Marine Military Academy: Boy Scouts Troop 22 News

Posted on February 22, 2012 by

Boy Scouts News: Journalism Merit Badge

boy scoutsAfter signups, the meeting opened with the Pledge of Allegiance and the Boy Scouts Oath and Law. Troop 22 then completed part 4 of the Journalism Merit Badge under the direct tutelage of Ms. Andi Atkinson, MMA Director of Public Affairs and Marketing. This week Ms. Atkinson guided our boys (through practical exercise) in learning how to listen, question, and gather the facts of a story, then write an individual news style report using their newly acquired journalistic skills. Completed reports were read back to the class to compare contrasting styles and story angle approach. This large group of novice reporters actually did quite well with their chosen reporting format and grammatical style. It was immediately obvious they’ve given close attention to the superb instruction from Ms. Atkinson. The final segment (part 5) will be conducted next week.

Boy Scouts Troop 22 Upcoming Event

boy scoutsBoy Scouts Troop 22 plans a fishing campout this weekend (Feb 24-26) at Adolph Thomae County Park in Cameron County, near Arroyo City, 25 miles from campus. The park is well developed and has a large fishing pier, campsites, and walking trails among old-growth South Texas wilderness. It’s a popular site for those who like to fish or seek quality family time. Our Boy Scouts enjoy the relaxing environment and outdoor camaraderie available at the park. And the menu we’ve planned !!

Check out Photos of Boy Scouts Troop 22

Visit the online photo gallery of Boy Scouts Troop 22′s meeting

Support Boy Scouts Troop 22

Troop 22 actively seeks donations or other assistance to maintain a quality program. Please contact the Scoutmaster, SgtMajor Jim Poe, at 956-423-6006×270 if you have questions about the Boy Scout program or seek to lend your support.

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Marine Military Academy: SAT Prep

Posted on February 22, 2012 by

SAT Prep at MMA

Michele Pickens

Three of the most common questions about the SAT Prep class by parents and students are “What do you do in it?” ; “Will it affect my/his GPA?” and “Does anyone ever fail?”   SAT Prep is a single semester pass/fail – no bearing on GPA – course that MMA provides as a service to seniors  (first semester) and juniors (second semester) who can work the class into their busy academic schedules.

Online Courses for SAT Prep

sat prepMarine Military Academy subscribes to both the SAT and ACT Online Courses for the SAT Prep class, so there is no cost to parents for the programs which; if bought privately, which they can be, would be eighty dollars each for four months. The SAT course covers Critical Reading – sentences completion and comprehending and analyzing reading passages; Math – algebra, calculus, trigonometry, statistics; Writing (multiple choice) –punctuation, grammar, usage; and a student generated multiple paragraph essay.

In addition to the above academic areas, the ACT adds a Science section. The programs are designed to be self-contained so each student can work at his own pace and in the area(s) in which he needs the most practice.  A student fails SAT Prep the same way he fails a core course: he chooses not to do the assigned work.  But few make that choice because it carries the same stigma as failing Study Hall.

Alternatives to SAT Prep Class

sat prepIf a student wants to take SAT Prep but can’t fit it into a schedule filled with Honors and Advanced Placement classes, I can still register him for the course(s), and as long as he has access to an internet-connected computer, he can work the programs.  In a few cases, I’ve registered students younger than juniors and seniors who come in when they can – usually after school or during the latter part of Second Mess (Lunch) to work for fifteen to twenty minutes.  Every little bit…

Michele (Mickie) Pickens has been teaching English at MMA for 34 years and added SAT Prep in the last six of those years.  She has Secondary Certification and a Masters degree in English from Stephen F. Austin State University.

Learn More About SAT Prep at the Marine Military Academy

Visit our website at http://www.mma-tx.org or request information at http://www.mma-tx.org/MMA/admissions/

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Marine Military Academy: Ropes Course

Posted on February 21, 2012 by

Marine Military Academy: Ropes Course

Maj Harold Compton

ropes courseIn 1999 I had the opportunity to attend a Boy Scout National Camp School to receive my certification to direct a high ropes course.  The course was one week in length and at the end of it I felt ready to embark on running of the course at the Marine Military Academy.  The most important aspect of the ropes course for me was experiencing what our cadets go through when they find themselves 30 feet in the air with only a rope to protect them should they fall.  I have never had a serious fear of heights but it was eye opening to say the least.   The goals that the course left me with were developing teamwork on low ropes and overcoming fears and improving confidence on high ropes events.

