Check out the USMC's professional reading list - Oorah!

On Monday, I posted a review of the classic sci-fi novel, “Ender’s Game” by Orson Scott Card. In that post, I made mention of the fact that “Ender’s Game” is so highly regarded that the United States Marine Corps has included the book on the U.S. Marine Corps Professional Reading List.

Of course, this got me to thinking about what other books were on this recommended reading list for “The Few and The Proud.”

I found the entire list online and learned that it was compiled in 2008 by Marine Corps Community Services Office as part of their Lifelong Learning Program. Their goal is to foster “an environment where lifelong learning is contagious and knowledge is achieved through educational resources for the Marine Corps community.”

The list is divided into categories, accoring to Marine Corps rank. The list contains scores of great books, and you will notice some repitition on the list. One book appears again and again on the list – “First to Fight: An Inside View of the U.S. Marine Corps” by Lt. Gen. Krulak. This book is required reading for every Marine from private to general.

Without further ado, here’s the list:

Private to Lance Corporal:
• First to Fight: An Inside View of the US Marine Corps by Lt. Gen. Krulak
• MCDP 1 Warfighting
• A Message to Garcia by E. Hubbard
• Rifleman Dodd by C.S. Forester
• The Soldier’s Load by S.L.A. Marshall
• The Ugly American by W. Burdick
• Ender’s Game by O.S. Card

Corporal:
• First to Fight: An Inside View of the US Marine Corps by Lt. Gen. Krulak
• MCWP 6-11 Leading Marines
• Battle Leadership by A. Von Schell
• Flags of Our Fathers by J. Bradley
• Gates of Fire by S. Pressfield
• Imperial Grunts by R. D. Kaplan
• Small Unit Leaders Guide to Counterinsurgency

Sergeant:
• First to Fight: An Inside View of the US Marine Corps by Lt. Gen. Krulak
• MCDP 1-3 Tactics
• The Art of War by Sun Tzu
• Tip of the Spear by G.J. Michaels
• Attacks! by E. Rommel
• With the Old Breed by E.B. Sledge
• The Village by B. West

Staff Sergeant:
• First to Fight: An Inside View of the US Marine Corps by Lt. Gen. Krulak
• MCDP 1-2 Campaigning
• This Kind of War by T.R. Fehrenbach
• Band of Brothers by S.E. Ambrose
• The Face of Battle by J. Keegan
• A Bell for Adano by J. Hersey
• Utmost Savagery by J. Alexander

Gunnery Sergeant:
• First to Fight: An Inside View of the US Marine Corps by Lt. Gen. Krulak
• MCDP 5 Planning
• The Savage Wars of Peace by M. Boot
• We Were Soldiers by H. Moore
• On Combat by D. Grossman
• Breakout by M. Russ
• Victory at High Tide by R.D. Heinl

Master Sergeant/First Sergeant:
• First to Fight: An Inside View of the US Marine Corps by Lt. Gen. Krulak
• MCDP 1-1 Strategy
• Reminiscences of a Marine by J.A. Lejeune
• Fields of Battle by J. Keegan
• Seven Pillars of Wisdom by T.E. Lawrence
• On Killing by D. Grossman
• Battle Cry of Freedom by J.M. McPherson

Master Gunnery Sergeant/Sergeant Major:
• First to Fight: An Inside View of the US Marine Corps by Lt. Gen. Krulak
• The General by C.S. Forester
• No Bended Knee by M.B. Twining
• Achilles in Vietnam by J. Shay
• The Mask of Command by J. Keegan
• The Arab Mind by R. Patai

Officer Candidate/Midshipman:
• First to Fight: An Inside View of the US Marine Corps by Lt. Gen. Krulak
• MCDP 1 Warfighting
• The Armed Forces Officer, DoD 2006
• A Message to Garcia by E. Hubbard
• Rifleman Dodd by C.S. Forester
• The Soldier’s Load by S.L.A. Marshall
• Ender’s Game by O.S. Card

2d Lieutenant/Warrant Officer:
• First to Fight: An Inside View of the US Marine Corps by Lt. Gen. Krulak
• MCWP 6-11 Leading Marines
• Fields of Fire by J. Webb
• The Art of War by Sun Tzu
• The Anatomy of Courage by L. Moran
• On Infantry by J.A. English
• Small Unit Leaders Guide to Counterinsurgency
• The Soldier’s Load by S.L.A. Marshall

1st Lieutenant/Chief Warrant Officer 2:
• First to Fight: An Inside View of the US Marine Corps by Lt. Gen. Krulak
• The Bridge at Dong Ha by J.G. Miller
• The Face of Battle by J. Keegan
• Reminiscences of a Marine by J.A. Lejeune
• Counterinsurgency Warfare by D. Galula
• Battle Cry of Freedom by J.M. McPherson

Captain/Chief Warrant Officer 3:
• First to Fight: An Inside View of the US Marine Corps by Lt. Gen. Krulak
• For The Common Defense by A.R. Millet
• The Mask of Command by J. Keegan
• Savage Wars of Peace by M. Boot
• On Combat by D. Grossman
• The Arab Mind by R. Patai

Major/Chief Warrant Officer 4:
• First to Fight: An Inside View of the US Marine Corps by Lt. Gen. Krulak
• Once an Eagle by A. Myrer
• The Guns of August by B.W. Tuchman
• History of Peloponnesian War by Thucydides
• The Lexus and the Olive Tree by T.L. Friedman
• Grant Takes Command by B. Catton

Lieutenant Colonel/Chief Warrant Officer 5:
• First to Fight: An Inside View of the US Marine Corps by Lt. Gen. Krulak
• Masters of War by M. Handel
• Supplying War by M. Van Creveld
• Carnage and Culture by V. Hanson
• Defeat into Victory by W. Slim
• Triumph Forsaken by M. Moyar

Colonel to General:
• First to Fight: An Inside View of the US Marine Corps by Lt. Gen. Krulak
• Dereliction of Duty by H.R. McMaster
• Supreme Command by E.A. Cohen
• Diplomacy by H. Kissinger
• Feeding Mars by J.A. Lynn
• The Crisis of Islam by B. Lewis

In the end, how many of these books have you had a chance to read? Which did you like or dislike? Which would you recommend? Let us know in the comments section below.