The acceptability of nickname use by juniors is at the discretion of the individual rank holder. Informally, some enlisted ranks have commonly used nicknames, though they are not official and may be improper for use in formal situations.
ENLISTED MARINE CORPS MOS LIST FULL
During Officer Candidate School, each candidate is referred to as "candidate" and not "Marine." Unlike their enlisted counterparts, officer candidates refer to enlisted Marines, including their instructors, by their full and proper rank only commissioned officers are addressed as "sir" or "ma'am." Likewise, during officer training, officer candidates are not yet commissioned Marine officers and must refer to themselves as "this candidate" or "the candidate," even though some officer candidates may hold an enlisted rank. "this recruit"), and their rank is replaced with the word "Recruit." This usually continues until the last week of recruit training when, in most instances, recruits are then considered full-fledged Marines. "Marine" is also a common form of address for junior Marines.ĭuring recruit training, recruits are not considered full-fledged Marines and must address all Marines who have completed recruit training, including instructors, as "sir" or "ma'am." Incoming recruits must also refer to themselves in the third person (i.e. The most junior ranks between pay grades E-1 and E-3 (Privates, Privates First Class, and Lance Corporals) are referred to by last name only, using their rank only in a formal situation. Addressing a commissioned officer (or any rank) as "Mister" has long been considered a grievous insult towards the individual. During recruit training, recruits are indoctrinated to address all superiors as "sir" or "ma'am". Warrant Officers, regardless of rank, are addressed just as commissioned officers, but may also be addressed as "Warrant Officer", or "Gunner", although the latter is sometimes considered improper unless the officer is an Infantry Weapons Officer (MOS 0306).
Marines address all enlisted personnel by rank, and all Commissioned officers with "sir" or "ma'am". See also: List of United States Marine Corps acronyms and expressions It and the Marine Gunner are the only billets which rate modified rank insignia in place of the traditional rank insignia. The Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps is a billet and special rank, conferred on the senior enlisted Marine of the entire Marine Corps, personally selected by the Commandant of the Marine Corps. First Sergeants typically serve as the senior enlisted Marine in a company, battery, or other unit at similar echelon, while Sergeants Major serve the same role in battalions, squadrons, or larger units. Master Sergeants and Master Gunnery Sergeants provide technical leadership as occupational specialists in their specific MOS. The First Sergeant and Sergeant Major ranks are command-oriented Senior Enlisted Advisors, with Marines of these ranks serving as the senior enlisted Marines in a unit, charged to assist the commanding officer in matters of discipline, administration, and the morale and welfare of the unit. Gunnery Sergeants (E-7) indicate on their annual evaluations (called "fitness reports") their preferred promotional track: Master Sergeant or First Sergeant. The E-8 and E-9 levels each have two ranks per pay grade, each with different responsibilities. Company-grade officersĮnlisted Marines with paygrades of E-4 and E-5 are considered non-commissioned officers (NCOs) while those at E-6 and higher are considered Staff Noncommissioned Officers (SNCOs). The highest ranks in the Marine Corps, the Commandant of the Marine Corps and the Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps are, by statute, four-star ranks, as the Marine Corps is considered a naval service under the Department of the Navy.
Commissioned officer ranks are further subdivided into general officers, field officers, and company-grade officers. Commissioned officers carry the "special trust and confidence" of the President of the United States. Commissioned Officers are distinguished from other officers by their commission, which is the formal written authority, issued in the name of the President of the United States, that confers the rank and authority of a Marine Officer.