 

Running the MMA Ropes Course

ropes courseOver the last 13 years I have directed and observed thousands of cadets and summer campers on our low and high ropes course.  They run the entire spectrum from those that seem unafraid of any of the challenges to those that find it hard to even climb the ladder to get up on the course.  Additionally the groups as a whole initially struggle with working as a team  How a facilitator handles each of these types determines whether they will succeed in achieving the overall goals of the course.  Cadets are never forced to go on the course but are encouraged by Drill Instructors, course instructors and cadets alike.  All want to see them successfully work together and complete the course.  Working in a group and facing their fears is part of growing up and in this scenario they are safe although they may not realize it.  Many of them also lack confidence in their ability to complete the course and need constant encouragement to continue.   Getting them to continue and ultimately complete the course serves to help build their self confidence. 

Ropes Course Director Responsibilty

ropes courseAs the course director it is my responsibility to oversee the running of the course and ensure everything is conducted in a safe manner.  Additionally, it is important to oversee those facilitating the course to ensure that their manner of running it is consistent with our goals.  Those goals are not to simply negotiate each obstacle successfully but rather to help overcome fears, develop self confidence and encourage teamwork among the participants.  No participant should ever come off the course feeling that they did not gain anything from it.  They should at the very least feel that they were able to push themselves a little further than they thought possible even if they do not complete the course.  Since our cadets get the opportunity to run the course more than once the goal is to have each cadet push a little further each time and hopefully complete the entire course some day.

Ropes Course at Marine Military Academy

To learn about the Ropes Course at the Marine Military Academy read our recent article  “High/Low Ropes Course”

To learn more about the Marine Military Academy visit our website at http://www.mma-tx.org or request information at http://www.mma-tx.org/MMA/admissions/

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Marine Military Academy: College Placement

Posted on February 16, 2012 by

Marine Military Academy College Placement

What does MMA College Placement do?

Ms. Robin Farris

Preparation for college and the college admission process begins when cadets enter in August.  By the time the cadets  head off to pursue their future, I want to be sure they are academically and socially prepared for the challenges that will come their way. This is a highly individualized process and I work to make sure that the boys keep as many options as possible open until it comes time to narrow down to a smaller list of selected schools. My goal is to help cadets find the right fit. I am available to cadets to help in their college search; planning visits, preparing for interviews, reading and editing essays, recommendations, general hand-holding, pats on the back and confidence building!  That’s what the College Placement Room and I am here for and am eager to do!

 

Do all MMA cadets utilize College Placement? At what age should a student apply to college?

I encourage all cadets to become frequent visitors to the College Placement Room.  That includes our 8th and 9th graders.  The more familiar they are with the College Placement Room and with me, the less threatening the whole college admission process will be when they are seniors. The College Placement Room is available to cadets throughout the day. It contains a wealth of information on colleges and universities. Books and DVDs are available for cadets to use in the College Placement Room as well as to check-out for use after class hour. Most applications are available online using computers in the College Placement Room, as well as information on scholarship programs. You will also find: financial aid information, SAT and ACT registration packets, college exploration websites, information on the Common Application, and many other useful resources. The College Placement Room is also home to our visiting college representatives, such as University of Notre Dame, The University of Texas, Texas A&M.  Additionally, service academies, such as the United States Naval Academy and West Point and ROTC scholarship representatives make regular visits to the College Placement Room .  Juniors and seniors are invited to attend to gather information regarding a school or program, as well as to meet the representatives.  Cadets begin to apply to the college of their choice the fall semester of their senior year.

Are the guidelines used by MMA College Placement applicable to other junior high and high school students? What do colleges look for on a college application?

All colleges and universities are looking for the same requirements, such as GPA, class rank, SAT/ACT scores, leadership ability, extra-curricular activities, etc.  Our cadets are no different than other high school students, only that they live here at MMA during the school year.  

Does MMA host PSAT and SAT/ACT exams?  If so, are those exams open to others besides MMA cadets?

The Marine Military Academy is a testing center for the SAT/ACT exams, which are open to the public.  We administer the PSAT in October, but only for our cadets.  We test during their first CP and test 8th  through 11th graders.  We feel the more times a young man can take a timed standardized practice test, the better he will perform during the actual SAT, which is usually taken during their junior and/or senior year.  Additionally, the PSAT is used by National Merit and other scholarship agencies.

