Why does the Marine Corps send Marines to PME years after obtaining a rank?

2017-06-16T22:06:09-04:00

I just finished Sergeants Course a couple of days ago. I have been a Sgt for a year and a half. Some of the students in the Course have been Sgts for three years. Why is Marine Corps waiting so long to send Maines to PME? Why doesn't the Marine Corps send a Corporal that is most likely going to obtain the cutting score for Sergeant to Sergeants Course? Ben I fitting that Marine and the Corps.

Response by Cpl Justin Goolsby made Jun 16 at 2017 11:04 PM

2017-06-16T23:04:13-04:00

Well the simple answer is allocations and needs of the Marine Corps. Remember, it's still a recent change which required you to do both the residential and distance learning PME courses in order to be eligible for promotion. I think that change took place within the last 2 years. It used to be you could pick one or the other.

Remember, it's not the Marine Corps that sends the Marines. The Marine has to have the initiative themselves to make sure they're up to the task. If you're teetering on the weight line, do you think your command is going to recommend you for it knowing you might fail weigh-in, of course not. The same goes for PFT/CFT and other requirements. Work centers might also not send Marines if they think they are lacking in the job proficiency.

Why would a work center want to help you take on more responsibilities if you can barely handle your current tasks.

There are many reasons someone doesn't go to PME right away. It's not always the Marine Corps' fault.

Response by CAPT Kevin B. made Jun 17 at 2017 12:30 AM

2017-06-17T00:30:35-04:00

What gets missed most of the time is the money crunch. Training has priorities; first being teaching new Marines how to shoot. Then there's the crunch due to operational requirements. So that means training is further down the food chain and likely this a bit down the training food chain. Glad you finally got it.

Response by Sgt Dave Herrington made Jun 18 at 2017 3:27 PM

2017-06-18T15:27:40-04:00

Who knows, you'd think it would be the way to go, I got sent to NCO school as an L/Cpl which when completed got my cutting score up enough that I was promoted shortly afterward. It does seem quite backward to do it after they get the rank especially a couple years down the road when you should already be well versed in your duties.

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 21 at 2017 11:32 AM

2017-06-21T11:32:43-04:00

This is a conversation with many moving parts to explain a "should be simple" answer.

What we know:
Marines complete old PME requirements are grandfathered.

Marines not grandfathered need to complete current PME requirements

Grey area:
Some Marines were promoted without having the requisite PME completed due to needs of the unit (Marine Corps).

Some Marines were meritoriously promoted after completion of an SDA or on a board and are supposed to go to the PME they were unable to attend shortly after (I.e. For Marines completing an SDA within the first couple months of being at new station).

Some Marines who fell into certain requirement categories, went into another component of the USMC/USMCR and thus the requirements changed. If they choose to change components later on (I.e. Active Duty Cpl EAS's and goes into the IRR, gets promoted to Sgt, then goes into the SMCR/IMA/AR/ or back Active and now falls under the PME requirements for that component.

Response by Sgt Dalr R made Jun 25 at 2017 2:58 PM

2017-06-25T14:58:49-04:00

It will now be required for E4s to go to these schools before being promoted in the future according to SgtMaj of the Corps

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 2 at 2017 6:39 AM

2017-07-02T06:39:14-04:00

So they can get promoted to the next one lmao

Response by Sgt James Whittington made Jul 2 at 2017 3:11 PM

2017-07-02T15:11:37-04:00

Because its the Marine Corps. Schools cost money, and they remove students from their primary jobs. Look back at 1966 or 67 when the 5th div was re-formed. They had Marines from almost all MOS's humping hills as 0311's. some even went back to their own MOS when the Div. mounted out. (BUT they stayed in the Div)

Response by Sgt Kevin Erwin made Jul 5 at 2017 2:40 PM

2017-07-05T14:40:25-04:00

I was a Sgt. for two years before I went to the NCO Academy. I was overseas on Embassy Duty. Sometimes it takes time for the opportunity to arrive.

Response by LCpl Chad Swetmore made Jul 14 at 2017 4:28 PM

2017-07-14T16:28:10-04:00

When I was in they were sending lcpl's to corporals course and corporals to sergeants. Don't know why that has changed seems rediculous to me.

Response by Sgt Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 10 at 2017 9:40 PM

2017-08-10T21:40:33-04:00

A big part of it is how the unit runs things. I tried to go to sergeants course for a long while, but deployments, training exercises, and sergeants more senior to me all played a part in how long it took me to get there. Now, a Marine should take it upon himself to annoy his staff into throwing him into a course. I slacked off a bit, so it took longer than it should have

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 10 at 2019 1:48 PM

2019-06-10T13:48:39-04:00

The same reason the Army sent me to the "pre-command" course a year after I had been a Company Commander. lol