MCO 1500.61 - Marine Leader Development

Scope

MCO 1500.61 sets the policy and program for Marine Leader Development. The order frames leader development as a senior-to-subordinate relationship modeled on teacher and scholar, parent and child. The order ties leader development to the maneuver warfare philosophy in MCDP-1 by producing leaders of high moral character and professional competence who earn and breed trust.

Audience

Every Marine leader. Commanders set the climate. NCOs and SNCOs execute the daily mentoring. Junior Marines participate as scholars in the development relationship. Career planners use the order to frame retention conversations around life events.

Concept

Marine leaders develop Marines and Sailors through timeless principles of good leadership. Development happens at life events including reenlistment, birth of a child, PCS moves, buying a first car or home, selection to a resident school, and special training. These moments give leaders the opening to pass along perspective, wisdom, and encouragement.

Engaged leaders know the names and ages of their Marines' children, their educational and fitness goals, and their living conditions on and off base. The order treats this knowledge as an obligation, not an intrusion.

Enclosure

• Encl 1. Marine Corps Order No. 29. Relations Between Officers and Men (and Women).

References

• Marine Corps Manual.
• MCDP-1. Warfighting.
• MARADMIN 162/10.
• MCO 1553.4B. Professional Military Education.
• MCTP 6-10A. Sustaining the Transformation.
• MCO 1610.7. Performance Evaluation System.
• NAVMC 2795. Marine Officers' Guide to leadership development.
• MCO 1754.6C. Marine Corps Family Team Building Program.
• MCO 1754.9A. Exceptional Family Member Program.
• MCWP 6-10. Leading Marines.
• MCRP 6-11B. Marine Corps Values.
• MCO 1320.11G. Assignment policies.
• SECNAV M-5210.1. DON Records Management Manual.
• 5 U.S.C. 552a. Privacy Act.
• SECNAVINST 5211.5E. DON Privacy Program. The current revision is SECNAVINST 5211.5F of 2019-05-20.
• MCO P1070.12K. IRAM.

Status

Active. Cancels NAVMC DIR 1500.58 and MCO 1500.58.