Requirements for Promotion to Cpl
On October 1st 2008 a new policy went into effect and it concerns LCpl’s promotion requirements to be eligible for promotion to Cpl. MarAdmin 370/07 has probably been overlooked by most Marines regardless of rank due to the fact that it came out in June of 2007. This MarAdmin announces the cancellation of the “Fundamentals of Marine Corps Leadership” MCI and the announces the beginning of the “Leading Marines” MCI.
For those of you unfamiliar with MCI’s they are distance education courses for Marines. They are a part of your Professional Military Education (PME). Marines in the ranks of Sgt and above are required to complete certain MCI’s to be considered PME complete and be eligible for promotion to the next rank. For Cpl’s and below completion of MCIs add additional points to their cutting scores (100 max). The higher your score the better chance you have to get promoted.
Well now LCpls are going to be required to have completed the “Leading Marines” MCI to be eligible for promotion to Cpl. The following is an exert from MarAdmin 330/07
THE NEW LEADING MARINES MCI HAS BEEN DESIGNED TO MEET THE OPERATING FORCES’ EXPECTATIONS FOR THEIR MARINES’ PERFORMANCE IN CURRENT AND FUTURE OPERATIONAL ENVIRONMENTS.
This new policy is intended to develop the leadership traits in young Marines and prepare them to be Cpls of Marines. While this sounds like a great idea I think there is a more sinister underlying issue at large here. When I was a young Cpl and Sergeant I did not have an MCI to teach me leadership. I learned my leadership the old fashioned way. I learned from my NCOs and SNCOs. I learned what was a good leader (and a bad leader) by observing. It was the job of the NCO to ensure that the Marines under his charge were ready for the next rank.
I am not saying that the new requirement is bad but I also dont think that it is fair across the board. now Marines in the rank of LCpl, Sgt, SSgt, GySgt, MSgt, 1stSgt, are required to complete certain MCIs in order to be promoted. Why is there not a requirement for Cpls to complete some type of MCI to get promoted to Sgt? Why did the Commandant determine that LCpls needed more education to get promoted? Does the Commandant feel that his Sgts and Cpls are not strong enough to make quality leaders? Regardless of what the answers to these questions are it is our duty as leaders to ensure that our Marines complete the rquirements for promotion to Cpl and that those that do not complete the requirements are properly held back from promotion.
If you are a LCpl it is your duty to ensure that you get the MCIs on order and complete them in a timely manner. If you do not get this MCI done you will not get promoted. So get out there and get it done.
Related posts:
October 9th, 2008 at 7:45 am
I have to wonder if the new MCI isn’t an attempt to make LCpls get more education, but instead an attempt to fight the widespread cheating. Virtually every Marine I’ve ever met does not actually read their MCIs. They just find a readily-available test answer list, fill out the bubble sheet, and mail in the “completed” MCI. Poof, instant promotion points, no work required!
October 13th, 2008 at 9:19 am
Not everybody. I watched the Marine!Goth do some of his “red books” when I was out at Lejeune on vacation. And he’s called me once or twice to ask me questions or to look up stuff for him when he didn’t have easy computer access.
It’s really tempting, though to use the cheat sheets, I know.
October 23rd, 2008 at 1:22 am
If you did Fundamentals of Marine Corps Leadership and not Leading Marines, would you still get promoted?
October 24th, 2008 at 10:21 am
I thought u had to do the 8000 Series to pick up SGT? Now MCI has the option for the command to proctor tests online. All the LTs in my company gave their Bday Social and password for MCI and told the marines they could just do them online. All the marines would do is download the book onto their computer and take the test with their book. It made cheating EASIER!!!
October 24th, 2008 at 11:24 pm
While the 8010 Series is what all Cpls do to complete the requirement for MCIs it is not required for promotion to SGT. It is however required for the promotion to SSgt.
March 9th, 2009 at 8:31 pm
my ques is i got promoted oct 1 2008 to cpl without doing leading marines … and now its march-2009 and now the usmc is realizing i didnt do it.. can they take it away?
March 9th, 2009 at 9:23 pm
Moses
No they cannot take away your promotion. Once you have been promoted you are good (barring punitive action).
March 11th, 2009 at 9:42 am
thanks for the help but i need to basicly prove that their is no cmc-directed professional military education requirement for promotions to the grade pfc to sgt where exactly can i go and find all that info ?
April 9th, 2009 at 7:06 pm
if u wish to be promoted from lance to cpl u must complete leading marines unless suffer being non recked. Now here is the kicker if you have been promoted to cpl but havnt done leading marines u better get it in before june 30th or be admin reduced to lcpl… things happen get that bad boy in ive been a lcpl for 3 years go figure
October 3rd, 2009 at 10:19 pm
what websight can i get the book from?
October 5th, 2009 at 11:48 am
anyone know wat is the website that i can get the mci booklets so i can study to be promoted to a cpl? can helps welcome, thanks
October 5th, 2009 at 9:57 pm
Jonathan
MCI booklets can be found on the MCI webpage https://mci.usmc.mil
October 5th, 2009 at 9:58 pm
LCpl Beardsley
MCI booklets can be found on the MCI webpage https://mci.usmc.mil
October 6th, 2009 at 8:02 pm
thank you!