The Marine Corps has selected its first group of participants for the Squad Leader Development Program, a new initiative designed to address a shortage of infantry squad leaders in the operating forces while training and promoting talented noncommissioned officers.
The names of the first 78 Marines accepted to the program were announced May 15 in a Marine administrative message.
The program stems from an initiative by Commandant Gen. Joseph Dunford to find talented NCOs to fill key vacancies within the operating forces. It's a plan linked to his long-term strategy to mature and develop the force in preparation for future complex challenges.
"I charge you to be the foundation of your Corps' efforts to provide the best trained, educated and mature leadership at the small unit level," Lt. Gen. Ronald Bailey, deputy commandant of Plans, Policies and Operations, wrote in the MARADMIN. "Our Marines deserve the best we can offer them!"
Without the right numbers of NCOs and staff NCOs to meet the Marines' force structure requirements, Dunford wrote in his planning guidance released in January, "our readiness and combat effectiveness are degraded."
Who's in. The squad leader development program is divided into two tracks: operational forces, and combat instructor. The Marines selected for the OpFor track will be installed as squad leaders in soon-to-deploy units after completion of prerequisite training, while those in the CI track will complete a special duty assignment tour as a combat instructor before they assume a squad leader post.
According to the message, 32 corporals and 46 sergeants were selected to participate in the course. Of these, 55 Marines are slated for the CI track and 23 for the OpFor track.
Marines must accept or decline their placement within the program through their career planner, according to the message. The full list of names is available in MARADMIN 260/15.
What's next. For Marines who accept their placement, it's a fast track to more training and operational experience. The corporals accepted to the program will receive an automatic promotion to sergeant. Marines in both tracks are required to take the Sergeants' Course distance education on MarineNet. After that, the program participants will receive assignment orders from their monitor, the MARADMIN says.
The benefits. Participation comes with some nice perks. While Marines need to commit to serve an additional 48 months after selection, many can look forward to bonuses. Program participants receive their own military occupational specialty — 0365 — and can collect a selective re-enlistment bonus of $18,500 for corporals and $20,500 for sergeants.
Why it matters. Marine officials said the need for squad leaders in the operational forces isn't tied to recruiting or retention. Rather, it's a matter of getting the right Marines into the right places with the proper training.
In an interview earlier this year, infantry advocate and occupational field sponsor Master Gunnery Sgt. Justin Aiken said the Marine Corps had 1,400 squad leader billets, but fewer than 100 Marines who had received all the schooling provided for squad leaders. This will become even more important as combat operations get more distributed, laying more responsibility on NCOs.
"We're going to require more of our squad leaders than we have in the past," Aiken said. "We want to be sure that we've prepared them as best as possible."
The long run. While starting small, Marine officials say they eventually want all Marine squad leaders to go through it. A strategy to make that happen is still being developed, they said.
