I just graduated recruit training, i was curious about the fastest promoting billets? i heard infantry is very full right now i was curious about my options
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I just graduated recruit training, i was curious about the fastest promoting billets? i heard infantry is very full right now i was curious about my options
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The fastest promotions are in the technnical fields. The reason is the training provides an opportunity for good civilian jobs and more people leave the Corps after their first enlistment, opening up promotions for those in their MOS.
The way to get promoted in the Marines or any other branch of the military is to do a good job. The Navy gives you a test; doing a good job will prepare you for the tests. The Marine Corps uses a system of points based on several ways they judge your ability to be a marine. As Trey said, those scores are called cutting scores. At one time it was based on proficiency and conduct scores given by your NCOIC, time in grade, and time in service. They have added other scores including your marksmanship, how well you do on you physical fitness test, and points for training, taking college courses, etc.
You can also get points for referring people to a Marine recruiter. You should already know this, as there may have been one or two recruits in your platoon who graduated recruit training as a Lance Corporal by referral points.
If you excel at what you do, you can be recommended for a meritorious promotion by your NCOIC. If you are recommended, you'll go before a board of, probably, one officer and 4 or 5 enlisted marines. If you make it past the first board, you compete on a base level at another board. Getting promoted meritoriously is really hard because you are competing with other excellent marines if you can get recommended.
Here is a link that looks pretty accurate: http://usmilitary.about.com/cs/marinepromotions/a/...
<EDIT> I appreciate Brandon's comment. But, I don't agree that the Army promotes faster because it is bigger. If the Amry has 1000 men competing for 100 slots and the Marine Corps has 100 men competing for 10 slots, the chances of promotion are the same.
The reason the Army promotes faster is because the Marines have a better retention rate. Referring to the above example, if 50 Army personnel re-enlist who have those slots, there are 50 slots to be filled by new promotions. If 6 of the marines in those 10 slots re-enlist, then 4 slots will be filled by promotions. The chance of promotion in the Army is cut by 50% and the chance of promotion in the Marines is cut by 60%.
The reason Amry promotions are faster is because people get out of the Army at a higher rate and open more slots up for promotion. Now, do you want to be in the organization where more people get out or the one where more people re-enlist?
Ok then why the hell didn't you join the Army? Wow another one f*cked by the hype train. Consider that on your re enlistment. Devil Dawg is correct that the technical fields promote quicker. If you work hard and prove yourself, I'm sure you will make CPL before you leave the marines. You can re enlist in the Army if they are taking prior service at the time and do the same sh*t but promote much quicker. The Marines just don't have the billets available because they are a small force.
Just look at the cutting scores, man.
And I think you mean MOS because billet (as we referred to them) are basically just titles. A billet won't have anything to do with promotion prior to E-6.
As a former Marine who ended up having the Military Occupational Specialty of Fiscal Accounting Technician, I can say yes rifleman first. Bootcamp all were treated same no matter what MOS designated. PT vigorously rest of career - with marches, rifle range shooting regular part of routine. A war breaks out and every Marine finds out he is a grunt first.
If you go recon, it is pretty easy to get promoted. But actually getting into recon is hard. Their cutting scores for promotion are usually low.
All other 03 MOS's are a bit harder. Their cutting scores are usually higher than any other MOS in the Marine Corps, and a lot of times they are closed out (meaning no one gets promoted)
COOK!