View Full Version : How do you become a Scribe or Squad Leader?
I really really want to be my platoon Honor Man when I graduate PI. I've heard these responsibilities (Scribe/Squad Leader) help out towards becoming the Honor Man. My question is how do they pick who does each job? Also I got a 90 AFQT and my last IST I ran a 10:34 mile and a half , did 11 pull ups, and 100+ crunches. Does any of this effect my chances? I ship out Nov. 12.
Shoot, if you want to be guaranteed as guide, learn to march. Learn how to drill. Pop those sticks. And seriously, be a complete dick lol. Act like a mini-di. DI's love to see recruits "take charge"....
HardJedi
11-02-07, 01:35 PM
yes. it affects your chance. you'll have to do a whole hell of alot better than those numbers to be honor man
and no, you DON'T have to be a complete dick to be guide, or a mini-DI. thats complete B.S. our guide was one of the nicest, most helpful guys I ever knew in the Marines.
you'll need a 300 pft, and to shoot expert on the range. and to score very high on all your written exams. at least, thats how it used to be.
killerinstinct
11-02-07, 02:03 PM
HEY Achped looks like someone was reading the thread about how to get out of firewatch huh?
thewookie
11-02-07, 02:25 PM
I really really want to be my platoon Honor Man when I graduate PI.
A lot of people want a lot of things but few will make the sacrifices to get them. What I want to know is why do you want to be the platoon honor man? To be a leader or to have the kudos? Sounds to me like you want the kudos. It's a good goal to shoot for don't get me wrong, but if you go there and stand out physically, and in all the other area's those fancy titles and billets will come. Set your goal to be the best Marine on the Island because that's the peak and that's a lofty but attainable goal.
Zulu 36
11-02-07, 02:46 PM
I have never heard of a scribe making Honor Man. And I was a scribe.
Make meritorious PFC, yes, but Honor Man?
Not to say it never happens, but I never heard of it. If you weren't the guide or a squad leader, fuggetaboutit.
Back when I went through there were few contract PFCs (had to be prior service, period) and only a maximum of 10% of the platoon could make meritorious PFC. Not all platoons promoted their full quota (most did).
My platoon was allowed to vote for the Honor Man. The landslide winner was the guide. He didn't get it. One of the squad leaders did. No democracy in the Corps. :evilgrin:
HardJedi, my heavy let me sit on the company street while the platoon was pitted because I was stabbing recruits with the guidon to get out of the house. (Our kill hat told me to) ROFL. I retract what I said, you don't "HAVE" to be mean, in fact, depending on your style, it may be better to be a nice/helpful guide.
But that wasn't the way it was in my platoon.
HEY Achped looks like someone was reading the thread about how to get out of firewatch huh?
What can I say? :cool:
zackmerc
11-02-07, 06:55 PM
Our Senior Drill Instructor asked who had the highest ASVAB scores and who had college experience. One of the recruits in our platoon had a 91 and had a degree in college. He instantly became the head scribe. The company scribe and the other two were simple volunteers, nothing special.
As for becoming a squad leader, I think it's different for every drill instructor. Our drill instructor just asked the recruits on forming day and made them squad leader. Eventually, more competent recruits would replace them.
I remember our senior appointing a recruit who had jrotc experience as guide. He lasted till about mid way through second phase and got replaced.
To answer why I want to become the platoon Honor Man it is because I want to be the best I can be and I thought that was the result. I just want to shoot for the best and if I'm not mistaken the Honor Man is the best in the platoon. Also, I come from a family of Marines and I do want a little bit of bragging rights within the family. My family will not let me forget that they did better than me in recruit training, lol. Thank you for all the great answers and I'm sorry if I came off as wanting this just for the attention. I just want to be the best, thats why I joined the Marine Corps.
zackmerc
11-03-07, 01:19 PM
Deep down inside, you probably just want the free dress blues. :)
Just kidding.
If you don't get to be the guide at first, catch the guide at his worst time and try to get him replaced by you.:thumbup:
I think the Dress Blues are becoming standard issue anyway, which is why our CRA will be increasing next year. EVERY Marine will be expected ot have a set.
vicbx2006
11-03-07, 05:55 PM
Interesting replies all.
I was the Guide, Platoon Honor Man and Company Honor Man.
I got picked cause I was the oldest, and most mature, recruit in the platoon. I didn't want it, but once I got it I did the best I possibly could because I don't do anything half-ass.
First thing I did was ask the Senior what he expected from his guide and I tried to do just that.
I was a mentor, advisor, and example to my fellow recruits. I also tried to be a manager in that I met with my Squad Leaders every night after lights to find out what was going on with their recruits and pass on word from the SDI. And when I had to, I enforced discipline. I wasn't a dick but I was stern when I dealt with the knuckleheads. In fact, they all introduced me to their parents at graduation as the guy that got them thru boot camp. I'm glad I could help.
Yeah, you get the glory at the end, but there is a price to leadership. You will get DESTROYED on a DAILY basis. Everything anyone in the platoon does wrong is the guide's fault. You will get blamed and killed anytime anyone does anything.
I wanted to resign several times but I'm not a quitter, so I stuck with it. It was hard, but in the end it was worth it.
My biggest piece of advice would be, don't look for it. If you seek out glory, it will become obvious that you are a glory-hound. DIs hate glory-hounds because they get people killed on the battle-field. There was a recruit who wanted to be the guide and lobbied for the job. He ended up dropping out. He's back in his home town now and I'm in the Fleet. Be fast, loud, and vicious and the DIs will see that you are motivated. They will treat you accordingly.
Good luck.
