In October, Gen. Joe Dunford became the 36th Commandant of the Marine Corps, replacing Gen. Jim. Amos. Three months into the job he hasn't said much about the direction he plans to lead the Corps, but that will change early this year as he releases a blueprint for his time leading the service.

"Continue to march," he told assembled Marines during the passage of command, following his inaugural address with a Corps-wide message in which he discussed developing Marine air-ground task force capabilities, maintaining high rates of readiness, and improving leader development, professional education and warrior care.

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Behind closed doors, Dunford has been working hard with officials from Headquarters Marine Corps' Strategic Initiatives Group on planning guidance that will lay a blueprint for his tenure as commandant and elucidate his priorities. Expected to publish in late January, the guidance will include a discussion of the current outlook and prospects for the force.

If it follows the pattern of previous commandant Gen. Jim Amos' planning guidance, released in 2010, it will also include a checklist of specific tasks, complete with estimated completion dates and tenant Marine Corps commands involved in the work.

While some sources say Dunford is unlikely to address specific programs and initiatives in the guidance, many are eager to learn how he will continue or augment projects developed late in Amos' tenure — including the Reawakening campaign, focused on discipline and heightened standards in garrison, and Expeditionary Force 21, a strategic vision emphasizing distributed small-unit operations and the Marines' MV-22B and F-35B aircraft platforms.

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