How long should it take for a prior service CPL from the Marines to make SGT in the Army?

2016-04-27T19:11:15-04:00

So I'm joining the Army soon and because I got out as a Cpl (E4) from the Marines I will be a Spc in the Army, how long til I get Cpl/Sgt?

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 27 at 2016 7:15 PM

2016-04-27T19:15:48-04:00

Cpl Arik Blane How long have you been out, and why join the Army?

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 27 at 2016 7:25 PM

2016-04-27T19:25:17-04:00

Cpl Arik Blane It sounds like you have talked to an Army recruiter. Would you be in communications in the Army? What did the Marine recruiter tell you?

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 27 at 2016 8:12 PM

2016-04-27T20:12:06-04:00

Active duty Army, or National Guard? You will have to be a SPC (e-4) for a year before you become promotable, either way. I don't know how it works on the Active side, but in the Guard you will also have to become MOSQ before you become promotable, if you are changing MOS. Generally you will have a one year window to get MOSQ, so that won't add time. You will also need to complete SSD1 before you will be promotable. However, you will also need to get send to Basic Leader Course before you can be promoted, and most units aren't going to send someone who is not promotable.

Response by SSG Lloyd Becker BSBA-HCM, MBA made Apr 27 at 2016 8:26 PM

2016-04-27T20:26:09-04:00

From my understanding (27 years ago ), people who cross over lose a stripe. The only thing the Marines do not do is go through basic training because Marine boot is tougher than any basic of all services. Good luck Marine.

Response by SGT(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 27 at 2016 8:26 PM

2016-04-27T20:26:18-04:00

It will take as long as you let it. Took me 5 years, but I

Response by SGT(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 27 at 2016 8:27 PM

2016-04-27T20:27:02-04:00

It will take as long as you let it. Took me 5 years, but I did not really try till recently.

Response by SGM Joel Cook made Apr 27 at 2016 10:20 PM

2016-04-27T22:20:22-04:00

Hey CPL Blane the Army has no specific MOS as an RTO. It is an additional duty that anyone can be assigned. Radios are called GPU General Purpose User equipment, everyone has to be able to talk on them. There was one once in the 1970s called 05B but long ago deleted. If I had to guess what MOS most closely fits the job now days it is 25U Signal Systems Support Specialist. You do get training on RTO but your real job is performing Organizational Level maintenance (fixing) on any Commo/Signal equipment assigned to your unit. If it is above Org maint level you do all the paperwork, transport, turnin, maintain status reports and files to higher and set up accounts for Direct Support Maint Accounts for Signal Equipment. Mostly SINCGARS radios and phones and computers. What type equipment depends largely on the type of unit. An light Infantry Company will have vast amounts of handheld Comms, Mech Inf and Armor will have complicated track mounted systems, Aviation will have mostly vehicular stuff aircraft are maintained by Avionics personel not you. Warning you better have some computer skills because that is your job also. To answer your question about promotions, they have high cutoff scores so, it mostly depends on your skill and abilities if you are in the top 10% SGT will take about two years or more. The lower your skills the longer it takes, up to 4 or 5 years. Since the reorganization of Signal BNs into Brigade Combat teams promotion above SSG is very hard. To MSG nearly impossible, less than 1% of the 25U force makes E-8/MSG there are just so few slots now.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 28 at 2016 5:05 AM

2016-04-28T05:05:30-04:00

Pretty quick if your squared away.

Response by WO1 Private RallyPoint Member made Apr 28 at 2016 1:22 PM

2016-04-28T13:22:07-04:00

start working on your promotion packet now

Response by SSG Jeremy Kohlwes made Apr 28 at 2016 5:10 PM

2016-04-28T17:10:38-04:00

I am pretty sure you will still have to meet the Time In Service requirements to be eligible for promotion to Sergeant which is usually 3 years. However, for those high speed- low drag types, the secondary zone is open at 18 months. It's also dependent on your MOS because you have to meet the promotion point requirements as well.

Response by SP5 Geoffrey Davis made May 2 at 2016 12:59 PM

2016-05-02T12:59:36-04:00

Generally you in grade and in service six years primary zone, but hey its the new army, unlike when I was comming up through the ranks .

Response by MGySgt Timothy Jordan made May 5 at 2016 7:21 AM

2016-05-05T07:21:07-04:00

Stay squared away, care about what you are doing, lead from the front and set the esample at all times and you will move up very quickly

Response by SSgt Mark S made May 5 at 2016 9:20 AM

2016-05-05T09:20:13-04:00

Depends on your MOS and what schools you have that will transfer to the Army. I did 15 years in the Corps and went to the National Guard. The Army can be a odd in what schools they accept. e.g. I went to the resident SNCO academy and they would not count that as ANOC (Advanced NCO Course), but they took my MCI certificate for BNOC (Basic NCO Course). Does not make sense. Get with your training NCO as soon as you get to your unit and have them explain everything you need. And keep in mind the Army promotion system is completely different from the Corps. Good luck. Semper Fi and Hoooah

Response by LCpl Private RallyPoint Member made May 5 at 2016 10:52 AM

2016-05-05T10:52:38-04:00

Confused. You're already an E-4 as a SFC as far as pay. Going from the Marine Corps , like you are about to do and as to whether or not you'll move into what we use call "hard stripes" such as a Corporal will depend on your MOS right? I think hard stripe Corporals are mainly in Combat Arms MOS's. TIG and TIS and obviously Pro& Con's (they still have P&C?+. Can you even make a lateral move from SFC to Corporal? Hopefully someone in the Army now can give you a reg but also give you the skinny on what will REALLY happen and what your REAL chances are. My bet is keep your eye on Sgt/E5

Response by Sgt Frederick Pou made May 5 at 2016 11:44 AM

2016-05-05T11:44:02-04:00

In my opinion, you should have negotiated so that you would be going in as a Sgt in the Army. A CPL in the MC has much more responsibilities than a SGT in the Army.

Response by LCpl Michael Harrell made May 5 at 2016 6:14 PM

2016-05-05T18:14:36-04:00

Well that all depends
You have schools like NCOs in the Corps but usually a marine Cpl will be at least a Cpl in the army
Upon your enlistment I would have had it guaranteed to be a Cpl at the bare minimum in your contract

Response by LCpl Billy Dunn made May 7 at 2016 7:58 AM

2016-05-07T07:58:14-04:00

You can actually make that as a part of your enlistment. There are ways of making the rank of E-5 along with your signing of your enlistment papers. The thing to do is to contact the Recruiter and see. You might have to take a Correspondence Course to get the Rank.

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made May 26 at 2016 5:52 PM

2016-05-26T17:52:53-04:00

did you got to CPL's course? If so that will count toward your NCO PME...just pt and shoot like you know how to..also, they have a funky point system. Imagine you will be there before you know it.

Response by SSG Erik McKinster made Jun 5 at 2017 3:54 PM

2017-06-05T15:54:52-04:00

You can almost forget about CPL. It's rarely used, but SGT fairly quickly depends on you, your NCO support channel, and your MOS. Good luck.