thedrifter
07-22-07, 08:05 AM
Is it possible for a person to be able to record the average conversation speed of 200 words per minute (WPM) when the average typing speed is around 40 WPM? A group of Marines in Virginia Beach, Va. are learning that exact skill.
Court Reporting is an area of the legal field that requires a person with incredible communication skills and expertise to master a stenotype, a device similar to a typewriter used to record speech by phonograms.
Although court reporters are seen in legal offices and in court rooms everyday, many people do not know that the U.S. Marine Corps offers a similar program that enlisted Marines can laterally move into as a military occupational specialty (MOS).
Court Reporting, MOS 4429, is the most challenging and longest civilian course in the Marine Corps, said Master Sgt. Joseph A. Hebert, the legal services chief for U.S. Marine Corps Forces Command and acting liaison between the Marine Corps and the court reporting course.
The course is very selective, requires hours of additional practice each day and takes approximately two years or more to complete. Although very challenging, this gives a Marine not only a new MOS if they graduate, but also an opportunity to receive a civilian degree from Virginia Career Institute, Virginia Beach, Va., and have a diploma to fall back on.
The selection process is very thorough to make sure the Marines applying have the capabilities and will to succeed. The Marine Corps invests money into their training assuming Marines will graduate and be successful in their MOS.
“You have to go through extensive interviews and tests to become eligible for this school,” said Sgt. Solomon Rodgers Jr., a recent graduate of the program.
To be eligible to laterally move into the court reporting field, Marines must meet many requirements, one of which is to have a General Technical (GT) score of 110 or higher. The Marines must also go through an interview with a reporter chief, pass various areas of the Nelson/Denny reading test and be a corporal or sergeant at the time of the application.
“Everyone is not cut out to be a court reporter. It really takes a special person. The court reporting course is very challenging and only those willing to give 110 percent should apply,” said Hebert. “It takes thousands of hours of practice to adapt the ability to transcribe their steno notes into a verbatim transcript. We are asking the Marines to basically learn a new language.”
After reflecting on his past 18 months of work, graduating earlier than most, Rodgers laughed about all the extra work he had to put in to receive his diploma. “I had to put in at least two hours of extra practice a day,” he said. “You have to practice to keep your skills up.”
The difficulty of the course is relative to the amount of time a person puts in, said Kristen LeSueur, a court reporting instructor for Virginia Career Institute. The more effort and practice put in really distinguishes how difficult the course is.
“Speed classes are challenging for many, they have to write fast for various lengths of time,” said LeSueur. “Different classes are more challenging to others, but we [the instructors] try to make it that way.”
Once the Marines reach the Marine Corps standard, which is to be able to stenotype a minimum of 200 WPM, they can graduate. Some Marines grasp the opportunity to finish their court reporting degree in addition to meeting the requirements of the Marine Corps by also obtaining the qualifications of the National Court Reporters Association (NCRA).
The Virginia Career Institute follows the guidelines of the NCRA. The Marines that choose to earn a degree have to stenotype at least 225 WPM, complete 40 pages of transcription and 90 hours of court reporting internship.
Two of the four Marines that graduated this year earned their degrees. The graduates are Rodgers, Sgt. Emanual Hudson, Sgt. Kara Myers and Sgt. Crystal Lopez. Only one graduation ceremony is held each year.
The Marines in this MOS will not only have the opportunity to accumulate job experience, but they also will have the ability to use their skills after the Marine Corps to become anything from a legal secretary or a medical transcriptionist to a television caption writer.
According to a Media Positive Communications Inc. article, court reporters average yearly salary is between 25,000 dollars to 40,000 dollars with no experience. With a few years experience, which the Marine Corps can provide, court reporters can average a yearly salary of 60,000 dollars to 100,000 dollars or more a year with their degree and experience.
Although court reporting may be one of the more challenging and time consuming fields, it is also a very rewarding experience. “It was a wonderful feeling to finally graduate,” said Rodgers. “I am glad to be finished and ready to get back to the fleet, but I did have a lot of fun. It was all worth it.”
