View Full Version : Can you graduate bootcamp as a Lance Corporal?
Poolee Vasquez
03-26-09, 10:57 AM
I would like to know if you can leave bootcamp as a Lance Corporal and if so how?
NoRemorse
03-26-09, 10:59 AM
I would like to know if you can leave bootcamp as a Lance Corporal and if so how?
Read the stickies; use the search feature, this has been covered as recently as last week.
If you happen to be in 3rd BN I Co your chances are slim. Our company honor grad was a contract PFC and still didn't get LCpl
If you graduate boot camp lance corporal, I'm sorry...
JWDevilDog
03-26-09, 11:49 AM
Yeah, I wouldn't have wanted LCPL out of boot. You will be looked down on as a useless boot when you get to the Fleet, and will be treated just like a PFC. No one likes boot Lances, at least when...
TexasDvlDog
03-26-09, 03:47 PM
By the time I got to the FMF I was already a LCpl (contract PFC and 7 months in Motor-T School), no one looked down on me because of that. Hell there were a handfull of us that left Camp Johnson with our "crossed rifles"
Poolee Vasquez
03-26-09, 08:12 PM
It was something that I just wanted to know because I thought the highest rank that you can graduate from bootcamp was PFC.
JWDevilDog
03-27-09, 12:39 AM
Technically, yes you can. It is usually only given to those recruits who were contracted PFC. You won't see someone getting two meritorious promotions in boot camp.
It is extremely rare, though. I know my Senior, for example, refused to give E-3 to a grunt. His reasoning is that in many times in the infantry, LCPLs are fireteam leaders, and he didn't want a boot LCPL leading Marines in combat. That was just his reasoning.
Out of two companies graduating on my graduation day (Bravo co, mine, and November co, our sisters), there was only one LCPL. She was a contract PFC, and was company high shooter AND company high PFT for November company. She pretty well deserved it.
hey gunny, same as me... I was the only Lance other than a wing retread....
I never marched in formation, it was nice.
and I didn't really get messed with in FMF... they tried telling me to find a can of beep and I called them retarded and walked away. No-one joked with me for a long time after that... probably not a good thing I guess.
0231Marine
03-27-09, 06:40 AM
hey gunny, same as me... I was the only Lance other than a wing retread....
I never marched in formation, it was nice.
and I didn't really get messed with in FMF... they tried telling me to find a can of beep and I called them retarded and walked away. No-one joked with me for a long time after that... probably not a good thing I guess.
Now that's funny...lol. Kind of like looking for 50 yds. of flight line or some blinker fluid for the HMMWV. While you're at it, look for the keys too!
The guide for my platoon picked up LCpl out of boot. He was a good guy. I ended up seeing him again in South Korea of all places at the DMZ. He's intel found out he was stationed on Oki too. Funny thing though, I'll be picking up Cpl before he will haha and I graduated a Pvt. It's all about how you apply yourself.
Boot camp doesn't define how do you do in the Corps, I don't know why poolees think it does.
I was a squad leader...umm...no one gives a **** lol
JWDevilDog
03-27-09, 08:55 AM
Boot camp doesn't define how do you do in the Corps
This is true. You can be a complete turd in boot, but you might see the light later. The other way around is true, too.
Boot camp doesn't define how do you do in the Corps, I don't know why poolees think it does.
I was a squad leader...umm...no one gives a **** lol
I was the Big Gear (whiskey locker) recruit. I deserved a NAM for all the Lysol and Brasso I handed out haha!
silverdollar
03-27-09, 09:28 AM
I got out of boot with an XGI, he graduated as an E4.
JWDevilDog
03-27-09, 09:46 AM
I got out of boot with an XGI, he graduated as an E4.
Correct me if I'm wrong, Silverdollar, but an E-4 back then would have been a Sergeant, correct? Just wondering, because I think I read that "Lance Corporal" wasn't established until 1958.
Regardless, a Marine will never come out of boot camp today as anything higher than an E-3, even with prior service.
silverdollar
03-27-09, 09:54 AM
Yes, E4 was buck sgt. the doggie was equal to gunny(E6) while in the Army.
mpellie
03-27-09, 10:04 AM
well,Im prior service and I have a degree...and the highest rank ill be looking at
'upon graduation from recruit training' is E3....Im enlisting under CEP program...
0231Marine
03-27-09, 11:06 AM
You might look at E-3 but chances are, you won't be receiving it upon graduation. The highest you're guarunteed to get is E-2 with that degree.
Which brings me to my question...Why aren't you just going through OCS instead of boot camp?
