February 6, 2025
By Sean Elwin
“There is only one kind of discipline-perfect discipline.”
Gen. George S. Patton
Marines define discipline as instant and willing obedience to orders, respect for authority, and teamwork. To the Marine, it is the foundation that all leadership traits are built upon. Discipline, whether in the Corps or in our daily lives, is one of the most essential characteristics to leaders.
The best leaders have, as George Patton would say, perfect discipline. Every Marine knows this in the first few seconds after getting off the bus at Marine Corps Recruiting Depot Parris Island.
I remember looking out the window and pulling up to recruit training. The yellow footsteps at Parris Island reception that lay wait to greet new recruits are as legendary in Marine Corps lore as Chesty Puller himself. They instill fear in new recruits before they even depart for the depot. As I and my fellow recruits stepped off the bus, our eyes were instantly drawn to these yellow prints as we were herded off the bus like cattle into a haze of confusion. Self-doubt and anxiety began to set in, but there was no time to pay it any mind.
There is a saying in the Corps that will echo over the duration of our time spent in this swampy hell known simply as PI, “If the mind doesn’t care, the body won’t mind.” Simply put, that means having self-disciple to control your emotions and having the mental strength to persevere—to tackle all obstacles head on while staring down adversity and fear. There was still a lot of work that needed to be done in the 12 weeks, 6 days, 23 hours, and 59 minutes that would follow this exact moment while transforming raw recruits from what they once were into what they will one day become. Standing tall and still on the yellow footprints were the starting point.
A Leatherneck, Teufelshunde, Devil Dogs, a Marine!
Recruit training focuses on physical fitness, history, and drill & ceremony. Countless hours are spent on the parade field learning and practicing specific movements. When one Marine is out of step or places their hand in the wrong location on the rifle, we all fail. There are times that the Drill Instructor gives us extra attention in the sand box while we practice the art of “up down,” jumping jacks, pushups, on your feet, get back down, and flutter kicks to name a few. These are grueling sessions in unbearable Carolina heat. They teach us that we are only as strong as our weakest Marine.
We spend more time on the parade field as we become proficient in marching. Our heels strike the deck at precisely the same time, our boots are boot top high, and our arms swing six inches to the front and three to the rear. We are becoming a well-oiled machine and a green amphibious monster from the sea. Initial drill will be our first measuring stick to identify our shortcomings. By final drill, we will be picture perfect.
Drill and Ceremony is an exercise in discipline. I challenge any individual to visit the oldest active Marine Corps Barracks Washington D.C., known as “8th and I” to take in an evening drill team ceremony and not be captivated. There is disciple to not flinch as the M1 Garand flips toward your head. There is precision to catch and inspect at the precise moment. There is discipline on display by the Silent Drill Team which is second to none.
On the flip side, a lack of discipline is infectious and will spread to junior Marines. Leaders who forget what it was like to stand on the yellow footprints and be undisciplined or allow this behavior to go unchecked are useless and need to be reminded of their responsibility to lead, or be removed from their position of trust.
Discipline cannot be forced on any individual and can only be instilled into impressionable men and women. They must learn to adapt it into their way of life. A Marine will experience what happens as a team when discipline does not exist and pay in sweat for each other’s mistakes; they are not only responsible for themselves but also for those other team members. They are punished together, and they will learn and grow stronger together.
Discipline in the Corps and in Life
This is also true in life outside of the Marine Corps. It is present in organizations where undisciplined leaders fail to hold their subordinates accountable. Leaders with low standards breed cultures with low standards, and the organization falters.
In the Corps, as in life, discipline may be the most essential element to leading others and ourselves. How can a Marine, or an employee, or we be expected to follow orders without first having self-discipline? If we cannot follow orders, we will never find ourselves in a position to give orders. Discipline is all-encompassing. Self-discipline enables us to do the right thing, which reflects in our INTEGRITY and COURAGE. It aids in our INITIATIVE, JUDGEMENT, DECISIVENESS, and DEPENDABILITY to be risk-takers, while making sound judgements and prompt decisions in the performance of our duties while accomplishing the mission. It helps us to have the ENTHUSIASM to train harder and have the ENDURANCE to withstand. TACT and BEARING allow us to speak up in a professional manner along with the UNSELFISHNESS to mentor and train others. The KNOWLEDGE of our past helps train our future. Discipline hones our JUSTICE, to be fair and impartial with both rewards and punishment. Primarily, it gives us LOYALTY to serve our country, their team, and Chain of Command.
While this Marine Corps narrative is all very “In service to God, Country, and Corps,” it’s also a life lesson. We should all strive for perfect discipline, and while we often fall short, we keep trying. We must get out of bed in the morning, exercise, show up for work, take care of loved ones, and make something of ourselves.
Stand on the yellow footprints and be disciplined!
Sean Elwin is a Massachusetts native and father of two with over 20 years of active-duty experience and deployments to Kosovo, Horn of Africa, and Iraq. He has a fondness for sarcasm, bluntness, and sweets. Alongside his pets Scooby and Casper, he can be found eating an entire cake while enjoying his retirement.
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