#1--Matthew Melao

In this episode, we discuss:

*Matt's decision to join the Marine Corps

*His experiences at boot camp and the School of Infantry-East

*His experiences with squad leaders up to this point in his career

*How well the Marine Corps is preparing him to be a squad leader

*The Advanced Infantry Marine Course

*Matt's experiences as a team leader, assistant patrol leader, and acting squad leader

*What makes an ideal squad leader

*What makes a squad leader from hell

*Matt's philosophy of leadership

*What excites him most about being a future squad leader

*What concerns him most

*His ideas for training his future squad

*The kind of atmosphere he wants to create in the squad

*The current culture and atmosphere in 1/8

*Matt's thoughts on maneuver warfare 

*Balancing the demands of bureaucracy with preparing Marines for combat

*The one thing Matt would like to know about his future squad before becoming its leader

*His expectations for his junior Marines, fire team leaders, fellow squad leaders, platoon sergeant, platoon commander, and company commander

*The value of tactical decision games (TDGs)

*1/8's summer 2023 TDG tournament

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