Novel idea for the military: no rank

[Devildoc]

I was a Mustang. I went E5 to O1E. The biggest leg-up wasn't in application of leadership, but that I understood and could navigate the military bureaucracy. I could always massage and rely on the E4 Mafia to help me, and to help me make them look better (it reflected well on all of us).

I will say that once I got to O3 and had a bigger pool of enlisted/NCOs, I did manage the senior NCOs more effectively, I think because of my enlisted time. I understood what E7s/E8s could/couldn't do and understood better what I could/couldn't delegate.

For clarification I was not in a line/combat unit, but mission was mission.

 

[Teufel]

That's somewhat atypical though, isn't it?

It depends. Infantry lieutenants will serve as platoon commanders for three years unless they are picked to be a company XO on their second deployment or get fired. Most officers will leave their primary MOS and serve in a "B" billet for three years before coming back for company command. One Captain in a battalion will serve as the assistant S3 but the rest will go directly to company command and not spend anytime on staff until they are Majors.

I went to a recon unit for my "B" billet and gained another opportunity to serve as a platoon commander and recon company commander on a subsequent tour. That part is atypical. I've only spent two years out of the Fleet Marine Forces and half of that was PME. I enjoyed my career path but I wouldn't recommend it.

 

[CDG]

@Teufel and @Marauder06, thanks for the responses and anecdotes. It seemed odd because of the amount of CPTs I've seen on BN and BDE staffs. My experiences are limited comparatively speaking, but I always kind of got the impression that you were hurting your career as a senior CPT if you weren't on a staff somewhere.

 

[Teufel]

@Teufel and @Marauder06, thanks for the responses and anecdotes. It seemed odd because of the amount of CPTs I've seen on BN and BDE staffs. My experiences are limited comparatively speaking, but I always kind of got the impression that you were hurting your career as a senior CPT if you weren't on a staff somewhere.

The Marine Corps treats career progression differently. A regimental S-3 will have one or two Captains in it. The rest are down in the rifle battalions commanding companies.

 

[Frank S.]

The officer corps is designed to groom young men and women to become senior field grade officers and General Officers. This takes quite a bit of time.

This. When payment comes due on all those checks your body wrote is when you understand clearly how much time is of the essence.

May your polyps be benign.

 

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