Section Leader Self-Orientation

You Just Took Over the Section

The previous section leader handed you records, a calendar, and a list of names. What you do in the next 30 days sets the next year.

Three priorities.

1. Know your Marines as individuals.
2. Run the initial counseling session with each.
3. Set the section's operating rhythm.

Day 1 to 7

Pull records.

• MBS for every Marine.
• FitRep history if available.
• Last counseling notes from the prior section leader if accessible.
• Awards records.
• Any open admin actions.

Walk the workspace.

• Meet every Marine on duty.
• See where they work.
• Watch the daily rhythm.
• Note who is on leave, TAD, school.

The first week is reconnaissance, not action. Resist the urge to change anything.

Day 7 to 21

Run initial counseling sessions per NAVMC 2795NAVMC 2795. NAVMC 2795 2001.1 Each Marine gets the ICS within 30 days of the new senior or junior relationship.

• Schedule one or two ICSes per day.
• Prepare an agenda for each.
• Run the session per the initial counseling leaf in this branch.
• Capture targets in the leader notebook.

By day 21, the bulk of ICSes complete. By day 30, every Marine has been counseled.

Day 21 to 30

Set the cadence.

• Calendar the follow-on counselings (90 days post-ICS for Cpl and above, 30 days for L/Cpl and below).
• Calendar JEPES rendering and FitRep submission against APES windows.
• Calendar section records audit cadence.
• Calendar weekly section status meetings if not in place.

Brief the chain.

• Section's strength and gaps.
• Marines on the watch list.
• Records gaps requiring S-1 engagement.
• Your priorities for the next 90 days.

What to Watch For

Patterns that predict trouble.

• A Marine no prior leader has counseled. Records gap means no ICS got run.
• A Marine carrying multiple unresolved admin actions.
• A Marine with FitRep gaps or late reports in the history.
• A Marine the prior leader avoided.

These are the Marines you spend the most time on in the first 30 days.

What Not to Change Yet

Resist changes to:

• Existing counseling notes from the prior leader.
• Awards in process.
• FitReps in draft.
• Disciplinary actions in progress.

Bring those forward as-is. Make changes after the 30-day mark when you have full context.

Common First-30 Failures

• Records pulled but not read carefully.
• ICSes batched into a single day to "knock them out."
• Walking the workspace skipped because the calendar was full.
• Cadence never set. Section drifts.
• Chain never briefed on the section's posture.

The first 30 days is your set-up cost. Pay it.

Where to Go Next

• Initial counseling session for the ICS mechanics.
• Cadence and events for the recurring counseling rhythm.
• Records cadence for the audit rhythm.