I joined this great mean green killing machine that is the Marine Corps 13 years ago.  When I came in Sergeants were GODS.  As a young Pvt or PFC you never went and talked to the Sergeant.  If you did you were asking for either a beat down or a shitty working party (I got both).  No you went to the senior LCpl or if you had to the Cpl.  Sergeants ran the show, got the job done and everyone with less stripes than him went to him.  He in turn took all concerns to the SNCOs.

So why is that now I continually have my junior Marines approaching me with problems and/or questions without the Corporals much less the Sergeants knowing?  Why do I find myself continuously having to tell my Corporals and non-NCOs what to do, how to do it, or even worse to do something?  Why do I have to worry about leaving the shop for a few hours to go do training or to go to a meeting?  Why do I feel like I (as a SNCO) am doing the jobs that my Sgts did when I was younger?  Why are my Sergeants not the Gods to the lower ranks that they were to me?

The only reason that I can come up with is that Marines today are getting promoted way to fast and they are worried about not being the “cool guy”.  You see 13 years ago most guys didn’t get to the rank of Cpl until they were closing in on 4 years, and Sgt came about 2-2.5 years later (6-7 years in service).  They had experience that is lacking in today’s young NCOs.  Nowadays Marines are picking up Cpl in 2-2.5 years time in service and are Sgts usually by the time they have been in for 4 years.  Basically most of today’s Sgts don’t have the experience that my Sgts had.

While this is good for a young Marine’s paycheck it makes the job of the SNCOs more difficult in that they have to deal with more.  We have to deal with the bullshit that comes down from the brass as well as dealing with the bullshit that comes up from the younger Marines.  Situations in the past that the Sgt handled.

Now I know that we aren’t going to be able to slow the rate at which people get promoted so we are going to have to make sure that they are prperly trained.  This includes making sure we give out Cpls the chance to lead.  Make sure that our NCOs arttend the appropriate PME schools.  Make Cpls course a requirement for Sgt and Sgts course a requirement for SSgt.  The powers that be have already PME requirements for LCpls to pck up Cpl now we need requirements for Sgt.

SNCOs we need to make sure that we are not doing the job that the NCOs are supposed to do, but we are mentoring our young leaders.  Have classes with you NCOs.  Make your NCOs do drill, classes, inspections, etc.  Make them responsible and hold them accountable.  I gauruntee that you non-rec one Cpl for not doing the billet that he holds or fire an NCO from a billet and give him low pro/con markings that the rest of your NCOs will realize that they need to step up their game and your entire shop will become stronger.

Don’t take power away from your NCOs.  Give it to them empower them.  Let’s make today’s Sgts the GODS that our Sgts were.

Related posts:

  1. December Cutting Scores
  2. Approved Selections to SSgt