The Marine Corps: The Importance Of Military Structure

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Importance of Rank Structure “Military ranks are a system of hierarchical relationships in armed forces, police, intelligence agencies or other institutions organized along military lines. Military ranks and the military rank system define among others dominance, authority, as well as roles and responsibility in a military hierarchy. The military rank system incorporates the principles of exercising power and authority, and the military chain of command – the succession of commanders superior to subordinates through which command is exercised – constructs an important component for organized collective action.” The Marine Corps values rank structure and respect to that rank structure even if you are completely in the right to correct or call out a higher rank on something they did wrong it is demanded of you to use the upmost possible tact and respect. From Private to Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps this applies. One saying I learned that comes to mind, in regard to respecting rank structure, “if you respect the man you respect the rank.” I do my best to live by this in the Marine Corps. I believe that myself and for the most part everyone at every rank can have trouble at times remembering our place in the Corps. We must all remind ourselves that respect is due to those above us even when we just want to say what comes to mind. That for sure is my downfall in life. We all struggle with it from making inappropriately timed jokes to just normal conversations when we are