing his camouflage uniform, the uniform that Marines wear into battle.

As infantry officers in training, the opportunity to spend time with Al Gray was special. The young lieutenants were afforded the opportunity to ask him questions about his experiences. One of the lieutenants ...