What are the most important factors a student needs to pay attention to to get universities to consider enrolling the student?

college placementI feel that course selection is one of the most important factors a cadet needs to consider in order to be accepted to the college of his choice.  Colleges want to know that the applicant is “college ready” when he steps on to their campus.  A cadet needs to take the most rigorous courses available to him as admission decisions for most colleges are usually based on the quality of academic preparation in high school.  In addition, admission officers at competitive colleges look beyond GPA and test scores and evaluate the pattern of course work, the level of classes (Honors and AP), sequence of academic courses and the senior year schedule.  Admission officers are very aware of “senior slide”.

 Does application to service academies differ from application to universities?  If so, in what way(s)?

Applying to one of the United States service academies is different in that (a) the application is available the spring semester of the cadet’s junior year – as opposed to traditional colleges and universities applications, which are typically available in the Fall of the applicants senior year; (b) a cadet is required to apply for a nomination from their Congressman and/or Senator and the Vice President; (c) a physical fitness test must be passed in order to be admissible to an academy; (d) if accepted, tuition is covered by the United States military; (e) after graduation, a cadet is an officer in the military and must serve a determined length of time in active duty.  The United State Coast Guard Academy does not require a nomination and is very difficult to get in.  Applying to any of the service academies is extremely competitive.

Are there web sites that explain how to get in to a good university?

One of the most comprehensive web sites I recommend to cadets to use is www.mystudentedge.com  This web site offers career assessments, college major matching, college information, financial aid information, SAT practice tests and information for parents and guardians.  Mystudentedge.com  is a virtual “one-stop” college exploration & application web site and is extremely user friendly.  In addition to Mystudentedge, a cadet can google just about any question concerning college exploration and admissions and thousands of web sites will pop up for his exploration.

How about university listings and ratings?

Well, one of the most important things I tell cadets is to be sure and choose a college environment and philosophy that reflects his individual needs (a good fit school) and not the “latest greatest name-brand, number one in the latest newsmagazine” college or university.  The majority of successful men and women have graduated from colleges and university most people have hardly ever heard of.

Are there guide books that explain how to apply for college?

Bookstores are filled guidebooks on college placement, as well as essay writing handbooks, SAT/ACT workbooks, financial aid handbooks, career choice handbooks….  You can find books on every aspect of admission, including campus visits, college interviews, and general advice on the entire process. A few of my favorites are Fiske Guide to Getting into the Right College,  Colleges that Change Lives- 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About Colleges, Cool Colleges: For the Hyper-Intelligent, Self-Directed, Late Blooming, and Just Plain Different,  Looking Beyond the Ivies- Finding the College That’s Right for You.

Why do you enjoy working with students who are applying to colleges?

Each cadet brings to me their own desires, goals, wishes, needs, etc and being able to help them pull them all together to find just the right fit for them gives me great pleasure.  I am their biggest cheerleader!  When a cadet gets a letter of acceptance and I put their name on one of our posters posted outside  the College Placement Office, I don’t know who is more excited, the cadet or me!

Learn More About College Placement at the Marine Military Academy

Visit our website at http://www.mma-tx.org or request information at http://www.mma-tx.org/MMA/admissions/

 Robin Farris has served as the college placement counselor at MMA for almost 8 years, previously serving MMA as the Public Affairs Officer.   Mrs. Farris is a member of NACAC (National Association of College Admissions Counseling) TACAC – (Texas Association of College Admissions Counseling) SACAC (Southern Association of College Admissions Counseling).  She has traveled extensively across the United States visiting college campuses, learning about their programs and admissions policies, as well as networking with other counselors and admissions officers in order to introduce the cadets to college campuses they might not be familiar with. 

 

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Marine Military Academy: Boy Scout Troop 22 News

Posted on February 15, 2012 by

Boy Scouts Troop 22 News

boy scoutsMs. Andi Atkinson continued with part-3 of the Journalism Merit Badge. In this segment our Boy Scouts learned how to spot differences in how the very same news story can be approached in vastly different angles by reporters from competing news organizations.  Examples used in this exercise included several reports on the recent tragic death of Whitney Houston. Contrasting differences in the information flow and reporting methods was striking when the articles were analyzed side by side. Ms. Atkinson also dissected the elements essential to an effective news story; format, succession of newsworthy information, how to impact the reader and maintain attention, etc. Her expert presentation was very informative, and placed the Boy Scouts “inside” the journalistic mindset of a skilled reporter.  The boys came away with a deeper understanding of news reporting techniques and concepts. Troop 22 Boy Scouts are looking forward to part-4 next week.

