Expert: Rod Powers - 4/5/2007

Question
QUESTION: i know in the marine corps you start off as a private. Get some college unit and your become private first class. How fast can you become lance corporal from there? Any thing you can do to get faster ranked such as getting some recruits in? if so, how many recruits do you have to bring in to become lance corporal and how long is it to become a corporal?
ANSWER: Hi John,

Each of the military services offer advanced enlistment rank (ranging from E-2 to E-4 -- depending on the service) for various things, such as college credits, or referring others for enlistment.

For details, see http://usmilitary.about.com/cs/joiningup/a/recruiter4_4.htm.

However, as you can see from this part of my article, the maximum advanced enlistment one can get in the Marine Corps is E-2 (Private First Class). That's the absolute maximum one can get for advanced enlistment in the Marine Corps. Unlike the Army, the Marines do not give advanced rank for recruit referrals.

For requirements for Marine Corps enlisted promotions, see my article at: http://usmilitary.about.com/cs/marinepromotions/a/marineprom.htm.

Hope this helps!

Rod Powers
http://usmilitary.about.com


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: E2? I was told that with promotion from boot camp (recruit being a guide gets promotion to next rank). So if I enter as PFC because I have college units, and if I was the Guide or one of the Squad Leaders, I would graduate with Lance Corporal. NO?

Answer
Hi John,

I'm afraid not. You're speaking of the Marine Corps Meritorious Promotion Program. Did your recruiter tell you that promotions from PFC to Lance Corporal were "automatic" if you got selected as a Guide or a Squad Leader? If so, he/she ought to be ashamed of him/herself. That's not how it works.

What you're referring to is a "meritorious promotion," and it's far from "automatic."

This is covered by the Marine Corps Enlisted Promotion Regulation (MCO P1400.32D, dated MAY 11 2006 (see: http://usmilitary.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?zi=1/XJ/Ya&sdn=usmilitary&cdn).

The procedures are in Chapter 4, page 4-14, paragraph 4200 1b.

It states: "b. LCPL. Those recruits who are under contract to be promoted upon graduation to PFC, per their Statement of Understanding, and are graduating ***as a platoon honor graduate***, **may** be promoted to LCpl when, ***in the opinion of the commanding general***, they have demonstrated outstanding leadership potential. Promotion to LCpl (USMC or USMCR) will then be effected on the date of graduation to rank from the 2d day of the graduation month, or to rank from the 2d day of the previous month if graduation occurs on the 1st day of the month. "

Here's what this means (without the military 'gobbly-gook.': In order to be promoted to E-3 upon graduation from basic, you must (1) be contracted for enlistment at the rank of PFC (E-2) (for such things as college credits), (2) display leadership ability (such as Guide or Squad Leader, and (3) -- and this part your recruiter may have failed to mention, be an honor graduate from basic. That means being in the top 10 percent of your Platoon, when it comes to all the scored areas (DI evaluations, written tests, practical tests, shooting scores on the range, PT scores, etc.).

It's not an "automatic" thing. With the exception of PFC (E-2), the Marines *NEVER* give away automatic promotions. You have to earn the promotion based on performance.

Hope this helps!

Rod Powers
http://usmilitary.about.com