Marine Training
Starfleet Marines undergo a variety of training both before and after joining the SFMC. While some of this training is mandatory for all Marines, regardless of rank, some is specific to certain ranks or to certain occupations.
No Marine comes to the corps a blank slate. Before being accepted for enlistment a recruit must have completed their primary and secondary education and successfully passed a general skills and knowledge evaluation and a physical examination. As well, those hoping to apply to Officer's Candidate School must have completed a bachelor's degree at a Federation accredited university. While many recruits attend Starfleet Academy for this degree graduates from such diverse universities such as the Daystrom Institute, the Vulcan Science Academy, Cambridge University or the University of Betazed. The degree need not be in military sciences but is instead regarded as a mark of perseverance and dedication.
Initial Training
Basic Training
All Marines, regardless of future plans, must attend basic training, or boot camp, in order to learn the skills needed to become a Marine Rifleman. Recruits from outside the Sol System attend Camp Terra Nova on the Terra Nova colony while Sol System inhabitants attend the historic Parris Island.
The 16 week training program is designed to turn individual civilians into a cohesive unit, able to work in coordinated groups and obey orders without hesitation. Recruits also are instructed in the history of the various military forces that, through amalgamation and treaty, evolved into the SFMC. Emphasis on personal honor and integrity as well as the unofficial motto of "no one left behind" are also incorporated into the training.
Training concludes with the 72 hour exercise known as The Crucible. Recruits are divided into 8-man teams, equipped with only basic survival equipment and 2 days of rations. Recruits use the skills learned in their basic training to navigate the examination course undergoing tests, accomplished or failed as a whole. Individual results are meaningless in the Crucible as this has been tested and evaluated throughout boot camp. Instead teamwork and leadership are evaluated by observers and post-exercise debriefing. The exercise ends with a 20km hike, the last 2km up a steep incline to the ceremony plateau known as the Pinnacle. There every successful team member receives their SFMC beret and badge, transforming from a recruit to a Marine Rifleman. While a public ceremony, Parade Day, follows many Marines consider the ceremony on the Pinnacle to their true graduation.
At Parade Day the newly graduated Marine is either assigned to their Regiment or continue on to advanced training, an occupation school or Officer Candidate School.
Officer Candidate School
The Officer Candidate School (OCS) is open to: recent recruits from basic training upon the recommendation of their Drill Instructors, Marine NCOs and warrant officers, commissioned officers from other military services (including Starfleet officers) who wish to become commissioned Marine officers. Held at the Quantico Military Academy on Earth this 10 week course builds or refreshes the skills learned in basic training. Candidates undergo extensive psychological evaluation as well as instruction in Federation Law, ethics and leadership. All SFMC officers must complete this course before being eligible for their SFMC commission, even those already eligible for a Starfleet commission through Starfleet Academy or other institutions such as the Andorian Imperial Academy or the Bajoran Military Academy. If successful the Officer Candidate proceeds to The Basic School.
The Basic School
This 26 week course, also at Quantico, teaches the newly commissioned SFMC officer the basics of being a Platoon Commander, a requirement of all SFMC officers regardless of the student's eventual occupation. Training includes weapons, tactics, leadership and protocol, again building on the skills learned in basic training and OCS. After completing the Basic School the Marine officer either joins his light infantry unit as a Second Lieutenant or continues training in his occupation at one of the specialist occupations schools.
Occupation Schools
While many Marines spend their entire career in the SFMC as a Rifleman in a light infantry regiment others choose more specialized training in Aerospace, Heavy Infantry vehicles, Medicine or Engineering.
Flight School
Upon completion of at least Basic training all future non-commissioned pilots attend a six week Warrant Officer Candidate School to prove they have the Technical expertise. They proceed to Camp Mimas if convenient or train at a site in their sector to begin actual flight training. Class work in the basics of flight physics, Flight systems [operation and repair], as well as emergency procedures are learned before they advance to simulators.
After a minimum of one week on the simulators and after passing a qualification test they can proceed to actual flight training.
The next six months they continue classroom studies, simulator practice as well as logging in a minimum of one-hundred-fifty-hours of actual flight. This includes all shuttle types and all transport types. Pilots who prove capable and pass all basic certifications on types are advanced to combat training.
Combat training includes stealth insertions, Assault landings, defensive maneuvering, and even underwater flight, to include underwater insertions with the hunley.
From Warrant school to completion of combat training is a minimum of eight months, with up to ten months allowed to complete. All Pilots are then free to move on to Fighter craft training or join a unit as per needs of the service.
Advanced Flight School
Upon completion of basic flight school those Warrant and Commissioned Officers selected advance to fighter craft training. Pilots recieve additional training in support roles such as maintenance as well. Once again there is classroom and more simulator time.
Because of the precise demands of these agile craft and their integral role in any tactical situation this training is the longest and most intense in the SFMC. Training includes the expected dogfighting tactics and applications. However it is also assault support, anti-air warfare, offensive air support, electronic warfare, and Escort tactics.
Marine pilots aboard ship must perform all the duties of their Fleet counter-parts as well as their specialty role as marine support fighters. All told this training is a minimum of six months and a pilot is given up to eight months to finish.
The top five percent of the class, that also meets the basic entry formulae are allowed to attend a six week Advanced fighter tactics course where they will be tested by the best instructors available using threat races tactics. This training guarentess a pilot a front-line assignment.
Marine Fighter Pilots train in Razor Interceptors, Broadsword Attack fighters, and the top five percent in Raptor Superiority fighter.
