bobdina
04-01-2010, 11:19 PM
Marine Corps Trimming Troops
conway3.26th.jpg
March 30, 2010
Military.com|by Bryant Jordan
After three years of growing the force to surge in Iraq, the Marine Corps is looking to trim back, though not by much.
Overall, officials anticipate drawing down the Corps' active-duty strength by about 1,300 enlisted Marines and as many as 115 officers -- less than 5 percent of the 27,000 additional personnel the Corps has added since 2007.
"We've got all the clay; now, we're shaping it," Marine Corps Commandant Gen. James Conway told Military.com during a recent exclusive interview. The Corps currently has about 203,000 Marines.
"We're compelled [to do it]," Conway said. "Not everyone can stay, we can't afford it. So we're having to ask some great young Americans to go do something else, with the greatest amount of respect to them for raising their hand in the first place."
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The biggest cuts will be in the enlisted ranks, through voluntary early-outs and a cutback on the number of first-time re-enlistments, according to Maj. Shawn Haney, spokeswoman for Marine Corps Manpower and Reserve Affairs. She said 1,000 Marines will be offered 90-day early-outs, while re-enlistment opportunities for first-term Marines will be cut by 300, from 7,035 to 6,735. Those offered the early-outs will continue to receive their regular pay and get credit for completing their full enlistment, she said.
The Corps will reduce its officer force through a competitive career designation board. Until recently, a growing USMC allowed almost all officers to stay in the service after their initial four-year contract obligation.
But now officers will have to measure up to a higher standard to stay in.
Conway told Military.com that retention among officers had reached an all-time high. Typically, the Corps offers career designation to about 94 percent of officers, but it is now looking to bring that down to 85 percent.
He said the Corps will try to make the process as painless as possible by encouraging company-grade officers to join a Reserve unit. The Marine Reserve has traditionally had a tough time filling its company-grade ranks since the Marine Corps doesn't offer commissions directly to the part-time force.
"And as active as the Reserve is, they're probably still going to see some overseas time," Conway explained.
The reshaping of the Corps may also offer new opportunities for Marines in the mid-level grades, Conway said.
"There are some considerations that tell us that, maybe instead of a perfect pyramid with regard to our structure, that at that mid level we've got to have a lot of individual augment requirements, or IAs. So maybe we've got additional spots there for staff NCOs -- staff sergeants, gunnys -- and maybe majors and lieutenant colonels -- that we didn't have before," he said.
"And so until this fight is over and some of those IA requirements go down, maybe we have [opportunities] there that traditionally would not be the case.
conway3.26th.jpg
March 30, 2010
Military.com|by Bryant Jordan
After three years of growing the force to surge in Iraq, the Marine Corps is looking to trim back, though not by much.
Overall, officials anticipate drawing down the Corps' active-duty strength by about 1,300 enlisted Marines and as many as 115 officers -- less than 5 percent of the 27,000 additional personnel the Corps has added since 2007.
"We've got all the clay; now, we're shaping it," Marine Corps Commandant Gen. James Conway told Military.com during a recent exclusive interview. The Corps currently has about 203,000 Marines.
"We're compelled [to do it]," Conway said. "Not everyone can stay, we can't afford it. So we're having to ask some great young Americans to go do something else, with the greatest amount of respect to them for raising their hand in the first place."
Related Stories:
Air Force to Trim 5,750 People by 2012
Conway Concerned With Gays in Barracks
The biggest cuts will be in the enlisted ranks, through voluntary early-outs and a cutback on the number of first-time re-enlistments, according to Maj. Shawn Haney, spokeswoman for Marine Corps Manpower and Reserve Affairs. She said 1,000 Marines will be offered 90-day early-outs, while re-enlistment opportunities for first-term Marines will be cut by 300, from 7,035 to 6,735. Those offered the early-outs will continue to receive their regular pay and get credit for completing their full enlistment, she said.
The Corps will reduce its officer force through a competitive career designation board. Until recently, a growing USMC allowed almost all officers to stay in the service after their initial four-year contract obligation.
But now officers will have to measure up to a higher standard to stay in.
Conway told Military.com that retention among officers had reached an all-time high. Typically, the Corps offers career designation to about 94 percent of officers, but it is now looking to bring that down to 85 percent.
He said the Corps will try to make the process as painless as possible by encouraging company-grade officers to join a Reserve unit. The Marine Reserve has traditionally had a tough time filling its company-grade ranks since the Marine Corps doesn't offer commissions directly to the part-time force.
"And as active as the Reserve is, they're probably still going to see some overseas time," Conway explained.
The reshaping of the Corps may also offer new opportunities for Marines in the mid-level grades, Conway said.
"There are some considerations that tell us that, maybe instead of a perfect pyramid with regard to our structure, that at that mid level we've got to have a lot of individual augment requirements, or IAs. So maybe we've got additional spots there for staff NCOs -- staff sergeants, gunnys -- and maybe majors and lieutenant colonels -- that we didn't have before," he said.
"And so until this fight is over and some of those IA requirements go down, maybe we have [opportunities] there that traditionally would not be the case.