Boy Scouts Extend Thanks

boy scoutsThe meeting occurred on Valentine’s Day. In celebration and appreciation, Boy Scouts awarded Ms. Atkinson with a beautiful vase of pink roses, then engaged in Valentine reverie with assorted sweets and soft drinks. Seemed the Twinkies were such an excitable hit that Cadet-Scout David Rice had to be reminded to first remove the wrapper! He confessed to being a huge Twinkie fan. It was great fun seeing the boys wearing giant smiles prior to ending the meeting. Our Scouts asked to send along a big THANK YOU! to parents/guardians for the financial support that allows Troop 22 to engage in quality activities like this.

 

Learn More about Boy Scouts Troop 22 and MMA

To learn more about Marine Military Academy, visit our website at http://www.mma-tx.org or request information at http://www.mma-tx.org/MMA/admissions/

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MMA TO HOST IWO JIMA PARADE ON FEBRUARY 18

Posted on February 14, 2012 by

MMA observes 67th Anniversary of the Battle of Iwo Jima

HARLINGEN, Texas – Marine Military Academy (MMA) will host its annual Iwo Jima Parade on Saturday, Feb. 18 at 10 a.m. on the MMA Parade Ground. Open to the public, this event is a patriotic tribute to those who have paid the ultimate price protecting our nation’s freedoms. There will be special reserved seating for all World War II veterans in the parade stand, directly in front of the Iwo Jima Monument. During the parade, all veterans will be recognized and asked to join the MMA superintendent for the ceremonial pass in review.

In addition to honoring America’s veterans, the parade recognizes the historical significance of the Battle of Iwo Jima during World War II. On Feb. 19, 1945, members of the 3rd, 4th and 5th U.S. Marine divisions stormed the tiny Pacific island expecting little resistance. Unknown to Allied forces, the Japanese had spent months fortifying the island through underground tunnels. A month-long struggle ensued in which over 6,000 Marines and 20,000 Japanese perished.

On fifth day of the battle, U.S. Marines raised two flags atop Mount Surbachi. The second flag-raising was captured by photographer Joe Rosenthal. Rosenthal’s now-famous photo of five Marines and one Navy Corpsman raising the American flag inspired Dr. Felix de Weldon to create the Iwo Jima Memorial, the magnificent bronze statue located in Arlington, Va. De Weldon officially gave his original plaster model to MMA in 1981. Since 1982, MMA has been home to the historic treasure known as the Iwo Jima Monument.

After the Iwo Jima Parade, event-goers are encouraged to stop by the Iwo Jima Museum & Gift Shop to watch a special tribute video depicting the Battle of Iwo Jima. The video will be played throughout the day, with the last showing at 3:15 p.m.

For more information on the Iwo Jima Parade, call (956) 421-9235, or e-mail at atkinson@MMA-TX.org. For more information Iwo Jima Museum & Gift Shop, contact Gloria Boling at (956) 421-9234 or e-mail visitorcenter@MMA-TX.org.

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Marine Military Academy: Rappelling

Posted on February 12, 2012 by

 Rappelling, the View from the Top 

Maj Harold Compton

 rappelling  Over the last 12 years I have had the pleasure to teach rappelling to thousands of cadets and summer campers at the Marine Military Academy.  I have had students from 12 years to 18 years and have also conducted training for adult groups throughout this time.  It never ceases to amaze me how much fear rules the actions of many of these students.  Recently it caused me to reflect back on my own first experience at rappelling.

First Rappelling Experience

  My first experience at rappelling came in 1971 while a recruit at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, South Carolina.  Until this time I had never attempted anything like this and like most of my fellow recruits was both anxious and apprehensive.  As we went through our initial training on the ground we couldn’t help but look up at the tower.  From our vantage point it looked like it went up into the clouds.  How would we ever get down without killing ourselves?  Not willing to show our fears we kept a straight face and when it came to the end of the instruction and we were asked if there were any questions we all answered loudly, “No Sir!”.  Of course in the back of my mind the only question was “What am I doing here?” 

