My Career Path

[SSgt Ramsey]

You should have already met and seen your CRS in at the minimum your initial interview with him/her. You're on the right track and shows that you have initiative with your future...a lot of young Marine's don't and usually give you the deer in the headlights look at FTAP.

It won't hurt you one bit to go see the GySgt and tell them your desires to Latmove out of your Current MOS into Intel...

He/She SHOULD write this information down in your contact sheet to remind themselves of your desires when the FTAP point comes for you. As a Career Planner, your contact sheets are your lifes-blood in dealing with Marines...when you have a large Bn or Regiment to deal with, you can't remember every single Marine and their requests/issues...I dont' care who you are as a CRS...and I've worked from the Squadron, Wing, Bn, and Regimental level as a CRS.

I can't remember all the criteria as I have been away for a while now, but it's usually pretty similar year-to-year dependent on the health of the MOS.

[JWDevilDog]

Thank you, SSgt. I will make an appointment with my CRS next week.

Initial interview? Do you mean when I checked into my unit? Well, that is entirely possible, but she wouldn't remember me, and I don't remember her either... But I learned yesterday that we have a Sgt. CRS as well. I suppose he's not the main CRS, but rather just an aid of sorts? But I suppose it doesn't matter, because the Gunny will probably be more knowledgeable (no offense to any Sgts, of course), because of her abundant experience. That being said, it would probably be more beneficial to meet with the Gunny rather than the Sgt.

[SSgt Ramsey]

You should have a formal interview at the 22-24 month to meet your CRS and discuss the possibilities available, your current scores etc. and how to improve them etc. and what you want to do i.e. reenlist, extend for a deployment, MSG or whatever...it just gives them a reference point when the FTAP is conducted to refresh themselves and it is signed by both you and the CRS.

In large units, it's fairly common to have 2 CRS' present....sometimes the junior one is school trained or doing OJT prior to going to school. I had a LCpl at 2d TSB to help me out....with 1500 people and 6 companies...I was very busy and he helped a lot. It's changed a lot since 2000 when I started out, and I'm sure that it has changed from my departure.

In the "old days", the Career Planner was a billet, not a SDA. There is a unfortunate stigma to Career Planners that we're all lazy, couldn't be promoted etc. and sadly, that was the case in some Marines I had the displeasure to meet, but there were some great CarPlan's out there. When I started, there were very few Sgt's on the force...most were SSgt, GySgt, and MSgt in the Squadron level at Cherry Point. I took over a unit from a GySgt and she was awesome and taught me the job prior to going to school and really set me up for success, but you have to want to excel and work for it. Now it's a primary MOS vice B-Billet with promotion opportunity etc. and advancement through the various MSC's and billets. It's not a joke being a Sgt CRS....there are a lot of pitfall's and you can easily be crushed if you do something stupid or allow your CO to get blindsided by a Nasty-Gram...or fail a CGI inspection and be relieved for cause and all sorts of bad things happen then which I seen several times.

It doesn't matter whom you see r.e. the Sgt or the GySgt....if they are both CRS' they know what's going on and the Sgt is refining him/herself in the MOS....there's a LOT to learn and you don't have a lot of time to do it in.

[JWDevilDog]

Very good information, thank you SSgt. Yes, I haven't hit my 24 month mark (in fact, about to go into my 15 month mark), so that's why I haven't met with the CRS yet. That being said, I can see why some think it is too early for me to meet with the CRS. I haven't been in all that long, really. However, I believe that the sooner I can get the ball rolling with this lat-move, the better off I (and hopefully the Marine Corps, too) will be.

[SSgt Ramsey]

The 22/24 month interview is a requirement, but there is a space provided on the contact sheet for unscheduled interviews or walk-ins as I called them when it came time for inspection.

I like that you are being proactive and aggressive in this...that says a lot about you as a Marine and is much different than the norm I assure you.

As a Career Planner, even though I may have been buried or doing whatever, I never turned a Marine away who stopped by...it was my job and my duty to the Marine's and I took it seriously. I probably know your Gunny lol....I was around a LONG time in that world and knew most of the senior ones personally or at the least good via phone and e-mail. It's a pretty small niche, and the percentage of really good ones is small.

[JWDevilDog]

Like I said, I've never met her, but I believe her name is Hispanic. Gunny Dominguez, maybe.

The way I see it, SSgt., I enlisted to make a difference, and I don't feel like I am doing that right now, honestly. Now, I could just slime by and do four and out, and try not to worry about it. But really I threw away a lot to join the Corps. A girlfriend whom I was probably going to marry in good time, and a free college education, for starters. I figure four and out isn't good enough for me. Not saying there is anything wrong with doing that. I'm just saying I feel like I need to do my best as a Marine, because I owe it to so many people, to my country, and especially to myself.

So the way I look at it is that I'm in for 20, at least. Why would I do something for all that time that just makes makes me miserable? So that's why I'm being aggressive about this. It affects more than just myself. It affects the Corps and possibly my family and friends from back home, too.

[Accord]

JWDevilDog, i'm sending you a PM with my phone #. Call me.

[RecruiterDan]

One great reason to move into Intel or another line of work that gets you a Secret or Top Secret clearance is that after getting at least 4 years of experience under your belt, civilian companies will hire you for great pay in a heartbeat. My company is actually looking to hire almost 200 each of HUMINT, SIGINT, All-Source, and Collections Managers to deploy to Afghanistan for 12 months, and the pay will likely start from $80,000- $120,000 without a college degree. Practically no other jobs outside of the military can pay like that. The hiring will start in Sept and continue for the next 2 years. Drop a line if interested.

[PaidinBlood]

Knock off the SPAM, clown...

[Lisa 23]

That's about the 4th or 5th time I've seen the same post from RecruiterDan.

[PaidinBlood]

Yeah he's been busy....

[RecruiterDan]

Why shouldn't Marines know that there are great jobs for them on the outside, especially if they get into Intel or IT? I haven't seen any other people post to encourage Marines to go Intel based on pay on the outside. The only way that I can get that message out to each of the folks that asked the question is to reply to each of their posts.

[PaidinBlood]

Those opportunities are great, but this is not a place for advertising. However now we are discussing and that's what this is about.

[RecruiterDan]

Open Squad Bay Exchange ideas and thoughts with your Band of Brothers. Remember to be courteous and respectful.

"Knock off the SPAM, clown..."

Real respectful. If you are all so worried about having to get e-mail notices about the same info, or what seems useless to you, imagine how all the members feel when they receive short, and contentless messages. If someone wants to dominate the board and control all the content, first they could start their own website, and next they could post gigantic pictures of them selves with EVERY POST! Really. Ease up.

[PaidinBlood]

I wasn't worried about the feelings of a drive by spammer. I saw you rolled in, found every 0211 related post, pasted the same advertisement and moved on. If you are actually here to talk and contribute then I won't call you a clown. Hell, in that case, welcome aboard. Take the chance to introduce yourself to your brothers, then.

SF