Young Marines - Ranks

Ranks

When Young Marines first join the program they will enter as a recruit, spending anywhere from 3–4 months at that rank. After graduation they are considered a Young Marine Private (Pvt) (unless they receive the title of Honor Recruit, which advances them to the rank of Private First Class (PFC). In larger recruit classes, an additional recruits can also be promoted to PFC. These meritorious promotions to PFC does not excuse the Young Marine from completing the PFC requirements before earning the next rank. After that, the Young Marine will have to advance to higher ranks based on actual ranks in the United States Marine Corps. The rank structure, in ascending order, goes as follows: Private (Pvt), Private First Class (PFC), Lance Corporal (LCpl), Corporal (Cpl), Sergeant (Sgt), Staff Sergeant (SSgt), Gunnery Sergeant (GySgt), Master Sergeant (MSgt), and then finally to Master Gunnery Sergeant (MGySgt). After the completion of Master Sergeant (MSgt) you can be billeted as a First Sergeant (1stSgt) and as a Master Gunnery Sergeant (MGySgt) you can be billeted as a Sergeant Major (SgtMaj) for a short amount of time.

Young Marines may be billeted with both certain ranks and certain positions. Billeted positions include, but are not limited to, the following: Team Leader, Squad Leader, Platoon Guide, Platoon Sergeant, Platoon Leader, Unit Guide, Unit Gunnery Sergeant, Unit First Sergeant, and Company Sergeant Major. In some cases, a Young Marine need not have the rank their billet entitles to be granted that billet, such as a Staff Sergeant being able to have the billet of Unit Gunnery Sergeant. Billets may also apply to different positions in the organizational structure, from a position within the squad (i.e. Squad leader) to the battalion (i.e. Battalion Sergeant Major.) Not all billets may be available, depending upon the size of the unit.

Upon completion of the Young Marines, during an honorable discharge at the end of high school, one may enlist in the U.S. Marine Corps with the rank of Private First Class if the rank of Sergeant has been attained in the Young Marines. This typically takes about 3 years.