Marine Corps’ Sergeant Major; Poor Marines are best for the Corps
I don’t even know how to start this blog post, but ROS sent it to us from the Army Times. Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps Micheal Barrett told lawmakers that lower pay would be good for the Marines who think he’s working for them.
Instead, Barrett argued that the lower quality of life would be beneficial to Marines.
“I truly believe it will raise discipline,” he said. “You’ll have better spending habits. You won’t be so wasteful.”
Both Barrett and the other leaders emphasized that without changes in compensation, force readiness will suffer. Pentagon leaders have said that they need to trim a host of benefits and family assistance efforts to ensure that training and equipment modernization funds aren’t compromised.
I’m wondering what the Hell is wrong with these assholes in the Pentagon. Yeah, assholes. Every other agency of the executive branch is lobbying Congress for higher wages and more benefits for their employees, while these peckerwoods in uniforms are begging Congress to slash compensation for theirs.
Amos I almost understand, but the enlisted Marines are depending on their Sergeant Major to look out for their welfare, but obviously, he’s only thinking of his political future. I hope he chokes on it.
Category: Marine Corps
We let you go sleeves up, now you want more money? Said no Sgt. Major ever. And read it in the Marine Corps Times. http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/article/20140409/NEWS05/304090064
And what he says may be true of one-and-done Marines who don’t have to worry about more than a car payment, car insurance, and beer money. But he can’t possibly have in mind the Marines with spouses, families, and all of the financial needs and concerns of a family’s provider. If I am wrong and he does include those Marines, well, there is nothing more to do than to take a Scripto, put a black dot in the center of his bald pate, and call him Sergeant Major Dickhead, USMC.
What in the name of all things holy did I just read?? WTF is he smoking?
SgtMaj just went full retard.
If they are serious about saving money, just do away with the military entirely. When the shit hits the fan, fire up the old amphibious assault vehicle, drive down to the Home Depot, and hire some day warriors hanging around the parking lot.
Ya know, as twisted as his logic is I see his point. Not that I believe lower pay will boost morale somehow, but that the Military is not for the feint of hearted or those looking to be pampered and catered to. You can still achieve that though while maintaining a well compensated force.
Discipline comes from strong leadership from his position down. Pay and benefits do matter, especially as 2/17 Cav pointed out to those Marines (and by extension all members of the military regardless of branch)who intend to do more than their one enlistment.
Rebuild the NCO Corp, instill discipline from day one of Basic Training, do not give any private some false sense of entitlement… make Soldiers/Sailors/Marines/Airman not a group of individuals who think they are still back on the block and can do as they please, but you best take care of them! You better pay them well, care for them whrn they are ill or injured, and by extension their families too.
Otherwise just shitcan this whole Volunteer Military and have yourself a Draft.
If congress wants to save some money, and hit people in their wallets, maybe they should be doing it to those who are doing nothing to earn it.
They do away with the mandatory financial management class in PI?
Instruction and then marched to Credit Union to sign up.
Allotment to savings for the future.
No idea, not a Marine myself. I was speaking more in general terms of the military overall as this is something that affects all branches not just the USMC.
My entire point was that you can have discipline and well cared for finnancially troops. As Hondo states down the discussion here, you will only be creating other problems by eliminating benefits and pay.
Feint of heart? Perhaps you meant “Faint.”
And you are correct! Severe austerity does build the best automatons. Contrary to the best aspects of American military tradition. An army of starvelings dependent on their masters for all they have. Boy, I can barely wait.
First thing: If there is a “discipline” problem in the Marine Corps, he’s the #1 asshole to blame for it.
I’m quite sure he’s not referring to his own paycheck of course, just the same as all the Generals who get a 140%-ish pension rate when they retire.
They are playing the same game as the politicians in Washington/Hollywood. “Oh, the peasants need to pay higher taxes and get less, but since we’re way up here we will have exemptions of course.”
Since he’s saying this, he’s the first asshole who should be stepping up to turn in a % of his paycheck and “lead from the front” if he really feels that way, but he won’t.
Say again, Sergeant Major. You are coming in broken and retarded.
I suppose he’s for cutting pay and benefits for all Marines E8 and below.
Bring back open squad bays and Quonsent huts (yes I lived in both back in the 80s and 90s), mess duty and SgtMaj’s who actually did useful work. THAT will improve discipline and morale!
Let’s take it further…
1. No BAH for Marines/Sailors/Soldiers/Airmen below the rank of E-3, regardless of marital status
2. Special permission for E-3 and below to marry (I saw this back in the early 80’s at Camp Pendleton)
SgtMaj gave up his balls (and forgot the meaning to the NCO creed) sometime ago.
Do what I did and get a contract marriage to move out of the barracks. It’s not my fault 1st Sgt E never gave me a chance which is why I got out as a terminal lance.
