Maj. Marron Wins Award for Advancing Corps Innovation

Twentynine Palms -- Maj. Michael L. Marron, the service level training and plans officer for the Marine Corps Air Ground Task Force Training Command, aboard the Combat Center, was presented the 2017 Secretary of the Navy’s Innovation Award, in the Innovation Scholar (Professional Military Education) Category, Sept. 4, 2018.

Marron won the award for his article, “Don’t Fear the Reaper”, which he wrote as a captain while attending the Marine Corps University's Expeditionary Warfare School, in Quantico, Va. The article discussed multiple ways the Marine Operation Concept could be supported.

“I tried to lay out a way that we can pay for a system to support Marines in combat within the next five years,” Marron said. “My research paper ended up circulating around the Marine Corps. Now the Corps is taking steps to support combat operations in a different way from their original 15-year plan.”

Marron was selected from approximately 200 individuals to be recognized for their accomplishments or contributions to the Armed Forces.

This is not the first award that Marron has won for his paper, he was also the recipient of the Major General Chase Essay Award.

“There are a lot of Marines who realized we needed these capabilities,” Marron said. “Headquarters Marine Corps realized it, too, and I believe my paper was one of the many factors that helped push the issue even further.”

When Marron arrived at the Combat Center, under the command of Maj. Gen. William F. Mullen III, he was tasked with putting together a man/unmanned training exercise curriculum. After the foundation was laid, HQMC reached out to Marron and asked him to implement the training into different areas of operation.

According to Marron, the biggest difference was going from writing the paper to giving briefs and leading discussions, and eventually turning it into policy.