Slots for promotion to gunnery sergeant are slated to reach the highest level since before the start of the drawdown, paving the way for more junior Marines to pick up rank as nearly 1,900 staff sergeants move up. The year ahead is poised to be a banner one for promotions if early figures are any indication.

Officials with Manpower and Reserve Affairs released last week tentative figures for promotions to gunnery sergeant this fiscal year. In all, 1,891 staff sergeants could make gunnyearn an extra stripe on their shoulder, up from 1,129 last year.

While it's not immediately clear why there are so many additional allocations for gunnery sergeants this year, Commandant Gen. Joseph Dunford has made it a priority to replenish depleted ranks of experienced and skilled noncommissioned officers and staff NCOs, per his recently released planning guidance.

It is by far the largest year over year increase since the Corps began shedding thousands of Marines annually. as part of the drawdown. before the start of the drawdown.And that has implications for every career-minded Marine, as those Every newly-promotedminted gunnies ery sergeant createsan openings at a lower ranks.

That trickles mong the ranks of staff sergeants, trickling down to sergeants, corporals and lance corporals, officials said.

While officials could tweak the allocation number prior to the Gunnery Sergeant Selection Board convening on April 22 — and even during the roughly eight week meeting — the 1,891 figure has been described as fairly accurate. In years past, revisions have been minor.

Manpower officials declined to say how many staff sergeants will be eligible for promotion to gunnery sergeant this far ahead of the board. leaving much about the new opportunities unknown. Without The lack of that critical piece of information, which should become available in the near future, it's makes it impossible to calculate the a staff sergeant's a promotion-eligible Marine's odds at advancement. I think we can get away without using this GH But much remains unknown. For instance, Manpower planners were unable to say how many staff sergeants are eligible for promotion. The lack of that critical piece of information, which should become available in the near future, makes it impossible to calculate a promotion-eligible Marine's odds at advancement. If an increase in allocations is met by an increase in the number of eligible Marines, the percent making the cut would remain constant.

For example, if the increase in allocations is met with high number of eligible staff sergeants, the chances at making the cut could remain constant to years past.

Still, with an additional But one thing is clear: 762 more staff sergeants making gunny this year, it appears that will be tapped for promotion this year compared to last. Marines holding fast to aspirations of making the Corps a career can be cautiously optimistic approach the remainder of the year with cautious optimism.It's also unclear what prompted the allocation spike. Force controls, effectively a time limit on a Marine's career, couldcontribute as some Marines are pushed out of uniform . Voluntary incentives for Marines to depart the Corps as the drawdown continues could also have a limited effect, although those are carefully targeted to avoid gutting specific ranks or specialties and typically suspended as manning targets are reached. Moved up GH Though tempting to link the boost to Commandant Gen. Joseph Dunford's highly-publicized goal of replenishing the depleted ranks of experienced and skilled noncommissioned officers and SNCOs, officials in his officer were not immediately able to confirm or deny a link. Dunford did however make it a priority in his recently released planning guidance.

Potential promotion bonanza

With Maj. Thomas Dolan, spokesman for Manpower and Reserve Affairs officials, describing the 1,891 allocations for gunnery sergeant as "fairly firm," the ears of all ambitious junior enlisted men and women should be pricking up.

That's because of what manpower officials often refer to as a trickle down effect in which a promotion at one pay grade, creates a vacancy for a lower ranking Marine to fill and on down the ranks. For every newly-made E-7, there is an E-6 vacancy for an E-5 to fill. In turn there is an E-5 vacancy for an E-4 to fill. There is a less direct correlation for lance corporals who are subject to cutting scores, but it still has a positive effect on their career prospects.

But not all Marines are created equal. Opportunities for promotion — again, hard to put odds to until more information is released by officials — vary by military occupational specialty. More specialties are eligible for promotion this year, but 13 remain frozen.

The big allocation winners this year are infantry unit leaders, which jumped from 68 in fiscal 2014 to 152, and administrative specialists. Staff sergeants in the latter field saw just 36 promotion opportunities in fiscal 2014. They will see 105 of their peers promoted this year, according to Marine administrative message 081/15.officials.

An unidentified U.S. Marine Infantryman assigned to Weapons Company, 1st Battalion of the 8th Marines (1/8) holds security while on patrol through the Infantry Platoon Battle Course located at Fort Pickett, V. A., Aug. 26, 2013. The Marines of 1/8 were supporting students attending the Infantry Unit Leaders Course(IULC) at the Advanced Infantry Training Battalion, School of Infantry-East (SOI-E). IULC is a course designed for Marine infantry staff non commissioned officers that prepares them for the rigors of being a platoon sergeant in an infantry platoon. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Chief Warrant Officer 2 Paul S. Mancuso, Combat Camera, SOI-E/Released)

An infantryman with Weapons Company, 1st Battalion of the 8th Marines holds security while on patrol during the Infantry Platoon Battle Course located at Fort Pickett, Va. The number of gunnery sergeant promotion allocations for infantry unit leaders has increased for 2015.

Photo Credit: Chief Warrant Officer Paul S. Ma/Marine Corps

Other occupational specialties with large gains in allocations include motor transport maintenance and operations chiefs, and supply administration and operations specialist.

Fields that remain shut out These include many of the usual suspects: cryptologic linguists, helicopter power plant mechanics and tactical systems operators. New, though, are tiltrotor dynamic components mechanics, aviation electronic micro/miniature component and cable repair technicians, as well as several types of mechanics for fixed wing aircraft.

