The two-star general who commands the 20,000 Marines headquartered at Camp Lejeune, N.C., has decreed a detailed daily regimen after witnessing sloppy and unshaven personnel on post.
Frustrated with what he’s recently seen on base, Maj. Gen. David Furness sent out a policy letter on April 16 to the 2nd Marine Division that included a strict, sometimes minute-by-minute routine that he expects all personnel to follow, according to Military.com.
“In my travels with the Sergeant Major and Command Master Chief throughout the Division spaces, I have noticed a significant decline in the basic discipline of our warriors,” said the general. “Because the 2nd Marine Division has the majority of personnel assigned to Camp Lejeune, we will take ownership of this problem and FIX IT immediately.”
Furness listed a number of violations of Marine Corps standards, including long hair, “non-existent or poor shaves,” worn-out boots, and “improper civilian attire.”
The “basic daily routine” mandates a 5:30 a.m. reveille, the official military wake-up call. Personnel will then have 25 minutes to engage in basic hygiene and clean their rooms, followed by physical training and a barracks cleaning from 6 to 8 a.m. Before troops begin work, they will present themselves for a mandatory formation and inspection from 8 to 8:15 a.m. One hour is provided for “chow,” or lunch, at noon, with a final formation closing the workday from 4:30 to 4:45 p.m.
“Part of what makes us different from our sister services and American society is the regimentation of our daily lives,” Furness wrote. “Adherence to orders and standards helps foster mutual trust in one another and produces the attention to detail required to be effective when called upon to fight as our nation’s 911 Force.”
A copy of the letter was posted to the Marine Corps forum on Reddit and drew criticism from former and current Marines.
“If the Information section is true and not just a bored SNCO [Senior Non-Commissioned Officer] looking for an award, then there’s definitely a problem,” wrote a reader identifying as a former infantryman. “But I don’t know that attempting to micromanage the entire base is the answer.”
The 2nd Marine Division, known as the “Silent Second,” is renowned for its performance fighting in Guadalcanal and Tarawa in World War II and the Battle of Fallujah during the Iraq War.
