USMC Career Designation

[FlyFastNow]

Hi. Forgive my ignorance, but I'd like something explained to me.
Details:
A friend, a USMC skids guy, is currently in his first squadron where he's been for about 4 years. He has two more years on his contract.
He claims that about a year or so ago, while he was on deployment, he had to fill out something called a "Career Designation" letter to allow him to stay in the USMC. At the time, he didn't know about it, so he didn't do anything. Later, he routed a chit all the way up the chain to ask to be Career Designated and that he didn't know he was supposed to fill the original form out. He was denied. Now, he claims, he must get out at the end of his commitment.
I am USN, so this doesn't seem correct to me. Can someone explain why there is such a short window, while a JO, to decide if you are going to stay in or get out? Thanks.

 

[Hotdogs]

Bottom line: Check your maradmins, keep up with the manpower website, and when it comes time to press the magical button on Marine Online - press the button. You have IIRC 30-45 days to accept said commitment. So the window is not short. The importance of accepting CD has been briefed to Marine company grade ad nauseam for the last 5 years. I have little to no sympathy considering most Marine ground officers were facing 55-65% career designation rates for the last 4 years and it sounds like his CoC didn't either.

 

[Treetop Flyer]

You get career designated, you receive a message, you click accept on MOL. There is no reason not to, it's a no brainer. For him to not know this was coming he must have exceptionally low SA, and an XO who gives no fucks.

 

[FlyFastNow]

Ok, so bottom line is because he didn't click "accept" in MOL within 30-45 days, he has to get out of the Marine Corps?

 

[wink]

Ok, so bottom line is because he didn't click "accept" in MOL within 30-45 days, he has to get out of the Marine Corps?

Appears so, according to the guys that know posting above. My question is, does this comment imply you feel not understanding the CD process and consequences and failing to click a button within a month is a trivial reason to be forced out, or do you mean just clicking a button is so easy and the consequences so great it is inconceivable he wouldn't, or do you imply that his story made it seem far more complicated and unreasonable than the one outlined above.

 

[FlyFastNow]

A little of all of the above, Wink.
-If this has truly been beaten into JO's heads, he should have known
-BUT, why does a 25 year old have 30-45 days to decide the rest of his life?
-Said JO was on DET with an O-4 that I argue, should have helped him out by tracking this or mentoring him to keep this on his radar (or XO could have done this from home)-- and maybe he did, but that's not the story I'm getting.
-And how does sustained superior performance not trump an officer forgetting to click a button 3 years ago?

When my friend told me this, I couldn't believe this one thing would have such dire consequences. Nothing like this exists in the Navy, so I decided to ask here if this could possibly be true. It appears it is, and I still can't believe it. Unreal.

 

[wink]

Since I was curious I did a little, very very little, research. In 3 minutes I found out that one can ask to not be considered for CD if they wish. That on designation your EAS goes away but you are obligated to two years active duty. Since your bud had 24 months to go his contract, I can't imagine his confliction on whether to sign or not. It isn't like he was being obligated to 20 years or some such thing. Only 10% of officers are not offered CD and it has been around since at least 2006. So if he didn't know what was going on, senior leadership brief or not, he just wasn't paying attention the last 4 years, let alone during instruction in his commissioning program where I am sure it is explained. Marines, jump in here any time.

 

[Treetop Flyer]

A little of all of the above, Wink.
-If this has truly been beaten into JO's heads, he should have known
-BUT, why does a 25 year old have 30-45 days to decide the rest of his life?
-Said JO was on DET with an O-4 that I argue, should have helped him out by tracking this or mentoring him to keep this on his radar (or XO could have done this from home)-- and maybe he did, but that's not the story I'm getting.
-And how does sustained superior performance not trump an officer forgetting to click a button 3 years ago?

When my friend told me this, I couldn't believe this one thing would have such dire consequences. Nothing like this exists in the Navy, so I decided to ask here if this could possibly be true. It appears it is, and I still can't believe it. Unreal.

It's a "force shaping tool". By accepting career designation you incur a two year obligation, but aviators get designated at a time when they will always have more than two years remaining on their contract. There is no reason to decline it. It gives you the option to stay in but you can still get out at the end of your contract.

Everyone I know knew when to expect it, and when it came our XO came by to remind us just in case.

 

[Hotdogs]

A little of all of the above, Wink.
-If this has truly been beaten into JO's heads, he should have known
-BUT, why does a 25 year old have 30-45 days to decide the rest of his life?
-Said JO was on DET with an O-4 that I argue, should have helped him out by tracking this or mentoring him to keep this on his radar (or XO could have done this from home)-- and maybe he did, but that's not the story I'm getting.
-And how does sustained superior performance not trump an officer forgetting to click a button 3 years ago?

When my friend told me this, I couldn't believe this one thing would have such dire consequences. Nothing like this exists in the Navy, so I decided to ask here if this could possibly be true. It appears it is, and I still can't believe it. Unreal.

Yes. Clicking a button on Marine Online is a little simplistic to deciding one's future. Not much argument there. Its not exactly a formal process. That being said, it doesn't mean you're committed to stay in the Marine Corps past your initial EAS, it just means you're being offered the opportunity to stay in should you chose to do so. In the past 10-15 years, the Capt board and CD have been simultaneous events. I.e. You promoted, signed some paperwork, and were career designated. Since the drawdown and force shaping initiatives were started in 2009-10, career designation rates went from 85% to around 55% last year for combat arms, combat service support and aviation ground officers, while Aviation and Lawyers stayed at or near 95% the entire time. This meant the board was split up and done on a semi-annual basis. This was also pretty common (augmentation) during the 1990s when force shaping last became a big topic.

Part of being an officer is staying up to date on current MARADMINs, and MCOs that govern your functional area. If said officer did not catch this momumental force structure change, then it is primarily on him and then his XO for not looking out for his Marines. Does it suck? Yes, but if you can't keep your shit in one sock with regards to keeping up with basic administrative functions, then how are you supposed to do it for your Marines? how does that lend itself to claiming he had "sustained superior performance?" I would submit that it probably doesn't.

 

[FlyFastNow]

Ok, thanks so much for the information, everyone!

 

[whitesoxnation]

Yes. Clicking a button on Marine Online is a little simplistic to deciding one's future. Not much argument there. Its not exactly a formal process. That being said, it doesn't mean you're committed to stay in the Marine Corps past your initial EAS, it just means you're being offered the opportunity to stay in should you chose to do so. In the past 10-15 years, the Capt board and CD have been simultaneous events. I.e. You promoted, signed some paperwork, and were career designated. Since the drawdown and force shaping initiatives were started in 2009-10, career designation rates went from 85% to around 55% last year for combat arms, combat service support and aviation ground officers, while Aviation and Lawyers stayed at or near 95% the entire time. This meant the board was split up and done on a semi-annual basis. This was also pretty common (augmentation) during the 1990s when force shaping last became a big topic.

I was under the impression that accepting career designation obligates you to an additional 2 years after your EAS date.

Just read post above, guess I'm wrong.

 

[81montedriver]

For the ground MOS's, yes this is true. However, due to pilots commitments beginning post winging, generally career designation occurs at a time where the "2 year of obligated service" occurs well inside the remaining commitment post winging. For example, by the time I was career designated, I still had 5 years left on my winging commitment.