The method of advancement in the US Marine Corps used to be very ?boots on the ground,? and academics were not a huge part of the process. But that has largely changed. Now there are different education programs that will allow an enlisted Servicemember to attend college full time and remain on active duty status. To be eligible for this program a Marine Corps applicant must be between the ages of twenty and twenty six years old. They have to have a score of 74 or above on the Armed Forces Qualification test, at least 1000 on the Scholastic Assessment Test, or a 40 on the ACT test.
Included in the Marine application need to be conduct and proficiency marks, education history, medical evaluation, recommendation letters, and any other material that could impact the candidate?s application. There are several routes to becoming a Marine Corps Commissioned Officer. One of the most common ones is the Enlisted Marine Corps Commissioning Education Program. If you are a Marine Corps enlisted member and you are interested in applying for this program you also must also write and submit a 500 word essay about why you want to be a Marine Corps Officer. ?This is the program that allows active duty status while going to a four year college full time,? stated Gunnery Sergeant Ben Dillion. Sgt Dillion is the Pacific Career Retention Specialist for the U.S. Marine Corps. The essay is an important element; it is used to judge how effectively the Marine can communicate, and to examine the reason why the applicant wants to be a Marine Corps officer. After the application is submitted there are a number of informal Officer boards that are scheduled. The entire package of the application must be submitted to the Marine Corps Command Recruitment center by 31 January of the year in which the Marine is applying. Once accepted, they attend a prep school for a short period, at Marine Corps Center in San Diego. Many Marine applicants have never attended college and must therefore be taught how to study and succeed at the college level. ?They make it a long process intentionally, to make sure the Marine who applies has a chance to make a intelligent, informed decision.
Find the Military Career right for YOU ! Click here for more Information.
It also helps the people who review the package to choose the best candidates for Officers for the Marine Corps,? said Corporal Kurtis Adams. Adams is a recent accepted program applicant, and has served in the Marines as a computer repair technician.
Applicants are interviewed by commissioned officers that examine their application, and talk to the Marine in an interview format.