Failed Marine program
Military Times did an item about a Marines program introduced in 2013. Apparently the results have been – well, underwhelming.
In 2013, the Marine Corps released an administrative message with an intriguing offer: Through a special pilot program, troops could hit pause on their active-duty career and transition to the Individual Ready Reserve for up to three years — giving them the chance to go to school, start a family or fulfill some other non-military pursuit.
I am guessing this could be construed as a much easier way to take a break, or get that college degree you wanted. Me, I sympathize – I entered the service with a couple of years of college and finishing my bachelor’s took me darn near a full lustrum (yes, I learned that word from John Wayne.)
Only two catches – there were only 20 slots a year, and you had to repay the time off active duty with TWICE what you took off. Take two years? You now have four years to go.
According to Lt. Col. Emma Wood, a project manager with the Marine Corps’ Strategic Talent Management Group, as of Nov. 24 of last year, only 16 Marines have taken advantage of the service’s Career Intermission Program, or CIP, since it stood up as a pilot. And the individuals who have opted into the program don’t fit a specific category.
Seven of those Marines, she told the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services in a December briefing, had fulfilled their post-intermission obligated service and remained on active duty; three had transferred to other services to pursue career paths the Marines don’t offer, including military nurse and chaplain; two had taken advantage of Temporary Early Release Authority to depart after fulfilling their CIP obligation; three had gotten out after the end of their contract; and one was still paying off the post-intermission service.
So less than two Marines every three years, right? And how many people tasked to set up and run this program? Not to mention it looks like 100% female usage…are males ineligible?
No matter what the answers…this one has the Good Idea Fairy written all over it. And most of the Corps smart enough not to buy into that two for one deal.
The math on this doesn’t math.
“Temporary Early Release Authority to depart after fulfilling their CIP obligation…”
Well I’m no genius, but it seemed like a dumb deal to me.
How many civilian positions and Marine billets were stood up to manage this (less than) amazing program?
I’m betting way more than the 16 Marines who used the program…
Only took you one lustrum David? When I finish my degree this year, I’ll have done it in a bit under EIGHT lustrum since high school.. better late than never I guess..
The plural of lustrum is lūstra. (^__^)
I think you can write it without the diacritic.
Total time 11 years. On the other hand, my youngest has two Master’s and should finish her PhD this year. Obviously takes after her mother.
It makes sense if you are a female and want to have a baby. You could focus on the child for at least a year, maybe two before going back to work. But a two year pause in career sounds very unappetizing.
Pretty steep interest rate for the time you borrowed from the Corps as well.
Most Marines will admit to being crazy…but they ain’t stupid. And there is a difference.
And the Corps would not have to carry them as the dead weight they are, With other Marines carrying their load, while preggers and for the like year thereafter, or whatever they give them now.
That time in the IRR would be time that you DO NOT accumulate time toward active duty retirement, do not accumulate time in grade or time in service. When you come back, your Armed Forces Active Duty Base Date would be adjusted, you’d still be the same rank (possibly) and you’d be no closer to promotion or retirement.
No thank you very much.
My friend did something similar, but NOT a specific Army Program. He did 10 years AD, then went National Guard to go to college. I met him in Community College, and we both went on the University. A couple of 30 plus year-olds on campus could have trouble if I wasn’t married with a young child. He decided to go back on AD after 4 or 5 years. He finished his degree online, and retired after completing his 20 years.
What-da mudda-fuck, how many of the applicants for this will do so with the intent to ABUSE it? IMHO it’s something that looked good on paper in some meeting, but in real life, …
Yeah: fuck that. I managed to know our undergrad AND grad school in about 5 years. I’m not giving up 3 years and paying back 6 just to “live the college experience” or “start a family”. Why do college when you can run roughshod on Australian, Japanese, or Norwegian honeys worldwide? Had my fun, got educated on the government dime and still retired with 20 before I turned 38. Not too bad at all….now I’m 45 and 8 years into a second retirement.