Advance praise for Marine Corps Generalship: Beau Puryear has written a brilliant and insightful account of Marine Corps generalship. NDU PRESS He has truly captured the essence of what the Corps values in its senior leaders. It is a humbling honor to be included in this superb work. This is a must-read for all those who want to understand Marine Corps leadership and why it is so respected. —GENERAL ANTHONY C. ZINNI, USMC (RET.) Marine This book is the best treatise on leadership, and all the characteristics that make it up, that I’ve ever read. It will be a bestseller in the Marine Corps, and beyond that—and Corps will create in our sister Service members who read it an even greater envy that they Generalship didn’t choose the Marine Corps. By drawing directly from the experiences of those who have led, Beau Puryear has offered the reader page after page of “how tos.” I wish I had had access to this book when I was 25 years old. Whatever else I did in my years in the Corps would have been a quantum leap greater because of the lessons culled from leaders a hell of a lot more effective than me. —GENERAL CARL E. MUNDY, JR., USMC (RET.) EDGAR F. Marine Corps Generalship is, in many ways, a different kind of book on leadership. The PURYeaR, JR. lessons found in this book are not the views of the author but, rather, a compilation of thoughts taken from the oral histories and from interviews of many of the Marine generals who had the opportunity to put their stamp on the Corps since World War I. Not just an interpretation of an individual’s thoughts, direct quotes form the basis of the entire book. The similarities and differences found in each of the generals’ comments on specific leadership issues and challenges will not only make for informative reading, but also add arrows to anyone’s leadership quiver—military or civilian. As a primer on leadership, this effort by Beau Puryear is a significant piece of work. —GENERAL CHARLES C. KRULAK, USMC (RET.) With exceptional literary skill, dogged determination, and patience, Beau Puryear has brought forth extraordinary insights about the leadership traits of our Marine Corps hierarchy. This is not the conventional “cookie cutter” approach to leadership, but rather a crisp and clear articulation of duties and responsibilities at the top. If you want to know what makes the Marine Corps tick, this is a must-read. MARINE CORPS —GENERAL PAUL X. KELLEY, USMC (RET.) Cover image is from the painting Corps and Country by Donna J. Neary and is used with GENERALSHIP permission of the artist. EDGAR F. PURYeaR, JR. Marine Corps Generalship For my father, Edgar F. Puryear, Sr. As a Marine in World War I, he received a bayonet wound in his leg and had a limp the rest of his life. He still wore his Marine Corps ring when I buried him at age 87. Marine Corps Generalship Edgar F. Puryear, Jr. Foreword by General Alfred M. Gray, Jr., USMC (Ret.) National Defense University Press Washington, D.C. 2009 Opinions, conclusions, and recommendations expressed or implied within are solely those of the contributors and do not necessarily represent the views of the Defense Department or any other agency of the Federal Government. Cleared for public release; distribution unlimited. Portions of this book may be quoted or reprinted without permission, provided that a standard source credit line is included. NDU Press would appreciate a courtesy copy of reprints or reviews. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Puryear, Edgar F., 1930- Marine Corps generalship / Edgar F. Puryear, Jr. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references. 1. United States. Marine Corps--Officers. 2. Generals--United States. 3. Command of troops. 4. Character. 5. Leadership--United States. 6. United States. Marine Corps--Military life. I. Title. VE23.P86 2009 359.9’633041--dc22 2009029230 NDU Press publications are sold by the U.S. Government Printing Office. For ordering informa- tion, call (202) 512–1800 or write to the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Print- ing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402. For GPO publications on-line access their Web site at: http:// www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/sale.html. For current publications of the Institute for National Strategic Studies, consult the National Defense University Web site at: http://www.ndu.edu. Contents Foreword . xi Acknowledgments. xxi Introduction . xxiii Chapter 1 “Only One Officer Runs the Marine Corps”: The Role of the Commandant. 1 Chapter 2 “General, Will You Do Me the Honor . .”: Selection of the Commandant. 9 Chapter 3 “Destiny Hangs by a Slender Thread”: Making the Decision to Join the Marine Corps . 71 Chapter 4 “Think of Yourself as the Institution”: Decisionmaking. 133 vii viii MARINE CORPS GENERALSHIP Chapter 5 “You Have to Be Heard, and You Have to Be Felt”: The Importance of Presence . 