Camper51
11-03-07, 07:21 PM
I really really want to be my platoon Honor Man when I graduate PI. I've heard these responsibilities (Scribe/Squad Leader) help out towards becoming the Honor Man. My question is how do they pick who does each job? Also I got a 90 AFQT and my last IST I ran a 10:34 mile and a half , did 11 pull ups, and 100+ crunches. Does any of this effect my chances? I ship out Nov. 12.
You will probably NOT be the honor man simply because you seek to be one. It's been my experience that those who want the glory and honors rarely get it because they ask to be seen and they are generally unworthy gloryhounds. Those who get the honors don't usually want it but it is thrust upon them because they have shown leadership skills...
Zulu 36
11-03-07, 07:59 PM
Our Senior Drill Instructor asked who had the highest ASVAB scores and who had college experience. One of the recruits in our platoon had a 91 and had a degree in college. He instantly became the head scribe. The company scribe and the other two were simple volunteers, nothing special.
My platoon's first scribe was a college grad. He was also a reservist. He was fired after about two weeks because he was, as the Kill Hat called him, "An educated idiot." They looked for a HS grad next and that was me. No volunteering involved.
vicbx2006
11-04-07, 12:57 AM
You will probably NOT be the honor man simply because you seek to be one. It's been my experience that those who want the glory and honors rarely get it because they ask to be seen and they are generally unworthy gloryhounds. Those who get the honors don't usually want it but it is thrust upon them because they have shown leadership skills...
LOL I was trying to be diplomatic, but that's it in a nutshell.
Covey_Rider
11-04-07, 04:40 AM
Interesting replies all.
I was the Guide, Platoon Honor Man and Company Honor Man.
I got picked cause I was the oldest, and most mature, recruit in the platoon. I didn't want it, but once I got it I did the best I possibly could because I don't do anything half-ass.
First thing I did was ask the Senior what he expected from his guide and I tried to do just that.
I was a mentor, advisor, and example to my fellow recruits. I also tried to be a manager in that I met with my Squad Leaders every night after lights to find out what was going on with their recruits and pass on word from the SDI. And when I had to, I enforced discipline. I wasn't a dick but I was stern when I dealt with the knuckleheads. In fact, they all introduced me to their parents at graduation as the guy that got them thru boot camp. I'm glad I could help.
Yeah, you get the glory at the end, but there is a price to leadership. You will get DESTROYED on a DAILY basis. Everything anyone in the platoon does wrong is the guide's fault. You will get blamed and killed anytime anyone does anything.
I wanted to resign several times but I'm not a quitter, so I stuck with it. It was hard, but in the end it was worth it.
My biggest piece of advice would be, don't look for it. If you seek out glory, it will become obvious that you are a glory-hound. DIs hate glory-hounds because they get people killed on the battle-field. There was a recruit who wanted to be the guide and lobbied for the job. He ended up dropping out. He's back in his home town now and I'm in the Fleet. Be fast, loud, and vicious and the DIs will see that you are motivated. They will treat you accordingly.
Good luck.
I couldn't agree with you more...I was the same as you. Plt Honorman/Co Honorman. You will get slayed and tortured more then anybody in the platoon. Especially during 1st phase. I managed to endure being the guide all thirteen weeks. I was fired a few times but only for a few days and then re-hired. Do not go to boot with the intent on already being the best. Because chances are there is somebody better then you. If you do get appointed as the guide, then you will be in that position because you are a leader. There were some guys in the platoon that could do more pull-ups then I could and could run faster. But they couldn't lead. We also had a guy in my platoon who picked up with us from MRP, he thought he knew everything about everything...so he was given a shot at being the guide. Well all he was, was a power hungry individual who took the power and ran with it. He lasted 3 days. There are times when I had to be a dick and there were times when I just sat down with everyone to see how they were doing. The main point is that you need to care for the people that you are leading. It's never about yourself, always about the people underneath you.
sparkie
11-04-07, 05:37 AM
I was the guide' cause I was the tallest, and the fastest. After 3 weeks, I lost it, having been beaten with the sticks. The guy that beat me made honor. In those days, only 1 made PFC. and he had to show himself to be the best at everything, and could loose it for any wim of the DIs.
Thanks again for all the replies. I actually don't think I'll get it because I am definately not the strongest, and I've never led anyone. I just thought I'd aim high. Thanks for all the replies Marines.
bgsuwoody
11-06-07, 11:43 PM
Leadership is often a natural thing. Just because you haven't led yet doesn't mean you don't have it and just because you aren't the strongest doesn't mean you aren't the best leader, though often because you are looked at as a mentor, you should strive to be the best to get that from others.
I was 4th squad leader in bootcamp, though not the guide, we didn't have very many we had 2 very good ones. Our first made a critical and horrific mistake during initial drill and the second one was Company Honorman. I always tried to be better than the guide at everything. If it was in PFT or leadership or anything. I would learn all of the movements with the guidon and when the guide was not present or had something else to do I carried the guidon as I was one of the best drillers and knew the manual for the guidon. I attempted to learn everything just in case my time came. Much of the time I would say that I had more respect as a leader than the guide and I often spent my time mentoring him at techniques. It is a team effort in the end. My squad adored me and worked with me instead of for me.
Like Covey said you WILL GET DESTROYED no matter the leadership position. The responsibility falls on you. I would spend all of my square away time and any time mentoring, tutoring, or making sure my squad had their **** squared away and ready to go for the next day. If they had trouble with drill or knowledge I was the first one most of the platoon would come to with help on anything from Land Nav, to Prac App, Knowledge and especially for Standing and Marching Manual Drill.
If you want the leadership position you have to be prepared to put everyone above yourself and prove that not only are you willing to do that, but you are willing to give 110% at everything you do all the time whether you are the best or not. I rather have been burnt on the quarterdeck or the pit anyday for not getting my **** squared away because I helped my squad than to have seen my squad get decked for my failure to assure they were squared away...though I often went too lol :)