USMC Rank Promotions

[Dougemd]

I was talking to some military vets and they all told me that the Marines promote slower and give out medals less than any other branch. I'm about 3/4's of the way through my application process to the selection board and honestly don't give a **** about medals or the time it takes to go up the ranks. However, I was wondering if it was true and what the reasons were. Anybody care to weigh in here?

Thanks.

 

[phrogdriver]

We give out way fewer medals than the other branches. However, time toward promotion for officers is dictated by statute, so the services are within a few months of each other on times in grade. It didn't use to be that way--the Corps used to be MUCH slower than the others.

Enlisted promotions are much the same in this regard. You'll find bigger differences based on MOSs within each service than between the services taken as wholes.

 

[Carno]

Giving away tons of medals cheapens the whole concept, so I guess you have to really go above and beyond in order to recieve a medal as a Marine.

There is nothing that will distinguish you as someone who did something extremely valorous (or whatever the medal may be for) if 2459856 people have it as well. Maybe the other branches would rather make everyone feel better than actually recognize truly outstanding service.

 

[Ex Rigger]

Maybe the other branches would rather make everyone feel better than actually recognize truly outstanding service.

Whatever you wanna think...

 

[Carno]

Sense of humor anyone?

 

[jamnww]

I have heard some stories from friends of mine in the Army that Btns in Iraq are given a monthly quota of metals to give away. Can't confirm it though and obviously no quota for some of the more distinquished citations.

 

[East]

Medals in the Dutch Armed Forces

My Dad served over 35 years in the Royal Netherlands Navy. His total was 3 medals; 35 yrs loyal service medal, Law & Order Dutch-Indies ('49) and Dutch New Guinee ('62). In 35 years he saw a lot of action but referring to his chest he looked like admin clerk.

But the concept that give 'em away cheapens the concept is very true. I spoke to a US Army paratrooper quite a while ago and he wears medals on his uniform because his unit landed in Normandy in '44...

Different type of pride I guess.

 

[HAL Pilot]

But the concept that give 'em away cheapens the concept is very true. I spoke to a US Army paratrooper quite a while ago and he wears medals on his uniform because his unit landed in Normandy in '44...

Different type of pride I guess.

The Army thing is true. They wear unit citations on the right and not mixed in with the junk on the left. They wear the unit citations while a member of that unit. When they leave the unit, they no longer wear them unless they were a member of the unit at the time the citations were earned.

Still, I agree. We give out way too much junk. My first tour, maybe 2 departing JOs received an end of tour NAM. By my DH tour, every one got at least a NAM and some got NCMs. Instead of end of tour awards recognizing the best, the lack of one came to mean more (career-wise).

 

[Crowbar]

I have heard some stories from friends of mine in the Army that Btns in Iraq are given a monthly quota of metals to give away. Can't confirm it though and obviously no quota for some of the more distinquished citations.

Not too far fetched of a concept actually. I haven't seen any wartime numbers but when I was in the fleet during peacetime we had quotas for NAMs and Navy Comms...something along the lines of 1 NAM for each 52 members of the squadron per quarter or something like that. Nobody ever came close to meeting that except coming back from off the boat or at the end of CAX or something similar.

My first tour, maybe 2 departing JOs received an end of tour NAM. By my DH tour, every one got at least a NAM and some got NCMs. Instead of end of tour awards recognizing the best, the lack of one came to mean more (career-wise).

The end of tour award topic came up a while back. I think the fact that "End of Tour" is one of the options on the awards input form signals a problem.

 

[Our Corps]

USMC promotion times

I was talking to some military vets and they all told me that the Marines promote slower and give out medals less than any other branch. I'm about 3/4's of the way through my application process to the selection board and honestly don't give a **** about medals or the time it takes to go up the ranks. However, I was wondering if it was true and what the reasons were. Anybody care to weigh in here?

Thanks.

I would say they were half right. The USMC definitely is much stingier with awards then other services (but not as much so as they used to be). Especially with combat awards. We see this largely as a thing to bbe proud of. You are not recognized for doing your job. As for promotions (on the officer side at least), they used to promote much slower then the other services. Today however, they are close to or with the other services as a result of DOPMA mandates on all services times to promote.

 

[Taxman2A]

I have heard some stories from friends of mine in the Army that Btns in Iraq are given a monthly quota of metals to give away.

My buddy in the Army got an Army Achievement Medal (their version of a NAM) for showing up out of shape and eventually being able to pass their version of a PFT. Take that for what its worth.

 

[phrogdriver]

I have heard some stories from friends of mine in the Army that Btns in Iraq are given a monthly quota of metals to give away. Can't confirm it though and obviously no quota for some of the more distinquished citations.

Every service has a "quota" of awards for a commander to issue. To my knowledge, however, it is always a ceiling, not a floor. For example, a battalion commander may get an allocation of X number of NAMs. If he wants to issue more, he has to go to his higher with a justification. He is also given a ceiling on the type of award he can give without asking higher. Each level in the chain has a level of award it can issue without consulting higher, e.g. NAM or NCM at the sqdn, MSM at group, etc.

I'd be very surprised if a CO in any service were told he HAS to issue Y number of medals. The closest I've heard to this was someone in the Air Force telling me that every individual rates a medal (not a Good Cookie, but a real award) after each 3 or 4 years of service without documented problems. The Air Force is off the scale as far as awards go, though.

 

[raptor10]

I recently picked up a book on "LEADING MARINES" (dont read too much into that I'm diehard Navy) and was reading about an old promotion examination question for lieutenants. It reads that you have a Sergeant, a ten man working party, and a 75 foot flagpole, and they ask how you are going to erect it. Every candidate that works out the proper blocks to use and the length of rope and other calculations, no matter how accurately, is graded wrong, the answer simply is to grab the sergeant and tell him to put up the flag pole. Made the book worth picking up.

 

[eddie]

I recently picked up a book on "LEADING MARINES" (dont read too much into that I'm diehard Navy) and was reading about an old promotion examination question for lieutenants. It reads that you have a Sergeant, a ten man working party, and a 75 foot flagpole, and they ask how you are going to erect it. Every candidate that works out the proper blocks to use and the length of rope and other calculations, no matter how accurately, is graded wrong, the answer simply is to grab the sergeant and tell him to put up the flag pole. Made the book worth picking up.

I once heard of a similar question. If the lieutenant has various personalities, differing in age, rank, and ability, in a chopper with him, and it is very likely that the first one out the door will get killed, which man does he send out first?

The answer was: Whoever is closest to the door.

 

[airwinger]

with current captain promotion timing at least 8 months wait, I'll lose out on $6400 next year in base pay alone vice those navy lads I with same DOR. add in BAH blah blah blah