Honor, courage and commitment
These core values of the Marines, define how every Marine in the Corps thinks, acts and fights. Throughout the austere battlefields of the 21st Century, every Marine in the Corps must be confident they can rely on each other to think, act and lead. In the chaos of battle, character matters.
Improvise, adapt and overcome
“Improvise, Adapt, Overcome” is an unofficial slogan among Marines made popular by Clint Eastwood’s movie, Heartbreak Ridge. Whether you plan to bug in or bug out should tough times occur, the ability to improvise, adapt, and overcome problems will be necessary regardless of how well-stocked, tooled, provisioned, or conditioned you are.
DUCTUS EXEMPLO
Marines put honor, courage and commitment to the test with Ductus Exemplo, Latin for “Lead by Example.” These core principles aren’t just taught at recruit training—they’re embodied everyday by Marine leaders. On and off the battlefield, absolute trust in Corps leadership helps all Marines decisively and effectively face down the threats of our time.
