The Jedburgh Podcast

The Jedburgh Podcast

Fran Racioppi


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#202: Earned Never Given - 20th Sergeant Major Of The Marine Corps Carlos Ruiz

The title United States Marine is earned…never given. For over 250 years the Marine Corps has been front and center in the defense of America and our allies. But as technology and the battlefield have changed, the character and standard that define a Marine have never wavered. From the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Quantico, VA, Fran Racioppi sat down with Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps Carlos A. Ruiz, the 20th senior enlisted leader of the United States Marine Corps, to discuss what it takes to serve in one of the world's most respected fighting forces. Drawing on decades of service, SMMC Ruiz explains why the Marine Corps' greatest weapon system has never been its aircraft, landing craft or tanks, but the individual Marine. We explore how the Corps develops leaders by instilling discipline, accountability, resilience, and a deep understanding of the history and traditions that connect today's Marines to generations who came before them. Our conversation also examines how the Marine Corps is preparing for today’s battlefield from large-scale combat operations and force modernization to their role in littoral defense.  The SMMC also shares his top priorities; improving quality of life for every Marine, investing in the physical and mental readiness of the Corps and preparing Marines for civilian life when the uniform comes off. From strengthening partnerships with industry, to building programs to train Marines in the trades, SMMC Ruiz remains as dedicated to the Marines whose service is ending as those who are getting off the bus.  America has changed a lot in 250 years, but the unabashed mission of the United States Marine Corps to fight and win our nation’s wars has not. A special thanks to the National Museum of the Marine Corps for hosting our conversation and reminding every American that for Marines “Uncommon Valor Is A Common Virtue.” HIGHLIGHTS 0:00 Introduction 2:18 Welcome to the Jedburgh Podcast 2:54 What It Means To Be A US Marine 7:04 Marine Corps Standard 10:04 Combat Readiness 15:41 Shifting from GWOT 20:00 Marine Corps Culture 26:24 Replacing the ASVAB 30:11 Recruiting Marines 34:38 Retaining Marines 38:02 Transitioning Marines 1:00:44 Barracks 2030 1:05:53 Daily Habits QUOTES “What makes the Marines great is your brother or sister next to you will pick you up and you’ll keep moving forward.” “The promise is that we will make you better.” “You’ll get an 80% solution that you can pivot anywhere.” “What are we going to put in the Marines’ hands?” “They’re not pieces of furniture.” “Why not invest in the human in the beginning?” “The Marine Corps will decide.” “What kind of Marine are you building that is going to be talented and capable enough to arrive at the same moment that the technology is coming?” “You can’t sell the Marine Corps. It’s too big.” “Reinlisting Marines two years at a time is how we’re gaining retention.” “We can help transition Marines better.” “We’re good enough to keep what we want. We should be good enough to take care of the other ones as well.” “That’s how you grow. Doing hard things.” “We’re done trying to defend why the conditions are the way they are.” “You can’t have beautiful, fancy, state-of-the-art gear and a crappy place to sleep.” “If you can attempt to every day get to know somebody a little better, you can only move your platoon standard to higher levels because people trust you.”  The Jedburgh Podcast is brought to you by OneBrief; enabling military leaders to make innovative, informed and deliberate decisions faster than ever before. Superhuman command wins wars. Follow the Jedburgh Podcast and the Green Beret Foundation on social media. Listen on your favorite podcast platform, read on our website, and watch the full video version on YouTube as we show why America must continue to lead from the front, no matter the challenge.

About The Jedburgh Podcast

The Jedburgh Podcast is a conversation with transformative leaders, visionaries, drivers of change, and those dedicated to winning no matter the challenge. Hosted by US Army Special Forces Green Beret Fran Racioppi, each episode in-depth discussion with trailblazers who have earned success through dedication to talent development, preparation, introspection, and the drive to get things done. Our conversation will empower listeners to define success and operate at an elite level, regardless of the task at hand. Fran speaks with leaders in business, athletics, academics, and public service about their personal leadership stories of success, failure, and the road to continuous improvement. The Jedburghs of World War II was the first Special Operations forces and lived by the mantra, how you prepare today determines success tomorrow. Today’s leaders are no different. Our discussions focus on the nine character traits of elite performance used by Special Operations Forces to recruit, assess, select and retain elite performers. Through this lens, we show listeners that success in any field must be earned every day. We strive for each listener to take valuable lessons learned and concrete action steps to improve themselves, their teams, and their organizations. Although developed and used by US Special Operations Forces, these characteristics are inherently applicable to building resilient and successful organizations in any sector or industry, as well as in the betterment of our personal and professional lives. The Nine Characteristics of Elite Performance: -Drive: Growth mindset, be better than yesterday, continuous self-improvement -Resiliency: Perseverance in the face of challenges -Adaptability: Adjust one’s behavior to the situation -Humility: Recognize that you do not have all the answers; a willing learner maintains accurate self-awareness -Integrity: Understand what is legal and correct and align actions and words to both -Effective Intelligence: apply one’s experience and knowledge to the situation -Team Ability: Prioritize organizational needs ahead of oneself, work as a cohesive unit -Curiosity: Exploring the unknown, questioning the status quo in pursuit of better -Emotional Strength: Emotional control in stressful situations brings calm to chaos Fran is the founder of FRsix. He leads small to medium-sized businesses to scale by transforming their leadership and operations through introspection, continuous improvement, and a commitment to a talent mindset. He spent 13-years in the United States Army as a Green Beret, deploying numerous times to The Middle East, Africa, and Europe. Fran was the honor graduate of the Special Forces Qualification Course and the US Army Ranger School. He has served as CEO, COO, CSO, and Director of Global Security, where he was recognized by the FBI and Department of Homeland Security for his leadership and innovation. Fran earned an MBA from the NYU Leonard N. Stern School of Business and a BA from Boston University in Journalism. Fran holds the highest civilian accreditations, including Certified Protection Professional, Certified Business Continuity Professional, and Lean Six Sigma Black Belt. Fran volunteers teaching Veterans to sail as the Race Director for Sailahead, a Veterans organization dedicated to reducing the Veteran suicide rate and is the former Treasurer of the United War Veterans Council. Talent War Group is a management consulting and executive search firm comprised of highly experienced and proven business executives and special operations leaders. We’ll drive you to attract, retain, and develop top talent. With services like Executive Search, Talent Advisory, Leadership Development, Executive Coaching, and Speaking & Keynotes, we work with you to create talent solutions to business problems. Contact us at www.talentwargroup.com Access more episodes, subscribe, and learn more.