A bit of a shifting of gears, but this is recently in regarding the "weight" of a advisory tour compared to serving in an operational billet:

ALMAR 046/07
MSGID/GENADMIN/USMTF 2007/CMC WASHINGTON DC MM//
SUBJ/QUALIFICATIONS OF SERVICE AS TRANSITION TEAM MEMBER OR
/AS JOINT INDIVIDUAL AUGMENTS IN SUPPORT OF GLOBAL WAR ON TERROR//
POC/W.J. MCWATERS/MAJ/UNIT:HD MMPR-1/-/TEL:278-9703//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1. CONCERNS OVER COMPETITIVENESS FOR PROMOTION BY
MARINES SERVING IN NON-TRADITIONAL OPERATIONAL BILLETS HAS INCREASED
WITH THE EXPANDING REQUIREMENTS FOR TRANSITION TEAM MEMBERS AND
INDIVIDUAL AUGMENTS SUPPORTING JOINT/EXTERNAL OPERATIONS. PROMOTION
BOARD MEMBERS RECOGNIZE THAT MARINES ON TRANSITION TEAMS AND
INDIVIDUAL AUGMENTS SERVE IN BILLETS OF VITAL INTEREST TO OUR WAR
EFFORT, AND THAT MARINES ARE FILLING THESE BILLETS IN LIEU OF KEY
OPERATIONAL BILLETS WITHIN THEIR MOS TRADITIONALLY COVETED FOR
CAREER PROGRESSION AND COMPETITIVENESS TOWARDS PROMOTION.
2. FY08 ENLISTED AND FY09 OFFICER PROMOTION BOARD PRECEPTS NOW
INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING LANGUAGE TO EMPHASIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF
SERVICE AS A MEMBER OF TRANSITION TEAMS OR JOINT INDIVIDUAL
AUGMENTS: "THE WAR ON TERRORISM HAS SEEN THE GROWTH OF BILLETS
TRADITIONALLY NOT FILLED BY MARINE OFFICERS (STAFF NONCOMMISSIONED
OFFICERS FOR ENLISTED BOARDS). OFFICERS (SNCOS) ASSIGNED TO NATION
BUILDING AND CRISIS OPERATIONS BILLETS ARE CRITICAL TO THE SUCCESS
OF OUR COUNTRY'S POLICIES. THE BOARD SHOULD BE ESPECIALLY DILIGENT
IN WEIGHING THE QUALIFICATIONS OF OFFICERS (SNCOS) SERVING IN
TRANSITION TEAMS (TT) AND JOINT INDIVIDUAL AUGMENTATION (IA)
BILLETS. SERVICE IN THESE CRITICAL BILLETS SHOULD WEIGH EQUAL TO
TRADITIONAL MARINE CORPS OFFICER (SNCO) BILLETS IN THE OPERATIONAL
FORCES SUPPORTING THE GLOBAL WAR ON TERRORISM DURING BOARD
DELIBERATIONS."
3. THIS POLICY WILL CONTINUE FOR SUBSEQUENT USMC AND USMCR
PROMOTION SELECTION BOARDS. THE CORPS MUST CONTINUE TO SEND ITS
BEST AND BRIGHTEST TO FILL THESE CRITICAL BILLETS.
4. COMMANDERS ARE DIRECTED TO DISSEMINATE THE INFORMATION CONTAINED
IN THIS ALMAR TO ALL MARINES UNDER THEIR COMMAND.
5. SEMPER FIDELIS, JAMES T. CONWAY, GENERAL, U.S. MARINE CORPS,
COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS.//
That's nice to see. Does it mean that more bright and talented folks will volunteer or at least go gladly to these types of jobs? Time will tell.