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Marine Corps Enlisted Promotions - Master Gunnery Sergeant / Sergeant Major
Marine Corps Enlisted Promotions - Master Gunnery Sergeant / Sergeant Major

 
Promotion to Master Gunnery Sgt. and Sgt. Major (E-9)

The Master Gunnery Sgt. & Sergeant Major's Roles and Responsibilities

USMC Enlisted
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  • Like the ranks of Master Sergeant (MSgt) and First Sergeant, Master Gunnery Sergeants (MGySgt) and Sergeant Majors (SgtMaj) are paid the same; however, they have significantly different roles.


    As the Sergeant Major, you will be the principal enlisted advisor to your commander. Your primary and foremost requisite will be outstanding leadership, combined with an exceptionally high degree of professional competence and the ability to act independently as the principal enlisted assistant to the commander in all administrative, technical, and tactical requirements of the organization.

    As the Master Gunnery Sergeants you will be the technical expert in your field. Your primary prerequisite will be an outstanding proficiency in the assigned MOS/OccFld, combined with an exceptionally high degree of leadership and supervisory ability and the ability to act independently as enlisted assistants to the commander in all administrative, technical, and tactical requirements of your occupational specialty.

    The Staff NCO Promotion Process
    The Staff NCO (E6-E9) promotion process includes a centralized selection board. The normal sequence from recommendation to promotion to Staff NCO follows.

    Basic Eligibility Requirements for Master and First Sergeant (E-8)
    • Command recommendation
    • 10 years Time-In-Service
    • 36 Months Time-In-Grade
    As the Master Gunnery Sergeants you will be the technical expert in your field.
    The Staff NCO Centralized Board
    The Commandant of the Marine Corps (CMC) will convene selection boards each calendar year to examine the qualifications of Marines in the grades of Sgt, SSgt, GySgt, MSgt and 1stSgt for the purpose of recommending those "best and fully qualified" for promotion to the next higher grade. The centralized promotion board generally consists of 16 to 18 members.

    Your entire military career is evaluated to determine if you qualify among the "best and fully qualified." This determination is based on the "whole Marine" concept. In the course of their evaluations, the Selection Board will consider your demonstrated performance/achievement, leadership, professional and technical knowledge, experience (type and level), growth potential, motivation, military proficiency, physical fitness, personal appearance, conduct, moral character, and maturity.

    General Board Procedures
    The Selection Board will be told the number of promotions available for each intended MOS for active duty Marines, Marines in the Active Reserve (AR) Program and in each occupational field for all other reserve component Marines. The Selection Board will also be provided with the records of Marines eligible to compete within each zone.

    As the candidate you are entitled to correspond directly with the President of the Selection Board considering their case for promotion. Your personal correspondence may include, but is not limited to, letters to the President, copies of award certificates, school completion certificates, MCI’s, photographs, third party correspondence (letters of recommendation or explanation), etc.

    Correspondence to SNCO selection boards need to be addressed as follows:
      President (Specific Board) Headquarters,
      U.S. Marine Corps (MMPR-2)
      Harry Lee Hall 17 LeJeune Road
      Quantico, VA 22134-5104 5

    Note: All correspondence must be under cover letter, signed by the eligible Marine, listing all material being forwarded to the Selection Board as enclosures. The board will not consider correspondence not meeting these criteria.

    The Selection Process
    The Marine Corps then takes all the selectees (without regard to MOS), and assigns them a promotion sequence number, which is assigned according to seniority.

    For example, if you are on the GySgt list and you have the most TIG as an SSgt, then you will be given the lowest sequence number (0001).

    Each month, over the next 12 months, the Marines will release the sequence numbers of those to be promoted during that month.