All Commissioned-Officer Marine Pilots are trained platoon Leaders. They however seldom keep up the skills needed to actually lead a platoon. In the field however more then a few times a pilot has been called upon to form the ground crew into a defensive unit to protect their base.
Artificer
A SFMC Artificer is an engineering generalist trained in mechanical, energy or civic engineering. On the battlefield their purpose is to get the equipment operating again as well as the construction and destruction of fortifications. Students attend this 6 month course at Camp Pendleton, North America, Earth.
Special Skills Schools
Special Skills Schools are focused training, usually built on a Marines occupation and are available for all ranks. These classes are designed to instill in soldier, a basic understanding of a specialized skillset in order to allow that soldier to begin building on that training through operational experience and additional training programs back at their home unit. Simply attending the school does not forge the soldier into an expert, rather serves to show him or her how much MORE they have to learn. Generally the SFMC tries to arrange for this training to occur at specified camps but, realistically, this is sometimes impossible to arrange. Therefore, a series of holodeck exercises has been designed for each course. While physically and psychologically as challenging many Marines consider them a poor substitute.
Pathfinder
In order to earn their Pathfinder tab a Marine must complete at least three of the five hostile environment courses. Environmental schools usually last 6 weeks.
Desert Environment
Camp Sirius, Vulcan is the home of the survival course which teaches the Marine the survival skills and tactics used in an arid and hot environment.
Jungle Environment
Camp Amazon, South America, Earth is the home of the survival course which teaches the Marine the survival skills and tactics used in a humid and hot environment.
Arctic Environment
Camp Kumari, Andoria is the home of the survival course which teaches the Marine the survival skills and tactics used in a cold and mountainous environment.
Urban Environment
The Marine Warfare Training Centre, Berengaria VII is the home of the survival course which teaches the Marine the survival skills and tactics used in an urban environment populated by hostile inhabitants.
Deep Forest Environment
The Marine Warfare Training Centre, Berengaria VII is also the home of the survival course which teaches the Marine the survival skills and tactics used in a dense wood environment populated by hostile predators.
Sapper
The Sapper course teaches the Marine to safely and effectively use demolitions, especially in the area of breaching fortifications such as bulkheads and ship's hulls. Marines who successfully complete the 6 week course may wear a "sapper" tab.
Zero-G
The Zero-G training teaches advanced combat tactics in a zero or low gravity as well as methods on improving the chance of survival and recovery for Marines who become adrift. Marines who successfully complete the 6 week course may wear a "zero-G" tab.
President's One Hundred or Marksman
While not a school in the usual sense the President's Challenge is a series of marksmanship competitions held corps wide using with both rifles and hand phasers. The competitions are held on firing ranges, simulated combat marksmanship, night and hazardous environment as well as other "interesting" twists to test speed, accuracy and stamina. The top 500 participants are entitiled to wear the Marine One Hundred tab while any Marine scoring an aggregate score of 350+ is awarded the Marksman tab.
Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape (SERE) School
SERE School is a specialist training school which trains Marines who have a likelihood of being captured and provides them with training in evading capture, survival skills and the military code of conduct for Prisoners of War. Whilst open to all branches of the Marine Corps, the bulk of it's participants are Starfighter and Atmospheric Aviation due to the high likelihood of them being stranded outside of friendly territory. The course takes about four weeks.
Close Quarters Battle School
CQB School is a specialist training course which occurs over a three month period. It is the primary training course required for a Marine to qualify as a Grenadier. The course covers a range of combat environments, including starship boarding, in both aggressive and non-aggressive manners, Fighting in Built Up Areas (FIBUA, also known as Urban Warfare) and critically trains them in how to safely perform dynamic entries into a closed space. Once a Marine has completed this school, he is entitled to wear the Grenadier flash and to join the Corps specialist Grenadier units.
Leadership Training
SFMC recognizes that with each level of promotion in rank comes corresponding levels of responsibility, administration skills and tactical training. In order for a Marine to continue their career seamlessly continual education is offered to enlisted, NCO and officers. These courses can be taken either at various camps during detached duty or via long distance/simulation during active duty.
Non Commissioned Officer Training
For Private First Class and Lance Corporals personnel wishing to advance to non-commissioned ranks. These courses are offered to interested non-rates through courses administered by qualified detachment personnel.
Senior Non Commissioned Officer Training
For Corporals, Sergeants and Staff Sergeants wishing to advance to senior non-commissioned ranks. These courses are available at several locations including San Diego Starfleet Marine Facility, Marine Barracks Washington and Royal Military College, Duntroon, Australia as well as through 'distance learning' via sub space and holodeck lessons.
Junior Officer Training
For First and Second Lieutenants wishing advancement to Company command ranks. These courses are available at several locations including Quantico and the Agulhas Negras Military Academy in Brazil as well as through 'distance learning' via sub space and holodeck lessons.
Line Officer Training
For Captain and Majors wishing advancement to Battalion and Regimental command ranks. These courses are available at several locations including Quantico and the Agulhas Negras Military Academy in Brazil as well as through 'distance learning' via sub space and holodeck lessons.
Staff Officer Training
For officers of all ranks wishing to be considered for Staff Officer positions in headquarter companies. These courses are held at the Frunze Military Academy, Russia, Earth.
General Officer Training
For Lieutenant Colonel and Colonels wishing advancement to Brigade and Division command ranks. These courses are held at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, England, Earth.