Creating the Strategic Corporal-How to Improve the Preparation and Selection of the Marine Corps' First Line of Leadership
Abstract
This study evaluates all aspects of how the Marine Corps creates its Strategic Corporals. It has found that the majority of Corporals within the Marine Corps may not be fully professionally competent for two main reasons. First, new Corporals do not have a clear understanding of their professional responsibilities. Second, all improvements to the process by which the Marine Corps creates its Corporals have so far focused solely on education, and have failed to identify and correct shortcomings in the evaluation and selection process used. This study explains professional responsibilities and makes them easily identifiable by distinguishing them from technical responsibilities. It also evaluate how the Marine Corps prepares its Lance Corporals for the responsibilities of a Noncommissioned Officer through required professional military education (PME). It further takes a detailed look at how Lance Corporals are selected for regular promotion by evaluating how Composite and Cutting Scores are calculated, and considers the role of the Proficiency and Conduct Marking Process, as well as the Non Recommendation/Will Not Promote Process. Finally, it identifies shortcomings in theses processes and offers corrections and/or enhancements that will improve the quality of Marines becoming Corporals, thus resulting in a higher quality of leadership.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 13, 2015
- Accession Number
- AD1175877
Entities
People
- Gregory D. Harting
Organizations
- Marine Corps University