Quote Originally Posted by Sargent View Post
Interesting. I would note that many Marines get frustrated by the B-billet rotation -- "I didn't join the Marine Corps as [fill in combat arms mos] to sit behind an [expletive deleted] desk in DC or Quantico!"
That is a very important note.

The thread is about retaining Officers, I throw this out on the table; Why not fix the SNCO retention first? Retention as in get rid of the non-thinkers, the ones that don't allow the officer to hang out in the Battalion CP because they need to be micro-managed.

Going from Infantry unit to Infantry is gauranteed to slow promotions. At the 11 year mark I was told that I was a great Infantryman/sniper but it appeared that I was afraid to take the challenge of a B-billet. I was not a well rounded Marine In those 11 years I had seen many a B-billet rotational Marine come and go to the various Infantry units that I was in, non of them stood out as a "well rounded Infantryman." slackers, non-hackers, drill gurus, spit shine gods, salesmen, and Department of State letter agency specialist yes.....basic patrolling

For this community a simple question; does a Drill Instructor equate to a superior SNCO?

Promotion wise I would say yes, it opens up the road to SgtMaj.

Independant OODA type thinking....my opinion....NO. The Drill Instructor keeps the schedule in his cover at all times and he'll follow it to the letter! No free thought allowed.

Now taking a look at the pay, a 1st LT with 2 years in has a higher base pay then a SSGT with 16 years in. Even when receiving combat pay and no taxes my family had problems making ends meet when I was deployed.

My last 18 months before retirement, I requested a posting in the DC area. I was hoping to get a marketable skill for retirement, squadleader, sniper, plt Sgt, OTH Navigator, Assualt Climber.......and so on didn't seem like a marketable skill. I ended up in a COD guru's ultimate dream and my worst nightmare.

A CG kept on inviting me down to his office for one on one talks about training decision-making. My command was not allowed to send "adult supervision." My retirement consisted of my CO (LtCol) telling me to "Get the hell out of my office Gunny" after I answered his "what was your best post" question. My answer was as a Sniper Plt Sgt, as a young Sergeant (E-5) I had more independance and free thought then all of my SNCO years combined.

Upon retirement in the DC area I start to notice multiple examples of the homestead act of 1863. Tours between Quantico, Navy Yard, and Henderson Hall. It tears my heart to see Marines with 18-20 years and one deployment when they were junior Marines controlling destinies of Fleet Marines.

Okay, enough crying now.

At retirement many of these multiple deployment servicemembers are buying thier first house. Many of the homesteaders have 15 or so years worth of mortgage payments under thier belts. Multiple deployments also adds up to limited advanced education opportunities.

My simple grunt math is to fix the SNCO pay, offer the 50 percent retirement, throw in a separation/retirement bonus of 500k. When the service member decides to retire the uniform, he or she will know that there is 500k waiting for him or her to put on a house/education/hell of a retirement party. At least they will have an opportunity to compete with thier new peers.

A disclaimer:

I'm an idiot so take the above with a grain of salt