Serious Questions About Meritorious Promotions! - Page 3
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  1. #31

    Is my profile sufficient? LOL

    I know im a bit late in the discussion, but I just wanted to say that I am an 0311 school and battle trained Infantry Squad leader and I am currently being placed on a Meritorious SNCO board myself. It didnt take me as long as lance to pin Cpl but it damn sure felt like it. Cpl to Sgt was even longer. I dont want to blame the promotion process on my being pin so late, because when it came down to it, I was the ultimate blame for not being aggressive on my leaders and plt cmdr on working with me for getting prepared for promotion. The fact is, no one is really responsible for looking out for you, than you! You have to look at yourself as a person and as a US Marine and figure out EXACTLY what it is you want in your career, then pursue it... SIDE NOTE- All my Grunts on this forum, check out my social group GRUNTZ and get in there. There are dedicated poolees and fellow devil pups in there that need our guidance and outlook. I cant provide it all myself... -Sgt Q


  2. #32
    Marine Free Member Quinbo's Avatar
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    Sgt Q? I do not understand? Are there now meritorious SSgt boards in the fleet or are you currently on the drill field?


  3. #33

    Exclamation Re:

    Quote Originally Posted by Bulkyker View Post
    Sgt Q? I do not understand? Are there now meritorious SSgt boards in the fleet or are you currently on the drill field?

    No, No. Sorry I didnt clarify. I am not currently in the operating forces (Fleet), I am currently stationed at MCB Quantico and the board is by the Marine Corps Combat Development Center. Im a careerist not a first termer. -Sgt Q


  4. #34
    Quote Originally Posted by Echo5November View Post
    damn killer, 24 months as a lance corporal. Talk to grunts or MPs who have cutting scores of 1680-1700+ to pick up corporal. 24 months is a fraction what they go through. Especially the grunts. I had a friend who picked up Corporal the day the reenlisted (with an 1800 even). what MOS are you? Rank comes with time. There are great meritorious Marines out there. And yes there are s***bird salty Lance Corporals, but whats on your collar doesn't define or illuminate what kind of Marine you are at heart. If you really want that promotion, you'll quit worrying about what everyone in this forum says, and you'll reach out and take the board. Thats what we do. Adapt, Improvise, and Overcome. Go wreck the competition. Get Some Cpl. Oohrah
    yeah, I picked up cpl about 3yrs in and I had no njps etc as a grunt.

    It seems now the Marines are promoting anyone for any reason. Nobody is going through the cpl or sgts course anymore(very few are)

    My wifes brother has been in for 3 1/2 yrs, has done maybe one or 2 mcis and hasnt done anything else(not a **** hot marine at all). he is now about to pick up sgt--WTF(he is an airwinger) this kid has not a single ounce of leadership ability- not trying to put him down but damn!


  5. #35
    Marine Free Member Quinbo's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by SgtQuattlebaumJ View Post
    No, No. Sorry I didnt clarify. I am not currently in the operating forces (Fleet), I am currently stationed at MCB Quantico and the board is by the Marine Corps Combat Development Center. Im a careerist not a first termer. -Sgt Q
    I guess I should have clarified also.... Are there now meritorious promotion boards for selection to SSgt somewhere besides the drill field? It has been a while and I know things change. Your current knowlege would be appreciated.


  6. #36

    Quote Originally Posted by Bulkyker View Post
    I guess I should have clarified also.... Are there now meritorious promotion boards for selection to SSgt somewhere besides the drill field? It has been a while and I know things change. Your current knowlege would be appreciated.


    Oh, ok. Yeah man there are more meritorious promotions for almost all MOS's but really there are maybe 3-4 slots per, if that.
    This also applies to the fleet as far as I know. -Sgt Q


  7. #37
    Quote Originally Posted by Marcusthemarine View Post
    Tushe. Maybe it is. However, my impulse and the impulse of so many Marines who fall into that rut of being stuck at one rank (particularly a lower one) is to give up and f**k everything Marine Corps. My attitude and willingness to fight that impulse is the only thing that has kept me afloat long enough to surpass that notion. My feelings are simply that there are two types of Marines in that situation. Marines who blame themselves for they're misfortune and correct the problem, and Marines who blame the Marine Corps for they're misfortune and lash out at authority. I've pretty much made a name for myself (mostly as an mean person) for not having much sympathy for the latter, as well as not accepting such behavior from myself.

    I wouldn't call it getting s****y, as much as I'd call it, expressing my distaste with salty Marines who CHOSE to be salty whether than doing what the Marine Corps expected of them. That isn't to say that I condone boot sergeants with no direction in they're jobs or leadership, but it is my understanding that time, and experience won't a good Marine make, just like MCIs and PFTs won't a good Marine make. We're that the case, than the rank system would be a thing of the past. Call it what you wanna, but it is what it is. Unless you are a Sergeant or higher, a Sergeant is a Sergeant. Experience, time in grade, and promotion means are something that Marines at the Lance Corporal or even the Corporal level needn't be concerned with, no matter HOW salty you are.

    Again, thank you for your comments and advice.
    Or if your not happy with (24) months in grade , then get it like I did ,( Combat Promotion ) by having the best d*mn e-5 I have ever known shot out from our patrol because the e-3 point man wasn't doing his job on a jungle patrol, and me being the TIC (time in combat ) cpl get his strips and job. I here its getting hot in the high country again. and they will always take volunteers.



  8. #38
    Marine Free Member Quinbo's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by SgtQuattlebaumJ View Post
    Oh, ok. Yeah man there are more meritorious promotions for almost all MOS's but really there are maybe 3-4 slots per, if that.
    This also applies to the fleet as far as I know. -Sgt Q

    Thank you for the attempt. You have left me more confused than informed.


  9. #39
    Yeah...that one sort of confuses me too.