197 Chapter 6 “We Will Not Compromise on This”: Having the Character to Challenge. 231 Chapter 7 “Don’t Ignore the Yesterdays of War”: The Importance of Reading. 269 Chapter 8 “As a Teacher Does a Scholar”: Mentorship. 291 Chapter 9 “Time with People Is Never Wasted”: Consideration . 341 Chapter 10 “Authority and Responsibility Are Inseparable”: Accountability. 381 Chapter 11 “Miracles Must Be Wrought if Victories Are to Be Won”: Character and Leadership. 443 Chapter 12 “The Marine Way of Life”: The Pattern for Success. 469 CONTENTS ix Notes. 497 About the Author . 513 Foreword It is a rare privilege to prepare the foreword for this superb study on Marine Corps generalship. Dr. Edgar F. “Beau” Puryear is a renowned au- thor and lecturer on military character and leadership. His previous books on Army, Navy, and Air Force flag and general officers have won wide ac- claim from many distinguished military and civilian leaders. In many ways, this book is a unique history of our Marine Corps, as it tells the story of how many of our Commandants and other distinguished leaders met chal- lenges in war, peace, and times of adversity. It also details the unusual role and responsibility that the Commandant has to our Nation and to our Corps of Marines. There are many reasons why several general officers are not repre- sented in this study, including availability of individuals for interview, lack of oral histories, and time and space constraints. Dr. Puryear has graciously consented to allow me to comment on some of these distinguished Marine general officers who are not included in this book: ■ General George B. Crist, a brilliant officer and an expert in joint matters, who was our first Marine to lead a unified command when he was chosen to head U.S. Central Command in 1985. ■ General Walter E. Boomer, whose leadership of the Marine Central Command and the I Marine Expeditionary Force in the Persian Gulf War of 1991 was superb. He later served with distinction as Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps. ■ General Thomas R. Morgan, who served as Assistant Commandant for both General Paul X. Kelley and myself from 1986 through 1988. A finalist in the 1987 Commandant selection process, Tom was an exceptional leader and a great team player with broad experience who can only be described as a class act. ■ General John J. Sheehan, a consummate professional, who was the first non-Navy flag officer to command U.S. Atlantic Command and to serve as the Supreme Allied Commander, Atlantic for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization from 1994 to 1998. He was the leading contender to be the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff but opted not to be considered by the President. xi xii MARINE CORPS GENERALSHIP ■ General Joseph P. Hoar, who commanded U.S. Central Command from 1991 to 1994. Because of his leadership and broad knowledge of strategic matters, he received strong support from many corners to become Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in 1994. ■ General Charles E. Wilhelm, whose major contributions to our spe- cial operations and low-intensity conflict policy were instrumental in elevating knowledge of this vital area within the Department of Defense. As the first Marine to command U.S. Southern Command, his oversight of military and defense policies throughout Latin America was superb and improved relations at a critical time. ■ General Carlton W. Fulford, Jr., a great field Marine who was equally adept concerning joint and combined matters. He was the first Ma- rine to be selected as Deputy Commander in Chief of U.S. European Command. He, too, was a finalist in the Commandant selection process because of his superb leadership and his breadth of experi- ence in policy and military matters. ■ General Joseph J. Went, a distinguished Marine aviator and a bril- liant logistician, who made lasting contributions to our Corps. Well respected throughout the Department of Defense, Joe served as my Assistant Commandant from 1988 to 1990. ■ General John J. Dailey, who served as Assistant Commandant during and after the Persian Gulf War with the highest distinction. His broad knowledge of air and ground matters and his total credibility within the joint arena and with the Department of Defense were priceless. A finalist for the role of Marine Commandant in 1991, General Dailey went on to a key assignment with the National Aero- nautics and Space Administration. ■ Generals Richard D. Hearney, Michael J. Williams, William L. Nyl- and, and Robert Magnus, who all served as Assistant Commandant with great skill and made innumerable contributions to the success of our Corps. Although their tours came after my retirement, I re- main keenly aware of their accomplishments during critical times in our history.