I love how he isn’t trying to be super entertaining and is just telling us how it is. Love how it feels like you aren’t making a video and you are just talking to us
Step one: chose the right MOS Step two: become a PT god Step three: be proficient in your job Step four: qualify expert on the range Step five: time in grade Step 6: throw everybody under the bus and become buddy buddy with your SNCOs and command. Step 7: do every MCI under the sun.
You are one motivated Marine! When I was in the Marines in Vietnam and for some years afterwards, rank was very easy. Enlistments were for two years, three years, or four years. This meant that hordes of guys were getting out every day, and of course other guys were getting killed daily, and they needed replacements for tons of Corporals, lots of Sergeants and even Staff Sergeants. All you had to do was keep your nose clean and those ranks would fall into your lap. We followed a direct line from Boot Camp to ‘Nam in those days. It took us about five months from our first day of boot camp to reach ’Nam. We all reached ‘Nam as PFCs, just for being able to breath. We made L/Cpl within five or six months if we showed the least bit of interest in our jobs, and in being a decent Marine. Our tours there in ‘Nam were for thirteen month, and each week from the first day you arrived with your unit, guys were going home, and new guys were arriving in the unit. When a L/Cpl, Corporal, Sergeant, or Staff Sergeant rotated home, or was killed, our Company Commanders had to replace that rank now, not later. He could either promote one of his own mean or request a replacement from Stateside. Which do you think he would rather do? One of my boot camp buddies was with Force Recon. Like all of us, he arrived in “Nam as a PFC. Within a month a L/Cpl was killed and they needed a L/Cpl. Three months later a CPL was killed, and they needed a CPL Three day’s after that, a Sergeant was wounded, and they needed a Sergeant. After thirteen months in ’Nam, and less than a year and a half in the Corps total, he came home as a Staff Sergeant. Naturally, he made a career of the Corps (who wouldn’t?), retiring as a MasterGunnery Sergeant. Bo Coo guys came home as Sergeants, and most guys came home as Corporals, all with only a year and a half in the Corps. Still, very, very few of these Corporals and Sergeants stayed in. Of course, pay was one factor. A Corporal with two years in the Corps earned exactly $200 a month. None of us expected to own cars, until we were Sergeants. After all, no bank or car dealer in his right mind was going to give a Marine Corporal credit, and most of us were not old enough by law to sign a contract anyway. (One had to be 21 years old for that). If there is ever another good sized war, it will be that way again in the Corps.
"Use the Marine Corps the way it uses you." That always stuck with me. Here's why: Some units hand out Letters of Appreciation (LOA) like candy for volunteer work. Navy and Marine Corps Relief Society (some, not all) will give you good hours for sorting coupons. It sounds terrible but you do get to network with others which can help you when you get out. Had some Marines in my unit from a different section that I would volunteer with because they wanted to go on meritorious boards (and won) because of the volunteer work we did. Anyone in or going in should know: do the 7 MCIs as a LCpl and as a Cpl. The 100 points caps out. It will look good if you do more for a promotion panel however the points won't cross over to the next rank. Do as much as you can as a Lance to still be able to do even more as a Corporal to pick up Sergeant. The Motor T MCIs are a breeze (unless they changed them(click click click modules, hint hint), the Urdu, Phasto, and Dari are some that I did for their own respective points. I read a whole weapons system manual for the MCI points. I was administrator but I was curious. It is competitive but work in secret with what you do. You will stand out more for what you've done for promotion boards and even better for meritorious boards. Help your peers out yes, but help yourself out more by focusing on you first. I was in Iwakuni and if there, jump on every volunteer event you can. The thrift store, the library, Navy and Marine Corps Relief Society, Red Cross and the gym always have volunteer opportunities. I'd try and get the Marines working with me at IPAC to go and do things with me but they didn't want to. I even volunteered while on crutches. Good times. Another thing the Marine Corps doesn't jump on as much but it's a good focus. Off duty education. Get a degree while in. It'll help you longterm if you plan on staying in. I've been out for 4 years but I want to help anybody that wants to join or is already in. It is worth it.
@@elpadre2706 would you reccomend a brand new marine who just got to the fleet to immediately take college courses using TA? or would you rather have him focus more on being a better marine (MOS, PFT, CFT, etc) first?
