Volume I

9350

MNITED STATES OF AMERICA

5-2-1956

GENERAL

1. The authority and requirements for the promotion of privates to private first class will be promulgated periodically by the Commandant of the Marine Corps. The final decision whether any enlisted person will be promoted to pay grade E-2 remains the prerogative of a marine's commanding officer, as defined in paragraph 9355-1.

2. Promotions of noncommissioned officers will be made periodically to fill vacancies in the actual strength of the Marine Corps by rank and fields of specialization.

3. Promotions will be made on the basis of one pay grade at a time unless otherwise directed by the Commandant of the Marine Corps.

1. The regulations applicable to the promotion of enlisted personnel of the regular Marine Corps also apply to enlisted personnel of the Marine Corps Reserve when on extended active duty.

9352 ENLISTED PROMOTION SYSTEM

1. The enlisted promotion system of the Marine Corps provides that all enlisted personnel within each grade compete with each other on a Marine Corps -wide basis for available promotions to noncommissioned officer grade.

2. Privates first class, corporals and sergeants compete for promotion on the basis of promotion tests, composite scores and consideration by promotion boards convened within local commands. Sergeants compete within a given field of specialization. The final decision whether any enlisted person will be promoted to pay grades E-3, E-4 and E-5 remains the prerogative of a marine's commanding officer as defined in paragraph 9355-1.

3. Staff sergeants and technical sergeants compete within a given field of specialization before Noncommissioned Officer Promotion Boards convened at Headquarters, Marine Corps.

9353 PROMOTION TESTS

1. Promotion tests, standardized throughout the Marine Corps, for particular ranks and fields of specialization, are the measuring instruments employed in determining the degree of professional knowledge possessed by marines.

2. Over-all military knowledge expected of all marines will be measured by a general military subjects test (GMST) of increasing difficulty and broader scope with increasing rank. Different series of the GMST will be constructed for men and women.

9353

3. Technical knowledge of a marine's particular field of specialization will be measured by technical tests, geared to the occupational field and MOS of the individual, of increasing difficulty and broader scope with increasing rank.

4. Unless otherwise directed by the Commandant of the Marine Corps, two comparable forms of each test, Forms A and B, will be constructed for each testing period, i. e., the period within which both forms will be administered. The dates for the administration of the two forms will be spaced several weeks apart. Form A will be taken by all eligible personnel available. Form B will be taken only by eligible personnel who were not available when Form A was given, such as those who were hospitalized, in transit, on leave, etc.

5. Promotion tests will be administered periodically as directed by the Commandant of the Marine Corps. The announcement of a testing period by the medium of routine orders will include the following essential information:

a. Designation of tests.

b. Personnel for whom tests are applicable, to include specific testing eligibility requirements.

c. Dates on which tests are to be administered.

d. Special instructions regarding requisitioning of test materials.

e. Authorization for test waivers. 6. In the event enlisted personnel are transferred after tests for them are requisitioned, an entry will be made in the service record book of personnel concerned, on Form NAVMC 118 (5)-PD, under Additional Information as to Promotion Status on Transfer to a New Organization, the designation of test and testing period for which requisitioned. In such instances, Technical Tests which have been requisitioned for transferred personnel will be forwarded expeditiously by the requisitioning unit to the units to which the personnel are transferred, except in cases involving transfers to overseas units exempted from testing. When both an A and B form of a test are given, care should be exercised to forward the test form consistent with the date it is expected that the transferred individual will have arrived at his new station. General Military Subjects Tests will not be forwarded as the excesses provided for in paragraph 9356-2 should cover normal personnel redistribution. Test materials should be forwarded in a double envelope by certified mail. The inner envelope containing the test materials should be sealed and marked To Be Opened by a Commissioned Officer Only".

7. Results of promotion tests will be announced by the Commandant of the Marine Corps. Entries will be made under Record of Examination for Promotion on Form NAVMC 118(5)-PD, in the service record books of marines administered tests. The title of the directive announcing the test results will be entered as authority for recording the test results. When promotion tests have been waived, as authorized by the Commandant of the Marine Corps, entries will be made in service record books of marines for whom tests have been waived at the time such waiver is granted, indicating the specific tests waived, and the directive authorizing the waiver. Marines whose service record books indicate they have passed a particular test will not be retested or permitted to retake that test while serving continuously in the grade in which the test was taken.

8. Enlisted personnel who did not receive a passing score on a promotion test will be given every encouragement to prepare themselves and to compete again at the next testing period.

9354

TESTING ELIGIBILITY

1. Enlisted personnel will be eligible to take a GMST or a technical test if:

a. They exceed the minimum service in grade requirements on a control date to be announced in accordance with paragraph 9353-5. Computation of service in grade will be based on the date of rank as distinguished from the date of promotion. The date of reduction for disciplinary reasons will be the date of rank used. The original date of rank in present pay grade will be used when a reduction was for incompetency. Service in grade satisfactorily acquired in a previous enlistment in the regular Marine Corps or the Marine Corps Reserve, if on extended active duty, in the present or a higher grade, will be included for one promotion only.

b. They are not within one or more of the following categories:

(1) Convicted by a summary court martial within 3 months of date test will be administered.

(2) Convicted by a special court martial within 6 months of date test will be administered.

(3) Convicted by a general court martial within 12 months of date test will be administered.

(4) In a probationary status as the result of sentence of a court martial.

c. They have not previously passed the test, unless they were reduced to their present grade.

d. In the grade of private first class, corporal and sergeant they are recommended for testing and promotion by their commanding officer.

2. Enlisted personnel in retraining assignments will not be eligible to take any promotion test during their qualifying period, instructions concerning which are contained in Part D, Chapter 7.

9355

NONCOMMISSIONED OFFICER
PROMOTION BOARDS

1. Commanding officers, who for purposes stated herein are defined as battalion and squadron commanders, commanding officers of Marine Barracks, Marine Guard Detachments, Marine Aviation Detachments, Marine Air Reserve Training Detachments, Marine Corps Reserve and Recruitment District Directors, Navy Commanding Officers of ships to which detachments of marines are detailed for duty, marine commanding officers and officers-in-charge of any duly designated separate and detached command empowered to convene special courts-martial and Marine Commanders senior in the chain of command to those named above, are authorized to convene noncommissioned officer Promotion Boards which will be primarily responsible for administering the enlisted promotion program in the field. Normally these boards will be convened at the lowest echelon with convening authority. Membership of the board shall include Reserve representation in a number substantially equal to the proportion that Reserve personnel under consideration bears to the total of the Regular and Reserve personnel being considered. Where Reservists only are being considered, a majority of the Board shall be Reserve officers. In commands where no Reserve officers are attached and Reserve enlisted personnel are being considered for promotion, the Commandant of the Marine Corps (Code DH) will be promptly notified. Each board will normally consist of two or more commissioned officers. Where it is impracticable to assign commissioned officers to the board, warrant officers will be assigned. Where more than one commissioned or warrant officer is not available, the sole officer will serve as the board.

2. The Commandant of the Marine Corps will convene non-commissioned officer promotion boards at Headquarters, U. S. Marine Corps, when practical, which will select qualified non-commissioned officers for promotion to master sergeant and technical sergeant.