MARINE CORPS OFFICER TALENT MANAGEMENT FOR THE 21ST CENTURY

Abstract

Marine Corps unrestricted officers are required to follow a pre-determined career roadmap that makes them more competitive for promotion and O-5-level command. The purpose of this MBA project was to research the post–entry-level education system for unrestricted officers. The project aimed to determine if a more focused career path is both attainable and beneficial to the Marine Corps and what this model would look like. The research utilized unrestricted ground supply officers as the test subjects. The sample population was composed of officers O-2 through O-6. Additionally, this project undertook a multi-step approach with specific emphasis on the following data to obtain a decision point: current educational career progression system, survey analysis, and promotion data for colonels with ground supply officer background. This project’s survey identified that 62% of the ground supply officer would choose to become a domain expert rather than follow the current command career path, while the same sample indicated in a Likert scale the need for post–entry-level education. The results indicate that some communities in the Marine Corps already follow a domain expert career path similar to the one proposed. This project recommends that each occupational community in the Marine Corps look at the proposed career path model and shape it to fit the needs of domain expertise.