Is the Marine Corps Corporal's course for E4 and E5 promotion?

2019-01-16T07:30:38-05:00

Is the Marine Corps Corporal's course for and E4 or and E5 promotion?
I have a former Marine in my team that re-edited his corporal's course certificate to say Marine Corps NCO basic leadership course, so he can get promoted to Sergeant E5 in the US Army.

Response by GySgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 16 at 2019 7:48 AM

2019-01-16T07:48:25-05:00

There is a Corporals Course for professional military education requirements as a E-4 which in theory is supposed to be a check in the box as one of several requirements for selection and promotion to E-5. However, if he changed a document with the intent to mislead the chain of command and "fraud" his way up to the next grade, do we really want him getting promoted? There are a few UCMJ charges this falls under.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 16 at 2019 7:48 AM

2019-01-16T07:48:42-05:00

Sounds to me like you have two separate issues. To answer the NCOES question, the answer is yes. AR 600-8-19 para 7-24 lists all the other-service courses that are equivalent to BLC.

On the other hand, you’ve got a soldier who forged a document in order to attempt to circumvent the system before he did any research or tried to find an answer.

In my humble opinion, he’s not ready to be a leader, and probably deserves paperwork for the falsification.

Response by SFC(P) Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 16 at 2019 7:53 AM

2019-01-16T07:53:44-05:00

No..... Cpl's course is not equivalent to WlC/BLC. Sgt's course is equivalent... Also how did he edit his certificate? I completed Cpl course over a decade ago but there was no way to edit it.

Here are the requirements for each rank. When I switched over I had to go to WLC because Cpl's course wasn't equivalent to pick up Sgt.

https://www.hqmc.marines.mil/Portals/133/PME%20Reqs%20by%20Grade%20Chart.pdf

404 - File or directory not found.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 16 at 2019 9:05 AM

2019-01-16T09:05:11-05:00

All I can say is back in 2007 in the Reserves we had a former marine claim that a course he took was equivalent to WLC but higher command said no, we sent him to WLC and he flunked, then he just stopped showing up. Guess he did not want to put the work in for promotion.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 16 at 2019 10:55 AM

2019-01-16T10:55:27-05:00

All Marines that I have spoken to have stated that Corporal's Course is to make Sergeant.

Response by CSM Richard StCyr made Jan 16 at 2019 12:53 PM

2019-01-16T12:53:43-05:00

Don't know about the course equivalency for the corporals course verses WLC / BLC ( see your S-1)but the "re-edited" part of the conversation is an eye catcher, as was a follow on thread about altering or converting test line scores.
You can't just rewrite (edit) your certificates or convert your test scores to match other services verbiage. That's fraud and falsifying documents and is punishable under the UCMJ. Also not sure about the Marines but the Army schools send a copy of your 1059 to HRC so it's pretty easy to see if the certificate doesn't jive with the 1059. I'm sure the Marines have something similar as the Airforce and Navy processed documents in a manner similar to the Army when I worked at DSWA.
Since this knucklehead belongs to you, you should counsel them to cease and desist in any creative editorial work on their records, see your PSG / COC and have them take a hard look to see what if any other military documents this fine young American may have applied their creative writing efforts to.

Response by CWO4 Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 16 at 2019 8:44 PM

2019-01-16T20:44:22-05:00

Yes. Corporals are required to complete both the distanced and resident Corporals Courses to be considered PME complete for promotion to Sergeant.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Mar 15 at 2021 10:04 AM

2021-03-15T10:04:07-04:00

Corporals Course IS EQUIVALENT to BLC. As long as it’s the RESIDENTS course not the DEP. I believed for a year that I lost my rank for no reason and I am now considered an Erroneous Reduction. If you have the Cpls Resident Course on your Marine SRB and or Certificate stating Residents Course it does count. Just got told that I am getting my stripes back and my time in grade with one good back pay.