Seasoned and well-experienced enlisted grunt leaders will be pivotal to how the Corps plans to fight and win should there be a war in the expansive Pacific.
But the Marine Corps has struggled to entice grunts to don the squad leader title.
Now, the Corps is making some changes to how Marines earn the 0365 squad leader job by providing more flexibility and removing some barriers to entry, according to a July 17 forcewide message.
Among the changes — the sergeants course is no longer a requirement for obtaining the squad leader job field and no longer a component of the squad leader development program, according to the message. But Marines will still need to knock out the course for promotion to staff sergeant.
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The Corps is also taking away the 72-month lateral move option for the squad leader development program in an effort to provide “a more sustainable pathway for Marines who opt to remain in the operating forces” while allowing the Marines “to pursue additional opportunities” like serving as combat instructors, the message said.
Marines who take part in the squad leader development program will have a commitment to remain and serve in the operational forces for no longer than 48 months.
Marines will still need to attend and complete the infantry small unit leader course to earn the 0365 job field, among other requirements detailed in the latest Marine administrative message.
Starting in fiscal year 2020, Marines who previously accepted the 72-month lateral move option and bonus for the squad leader position will be able to request to serve as combat instructors as long as they have completed at least 36 months in the operational forces.
The Corps is dishing out big bucks for Marines to become squad leaders to include a $57,000 bonus for Marines who re-up for the 0365 field and agree to stay in the operating forces for 48 months.
Despite the big bonuses dished out to grunts over the past couple of years, data show Marines have struggled to encourage its veteran grunts to earn the squad leader occupation.
Marine squad leaders are only manned at 67 percent, according to earlier data obtained by Marine Corps Times through a government record’s request. The data is current as of February.
The shortage of squad leaders poses a problem for the Corps as older and experienced squad leaders will be important to the Corps’ plan to survive and fight in the Pacific.
Potentially scattered across remote island bases or floating barges, small decentralized groups of Marines will be afforded immense responsibility in any potential conflict with China.
That means low ranking enlisted leaders may find themselves operating alone with the burden of responsibility in par with some officers.
An adviser to the Pentagon’s task force on close combat, retired Army Maj. Gen. Robert Scales, has further argued that the optimal age for grunts should be mid to late 20s.
The Corps has been sinking considerable investment in its grunts over the years from new training to tech, weapons and drones.
Shawn Snow is the senior reporter for Marine Corps Times and a Marine Corps veteran.