Staff sergeants hoping to make gunny But staff sergeants envisioning that extra stripe would be advised to examine where they fall in Mmanpower's three-tiered system of zones based on time in service and grade , available in Marine administrative message 081/15. Those Marines are divided into zones determine that have bearing on the likelihood of a Marine's' advancement at a particular board.Those most likely to advance fall within the "promotion zone." Another category denotes more senior Marines, many of whom have already been passed over for promotion once. "Below zone" denotes Marines with less time in grade and service and not necessarily experienced enough to advance.

Marines most likely to be promoted fall "in-zone," based on their years of service and time in grade. Many considered "above-zone" are also promoted — although some among them have already been passed for promotion once and are edging closer to up-or-out limits. Those "below-zone" are rarely promoted as they typically need more time in grade to mature in their specialty and as junior leaders.

In 2014, about 56.6 percent of "in-zone" staff sergeants advanced. Those considered "above" zone saw 15.7 percent of eligible Marines selected for promotion. Lastly, just 1.3 percent of Marines "below" zone picked up rank the extra stripe.

Getting prepared

For enlisted Marines looking to get ahead as new opportunities open up, there are steps they can take to help their odds at securing a promotion. Though so much remains unknown, it's not too soon for Marines across all enlisted ranks to begin taking steps to secure a promotion.

Gunnery Sgt. Anthony Tarver, career planner for Headquarters Regiment, 1st Marine Logistics Group at Camp Pendleton, California, said Marines should be prepared ahead of going before a selection board. Except, of course, those that already should have been preparing for a trip before the selection board, said Gunnery Sgt. Anthony Tarver, career planner for Headquarters Regiment, 1st Marine Logistics Group. Staff sergeants, regardless of where they fall in Mmanpower's eligibility zones, should be going in eyes wide open, he said.

For above-zone Marines, this could be their last opportunity to secure a promotion. Missing out could mean an end to their time with the Corps.

Below-zone Marines should be speaking with career counselors and planners, plotting their course to eventual promotion, Tarver said.

U.S. Marine Corps Master Gunnery Sgt. Jerome Hoover (left), communications chief, 3rd Marine Regiment, and Master Gunnery Sgt. Willie P. Lynch (right), ammo chief, U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific, pin gunnery sergeant chevrons on the collar of Liza T. Jones (center), of Sanford, Fla., assistant ammo chief, MARFORPAC, during a promotion ceremony for Jones aboard Camp Smith, Hawaii, Aug. 1, 2011.

Gunnery sergeant chevrons are pinned to the collar of Liza Jones during a promotion ceremony in Hawaii. More staff sergeants are expected to be promoted to gunnery sergeant in 2015 than any other year since before the manpower drawdown began.

Photo Credit: Lance Cpl. Jerome Reed/Marines Corps

Manpower officials have stressed year after year that a few below-zone Marines, depending on last minute tweaks leading up to and during the board, can suddenly find themselves in-zone for promotion. If their official military personnel file and other documents aren't in order — too bad. They will be passed and find themselves one step closer to being booted from the service.

For more junior Marines, the release of the allocations for gunnery sergeant should be taken akin to a forecast, Tarver said. The breakdown of the zones and promotions per MOS military occupational specialty highlight the needs of the Corps.

Thinking of a lateral move? This is a glimpse into what jobs are hot or not, he said.

"The junior Marines, those lance corporals and corporals, this is important for them if they plan on staying in," Tarver said. "They can maybe get an idea of what the promotion tempo may be for the MOS. Year by year, the promotion tempo changes for a specific MOS."

Angling for a promotion? The advice largely has been consistent this year: master your military occupational specialty, consider a lateral move if your job is or becomes increasingly competitive, undertake volunteer work, find a mentor, be discerning when weighing a change of station and meet with experts regularly.

"Make sure you're talking to career planners and career counselors, not just when the message comes out," Tarver said. "You should be engaged with these people up to a year before [the selection board meets]."

Rules and regulations

Even the best-qualified candidate for promotion won't be considered if they foul up the paperwork.

Staff sergeants looking at a potential promotion would be well-advised to examine the fine print in MARADMIN administrative message 081/15. The list of requirements takes up several pages and "Marines are personally responsible for ensuring the accuracy and completeness" of their personnel file and master brief sheet before the selection board convenes.

Potential pitfalls for unaware or lackadaisical Marines includes having a lateral move place them in the wrong promotion zone. Others can be labeled with the wrong MOS and face being administratively deleted, the message warns, though they can appeal the decision.

Many potentially-disqualifying issues like these can be dealt with ahead of time, though it takes action and weeks or months to sort out. Officials advise staff sergeants up for promotion to review their records carefully, thus ensuring everything is in order.

Both the personnel file and master brief sheet can be requested online, the MARADMIN states officials said.

Auditing records is so important that manpower , Manpower officials ask commanders to remind and encourage their Marines to review the Corps' file on them. Those preparing for or heading out on a deployment should be extra vigilant, said Tarver said.

While overseas or underway, accessing records might prove more difficult, he warned.

But he Tarver recommends all Marines routinely check their files, particularly those that are driven to succeed.

"They should be doing it their whole career," he said. "Once, twice a year [they should] check their records and make sure everything is submitted, make sure they have a current picture. Every year, the Marines that are going to be competing [for promotions] they need to be checking their records."

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