MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. -- Lance corporals seeking to improve their leadership skills and pick up the coveted rank of noncommissioned officer will have to take a new course to prove they know about “Leading Marines.”

The College of Distance Education and Training, in conjunction with the Enlisted Professional Military Education branch of the Marine Corps University and the Lejuene Leadership Institute have recently discontinued the Marine Corps Institute 0037 Leading Marines course, and instead created the Leading Marines Distance Education Program as part of MarineNet.

According to Marine Administrative Order 640/10, the new course incorporates five new lessons and 24 new topics to develop and enhance future leaders’ ability to think critically and make sound, ethical decisions. The program consists of four sub-courses covering leadership development; leadership tools; counseling, coaching and mentoring; and command and military organization.

The new course will continue to be a requirement for lance corporals of all military operation specialties before being promoted to corporal and will result in points towards the composite score under self education bonus points. It will not count towards completed MCI’s.

Unlike the discontinued MCI, only lance corporals and above will be able to enroll in the course and waivers will not be considered. Marines who have completed the MCI prior to Jan. 1, 2011 are not required to take the new program.

Enrollment is open to all active duty and reserve Marines at pay grade E-3 and above. To enroll visit www.marinenet.usmc.mil and search for either the course name, Leading Marines, or the course code, EPME3000AA.