“The Marines have done very well,” said LeSueur. She hopes that the relationship with the Marine Corps and the school continues throughout the years.
Court Reporting is an area of the legal field that requires a person with incredible communication skills and expertise to master a stenotype, a device similar to a typewriter used to record speech by phonograms.
Although court reporters are seen in legal offices and in court rooms everyday, many people do not know that the U.S. Marine Corps offers a similar program that enlisted Marines can laterally move into as a military occupational specialty (MOS).
Court Reporting, MOS 4429, is the most challenging and longest civilian course in the Marine Corps, said Master Sgt. Joseph A. Hebert, the legal services chief for U.S. Marine Corps Forces Command and acting liaison between the Marine Corps and the court reporting course.
The course is very selective, requires hours of additional practice each day and takes approximately two years or more to complete. Although very challenging, this gives a Marine not only a new MOS if they graduate, but also an opportunity to receive a civilian degree from Virginia Career Institute, Virginia Beach, Va., and have a diploma to fall back on.
The selection process is very thorough to make sure the Marines applying have the capabilities and will to succeed. The Marine Corps invests money into their training assuming Marines will graduate and be successful in their MOS.
“You have to go through extensive interviews and tests to become eligible for this school,” said Sgt. Solomon Rodgers Jr., a recent graduate of the program.
To be eligible to laterally move into the court reporting field, Marines must meet many requirements, one of which is to have a General Technical (GT) score of 110 or higher. The Marines must also go through an interview with a reporter chief, pass various areas of the Nelson/Denny reading test and be a corporal or sergeant at the time of the application.
“Everyone is not cut out to be a court reporter. It really takes a special person. The court reporting course is very challenging and only those willing to give 110 percent should apply,” said Hebert. “It takes thousands of hours of practice to adapt the ability to transcribe their steno notes into a verbatim transcript. We are asking the Marines to basically learn a new language.”
After reflecting on his past 18 months of work, graduating earlier than most, Rodgers laughed about all the extra work he had to put in to receive his diploma. “I had to put in at least two hours of extra practice a day,” he said. “You have to practice to keep your skills up.”
The difficulty of the course is relative to the amount of time a person puts in, said Kristen LeSueur, a court reporting instructor for Virginia Career Institute. The more effort and practice put in really distinguishes how difficult the course is.
“Speed classes are challenging for many, they have to write fast for various lengths of time,” said LeSueur. “Different classes are more challenging to others, but we [the instructors] try to make it that way.”
Once the Marines reach the Marine Corps standard, which is to be able to stenotype a minimum of 200 WPM, they can graduate. Some Marines grasp the opportunity to finish their court reporting degree in addition to meeting the requirements of the Marine Corps by also obtaining the qualifications of the National Court Reporters Association (NCRA).
The Virginia Career Institute follows the guidelines of the NCRA. The Marines that choose to earn a degree have to stenotype at least 225 WPM, complete 40 pages of transcription and 90 hours of court reporting internship.
Two of the four Marines that graduated this year earned their degrees. The graduates are Rodgers, Sgt. Emanual Hudson, Sgt. Kara Myers and Sgt. Crystal Lopez. Only one graduation ceremony is held each year.
The Marines in this MOS will not only have the opportunity to accumulate job experience, but they also will have the ability to use their skills after the Marine Corps to become anything from a legal secretary or a medical transcriptionist to a television caption writer.
According to a Media Positive Communications Inc. article, court reporters average yearly salary is between 25,000 dollars to 40,000 dollars with no experience. With a few years experience, which the Marine Corps can provide, court reporters can average a yearly salary of 60,000 dollars to 100,000 dollars or more a year with their degree and experience.
Although court reporting may be one of the more challenging and time consuming fields, it is also a very rewarding experience. “It was a wonderful feeling to finally graduate,” said Rodgers. “I am glad to be finished and ready to get back to the fleet, but I did have a lot of fun. It was all worth it.”
“The Marines have done very well,” said LeSueur. She hopes that the relationship with the Marine Corps and the school continues throughout the years.