The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania Center for Leadership and Change Management
Subscribe to the Wharton Leadership Digest Provide feedback to the Center for Leadership and Change Management Search the Center for Leadership and Change Management
Center for Leadership and Change Management Wharton Leadership Digest Leadership Ventures

 

Home

October 6, 2003

Impressions of Quantico

Students reflect on their time in boot camp 

Brian Hillger
WG'05

The time of our arrival on Thursday through breakfast on Friday was pure hell. I hadn't been screamed at that much since I left investment banking six years ago. But somehow we made it through the night, even though we had a hard time counting off past 43.

The second day was an absolute blast. The Leadership Reaction Course provided very hands-on, experiential learning about teamwork in time-sensitive situations. Avoiding "analysis paralysis" and trying to get something done was a unique challenge.

The MREs (Meals Ready to Eat) we had for lunch that day were, uh, exquisite. A beef enchilada in a plastic bag had never tasted so good. The two Chiclets were a nice touch.

The combat course was the highlight of the trip. With Kevlar on our heads and rubber rifles in our hands, our "fire teams" really tackled the course. I was truly surprised by how much fun I had crawling under barbed wire through what smelled like raw sewage. It was a blast.

Kate Schroder
WG '04

Like the other Wharton students, I decided to go to Quantico because I am crazy. I wanted to check out the place, to try the Combat Course, and to see just how woefully out-ofshape I am. And yes, I also wanted to crawl through the mud and to shout at the top of my lungs, two things I have not been able to do in quite some time without losing my reputation for "being normal." And besides, who can pass up a free Leadership Venture?

We spent most of Friday completing the Leadership Reaction Course and the Combat Course. Among other things, these courses required us to silently slither through RANCID swamp water and hoist ourselves along a 30-meter horizontal rope over a ravine. Even though the "demo Marines" made each activity look like a stroll across Koo Plaza, the obstacles tapped into muscles most Wharton students were not aware we had, but we could certainly tell you about them now. Needless to say, the whole experience was great fun.

Anna Blaszczyk
WG '04 [Anna helped administer the event, being a prior veteran.]

One thing that became clear was the emphasis on execution. Wharton focuses on analysis, which is indeed very important. However, no amount of analysis guarantees any outcome. It guides one towards a decision but it is never perfect. A leader must make a decision quickly in uncertainty, be confident about the decision, and lead others toward the outcome...the Marines (as well as the Navy... speaking from experience)understand the value of taking care of their people. That's probably the most valuable lesson I learned from the military. If you genuinely care about the people that work for you (or with you) they will know it and respond positively. We tend to focus on the numbers here but the people are the company's most valuable resource.

Graham Balch
WG'05

As the veins began to show in my neck from yelling "Yes Sergeant Instructor," I wondered how on earth getting yelled at was going to teach me about leadership. However, by the end of the trip, I was amazed at how much I came away with from my experience at Quantico. Can you stay calm under pressure - a key characteristic of any CEO during crisis management? Can you work well with others to overcome challenges that require mental and physical cooperation? I learned a lot about my ability to lead and be led in stressful situations. I also gained unparalleled insight into the discipline, the thoughtfulness, the leadership and the respect that is the U.S. Marine Corps.

Thomas Nishioka
WG'05

I REALLY enjoyed the chaos created by the drill instructors-they had us so addled we couldn't follow simple instructions. If one of us did finish quickly, they chided us to help each other. I liked the emphasis they put on looking out for each other. The Leadership Reaction Course was another favorite of mine: the tasks were impossible to do oneself, and the team I had met just 5 minutes before very quickly pulled together. The Marine captain who critiqued our leadership gave us an insight: we were much more successful when one team member kept an eye on someone engaged in a task and "spotted them" on where they were getting into danger. A great trip.

Michelle Cheng
WG'04

Quantico will remain one of my highlights at Wharton. I still remember the moment when the instructors first yelled "Get out, get out!" Within the next 15 hours or so, we learned discipline, teamwork and leadership from our interaction with our instructors, the Leadership Reaction Course, and a 1.3 mile obstacle course. Many of us also started to be more appreciative of Marine Corp training. For example, now I realize how difficult it is to stay low and wade quietly through muddy water, while holding a rifle above water. It was a great process of discovery!

Susan Park
WG'04

I was challenged to apply an expanded form of teamwork: when you finish your part, you don't just sit on your bum. You go and help out someone else who is still working or needs help. I would love to see this applied more within the Wharton context.

In terms of expectations, I had expected to apply concepts of leadership and teamwork. I expected to get yelled at. I had even expected to get wet and slog through mud. What I didn't expect was that I'd return to Wharton doing my impression of a rare species of black-and blue spotted leopard. Nevertheless, it was still a valuable experience. I leave with the utmost respect for those who serve in our military - and those across the world - but I also leave knowing that military training is not my preferred option for post-graduation employment.

Vele Samak
WG'05

"You need to be more assertive! Even if you don't know what you are doing," was valuable advice I heard from a Marine Corps instructor who'd watched me lead my team on the Leadership Reaction Course. A night of Drill Instructor madness, 3 hours of sleep and 2 hours of fire watch duty in the squad bay downsized my ego so much that those words were like a wake-up call. Being tired, hungry, and beaten down is no excuse for poor leadership. That's part of the challenge and the fun from Quantico where the lessons from teammates, Marines and yourself will stick with you for a long time.

Michael Champness
WG'04

I got off the Quantico waitlist 36 hours before the bus left. I had no idea what to expect. I figured I'd read the Marine Corps articles before I went to bed that night. Instead, I got about 30 minutes sleep as the drill sergeants yelled at me that I was going to run my future business as sloppily as I kept my foot locker. When we had to dump our bags out on the deck repeatedly, I actually felt lucky that I was dumping my own bag (most people just grabbed whatever bag they could). In hindsight, I guess I'm just glad they didn't shave my head and the worst abuse I took was an officer calling me "old man" as I tried to scamper across what I describe as a "ravine" on a 40-foot rope.