Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Robert Neller spoke to Marines about the future of the Corps, technological advances and health issues during a town hall meeting Feb. 12 at Conmy Hall on the Fort Myer portion of Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall.
During his address, Neller discussed ways in which the force could change, leadership strategy and more, urging Marines to think about ways the force could expand to better fight "a brave, ruthless, adaptive" enemy.
"Marines are always good about doing what we do better," Neller said. "We always want to do what we do better. But I think we're at a point in society and technology ... where we have to think about what we can do differently."
Technology
The many advances in technology will help bring the Marine Corps into the future, Neller said, citing biogenetics, robotics and 3-D printing as potential areas for exploration.
He mentioned visiting the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the Department of Defense's research agency, where he saw service members equipped with prosthetic limbs that could be moved and used through sensors attached to their brains. Neller met one service member who used one of the new prosthetics.
"He could actually shake hands with me with this prosthetic," Neller told the crowd.
Neller also noted that technological advances in 3-D printing could be used to produce gear during battle or even prosthetics for wounded troops.
"I mean, think about it, if you had a 3-D printer on the battlefield and if you have surgery, we print you a new arm or a new leg right there," Neller said. "I don't know if it's feasible, but the potential is there."
Furthermore, Neller suggested that network technology to deceive the enemy should be explored to provide U.S. forces a tactical advantage in combat.
"How do we deceive them?" he said. "How do we camouflage ourselves? ... We have to look at how we operate, what we do differently because we're going to face a different fight; and we have to look at the capabilities we have and how we're going to apply them against our adversaries."
Leadership
Neller also encouraged Marine leaders to have compassion for those they command, suggesting they take the time to assist Marines who approach leaders for help.
"You've got to talk to that Marine," he said. "If you don't take time to talk to that Marine, I'm pretty sure he won't come back. You've got one shot."
He said that leaders should absolutely have expectations of their subordinates, but that it's only fair if Marines also have expectations of their leadership as well.
"I believe every leader has a contract with those that they lead, and also a contract that you have with the institution," he said.
If everyone holds up their end of the bargain - if leadership is firm but fair and Marines always give 100 percent to the mission - then the force will be successful, according to Neller.
"At the end of the day, this is all about success," he said. "Your job as a leader is to make those Marines that you lead successful. Part of that success is helping people with a little bit of compassion along the way."
Issues with Alcohol
Neller also stressed that he thought the Marine Corps needed to address alcohol consumption among the force, and the role it plays in larger problems like sexual assault, domestic abuse, drug use and suicide.
"I'm not going to tell you that you shouldn't drink," he said. "You're grown men and women; I trust you. But I think we need to have a serious conversation about how much we drink."
Neller said the last straw for him was the death of 1st Lt. Matthew Davis, a 30-year-old Marine and father who was killed by a drunk driver in November 2014 at Camp Pendleton, California.
"I can't do it anymore," Neller said. "But I also can't do it by myself ... So what are you going to do about it? What are we going to do about it?"
Davis' widow, Elizabeth, delivered a plea for Marines to consider the gravity of their actions before drinking too much and getting behind the wheel.
"This isn't just a story," Elizabeth told the group in Conmy Hall. "This Marine has two children. He has a little boy who will never have his dad teach him how to ride a bike because of a selfish act. He has a little girl who will never have her dad walk her down the aisle ... This is so easily preventable."
Neller urged Marines who had an issue with alcohol or knew somebody with an issue to do something about it.
"That might cost you their friendship, but it may save their life," he said.
For more information about Neller's priorities for the Marine Corps, see the fragmentation order published in January at http://go.usa.gov/cVnFT.
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