Everything You Need to Know I Learned In the Marines, Part 2

Corps Values
by Zell Miller

(Page 2 of 2)

Even the geography of Parris Island, South Carolina, site of Marine Corps boot camp, can be seen by a raw recruit as the equivalent of the female birthing anatomy. It is configured like a giant womb into which the only entry and exit is a two-mile-long causeway ending in a two-lane bridge over Archer's Creek, a tidal arm of Broad River. The base, which is surrounded by alligator-infested swamps, is the uterus, and the recruits, who are introduced into it in platoon-sized increments of approximately 74, are the fertilized eggs. The 65 or so who manage to take root and survive the rigorous and demanding training of the following twelve weeks subsequently emerge from the same channel as newborn Marines who will never again look upon life and its challenges as they did some 90 days earlier.

In the course of one season of the calendar, boot camp turns sometimes aimless youths into proud and self-disciplined Marines who have well-honed senses of self-esteem and dedication to themselves, their mission, and their country. The differences of economic classes and prejudices of race and religion which they brought with them have been transformed into respect for others and an ability to follow orders to achieve mutual goals.

Humorist Art Buchwald, one of the most famous alumni of the Marines, characterized his Corps training and discipline as "the right service in the right place at the right time." He called the experience "a very painful one, which is exactly how the Marines intend it to be," explaining that the purpose of boot camp is "to break you down, and then rebuild you into the person . . . who will never question an order, who will always worry about his buddy, and who, someday, will walk as tall as John Wayne."

That is also the goal of this book.

Of course, a lot of books have been written about values in the past few years. William Bennett had a best-seller, The Book of Virtues, and has made an industry out of speaking and writing about them from his point of view. I loved his book and bought copies for my children and, when his children's edition came out, gave copies to my grandchildren. I found myself in general — and, on some points, enthusiastic — agreement with most of his premises.

Even earlier, Robert Fulghum had a mega-literary hit with his All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten. I devoured it, too, although it is obvious that I myself was a later bloomer in the achievement of such wisdom.

More recently, the entire nation was deluged during the 1996 presidential campaign with debates and oratory about the national need for a renewal of "family values." This debate was highlighted by some rather pointed, and sometimes personal, exchanges on what those values should be and how best to inculcate them in our children as guiding principles for successful lives. Whether it takes a "family" or a "village" — or, as I strongly believe, both — I do know that values young people learn as part of the growing-up process must be defined, refined, and etched into their personalities and characters.

"Values" is a broad, generic term that has different meanings to different people. The fundamentalist Christian would have a different definition from that of the liberal-thinking philosopher, but I believe that on the basic, bedrock traits that constitute the foundation upon which successful lives are built there would be general agreement. And that is what this book is about — the insights I gained from experiencing and surviving the mind-expanding and soul-challenging ordeal of Marine Corps boot camp. I call them "Corps values."

Not everyone can join the Marines, and, quite frankly, the Marine Corps is not for everyone. But the basic lessons Marines teach their recruits are important ones. I believe that more of our citizens must learn these lessons if a democratic society in our republican form of government is to survive and thrive. I not only believe that with all my heart, but I also know it to be true from the lessons of my own life. I am as certain as the words on this page that I would not be in the position to write this book today had I not sought to "make a man of myself" by joining the Marine Corps as a troubled and insecure lad.

Like Art Buchwald, I remember my trips onto and out of Parris Island as if they were yesterday. I recall with clarity the thoughts I had about what I learned and what I must do to make those values a positive force in my life thereafter, regardless of what course it might take.

I made a list of those values on a piece of paper and have kept it in my pocket, and over the years, I have added to it. Also, over the years, the more I have thought about them, the more convinced I have become that these values constitute a formula for the survival of a society in which individuals can achieve for themselves and, at the same time, contribute to the advancement of mankind as a whole.

What are those values? I will list them now and then devote a brief chapter to each:

• Neatness
• Punctuality
• Brotherhood
• Persistence
• Pride
• Respect
• Shame
• Responsibility
• Achievement
• Courage
• Discipline
• Loyalty

Those who deride such qualities as generic generalizations simply have not thought them through.

Those who would contend that such attributes cannot be taught to individuals or groups without infringing upon their rights and beliefs simply miss the point that there are certain fundamental principles that underlie specific individual tenets of faith and belief. For example, one can have pride without being a racist, and one can practice brotherhood without forsaking or compromising adherence to one's religious or moral convictions.

I believe these are values that should be common to all people regardless of the color of their skin, the tenets of their denomination, or the places of their residence. I submit it is the only basis upon which diversity can coexist with commonality and all people can pursue individual goals for themselves while contributing to the general well-being and advancement of society as a whole.

Those who think otherwise need to go through twelve weeks of boot camp and see how they feel about it afterwards.

Copyright © 1998 by Zell Miller , Governor of Georgia. Excerpted by permission of Bantam, a division of Random House, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.

About the Author

Zell Bryan Miller is an American politician from the U.S. state of Georgia. A Democrat, he served as governor of Georgia and was a United States senator from 2000 to 2005. In the last years of his career, he split from his party to back Republican President George W. Bush over Democratic nominee John Kerry in the 2004 presidential election and since 2003 has frequently criticized problems he sees in his own party. Miller was born in the small mountain town of Young Harris, Georgia. His father died when Miller was an infant, and the future politician was raised by his widowed mother. As a child, Miller lived both in Young Harris and Atlanta. Today, Miller lives in the old Young Harris home. Miller holds Bachelor's and Master's degrees in history from the University of Georgia.