To be the best, a study of excellence in the U.S. Marine Corps Infantry Battalions

Abstract

A Study of Excellence in United States Marine Corps Infantry Battalions is a study conducted to test the hypothesis that common attributes are shared by excellent battalions. Interviews were conducted with thirty-one senior infantry officers from various stateside commands, from which it was concluded that excellent battalions do possess a common set of attributes that account for their superior performance. To further develop this narrative model of excellence, and present a clearer picture of how an excellent battalion operates, interviews were subsequently conducted with staff noncommissioned officers, noncommissioned officers, and junior enlisted men from various infantry units. Attributes dealing with balanced excellence, leadership, emphasis on goals, culture and values, and the environment of excellence are discussed in detail.