Squad Leader and PFC Promotion question....

[MotoDad]

Question for all you Marines out there:

My son had a very high IST / PFT score when he reported to Processing at MCRD a few weeks ago.....he was immediately appointed as one the Squad Leaders for his Platoon.....

In his first letter home, he said he gets IT'ed practically ALL DAY LONG.....because when one of his guys screws-up, it's their Squad Leader who pays the physical punishment with a TON of push-ups, etc.....only 3 weeks into Boot and he said he has already done so many push-ups his hands are bleeding.....BUT, he is still determined to give everything he has to hold onto his Squad Leader position!

Before he shipped-out, his recruiter told him that VERY RARELY are the ORIGINAL squad leaders STILL the squad leaders at the END of Boot Camp.....the recruiter told him it would be much better to pick-up squad leader maybe 1/2 way or more through Boot, because it was the guys who had the job at the END of Boot that got the meritorious promotion to PFC......

Do all you Marines agree with all of that? In your experience, did you ever know (or hear about) a guy who stayed Squad Leader from start-to-finish of Boot Camp?

It would really SUCK to have the job (and have to deal with all the s--t), for 6-8 weeks of Boot and then get "demoted" towards the end.....

Have any of you Marines ever heard of a "former" squad leader (who had the role for many weeks of Boot, but not at the end), still getting promoted to PFC?

MotoDad out

[DevsDad]

The Marines here can build on this but I remember my son telling me you get ITd because:
1. You screwed up
2. Someone else screwed up
3. Someones getting ITd and you where just handy


As time goes on being ITd will roll off his back, in fact if he is in as good as shape as you think he is it will become almost a game with his DIs ( he might actually ask for more! )

Dont make to much outta it Dad.. its a long 13 weeks and hes just getting started. As for the PFC thing he will have plenty of opportunity to earn that title besides being squad leader. Also remember its only his first letter home and Phase I is ALL about breaking them down. The best thing you can do is always, always, always be positive in your daily letter to him.

[NoRemorse]

He's in First Phase. First Phase recruits suck, thusly they get IT'd a lot.

As for him being a squad leader. he could be fired and rehired multiple times. He could also become guide. As a guide he'd pay for everyone's mistakes regardless.

As long as he's pushing himself; giving 100%; keeping his head down;moving with speed and intensity; sounding off at the top of his lungs; and executing all orders crisply and instantaneously he should be good to go. If he's an outsanding recruit he may be chosen for promotion to PFC regardless of whatever billet he holds in the platoon.

Tell him to keep focused and stay motivated.

[KawiGunny]

He's in First Phase. First Phase recruits suck, thusly they get IT'd a lot.

As for him being a squad leader. he could be fired and rehired multiple times. He could also become guide. As a guide he'd pay for everyone's mistakes regardless.

As long as he's pushing himself; giving 100%; keeping his head down;moving with speed and intensity; sounding off at the top of his lungs; and executing all orders crisply and instantaneously he should be good to go. If he's an outsanding recruit he may be chosen for promotion to PFC regardless of whatever billet he holds in the platoon.

Tell him to keep focused and stay motivated.

I agree. I was a squad leader on two seperate occaissions. Lost the job the last time 3 weeks before graduation. I was still meritoriously promoted because I never skipped a step. Write him and tell him to keep charging hard even if he gets fired.

[DAMNPROUD]

Devsdad hit it straight on with his comments i beleive.BEING ITD is part of it my son said he was quarterdecked so much he owned it.as far as squad leader goes,im not sure the DI'S want one person to be squad leader for the duration,could be wrong.

[MotoDad]

Thank you all for your comments......

My son's a tough cookie and if anyone has a chance to keep SL all the way through Boot, I would put my money on him (but I guess all Dad's think that about their son's)....

However, his UZ contract is 0321/Recon.....so I hope his current 280's PFT gets even better by the end of Boot....he'll need to be in the best shape of his life to have a shot at making it.....

I sure am proud of my son!

PS:

Hey, DAMNPROUD.....I've also bowhunted with custom-made recurves for 23 years! Have owned several Mike Palmer recurves, (2) Shafer Silvertips, a Black Widow, a Bob Lee "Classic" and a few others......

MotoDad out

[commdog7]

I never knew anyone who was a squad-leader/guide the whole way through. If he is trying to keep the squad-leader position only because he sees that meritorious promotion in his future, that is all the wrong reasons. He should be trying to hold on to it because he enjoys the challenge and wants that extra training. If it's only for the promotion, he might be devistated if he doesn't get it- which could hurt his mindset of the Corps in the fleet.

Not all the squad-leaders/guides got meritorious promotions, it is up to the DI's to pick the top 10% they feel are deserving. There were a few recruits in my platoon who received a meritorous promotion who never held a billet. My acting guide two weeks before graduation lost her meritorious promotion because she p!ssed off the SDI. It happens.

It is too early to tell whether or not he will get it. Do not expect it, because it can be taken away.

[JSam]

If I may ( I don't want to catch hell for this, I'm just trying to help), one of the guys from our office was Guide for 11 of the 13 weeks. He got fired for one small **** up, and then ended up scaring the person who was given guide after him that the guide 'quit' and the DI's gave the job back to him. ( I know that sounds like a BS story, but that's how he told it.) He ended up graduating as Guide, Platoon Honorman and meritorious PFC. He said he only reason for not getting Company Honorman was because he stepped off with the wrong foot on his dismissal from a test/interview/something.

Hope that helps a little. Best wishes to your son.

[dizark]

In my original platoon, 2 of the squad leaders were squad leaders all the way through if I remember correctly. They were all fired maybe once or twice, but always rehired. They were also always punished for the mistakes of the platoon.

Best of luck to your son and his goals.