@@Bruh-ty5ql While being in, they are expected to already do that. The time spent in the Marine Corps varies by person (20 years if you stay in that long) but it is best that they focus on something outside of the Marine Corps too. It can give them an edge over their peers to educate themselves or prepare themselves for when they get out. Some are fresh out of high school and won't have any idea what to do afterwards. Wouldn't hurt to gain something while in. The TA wouldn't start until after they hit their 2 year mark. 3 years is when the GI Bill comes into play. Options are better for anyone either planning to stay in longer or just do 4-6, depending on their contract.
nearly anyone who chooses infantry knows exactly what they were getting into, which is to say it was going to suck as much as humanly possible and that's what they wanted. the rest are just clueless people who wouldn't do well in any MOS.
Scammer Station, you beat me to it!! I think infantry is the only place where you can be a terminal lance without ever getting in trouble......but al least you don't have to be a POG
SGT. Patterson, you are on point and giving very good advice. I did two years in The Marine Corps. I will add one to your list that helped me. Always be AJ squared away every day. I got promoted to PFC out of boot, and three meritorious promotions, and 18 months later I made Sergeant. SGT. Tommy Lynch back in the day. S-4 NCOIC
how did u get out after 2 years? i assume someone meritoriously promoted to sergeant in 18 months isnt the same type of person that would get out early. did u get injured? sincerely a terminal lance, 4 years. got pfc in boot, lance four months out of itb and never saw another promotion warrant 🤣 i had first class pft, cft, never shot below expert too 😡
@@BMurdaDaSteppa I got out after two. I was offered E6, if I reup, but I mustarded out, then used my GI benefits to go to college. After college I was hired by the secret service, I also bought my first home thru the VA. My plan was to only serve two years whatever the outcome would be. For me it was one of the best decisions I have made in my lifetime. I am retired now, and thank God for The United States Marine Corps.
Thanks a lot! This helps out a lot. Im about to join in a few months, and I didn't know much about how to get promoted but you saved the day. Thanks again! Love your vids!
Unless it changed since 06... 1) Be fit... but also learn how to prepare your body (e.g., carbo loading and hydrating before PFT). In your early months/years, it's easy to PT only when ordered... but if you use that time wisely, life will forever be easier. 2) Learn. Knock out your MCTs the INSTANT you can. Never put them off. I went from LCpl to Sgt, while a guy in my shop was Cpl the whole time. He was none too happy. That's it. Until you reach Sgt, nothing else matters. It's all numbers, so PFT and MCT is your only real boost. For promotion boards... be ready to answer "what's your biggest weakness." I, off the top of my head, answered "I've never been NJPd so I would be at a loss for instructing junior marines." I won, though your mileage may vary.
Somebody gave this guy all the answers. Nice to have POG leaders who treat you nicely. Can you talk about the difficulty of being promoted in the infantry? Or do you have no experience in the infantry?
I’ve seen many marines get promoted that shouldn’t have ever gotten promoted but based on the old head system if you kiss their ass you will get promoted. I also started out as a buck private (E-1) and based on my mos I made Corporal within 2 years and some change. There are some mos’s that got promoted faster based on their cutting score meeting a low ass cutoff. One of the most promoted back then 99-03 was Band lmao probably still promoting well to this day
here for the "shaboy shaboy" lmao. i know he's saying "its ya boy". But im in 11th grade primarily hoping for admission to the US Naval Academy so that I can go to the marines, and if that doesnt work out im gonna enlist. Pray for me
Fun fact, I was an 0313 and my barrel on my rifle was tagged for damaged rifling. I left the 200 yard qualified and at 300 yards 1 shot from expert. At the 500 yards the round would strike up to 2 targets away. My NCOs shot it, my coach shot it, and a couple officers as well, with the same results. The result, I was a sharpshooter. Edit: Learn your job, your NCOs job, your staff NCOs job etc, and establish yourself as an authority among your peers. Honestly something as simple as smiling and joking with people to lighten the mood AFTER some group punishment like police calling all the white rocks in one of the many gravel areas in 21 palms can set you apart. Especially when the NCOIC tosses them all right back, while you are at attention, just to ensure you knew that this was intended to make you miserable. The good old days. It truly is the little things that makes life worth living.
