MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT SAN DIEGO -- The Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps, Carlton W. Kent, spoke to a standing room only crowd of depot permanent personnel in the base theater, June 23.
Kent covered a variety of topics such as the war in Afghanistan, social networking responsibilities, Marine Corps end strength numbers, and increased suicide rates.
He discussed how the Marine Corps is trying to persuade the local Afghan farmers to grow wheat, cotton, and other alternative crops to replace opium-producing poppies. Farmers in the program receive financial assistance as well tools and supplies to cease the harvest of poppy crops.
Kent addressed the Corps’ end strength numbers and current numbers in the Corps. In 2007, the Corps was tasked to increase its end strength from 175,000 to 202,000 Marines by 2012. The Corps surpassed that goal in less than three years, he said.
Currently, the Marine Corps is just under 202,000, and Kent assured that it will stay at that number for a couple of years.
Kent went on to explain the need and importance for the Corps to keep its garrison roots. He reminded the audience that Marines always must stay true to the Corps’ values of honor, courage, and commitment and to take care of each other.
“The nation wants to keep a Marine Corps for the next 200 years,” he said.
Kent also discussed the suicide increase in the Corps. Seven Marines killed themselves in May, raising the number of suicides to 21 this year, according to a report from the Marine Corps Suicide Prevention Program.
“It is our job to get Marines the help they need in order to keep them in, so they can be better leaders in the future,” said Kent.
Kent touched on everyone’s responsibility to remain professional at all times when using social networking. According to Marine Administrative Message 181/10, all users of the Marine Corps Enterprise Network are able to use social networking sites, video sharing sites and personal, Internet-based e-mail.
A question was asked about Title 10 of the United States Code 654, or more commonly referred to as the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy for homosexuals serving in the armed forces.
The policy has not changed, said Kent, but there is the study group that has been sent out to collect data from the Armed Forces gauging concerns and questions if a change in the policy was implemented. As it stands now, if a military member reveals himself to be a homosexual, then he will be processed out of the Armed Forces.
Once the question and answer session was over, Kent said, “It is always great to get out and speak to Marines around the Marine Corps.”
He left with the audience with a quote from the late President Ronal Regan, “Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a difference in the world. The Marines don’t have that problem.”