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Video by Cpl. Nathaniel Hanscom

Marine Corps Battle Skills Test (BST)

Marine Corps Base Quantico

Dec. 21, 2017 | 3:12

The Marine Corps Battle Skills Test (BST) Program provides a structured approach for the service to ensure all Marines sustain proficiency in 30 of the 178 common skills taught during entry level training. The program will emphasize training using a leader-led, face-to-face approach. Small unit leaders (noncommissioned officers and above) will be the primary trainers and evaluators. Marines, private through general, will annually demonstrate their mastery of these common skills. Commanders will have flexibility in their approach to training and evaluating their units.

The BST Program effectively begins 1 January 2018 as a calendar year requirement. However, commanders can immediately start incorporating BST training into their unit training plans and are encouraged to begin preparing their small unit leaders to conduct and evaluate the 30 common skills. Training support packages (TSP) and associated performance evaluation checklists for each of the 30 BST skills are online to assist small unit leaders. The TSPs provide small unit leaders the required information, performance steps, and evaluation criteria to facilitate leader-led training. The training is designed to be conducted in any environment from garrison to field, on the flight line, in the motor pool, maintenance bay, or on ship. Units may find that many of these skills are already embedded in their unit training plan, thereby minimizing the impact of the BST Program. Commanders determine how and when the training and evaluation will occur throughout the calendar year. Options range from training and evaluation over the course of a year to training throughout the year and then consolidating evaluation into a culminating event to foster esprit de corps. All Marines have previously been taught these skills during entry level training, thus the expectation is that Marines have the ability to easily refresh and sustain these skills. Commanders have the entire calendar year to ensure their Marines train and pass all 30 of the skills, and will ensure that training is recorded.(U.S. Marine Corps Video by Cpl. Nathaniel Hanscom)