    Good to be back after so long. As I recall, I'm the mutant that started this gawd awful thread!

    Well anywho, I am now a Sergeant and no longer an administrator. I lateral moved to Satellite Communications in 2006 and...well...I've been doing that ever sense! Got my Bachelors Degree in February of this year and have aspirations to be in OCS by the begining of next.

    Staff meritorious promotions for fleet Sergeants is a long running rumor that I have been unable to confirm or deny (mainly because I don't really care enough to research it). I can however say that one of the quickest (and safest) ways to a meritorious promotion is to take on a B-Billet such as recruiting. The Marine Corps Recruiting Command gets an INSANE amount of the total quotas for meritorious Staff Sergeant every year. If you really want it; thats the place to get it.


  10. #40
    Any NJP's or courts martial?

    I'm serious. A Captain I was working with once told me he'd recommended a particular Sergeant for Marine of the Month because the man seemed really squared away and on the ball. After the Captain had turned in the recommendation, he found out the Sergeant had been court martialed a couple of times, had other HJP's, etc.

    Just because someone is outstanding today doesn't mean there aren't skeletons in his closet.


  11. #41
    Goes to show the changes. In my days , a meritorious promotion was meant as a reward for being an excellent and outstanding Marine. You didnt take any tests, anything like that. If your Commanding Officer put you up for it, it most always was granted. However, In my 5 years in service, I only saw 3. They just didnt give em out like it seems they do now, according to the posts. Seems like some of the post protray it to be a test to see who can score the highest score.
    Guess I will quit bragging about me getting one. I actually thought it was special.


  12. #42
    Me, I wasn't too concerned with picking up rank too quickly to begin with it really does take a while for most of us to really develop leadership skills to the point that we are able to lead a squad of Marines in real life, I mean doing all the right things on paper is one thing but being an effective small unit leader involves incredible maturity and bearing, in my time 2 yr contract Cpls. coming off of sea duty were a real problem they knew exactly where to put their ribbons and prepare for inspections but had no idea on how to call for fire, set up a proper defensive position using the terrain to their advantage, read a map while leading a patrol, etc. etc. etc....It was a pain in the a** having to teach them as NCO's they should be up to speed for their MOS period. Meritorious boards are a great test of one's bearing and command presence in a stressful situation but should be reserved for Marines that have the experience as well as a fair amt. of time in grade/service to warrant the award.

    Yes I did recieve a meritorious promotion to Lcpl that was given based on a specific action, I blew a meritorious board promotion for Cpl. out my a** because I was young and impatient. eventually I did get Cpl.

    I did however hold billets of squad ldr. and section ldr. in my wpns. plt. from the time I was a PFC and I Led United States Marines by example! 18 min. run times don't mean sh*t if your Marines wont respond to your direction. Your team is a direct and highly visible reflection of who you are as a leader.

    This is the end of my little tangent.

    Semper Fi...


  13. #43
    In my opinion, meritorious promotion criteria give too much weight to the tangible qualities of a Marine (i.e. PFT score, MCI completion and the accidental variable that is the Marine Corps proficiency and conduct system), while not giving enough weight to the intangible qualities that make a Marine a leader such as MOS credibility, leadership of peers and subordinate and mission accomplishment. Obviously the Marine Corps will NEVER find an equation that ALWAYS equals out to a Marine who will be successful at the next higher grade. However, if I had to choose between a Marine that succeeded in category one (PFT, MCI, PROS CONS), and a Marine that succeded in categoy two (LEADERSHIP, MOS CREDIBILITY, MISSION ACCOMPLISHMENT), the Marine who I would whether promote into a level fo responsbility would be Marine who succeeded in category two (and the occassional motivator who succeeded in both categories).

    Truth be told, Corporals have plenty of time and resources available to work on the issues in category one. I call the pros and cons system of the Marine Corps an 'accidental variable' because it is intended to be a rigid, non objective system, but ultimately ends up being a product of who ever your leader happens to be at the time. You would be hard pressed to find two NCOs that reccomend the same pros and cons (independantly of one another) for the same work performance from a Marine for the same reason. Fix actions that could make the process more consistent (such as requiring Lance Corporal to do Counseling for Marines prior to picking up Corporal or instituting an indoctrination course indepenent from Corporals Course for new NCOs ala Navy) are not instituted or are poorly enforced.

    However those intangible details into a person's character that make up their aptitute for leadership difficult to come by and are hardly represented by a Marine's PFT score or MCI completion (especially with all of the gratuitious cheating STILL going on in that realm). Thus a Marine possessing the greatest amount of influence on his subordinates and peer group, who always accomplishes the mission regardless to his familiarity to the subject, and who is enthusiastic and selfless, may find himself disqualified from a meritorious board because his pros and cons are 4.4/4.5 instead of 4.5/4.5?

    The easy way out is to throw up your hands and say "his leadership failed him". The RIGHT thing to do, is to create a system that doesn't claim to be inline with the needs of the Marine Corps but instead serves some cookie cutter description of what it means to be a "good" Marine.


  14. #44
    bulk... if it hasn't been explained... YES there are SSgt mertorious boards as well as Gunny, MSgt and maybe MGySgt boards... but these will only be seen by the top of the top who get passed over for crap reasons. I've only seen a SSgt and GySgt board, but have heard of MSgt boards... never heard of someone getting MGySgt though....

    doesn't matter, I can confirm the SSgt boards.


  15. #45
    My cutting score for Cpl is around 1730 I think and my composite score is hovering around 1500 at the moment. I know it will take time for me to make Cpl and I'm fine with that because I want to be ready to lead when I make rank. I pay alot of attention to the way my NCO/SNCO's operate when I'm working so I can go by their examples when I'm the one in front of the formation one day. That's my take on the subject.


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