their  service  record  to  acknowledge  such  eligi- bility.  Female  RPs  are  eligible  fo  duty  aborad noncombatant ships, at Marine Corps bases, and with  nondeploying  Marine  Corps  units.  They  must acknowledge   this   eligibility   with   a   Page   13 statement. If an RP is ordered to duty with an FMF unit, two  things  that  can  be  done  ahead  of  time  will be  of  great  value  to  the  RP  when  reporting  for duty.  First,  the  RP  should  begin  immediately  a program   to   attain   the   best   possible   physical condition   before   reporting   aboard.   Second,   he should buy a pair of U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) field  boots  and  break  them  in.  A  pair  will  be issued  soon  after  the  RF  reports  aboard,  but  a 10-mile hike the first day in a pair of new boots may  give  the  hiker  very  sore  feet! Chaplains   are   forbidden   by   the   Geneva Convention  to  carry  firearms  in  combat.  There- fore, in combat situations, the RP is the chaplain’s bodyguard. The chaplain must be free to minister to  the  wounded  and  dying. RPs assigned to FMF units may be required to  undergo  training  at  the  Marine  Corps  In- fantry  Training  School  (ITS),  Camp  LeJeune, North  Carolina,  unless  this  training  has  been received   previously.   The   length   of   the   school varies  according  to  the  current  training  needs,  but it  is  normally  3  to  4  weeks.  Use  of  weapons (particularly  the  M-16  rifle  and  .45-caliber  pistol), use  of  explosives,  marching,  close  order  drill, strenuous exercise, combat tactics, hand-to-hand fighting,  and  weapons  care  are  all  likely  to  be emphasized. At times the training will be very demanding on  both  mind  and  body.  The  trainee  may  soon feel that the instructors are not there to help, but to badger and harass personnel. This is not true! The  instructors  and  everyone  in  the  unit  want  the RP  to  succeed  in  training.  They  know  that  any member  who  is  not  successful  in  training  will weaken  the  effectiveness  of  the  unit.  This  could place  the  safety  of  the  entire  unit  in  jeopardy. Upon  reporting  to  any  Marine  Corps  com- mand   (base,   station,   or   FMF),   RPs   have   the option  of  wearing  Navy  or  Marine  corps  service uniforms. (Marine Corps Order [MCO] 10120.28 and  MCO  P1020.34  refer.)  If  RPs  elect  to  wear Marine Corps service uniforms, they are given a complete issue and must abide by Marine Corps grooming  and  appearance  standards  or  regula- tions.  They  must  also  meet  Marine  Corps  physical fitness standards. If RPs elect to wear the Navy uniform,  Navy  grooming  standards  apply.  A small issue of Marie Corps combat uniforms will GENERAL  MILITARY  TRAINING 6-3 be  issued  the  RP  according  to  MCO  P10120.28 and  MCO  P1020.34. All  Navy  personnel,  regardless  of  duty  station, will receive periodic training sessions on general military  topics.  Such  topics  may  include  the Uniform   Code   of   Military   Justice;   basic   first aid;  nuclear,  biological,  and  chemical  warfare; physical  and  information  security;  substance abuse; and many others. The leading RP should assign  a  first  or  second  class  petty  officer  as division or departnlent training petty officer. As such,  the  training  petty  officer  is  responsible  to the   division   officer   for   ensuring   that   general military  training  (GMT)  is  scheduled  and  con- ducted periodically—usually once a month, GMT topics should be of a general nature so that they apply  to  all  hands.  Responsibilities  of  the training petty officer may be limited to ensuring that  all  hands  attend  scheduled  GMT  sessions. While   operations   may   preclude   100   percent attendance at GMT sessions, every effort should be made to get the trainee to the training site for each  presentation. Occasionally, the training topics may be of in- terest to civilian employees and/or military families at the duty station. Information about sessions at which topics of general interest are to be discussed (survivor’s  benefits,  predeployment  briefings, basic  first  aid,  lifesaving  instruction)  should  be given  wide  dissemination.  The  training  schedules, topics,  instructors,  guest  speakers,  meeting  places, and times should be publicized well in advance. STANDARD   COMMAND TRAINING; REQUIREMEMTS NOTE:   Much   of   the   information   in   this section is discussed in other Navy training publica- tions.  It  is  highlighted  here  primarily  for  the benefit  of  interservice  transferees  and  OSVETs. Standard  command  training  gives  assigned personnel a broad overview of training objectives and  brings  the  command  mission  into  perspective. Standard  training  may  include  refresher  training, a  fleet  or  squardron  training  evolution,  fire fighting,  or  other  such  instruction.  A  unit will not function well if untrained. Education and training should be a continual process thoughout a  military  career  and  lifetime.