Advanced School Seminar Program

This lesson will reinforce each Marine's understanding of the elements of reasoning, universal intellectual standards associated with critical thinking, and the domains of thinking. The overall purpose of this lesson is to prepare students to conduct critical analysis and to express themselves in a clear and well-reasoned manner that is the product of rigorous and disciplined thought. The quality of communication is dependent upon the quality of the communicator's thought. Consequently, ASSP will approach reading, writing, and speaking assignments as functional applications of critical thinking: self-directed, self-disciplined, self-monitored, and self-corrected thinking.

This lesson covers the formal and informal presentation skills needed to communicate effectively in garrison and operating environments. It will equip the student with the various verbal and non-verbal communication techniques that are used in presenting an effective speech or brief. Lastly, the lesson will analyze the role of social media with Marines today and how leaders can engage and lead while avoiding social media pitfalls.

This lesson describes the specifics of standard letter format and other document formats such as endorsements, information papers, and position/decision papers that are key elements of staff non-commissioned officer’s duties. The purpose of this lesson is to increase the student’s ability to communicate in writing through military correspondence. Through practical application and discussion students will compose standard letters and determine when to use various types of documents to achieve specific means.

This lesson introduces the student to the military justice system, lawful search and seizure, and Manual of Judge Advocate General (JAGMAN) investigations. The overall purpose of this lesson is to facilitate discussions of basic legal concepts so students can provide assistance to subordinates and advice to the commanders and officers in charge. Given a scenario with simulated evidence, students will make a line of duty/misconduct determination and prepare the corresponding JAGMAN command investigation report.

Upon assuming command of a unit, the commander must lay the foundation for successful execution of the unit's role in the mission of the Marine Corps. Without the commander's vision and expectations, the unit is subject to results by trial and error. The purpose of this lesson is to orient the student on the elements of the Command Philosophy that will allow them to work toward and promote a common vision for the command in dispersed operating environments. Students are encouraged to bring their current Command Philosophy to analyze and determine how they can best support the commander’s vision, priorities, and expectations.

This lesson develops the student’s ability to analyze atmospheric conditions within their organizations and provide measures to appropriately influence those conditions in a positive manner. This lesson is the foundation for the culminating reading requirement Black Hearts: One Platoon’s Descent Into Madness in Iraq’s Triangle of Death which must be purchased, or otherwise acquired through the base or local library upon enrollment confirmation.

This lesson introduces the students to information management and how it supports the command and control process, building on doctrinal foundations provided by MCDP 6. It provides a variety of techniques and guidelines to manage information for those who plan, decide, execute, and assess.

This lesson provides students with a heightened sense of awareness of our adversaries' capabilities and efforts in the information environment. They will also learn about the ways in which the Marine Corps disrupts and prevents attacks from our adversaries, while promoting our narrative and influencing the world's relevant actors.

Marine SNCOs have either directly participated in, or indirectly influenced through their advisory role, the staff-level planning process known as the Marine Corps Planning Process (MCPP). This lesson provides an awareness of the Marine Corps Planning Process with an emphasis on identifying and understanding the problem and developing various courses of action to assist the commander in the decision-making process.

This lesson is designed to help students effectively frame problems so they can be sure they are engaging the true problem since no amount of subsequent planning can solve a problem insufficiently understood. Effective decision-making requires both the situational understanding to recognize the essence of a given problem and the creative ability to devise a practical solution. In this lesson, the students will participate in a practical exercise that is designed to develop the students' collaborative staff planning skills, preparation of MCPP planning products, and deliver a problem framing brief.

Once the problem has been properly framed, the next step in MCPP is course of action development. This lesson addresses the purpose, considerations, and criteria for developing courses of action culminating in a student presentation of a COA brief.

This lesson provides a broad strategic context for employing military capabilities in a complex joint environment in concert with other instruments of national power. The overall purpose is to prepare students to operate in a joint, inter-agency, and multinational environment and bring a joint perspective to bear while performing in tactical, operational, and strategic environments.

This lesson reinforces the unit readiness planning constructs that provide units with the means to achieve a high state of mission readiness. This lesson considers and discusses the Marine Corps training philosophy and training principles as they relate to the various MOSs, and unit experiences reflected through the individual lesson homework.

This lesson distinguishes institutional and organizational obstacles between reality and perception-based challenges and discusses strategic methods to overcome these daily obstacles in both garrison and combat. Students will learn and utilize the SWOT Analysis process to identify solutions and set goals for overcoming organizational shortfalls. The purpose of this course is to explore those daily situations and possible solutions that fit within our institutional values to positively influence your unit.

This lesson discusses why we do what we do as senior enlisted leaders and the consequences of failure. It synthesizes each of the leadership lessons within this curriculum to provide the student with a holistic understanding of their institutional roles and expectations.