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<img style="float: none;" src="http://assets.marines.com/assetmgr/image/disp/inline/size/460x259/id/258961" alt="Enlisted Marines and Marine Officers: Brothers in Arms" /><h2>Enlisted Marines and Marine Officers</h2>Enlisted vs. Officer Transcript Sgt Michael Durkin When you're on deployment, it's two guys inside of a fighting hole. It doesn't matter what rank you are, what billet you are. They're just there to watch each other's backs. They do what's necessary to accomplish the mission. Capt George Flynn It's not just a strict delineation of there's the officer and there's the enlisted Marines. LtCol James McArthur We conduct physical training together. We go to the same classes. We go on the same length of hikes. We deploy together. LCpl Ryan Minden The officers have the plan and they spread that down to the ranks of the enlisted and it eventually gets to my level where we get the job done. The officers, the really good ones work alongside you and I like having leadership like that. 1stLt Jennifer Dymicki I have Marines that are specialized in what they do and they're the ones who teach me. Anywhere from a private up to a senior enlisted. They know what they're doing and I'm going to go to them and they're going to teach me. SgtMaj Donald Williams The senior enlisted is somebody who has come up through the ranks. He's been where they have been and he can provide that advice to the commanding officer that the officer may not have experienced in his career. 1stLt Bryan Coughlin The biggest difference between enlisted and officer is the officer has the final decision on all commands. Cpl Shane Otwell The mutual relationship between a commissioned officer and enlisted is just the maturity and respect. The enlisted Marine knows the last and final decision made is going to be coming from that commissioned officer. Capt George Flynn It definitely weighs on you at times. A good term I've heard is it's the moral burden of command. If something bad happens to one of these Marines, I will take that as my responsibility. 1stLt Jason Anders While ultimately officers make the final decision and they're responsible for what their platoon and their team does, a lot of the execution and the responsibility falls on the junior enlisted. A lot of people don't realize the amount of responsibility they actually take on. LtCol James McArthur Marine officers go to Officer Candidates School or the Naval Academy and enlisted Marines go to recruit training. LtCol Bill Vivian We have Enlisted Marines running the candidates through Officer Candidates School. Capt George Flynn I don't there's a service that does it better in that regard. Where we can say all the officers that lead Marines were trained by the Marines that they're supposed to go out and lead. Cpl Shane Otwell The salute that's shared between commissioned officers and enlisted men in the Marine Corps shows a sign of respect. You respect that commissioned officer. 1stLt Ryan Akers And when the officer returns that salute, he's rendering respect to the Enlisted Marine for their years of experience and their knowledge they've gained from doing everything in their job. LtCol James McArthur Officers don't look at themselves as being here and enlisted here. We're all the same. We're equal. That's very important that the young man or woman joining the Marine Corps understands that the individual that's leading them believes they are no better or no worse. <hr />

An Enduring Brotherhood:

Marine Officers and Enlisted Marines train together, deploy together and come to rely on one another during their time in the Corps. Whether you begin your journey on the officer side or on the enlisted side, your mission will be one and the same, and your training will be second to none. If you have what it takes to earn the title, you will become part of a brotherhood that lasts a lifetime.

Different Roles. Identical Missions.

Marine Officers and Enlisted Marines operate in the same occupational fields. Each field contains multiple Military Occupational Specialties (MOSs), or specific roles in the Marine Corps. Both Marine Officers and Enlisted Marines have opportunities in most fields, but they are trained to take on different roles within a field.

The Salute:

The salute between a Marine Officer and an Enlisted Marine is more than a gesture of respect—it is a pact of mutual trust. When one Marine salutes another, it is an acknowledgement of the title both have earned.

Platoon Sergeant – Platoon Commander Relationship:

The senior Enlisted Marine in a platoon is the Platoon Sergeant. The Platoon Sergeant is normally a Staff Sergeant with a decade of experience leading Marines. The Marine Officer in charge of the platoon is the Platoon Commander. The Platoon Commander has been awarded a commission based upon demonstrated leadership potential and has the background and training to effectively communicate, plan missions and manage larger military organizations. The success of every mission is highly dependent on the teamwork between the two.

Transitioning from Enlisted Marine to Marine Officer:

There are programs in place to allow qualified and deserving Enlisted Marines to become Marine Officers. The Marine Corps encourages Enlisted Marines to further their education and talk with their chain of command about the opportunity to become a Marine Officer.

Requirements:

Aspiring Marines must first decide whether to pursue a path as an Enlisted Marine or a Marine Officer. It's important to know the difference between each option, its requirements and its role in supporting the Marine Corps mission.

Marine Officers:

Requirements to receive a commission:

Must have a bachelor's degree
Must be at least 17 years old and all pre-commissioning training and degree requirements must be completed before age 33
Pass the ASVAB with a score of 74 or higher

About Marine Officers:

Receive a commission from the President of the United States to lead Marines and defend the Constitution
Lead Marines in many Military Occupational Specialties (MOSs)
Maintain Marine Corps physical fitness standards
Attend Officer Candidates School (OCS) in Quantico, VA or the Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD, and then attend The Basic School (TBS) in Quantico, VA
Live by the motto "Leadership by example"
Start as a second lieutenant

Enlisted Marines:

Requirements to enlist:

Must have a high school diploma or have earned a GED
Must be at least 17 years of age
Pass the ASVAB with a score of 31 or higher

About Enlisted Marines:

Act as America's premier expeditionary force, ready to protect our nation's interests in the air, on the ground and at sea
Make up a majority of the Marine Corps
Fulfill at least a 3-, 4-, 5- or 6-year active-duty commitment
Maintain Marine Corps physical fitness standards
Attend recruit training at a Marine Corps Recruit Depot (MCRD) in San Diego, CA or Parris Island, SC
Able to select a Military Occupational Field (such as Infantry or Intelligence), which leads to training in a Military Occupational Specialty (such as Mortarman or Imagery Analysis Specialist)

Marines. The Few. The Proud.

Enlisted Marines and Marine Officers: Brothers in Arms

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