Yesterday I wrote a post for LCpls and Cpls trying to figure out their composite scores.  While getting a composite score above the cutting score is the most common way for a Marine to get promoted there is another way to get promoted and that is meritoriously.  Meritorious promotions are much less common and are a way to reward the Marines doing an awesome job and are recommended by their command to be promoted ahead of their peers.

Recently  The Marine Corps increased the amount of meritorious promotions to Sergeant available especially to 03XX (XX is any MOS in the infantry field).  MARADMIN 584/08 states that:

MERITORIOUS PROMOTION ALLOCATIONS TO CORPORAL AND SERGEANT AS
OUTLINED IN PARA 4103.2 OF REF A, ARE HEREBY MODIFIED.  EFFECTIVE 1
OCT 2008, OPERATING FORCES, AS DEFINED BY REF (B), ARE AUTHORIZED TO
MERITORIOUSLY PROMOTE TO THE NEXT HIGHER GRADE NOT MORE THAN 1/2 OF
ONE PERCENT OF THE CORPORALS, AND 1 PERCENT OF THE LANCE CORPORALS
ON BOARD ON THE 2ND DAY OF THE FISCAL QUARTER (OCTOBER, JANUARY,
APRIL, AND JULY).

More important in the MARADMIN is the announcement of more meritorious promotions to the rank of Sergeant in unit that has been stabilized for deployment.  Being stabilized means that the Marines in the unit are there to stay in order to deploy.

A. UPON UNIT STABILIZATION, THE BATTALION COMMANDER CAN RECOMMEND
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE STABILIZED ON-BOARD STRENGTH OF
OCCUPATIONAL FIELD 03 SERGEANTS FILLING SQUAD/SECTION LEADER BILLETS
AND THE TOTAL NUMBER OF SQUAD/SECTION LEADER T/O BILLETS.

Here is an example right out of the MARADMIN in the case of a Light Armored Reconnaissance Company:

EXAMPLE 2:  A LIGHT ARMORED RECONNAISSANCE (LAR) COMPANY HAS A T/O
OF SIX 0313 SERGEANT SQUAD LEADERS. IF A LAR COMPANY IS STABILIZED
FOR DEPLOYMENT WITH ONLY FOUR OF THE AUTHORIZED SIX 0313 SERGEANT
SQUAD LEADERS ON BOARD, THEN THE LAR BATTALION COMMANDER MAY
NOMINATE UP TO TWO 0313 CORPORALS THAT ARE STABILIZED FOR DEPLOYMENT
WITH THE COMPANY TO THE GRADE OF SERGEANT IN ORDER TO FILL THE SQUAD
LEADER VACANCIES. NOMINATIONS WILL BE FORWARDED TO DIVISION
COMMANDERS FOR FINAL PROMOTION AUTHORITY.

So basically if you are a Cpl in a LAR Company filling the billet of squad leader which is normally held by a Sergeant and your Company has been stabilized due to an upcoming deployment your Bn commander may nominate you for meritorious promotion as long as you meet the eligible TIG/TIS requirements.  The Division General has final say but that is because he has meritorious promotion authority.

As you can see this is a great opportunity for a young hard working Cpl to get ahead of his peers.  And if he is serving in a job that is usually reserved for a Sgt he most definately deserves the rank as he is dealing with all the responsibilities and stresses of a Sgt.

Related posts:

  1. FY 2009 Approved Selections to Gunny
  2. SSgt Zones
  3. Hope You Got It In