As we climbed the stairs to the top of the tower I could feel a hush fall over the entire platoon.  Exiting onto the roof we realized that the tower looked even higher from up here.  As I peered over the edge the recruits still on the ground looked like ants to me.  I briefly wondered whether my SGLI insurance would cover this. 

rappellingWatching the other recruits go before me it all looked so easy.  When my turn came I was suddenly struck by the thought of what would my family think when they heard the news I was dead or injured from a fall from this massive tower.  My instructor, a young hardcore Marine Sergeant simply told me “Do exactly what we told you and nothing else, got that?”  I answered firmly “Yes Sir” but for the life of me I suddenly had forgotten everything.  After hooking me up and checking my brake I was told to sidestep to the edge and sound off to my belay man.  As I shouted out “Compton on belay” I vaguely wondered if those would be my last words.  I assumed my position on the edge and leaned out.  At this point I experienced a battle between what my body wanted to do and what my mind was telling me I had to do.  The body wanted to get away from that edge and find a safe spot while the mind was telling me this was safe and I had to do it.  Luckily for me, the mind won out and I began a slow descent to the ground.  I was immediately aware that rappelling was not as hard as I had thought and I continued without incident to the ground.  Twice more that morning I ascended the steps to the top of the tower and repeated my descent.  Without showing it my other recruits I was extremely proud and happy I had completed the rappelling, and was still alive!

Looking back at my initial training I am constantly reminded that all my students today experience the same fears.  The physical part of rappelling is easy to master and honestly not that difficult.  It is the battle with the mind that most have to overcome.  Calm demeanor by the instructor coupled with constant encouragement usually gets the students down the first time and once on the ground most cannot wait for their next trip down the wall.  Occasionally I do run into more difficult cases and once again it is always that mental battle that the student must win.  They only need to have the courage to take that first step and they quickly realize that the view from the top is not that bad.

Rappelling at Marine Military Academy

To learn about rappelling at the Marine Military Academy read our recent article “Rappel Training“.

To learn more about the Marine Military Academy visit our website at http://www.mma-tx.org or request information at http://www.mma-tx.org/MMA/admissions/

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Marine Military Academy: News Blog

Posted on February 11, 2012 by

Marine Military Academy: News Blog

Maj Harold Compton

There have been a lot of comments about how this blog was created, what platform we use and things such as spam problems, moderating, etc so I decided to write this article to explain how it all came about.  I will say that this is my first venture into the world of blogging and I am not a professional writer.

MMA News Blog: The Beginning

 

To begin with this is a very new blog, it has only been live for just over three months.  Prior to its creation we had one other opportunity to test out blogging software and found WordPress to be easy to set up and manage.  Based on that experience we decided to start with it.  I know there are other programs out there but found it be a good one to start with so in November we began work.  The initial layout for this blog was created by our webmaster, Mr. Bill Hinkle whose work was invaluable in getting this launched.  We wanted something that was very clean and easy on the eyes for reading.  We didn’t want any loud backgrounds or distracting images so we copied our Homepage blogbanner for the top.  The sidebars evolved over time based on reading of numerous articles on blogging until we had it the way we wanted.  It provides feeds for all our school’s other social media sites (Facebook, Twitter, etc)  and some of our other resources so we can keep our readers aware of everything going on.  The WordPress widgets and addons made setting up the sidebar and topbar almost painless. 

News Blog Evolution

The next step in the sites evolution was of course the writing.  Initially we used it to post mostly news, such as this item about our Cyber Patriot Team, but over the next months I read literally thousands of pages on business blogging.  We began to add more informational articles on what we do here at the school.  The purpose was to provide more information than what we place on our website and also to provide some personal insight intowhat we do, how we do it and the people that work here.  Our writer base has quickly grown from one person to four and we have several other staff members that have offered to write articles in their areas of expertise in the future.  The overall idea was not to focus on one specific form but to provide a variety of articles that readers would find informative and interesting.

News Blog Moderating

Moderating of the blog was quickly identified as an area that requires almost constant attention.  We found that we need to moderate it several time a day.  The use of the WordPress blacklist (Under Discussions tab) helped to screen out spam and links from undesirable sites.  This was necessary as this blog is from a high school and we did not desire links to sites considered inappropriate for that age group.  Additionally, although we invite any and all comments, we do screen out comments that are obviously not related to anything on the blog. Although some may disagree, this is not a chat board and we don’t want it to turn into one.  Thus far we have found this to work very well. 

blogI have received a number of comments about writing for search engine optimization.  I found a program (very inexpensive) called SEOPressor.  It is an addon to WordPress that provides a box on the upper right when editing providing a detailed listing of things that need to be done to an article to make it search well.  You simply set the keyword(s) you would like the article to search for and the program evaluates it as you update the draft and indicates what further action is required.   We have quickly found through some trial and error how to get the articles to acheive high page ranking for the keywords we select.  Well worth the money so check it out!

