Corps fights shortage of captains

[unhappycamper]

Faster promotions
Selection board convenes Jan. 30


Corps fights shortage of captains
By Kimberly Johnson - Staff writer
Posted : Monday Jan 28, 2008 11:40:22 EST

The Marine Corps is in such dire need of captains that it is slashing requirements for promotions, making eligible some first lieutenants with less than a year in that rank.

The move indicates the Corps is under stress to keep the company-grade ranks filled during wartime while boosting end strength to 202,000 by 2011, sources said.

The Fiscal 2009 Captain Promotion Selection Board convenes Jan. 30. According to the board’s convening message, first lieutenants with dates of rank between April 30, 2007, and July 1, 2005 — a 22-month span — are in-zone eligible for promotion. That means junior first lieutenants could have as little as nine months at that rank when they go before the board, the lowest time-in-grade the Corps has allowed in five years.

The 22-month span of experience for eligible lieutenants reflects that the Corps is casting a much wider net than in recent years. Between fiscal 2000 and 2008, for example, the range averaged about 10 months.

Even the most junior first lieutenants going before the board are all but guaranteed promotion, based on an analysis of the Corps’ historical data.


Rest of article at: http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/2008/01/marine_captain_shortage_080128/



uhc comment: It appears that almost all of the Individual Ready Reserves have already been called up. The Army also promoted 4,746 sergeants --> http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=259&topic_id=10294