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Career planner: More than 500 FY13 boat spaces remaining

7 May 2013 | Cpl. Paris Capers Marine Corps Base Quantico

The Marine Corps has more than 500 reenlistment boat spaces remaining for first-term Marines whose end of active service falls in Fiscal Year 2013. FY13 Marines who wish to stay in the Corps or may be considering a lateral move should visit a career planner to secure a space before it’s too late.

“Before the [fiscal year] begins, the Marine Corps determines exactly how many Marines of each military occupational specialty they want to retain,” said Staff Sgt. Matthew Brown, a career planner for Headquarters & Service Bn. “The numbers they select help keep those MOS’ healthy by keeping promotions in line and maintaining the ‘rank triangle’ within the fields.”

According to Brown, the opportunities for FY13 Marines to reenlist will evaporate when the guidance for the next year is made available. Historically, the guidance is released in late September - four short months away - and there are still a hundreds of spaces available.

“For a lot of these specialties, it’s first-come, first-served, because there are only one or two spots remaining,” said Brown. “Some of them already have packages submitted and approved so it’s important that Marines get the ball rolling.”

Career planners are available to sit down with Marines, take in career desires and inform them about which MOS they are realistically qualified for.

The specialties available run the gamut from ground-pounding infantrymen and hard-charging special operations Marines to extremely technical aircraft ordinance technicians and the high-visibility Marine musicians of The Commandant’s Own.

“The only things limiting what a Marine can apply for are his flexibility and his qualifications,” said Sgt. Omar Caraballo-Pietri, also a career retention specialist with Headquarters & Service Battalion, who is on his second enlistment. “[Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery]scores and disciplinary actions on contract like non-judicial punishment are looked at for Marines across the board.”

Marines can retake the ASVAB, but it is important to keep a pristine service record, according to Caraballo-Pietri.

 “You want to be Tier 1, exceptionally qualified, or Tier 2, qualified, when you’re package goes in,” said Caraballo-Pietri. “I, personally, have never seen a Tier 1 Marine not accepted for reenlistment.”

Some Marines have not yet made up their minds about whether their time in the Corps is a job best left in memory or the stepping stone to a long career of service.

The time to make that decision is now for FY13 Marines, according to Caraballo-Pietri, and Marines in FY14 need to be making themselves competitive now.

Correspondent: paris.capers@usmc.mil


Marine Corps Base Quantico