Commandant’s Reading List
Although they have changed the name from the “Commandant’s Reading List” to the “USMC Professional Reading Program” the intent is still the same. This is a list of books to help educate and develop leaders and adults.
I recommend that you at least look through this list to see if you find something that might interest you. These books are not strictly about war, death, and guns. Some of them are about courageous men and women who have faced hardship knowing the possible outcome. Some of them are about preparation, planning, execution, and flexability. Others are about statesmanship and personal quality.
Security professionals are often asked to stand at the forefront, make the hard decisions, and defend those decisions. Security professionals are generally leaders already. What some of these books might help with is providing a little more insight into leadership traits and principles that can be honed to us all improve.
Reviewing this list again after several years I do notice one change to it that I like. They have broken the list into subsections for the different ranks. I am sure that you will have no problem figuring out which level you would like to start.
I do have a recommendation that you may use as a starting point. One of my favorite books on this list is titled: Rifleman Dodd. This is a book about an individual who is trapped behind enemy lines. In the face of this adversity he strives to perform his duties, maintain his integrity, and set an example. Even if you don’t think that these actions relate to the security profession I do think that you will like the story. It is a very short book and a very easy read. But it has a powerful message for all.
USMC Professional Reading Program, Security Ripcord, Rifleman Dodd
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March 9th, 2007 at 12:18 pm
Great post!
Back in June, 1989, I was a wee lad, a 2dLt with a stack of books for “professional development” that was as tall as I was! One of my favorites is “Defense of Duffer’s Drift”…so much so, I used it as the basis for one of the chapters in my first book, “Windows Forensics and Incident Recovery”. I enjoyed “Starship Troopers” and even discussed it as a PME session when I was back at TBS as an instructor. “Soldiers Load”, Rommel’s “Attacks”…some of these I no longer have, but the Commandant’s reading list (for me, the Commandant was Al Gray) left an impression on me.
The reading program was introduced to me as a young lad (when I was in high school) by my soccer coach, who was a Marine Capt. He gave me a copy of “Once an Eagle”, by Anton Myrer…one of the absolute best books I’ve ever read! Over the years I’ve added “American Soldier” by Tommy Franks, as well as Musashi’s “The Book of Five Rings” to my bookshelf.
BTW…I have a copy of “The Bridge at Dong Ha”, signed by Col Ripley. When I was an instructor at TBS, his son Tom was a patrol leader on a night security patrol where I was the asst. instructor. I also have “Marine Sniper” signed by Carlos Hathcock before his passing, and I have the “Men of Honor” DVD signed by Carl Brashear before his passing.
Great blog!
Harlan
http://windowsir.blogspot.com