I was back from ‘Nam with 13months in grade as a L/CPL, and Pro and Con (Proficiency and Conduct) marks of 9/10. I was kind of wondering when I would be promoted as I watched PFCs around me, who had not been to ‘Nam rise to L/Cpls, and then to Cpls, while I remained a L/CPL. One day, I received word that I was to report for 30 days of mess duty that mMonday morning at 0330. I had stood mess duty the year before in ‘Nam, and found that for me it was the most shit job in the Corps. I was infuriated, and immediately approached Top Sergeant, Master Sergeant Wagner, showed him the memo appointing me to mess duty, and asked him why I had not been appointed to CPL (Corporals are NCOs and do not stand shit details like Shit Bird L/Cpls, PFCs, and Privates). Top Wagner replied that my Pro and Con marks must be low. I told him that my Pro and Con marks were 9/10, and he immediately called the company officer to verify my assertion. Having done so, he immediately instructed the company clerk to put me at the head of the promotion list for CPL and remove me from the mess duty list. Two weeks later, I was a CPL, and an NCO. Afterward, the Top explained tome that no one knew that I was interested promotion! So, here is my advice in addition to that given above: Be sure to let you superiors know that you are interested in promotion and willing to do anything to obtain it. There are several ways to do this. One is to ask one superior at a time for their advice and assistance in making the next rank as quickly as possible. These people would include your squad leader, platoon sergeant, section leader and 1st Sergeant. Semper Fi!!
Step 1: don’t choose 03xx infantry/grunt jobs (high ass promotion score to reach :/) Step 2: get contract PFC for a 6 month head start Step 2: wait til you’re a lance Corporal to get both grey belt and green belt in MCMAP. (More Points) Step 3: be fit
No njp’s, be a high shooter, complete mci’s all of them, complete mcmap, be dependable, that’s all it took for me. Oh and go to school…if your MOS has any schooling🤣🤣.
Can you shoot the rifles with your left side? I'm asking cause I'm left handed and I see in different things everyone shooting with there right all the time
That’s achievable but first get promoted to corporal and sergeant then your fitrep’s are your tool to get promoted to Staff Sergeant and above. Not 100% sure what they focus on but basically doing your PME’s like Staff NCO academy and getting into a b billet mos like Recruiter, Drill Instructor, Embassy duty, etc. Having that on your agenda improves your chances 😎
Sorry to burst your bubble but the Marine Corps recently changed their policy with the rank of Sergeant. You used to be able to pick up Sergeant within your first enlistment. Now you MUST reenlist in order to be eligible to pick up Sergeant or at least find a way to get your contract extended. Otherwise, the highest rank you can pick up in your first 4 years is Corporal. I imagine the Marine Corps is doing this as a way to get more people to reenlist.
going to have to play devils advocate here, I knew more than a few apple polishers when I was on Okinawa, in their time chasing boards....and position themselves in good standing with the section chief, had a Corporal who was promoted to Sergeant.....he was a run drop in the first 1/4....... from then on he was known as "speed bump" this was circa 1989 to 1990......if what you are saying is true...then more Kudos!.............been more than a few political / I like this guy more than this guy
How do i get my staff to send me to the school house? Is a question a lot of marines have. I can’t get to a school house for training because the units only select a few to train everyone.
I’m sure you already took care of this as it’s been 5 months, but use your chain of command and tell one of your ncos (preferably a cpl or chill sgt) to go to lance seminar as you want to be PME complete. It’s only a week of time and until you mean more to your unit/shop/office it shouldn’t be a huge deal
Read and LEARN the Promotion Regulation. Know EXACTLY what is required for a promotion packet. DO IT YOURSELF!!! I use to counsel my troops as follows, "If you're depending on the company clerk to do YOUR packet? You're going to fail!! Let's say he has five packets to do? Is HE getting promoted, NO!!!!!! It's work to him and he really doesn't care. The same applies to Awards and Decorations, School Assignments/Requests, Educational Opportunities, etc. In 28 years, I never had a refusal to sign a Packet!!! If you go to your Team Leader, Squad Leader, Platoon Commander/Leader, Company Commander, Battalion Commander with a completed packet that is ABSOLUTELY PERFECT and request his signature for approval, how can they refuse?? You've DONE THE WORK for them, it's perfect!! It's shows YOU have attention to detail skills, initiative, competence, competitiveness, knowledge, and leadership!!! It proves without a doubt you ARE the BEST selection for promotion, the award, school assignment, etc. It takes work, hard work, but by damn if you LEARN and DON"t depend on others for YOUR career, you can surpass your peers every time. If I did it, anybody could do it!!!
Amazon sells "books" that probably can be downloaded to a kindle? I'm sure good quality bookstores still sell ASVAB score improvement books, same applies to improving GT scores, aviation compatibility tests, etc.