  Blog References

Lastly, I have provided a short listing below of some of the sites that I have found informative and helpful in my education on writing a blog.  I hope you will find them helpful and will continue to visit our site in the future.  If you have any specific questions concerning the blog or blogging in general feel free to post a comment or question on this article and I will attempt to answer it.

Hubspot E-book on Business Blogging

Why Blogging Matters to Business

WordPress Tips

Build a Better Blog

How to Build Your Business with a Blog

24 (of the) Best Business Blogging Guides, Tips and Tools of 2011

Business Blogging is a Marketing Process

WordPress Tavern

 

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Marine Military Academy: Photography Notice

Posted on February 10, 2012 by

Photography Notice

Anyone interested in ordering portraits of their Cadet should contact SgtMaj Carson using email address mmaphotosales@mma-tx.org

 

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Marine Military Academy: Leadership Reaction Course

Posted on February 9, 2012 by

 Leadership Reaction Course and Problem Solving

Maj Harold Compton

    Having been at the Marine Military Academy and putting literally thousands of campers and cadets through the various courses on our Leadership Enhancement and Development Complex (LEAD Complex) I have some very distinct impressions of the participants.  It is safe to say that groups can vary greatly in their responses on the courses but I have noted some similarities among most groups when it comes to running the Leadership Reaction Course (also known as the Speed March Reaction Course).  These similarities have helped to develop my style of supervising the course and how I instruct participants.

  Leadership Reaction Course Group Similarities

 leadership reaction course The first noted similarity between groups on the Leadership Reaction Course is that there are always those members that are outgoing and attempt to steer the group’s action from the outset.  Regardless of age, from 12 year olds to adults, there is always someone that wants to lead.  Sometimes it is the biggest person who intimidates the others into following.  Other times it is the more intelligent and analytical person that can sway the group through their explanation of a possible solution.  Whatever the basis for one of them taking charge, if this is their first problem, I normally let things take whatever course they will and see how well the team works the problem.  I do make note of the individual and alter the rules for later problems to place them in a definite follower role.  This can be done by stating in the rules that they are mute and cannot speak but only follow directions or by blindfolding them to simulate a blind person that has to be helped through the problem thereby forcing someone else to assume the leadership role.  The goal is to attempt to have every member placed in the leadership role at least once to experience the problems associated with having to make decisions and how they arrive at those decisions.  This also helps them to better understand and support the leader when they are in a follower role.

  leadership reaction course  The second similarity that I have noted is that almost all groups struggle on their first problem and rarely successfully complete it.  This is normally due to lack of teamwork and lack of development of a reasonable solution before their planning time expires.  Usually after debriefing the group on their first problem they begin to understand where they failed; not in execution but in planning.  In conjunction with this is my observation that as the group moves from problem to problem on the Leadership Reaction Course they begin to understand that what they do in preparation to solve the problem is of greater importance than the execution.  As they move from problem to problem they begin asking more questions following the problem explanation to give them a better understanding of what is allowable under the rules, etc.  As I provide the group their initial brief on the problem I like to keep it down to the very basic information and see how quickly the participants understand that it is up to them to ask questions.  Once they finish the question and answer period and the problem begins I will answer no further questions.  If I am asked by a member “Can we do such and such?” my response will be “What did I tell you in the instructions”.   As we move to later problems I see many more questions being asked at the conclusion of instructions.  I make it my rule that I will answer any questions about the Leadership Reaction Course problems as long as they ask during the question and answer period, but once there are no more questions that is all they can get from me.

   Leadership Reaction Course Benefits

leadership reaction courseThe last similarity I have noted has to do with the debriefing period after each problem.  It is interesting to note that regardless of age, participants are almost always very blunt in what they did wrong and how they could have improved.   I have noted that almost every group works to improve on their shortcoming as they move from problem to problem.   The Leadership Reaction Course is a great tool for helping young men to understand the concept of developing a plan to solve a problem and working together as a team.  As I close each session I remind them that the steps they undertake on the course are the same steps they should take to tackle any problem: try to get as much information relative to the problem and the outcome expected, analyze your teams strengths and weakness and use those strengths to overcome the weakness and develop a logical solution to solve the problem and lastly supervise.  The Leadership Reaction Course is but one of several courses at the Academy where teamwork and problem solving are crucial to success and the lessons learned here carry over to the cadets every day life at the Academy and beyond toward a more confident, self-disciplined future.

To learn more about the Marine Military Academy visit our website at http://www.mma-tx.org or request information at http://www.mma-tx.org/MMA/admissions/

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