I wonder if the SMMC here was a fan of junior enlisted troops with families legitimately qualifying for Food Stamps? Sounds to me like he’s advocating a return to those days.
Doing what you suggest won’t reduce the USMC’s problems, Sgt Maj. It will merely replace them with different ones.
Jonn: maybe a good way to start this and similar stories would be “WTF, over?”
Edited to add: Hell, maybe that would be a good category.
When I was a young SSgt and Gunny, I feel the Marine Corps was at its height as far as a strong, competent SNCO and Officer Corps. I served with some friggin studs. We came up in a time of austerity when the pay sucked, the gear sucked and the deployments sucked. We were sea going jar heads, little amphibious monsters. We did more with less every day and thought that was how business was conducted. It bonded us.
The beginning of the war in 2003 was good and bad for the Marine Corps. The good was it gave us a battle hardened Marine Corps. It also exposed guys who couldn’t cut the mustard but unfortunately killed and wounded Marines who would have been outstanding leaders in the future. Another byproduct was for the first time, we actually had money due to supplemental war funding. And we got spoiled. Where at one time we would use a piece of gear beyond its service life, now if we broke it, we didn’t fix it, we bought a new one. And we raised a generation of Marines who had never lived in austerity. They became like fat kids in a room full of free cookies. That has been bad for the Corps. I think the point that SgtMaj Barrett was trying to make was that we need to get back to that austere mindset. Where we make do with less and still accomplish the mission.
I know Mike Barrett. I do not know him well, but I know him. He is a good man and a warrior. I do not know if working for General Amos has totally warped him (I think Amos is one of the worst Commandants ever). I do not think the SgtMaj. wants Marines and their families to suffer, he just wants a Marine Corps that does not waste money. And believe me, we wasted our fair share.
The primary problem is that actual waste won’t be addressed.
The wasters are protected by congressional profiteers. Gotta bring that bacon home to the district to buy the votes, donchu know.
My counter is that maybe the people at the Puzzle Palace need to go after the actual waste and not the paychecks and promised benefits of Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines!
-Ish
The absolute antithesis of what a NCO should be.
Good Morning Marines,
Today you will meet the enemy. On average they are paid 25 percent more than you. That must piss you off! It does not piss me off, because I know the inner rage of the absence of pay parity will keep the fire in your hungry swollen bellies burning. An additional cost saving measure will be employed today, please pick up all expended brass as you advance towards the enemy. The Marine who returns with the most brass will get an extra bowl of beans and their family will get a 10 dollar Walmart coupon for evaporated milk.
That is all!
SGT MAJ of the USMC
Dear Sergeant Major,
You are a putz. That is all.
~Gravel
What an idiot.
“In my 33 years, we’ve never had a better quality of life,” says the SgtMaj who is making over $93,000 a year in base pay alone. Wow. In my years in the Army, it wasn’t really always about the actual dollars and cents but the perception that someone higher up actually gave a shit about us. We knew we weren’t going to get rich doing what we did, but we knew somebody up the chain was at least trying to fight for us and that in large part, kept morale manageable. Witht that being said however, money does help retain experience. The Army had to invent the CW5 rank years ago because we were losing CW4 pilots after 14-15 years. They were going to the “real-world” to fly and make big bucks because they knew there was no more promotion or money potential. In today’s military you get what you pay for – not only in equipment but in personnel.
Exactly
Douchebag.
Wow
This guy couldn’t be further out of touch regarding enlisted marines.
The money problems all revolve around bullshit weapon programs like the JSF with contractors robbing the DoD while some lance coolie is supposed to take a pay cut to pay for it. How many times in the past decade did the corps have to re-invent the pack?
Quality of life fucking sucks in the marines and under Amos it’s only gotten worse significantly. Throw the corps under the bus to appease the wasteful weapon program spending.
“Amos I almost understand, but the enlisted Marines are depending on their Sergeant Major to look out for their welfare, but obviously, he’s only thinking of his political future. I hope he chokes on it.” I can’t add better to this. Except young soldiers, sailors and airmen are looking to their SNCOs in the Pentagon for the same support and something tells me…they ain’t a gonna be gettin it!
I was a little shocked at nbcguy54’s report of this mans salary. Nice work if you can get it.
The 2014 pay charts show for E9 the base pay tops out at $5411.10 per month. But as the SgtMaj of the Corps, CSM of the Army, etc you get 7816.20 in base pay. Nice bump up….now go take care of your troops dammit.
I posted his statements on the Command Board.
You can only run the printing presses so fast, then you start jamming up the works.
There’s no way in hell we can afford to get the next 50-100 million citizens on federal subsistence AND keep a functional military.
Sorry. Just can’t be done.
Gotta have priorities, you know?
He CAN’T be that ignorant, he just can’t. All I can say is somebody better start checking the water and the air in DC. It’s either that, or the body-snatchers have been busy when we weren’t looking. 🙁
What a dick.
