Anyone was/is in the Marine Corps, is it true that...?

Question

Promotions do come the slowest than in any other branches?

What about as an officer?

Thanks

Hey joby10095, I want to do Intelligence or Infantry as an Officer...have any idea how the promotion rate is on that?

Answer 1

I have known people in all 5 branches (I was in the Navy) and I have come to the conclusion that promotions are the hardest to earn in the Air Force. Short manned services like the Army and the Marines tend to have better promotion rates.

Answer 2

No, promotions in the Marine Corps go up in front of a board.

In the lower ranks (E-2 to E-4) it is a little hard to get those (for Marines,) but if you're not an E-4 by your 4 year mark you're doing something wrong.

The Air Force is the hardest to make rank for E-5 and up.

For all branches it does depend on your job.

I do not know about making rank for an officer of any branch.

Answer 3

I have heard that the Air Force is hardest to get promoted in but I can tell you from personal experience that The Marines have a tougher promotion system than the Army. I have served in both the Marines and the Army and the Army promotions were defenitly easier. Also the Marines are quicker to take rank away from you if you screw up. It's part of their higher level of discipline.

Answer 4

It depends on your MOS. My buddy's MOS had 198 people in it and it took him 4 years to make Corporal (E-4). I know some band geeks who were garanteed Sergeant by 18 months, it was on their contract.

EDIT: Well, if you are going to be an officer, you had better have your college degree. Plus, officers work differently than enlisted. I'm not as sure about the way they get promoted in the Corps, but O-1 to O-3 are pretty much automatic in line with the promotions with other services. After O-3 I don't know, sorry.

EDIT 2: Just Me is wrong. E-1 through E-3 is an automatic promotion. From Pvt to PFC you need 6 months time in service and 6 months time in grade. From PFC to LCpl you need 9 months time in service, 8 months time in grade. After that you get into the Non Commissioned Officer ranks. These are based on your MOS' cutting score and your composite score. Your composite score is points based on your performance of certain military skills. Shooting expert gives you more points than shooting marksman, a higher score on your PFT gets you more points, taking classes, ect... Combining those scores gives you your Composite Score. Then the Marine Corps decides how many Corporals and Sergeants it needs in your particular MOS. Everyone who is eligable for promotion's Composite Score is looked at, and the Cutting Score is established based on that. If your MOS needs 20 Corporals that month, they look at the Composite scores of the Lance Corporals that are eligable for promotion, see the top 20 scores, and set the Cutting score at Number 20. Everyone with that score and up gets promoted. Everyone below it doesn't.

You can get around that by going on meritorious promotion boards, where your knowledge of the Marine Corps, physical fittness, bearing, ect... are judged by a board of senior Marines. If you win the board, you will be meritoriously promoted regardless of your time in grade, time in service, or your composite score, or even the needs of your MOS.

The smaller the MOS, the fewer NCOs are needed, and the harder it is to get promoted past Lance Corporal

Answer 5

It doesn't matter what service you are in, its up to the individuals drive and motivation that gets you promoted!