AUGUST 2016 REGULAR CORPORAL AND SERGEANT PROMOTION AUTHORITY The Official United States Marine...

The Army has 2 E4 ranks, SPC and CPL. Advancement to SPC is more or less automatic. The lateral promotion to CPL is not. CPL is an NCO rank and must be earned. It is primarily found in combat arms and is awarded to E4s that have been selected for promotion to SGT. During the time they are waiting for their Order of Merit number to come up.

In my life time I've had the distinction of becoming an army specialist, an army corporal and a Marine corporal. (I was in the Marines & the Army) I can tell you that there was a lot more responsibility placed on me as a Marine CPL than an Army CPL. I think thats just how the marine corps operates.

I actually dislike that that promotion authority (every time it comes out) because it contradicts a MARADMIN it specifically references. Every time since October of last year. Explanation:
"4.d. Prior to being promoted to sergeant, all corporals must have completed the Marine Net Corporals Course DEP and a command sponsored resident Corporals Course, IAW reference (d)."
Notice the 'and' that make both courses a requirement. Now from reference d - MARADMIN 521/14:
"4.B. PROMOTION TO SERGEANT.
4.B.1. COMPLETION OF A COMMAND-SPONSORED CORPORALS COURSE (NOTE MARINENET COURSE EPME4000AA IS A PRE-REQUISITE FOR THE COURSE).
4.B.2. ATTAIN APPROPRIATE COMPOSITE SCORE.
4.B.3. CHAIN OF COMMAND (COC) POSITIVELY ENDORSES THE MARINE AS READY FOR INCREASED RESPONSIBILITIES AND DEEMED WORTHY TO WEAR THE RANK OF SERGEANT OF MARINES."
Since when is a note a requirement?
- Background: The MarineNet course was not a required pre-requisite until MARADMIN 521/14, which seemed like it would allow Marines who have previously completed the Resident PME to be promoted, but then the October 2015 promotion authority (and every time after that) decided not to grandfather anyone after all (and, as if to spite, refrences the original MARADMIN 521/14).
So for all those who (like me) have taken initiative and did the command sponsored course before MARADMIN 521/14 came out got essentially punished for it. (Thanks Initiative.)
But, again, since when is a note a requirement?