Base pay 1967 for E-1 w/less than 4 mos.: $95.70
Base pay 1967 for E-9, over 22yrs: $632.70
Those are, of course, monthly pay, not annual.
You want to cut pay, Sergeant Major?
Fine. Let’s go back to 1967 pay rates. That will save some money, for sure.
You first, pal.
The current senior leadership of the Marine Corps is failing the rank and file. From undo command influence, to flip-flopping agendas to this.
This is amazing to me. I understand the need to manage a budget in order to keep operating, it’s been a daily occurrence for my business for 30 years. However if I intend to have some of the best people working for me, I need to be aware of how my compensation package arrives at that. Sure most people may not join for the money, but at some point if the money sucks bad enough and the promises are broken often enough nothing positive comes of your recruiting efforts and you will truly be left with people who have no where else to go. That will become the self fulfilling prophecy. I find it interesting that he’s not advocating for reducing the size of the officer corps to match the intended reduction in force nor is he advocating for a reduction in pay to himself I suspect. Perhaps it’s not the troops he has now he ought to be talking to…how about talking to some kid in high school and telling that kid you intend to lie to him about his benefits, and you intend to pay him less because you believe a life of subsistence wages in the military will make you tough…and try talking to that kid right after the two folks who represent Apple and Microsoft tell that kid if he keeps on getting good grades and heads off to college they will pay him to start more than most people make after 20 years on the job complete with stock options and benefits you can bank real money on receiving….and then Mr. Genius you wonder why your precious marine corps will no longer meet a recruiting or retention quota and why an ever smaller amount of people are interested in serving…. It certainly is interesting to see what some of these supposedly educated individuals are bringing to the table in terms of addressing readiness concerns…the only non-variable in the equation seems to be compensating the enlisted people less and reducing their benefits. I am reminded of the HL Mencken quote: “I enjoy democracy immensely, it’s inherently… Read more »
With comments and attitudes like this, he has sold out the very people he is supposed to look out for.
It is a common mistake among failing businesses to think “well, if we just maintain the pay status quo for now, keep our best and brightest, lose all the dullards and slackers, and we’ll have a lean mean business.” What actually happens 100% of the time with no exceptions is that the best and brightest leave ASAP, leaving the dullards and slackers as the ONLY people who actually know what’s going on, and to even keep pace the business has to hire newer and more expensive best & brightest to fix all their new problems. Net is higher pay expended, same output, and usually the business is now circling the drain. The military in this sense is no different.
Exactly what I see in my agency (which is not exactly a repository of Best & Brightest by any definition). The latest example of DGAF from “senior leadership” was the Great FMLA Witch Hunt of 2014, where otherwise-capable people are being terminated for being out sick too often (2x/month or more) with migraines, diabetes, and asthma, among other things. Nothing says caring for your people like targeting the walking wounded.
SgtMaj Barett, WHAT does it feel like to sell your soul for political gain? Just asking.
Given the caliber of the senior NCOs who have been in the news lately, I’m only surprised that he didn’t endorse Jim Moran’s proposal to raise Congress’ pay while he had their attention.
I think he sees how much of an asshole SMA Chandler is and decided he needed to one up him.
+1
Now that’s just funny, I don’t care who you are.
The Sargent Major ought to be replaced by a Master Gunnery Sergeant.
Time to replace the credentialed with the doers.
This is a surprising statement to have come from the SgtMaj. As you stated, he really is in charge of looking out for the welfare of the Marine enlisted. I can’t imagine there being a whole lot of Marines, if any, who would jump aboard with the SgtMaj on this issue.
Maybe if they bring back legal looting, prizes, and all that from back in the day.
Is Crack legal in the Corps now?? Who the fuck shit in his mess kit, had to have been on his knees!
Pardon my tardiness, but… WTFO?!
SgtMaj seems to have lost his way. The SgtMaj of the Marine Corps is the senior enlisted voice for all those enlisted young men and women in his charge. I am very disappointed in the SgtMaj for using that platform to push his personal agenda.
I think it is time for the SgtMaj to put his papers in for retirement and go home and get someone in his place that will speak for those young Marines.
When I enlisted in 82, we were working poor. In the years that followed, they finally got the paid up to a point where a decent wage. I can remember where family members were living in the tents in the recreation action at FT Ord because they could not afford to pay the rent off post.
SgtMaj Green was my SgtMaj for a bit when I was at MALS-39. I thought he was a good leader who connected well with the rank and file and had their interests in mind when working with commanders.
Seems like there is a significant number of comments about lack of combat deployments, the noted absence of a CAR etc. etc.
Well, SgtMaj Barrett was a grunt with multiple combat deployments and a CAR. Did it make him a better leader? Was he the guy looking out for Marines welfare and morale?
http://www.armytimes.com/article/20140409/NEWS05/304090064/Sgt-Maj-Marine-Corps-Barrett-Less-pay-raises-discipline
and I posted this on the wrong thread…