pmcimagazine.com
BOOK REVIEW: CORPS STRENGTH
PICTURES COURTESY PAUL J ROARKE JR
“CORPS STRENGTH”; A USMC MASTER GUNNERY
SERGEANT’S PROGRAM FOR ELITE FITNESS.
F
inding it hard to stay in shape whilst on
deployment, or just genuinely finding it hard
to make time for a thorough fitness program?
Some time ago now I was lucky enough to
start speaking to USMC Master Gunnery
Sergeant Paul J Roarke Jr (ret.) about his tried
and tested approach to physical readiness
training and his book “Corps Strength”.
As a prior service combat Marine and an
Instructor at the Naval International Training
Center in Pensacola, “MGunz” knows what
he’s talking about! It was a pleasure and
a privilege to speak to Paul, and I’m pleased to say that we
still talk regularly thanks to Facebook and his regular training
update emails. Here is what he had to tell me.
No “Old People Wars”
During my 28 years serving as an active duty Marine I spent
an untold number of hours doing PT (Physical Training). This
included standard Marine Corps PT, training personnel for
special duties and during my off duty time training for different
types of sports. As you know the Marine Corps prides itself on
the top physical condition it demands of its Marines and that’s
regardless of their occupational field. Marines learn from day
one of recruit training (we don’t say Boot Camp in the Corps)
that every Marine is a “Rifleman” first and always, and that
doesn’t matter if your 17 or 50 years old. There are no “old
people wars”, either you can do it or you can’t. As a Marine
you have to be ready to get the job done, no matter when,
where you are or what the mission is and being in top physical
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condition is a big part of it.