If you qualify for PFC for college credits (don't know exact minimum), and also get your two referrals would you graduate with LCpl. Anyone know off hand?
I was the Big Gear (whiskey locker) recruit. I deserved a NAM for all the Lysol and Brasso I handed out haha!
Amen to that. Big gear sucked except in the mornings... Occasionally (not really thanks to DGardner) it got me out of getting our morning quarterdecking sessions.
JWDevilDog
03-27-09, 11:20 AM
If you qualify for PFC for college credits (don't know exact minimum), and also get your two referrals would you graduate with LCpl. Anyone know off hand?
I don't think so. Good question, but I sincerely doubt it. I think if you already have contract PFC, and you pick up your two referrals while in the DEP, the Corps would give you a pat on the back, or maybe a tee-shirt. I've never heard of someone getting LCPL for this.
However, if you are a contract PFC, and you get Recruiter's Assistance after boot camp, if you get a certain number of contracts (I think two or three), then yes you will be promoted to LCPL.
JWorkDI
03-27-09, 11:21 AM
If you qualify for PFC for college credits (don't know exact minimum), and also get your two referrals would you graduate with LCpl. Anyone know off hand?
I can't say for certain but I don't believe so, at least not at bootcamp. I think once you graduate as a PFC, you'll have to wait until you get to MCT/SOI before they'll promote you again for the referals. I never saw or heard of that happening when I was a DI.
Only one Marine each graduating class gets LCpl if the DI decides and that is the Company Honorman.
Oddly, I am actually kind of relieved. I didn't want to get too much rank right out of boot. I want to earn it, especially when it comes time to hit the Fleet like others have said. I don't want to be leading a Marine who is no longer "green" to the Corps when I still am. I can see the tension that arises there, and respect that.
JWorkDI
03-27-09, 11:30 AM
Part of being a good leader is remembering that even though you may outrank someone, they may have more experience and it would be in your best interest to seek their guidance if you're in a billet like that.
Just because you outrank someone doesn't always mean you're correct and a lot of Marines seem to think it's the other way around. I've had my run-in's with senior SNCO's and officers who think it's their way or the highway when a simple question is all it takes sometimes to stop and make someone think.
JWorkDI
03-27-09, 11:32 AM
And don't worry about picking up rank too fast. The Marine Corps will promote you as it sees fit and if you have competant leadership, they will make sure you have the tools to succeed in your task....
Part of being a good leader is remembering that even though you may outrank someone, they may have more experience and it would be in your best interest to seek their guidance if you're in a billet like that.
Just because you outrank someone doesn't always mean you're correct and a lot of Marines seem to think it's the other way around. I've had my run-in's with senior SNCO's and officers who think it's their way or the highway when a simple question is all it takes sometimes to stop and make someone think.
Good to go, thank you for that advice. I will heed that and use it if I am so lucky to earn the Title. :thumbup::flag:
If you qualify for PFC for college credits (don't know exact minimum), and also get your two referrals would you graduate with LCpl. Anyone know off hand?
I was told that you DO become a LCpl if you get 2 referrals in DEP if you are starting out as a PFC. I would be going in as a PFC due to college credits and my recruiter tells me to try and get a few people to join so that I can make LCpl...
JWDevilDog
03-27-09, 12:08 PM
I was told that you DO become a LCpl if you get 2 referrals in DEP if you are starting out as a PFC. I would be going in as a PFC due to college credits and my recruiter tells me to try and get a few people to join so that I can make LCpl...
Ehh, I guess it's possible, I've just never really heard of it happening. I guess that would give a few poolees some motivation to get a few contracts. I guess it makes sense, in terms of recruiting.
Well, in that case we will see what happens. I could care less about rank because at the moment all that matters is the Title of Marine. But, as long as I follow SSgt Workman's advice to never let rank outweigh experience and advice it should be good to go.
It is possible, but the chances of it actually going through are slim to none. I know because my recruiter had told me the same thing when I was a private. I ended up reffering over 5 people and 3 actually made it through boot camp with my name on there paperwork as a referrel. My recruiter got a few more tacs on his "Recruiter of the month for most DEP in's board" and I never got promoted. Just make your way through the ranks. Im glad that I got a chance to serve ample time in each one.
hunter01
03-27-09, 02:28 PM
I was told by my recruiter that you can't use two things to become a L/Cpl.
You can use either 2 years of ROTC, 15 or more college credits. or 2 referrals but if you have two or more of these things you can still only contract as a PFC. Because what if you had all three then you would be a boot corporal. My recruiter told me that if I got two referrals he would give me a beanie for the first one and a sweatshirt for the second since I already had ROTC. lol