United States Marine Corps Commissioned Officers (2024)

The United States Marine Corps (USCG) has ten commissioned officer ranks. They are the core leadership of the Marine Corps.

All Ranks[]

Second Lieutenant[]

A Second Lieutenant (2ndLt) is the lowest among Officer ranks in the USMC. This rank is held for two years until promotion to 1stLt.

Almost all new 2ndLts report to The Basic School (TBS) in Quantico, VA for six months of all-around combat training. Students qualify on weapons, act in each role of a fire team, practice land navigation, ride in tanks, shoot field artillery, do landings in Ospreys, and whatever else instructors decide is relevant. After TBS, students are assigned their Military Occupation Specialties (MOSs), which are awarded based on a student's preference and class ranking. After that, 2nd Lts go on to their next schools, whether for Infantry, Field Artillery, Flight School, All USMC Officers attend TBS Legal Officers attend as Captains, after completing Law School.

2ndLts are typically assigned a Platoon of 40-50 Marines, depending on their community. Upon arriving, new Officers must work hard to earn the respect of their Marines. Despite their authority over all the Enlisted ranks, 2ndLts require mentoring from their Non-Commissioned Officers (NCOs) in order to learn how to perform their duties and lead Marines in combat. The most successful 2ndLts are hard-working, humble, honest, and have a strong backbone when required. 2ndLts who refuse to heed the advice of their Platoon Sergeant and Squad Leaders tend to become socially isolated and perform poorly, with little chance of remediation. "Butter Bars" learn over time how to implement the skills they learned over the course of their training. Pilots will generally spend their entire tenure as 2ndLts in Flight School, unless the waiting period is extremely long, in which case they may temporarily support another community such as Infantry. Their pay grade is OF-2.

First Lieutenant[]

A First Lieutenant is the second-lowest among Officer ranks in the USMC. This rank is held for two years until promotion to Captain.

1stLts typically have already spent a year or two in the Fleet, and probably have at least one deployment under their belt. Their fellow Marines have much higher expectations for 1stLts than for 2ndLts because of their experience. 1stLts may continue to be Platoon Commanders, or become Company Executive Officers (2nd-in-command of 80-250 Marines). Aviators most likely show up to their first Squadron as 1stLts.

Promotion to First Lieutenant is governed by Department of Defense policies derived from the Defense Officer Personnel Management Act of 1980. DOPMA guidelines suggest 95% of 2ndLts should be promoted to First Lieutenants. The time for promotion to Lieutenant is a minimum of 18 months in the rank of 2ndLts and 2 and a half years in service overall. Their pay grade is OF-3.

Captain[]

A Captain is the third rank among Officers in the USMC. This is not to be confused with Navy and Coast Guard Captains, who are O-6s.

The expectations for a Captain are ever higher than for a 1stLt. Captains form up roughly a third of Active Duty USMC Officers. They are expected to demonstrate sufficient leadership qualities as to take charge of tactical fire teams and casualty situations without hesitation. They are the principal mentors of Junior Officers and provide much training and direction for the rest of the unit. They usually spend some time as instructors before going to an advanced school, afterwards becoming Company Commanders or Battalion-level staff Officers. Sometimes they are Platoon Commanders for Special Forces. Legal Officers typically show up to their first units as Captains.

While on a Navy ship, a Marine O-3 is addressed as "Major" to preserve the ship's Captain's prestige.

Promotion to Captain is governed by Department of Defense policies derived from the Defense Officer Personnel Management Act of 1980. DOPMA guidelines suggest 80% of 1stLts should be promoted to Captain. The time for promotion to Lieutenant is a minimum of 3 years in the rank of 1stLts and 9 and a half years in service overall. Their pay grade is OF-4.

Major[]

A Major is the fourth rank among Officers in the USMC. Majors are usually Battalion Executive Officers, Weapons Company Commanders, or Regimental or Brigade Staff Members. The vast majority of Marines serve in combat roles, which makes their career progression very straightforward, in a constant cycle of learning, leading, and teaching at higher and higher levels.

Promotion to Major is governed by Department of Defense policies derived from the Defense Officer Personnel Management Act of 1980. DOPMA guidelines suggest 65% of Captains should be promoted to Major. The time for promotion to Lieutenant is a minimum of 3 years in the rank of Captain and 12 and half years in service overall. Their pay grade is OF-5.

Lieutenant Colonel[]

A Lieutenant Colonel is the fifth rank among Officers in the USMC. Lieutenant Colonels are usually Battalion Commanders, Regimental Executive Officers, or Brigade Staff Members. The vast majority of Marines serve in combat roles, which makes their career progression very straightforward, in a constant cycle of learning, leading, and teaching at higher and higher levels.

Promotion to Lieutenant Colonel is governed by Department of Defense policies derived from the Defense Officer Personnel Management Act of 1980. DOPMA guidelines suggest 42% of Majors should be promoted to Lieutenant Colonel. The time for promotion to Lieutenant Colonel is a minimum of 4 years in the rank of Major and 17 years in service overall. Their pay grade is OF-6.

Colonel[]

A Colonel is the sixth rank among Officers in the USMC. Colonels are typically Regimental Commanders, Brigade Executive Officers, or Division Staff members. The vast majority of Marines serve in combat roles, which makes their career progression very straightforward, in a constant cycle of learning, leading, and teaching at higher and higher levels.

Promotion to Lieutenant Colonel is governed by Department of Defense policies derived from the Defense Officer Personnel Management Act of 1980. DOPMA guidelines suggest 15% of Lieutenant Colonels should be promoted to Colonel. The time for promotion to Colonel is a minimum of 5 years in the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and 23 years in service overall. Their pay grade is OF-7.

Brigadier General[]

A Brigadier General is the seventh rank among Officers in the USMC. Brigadier Generals are typically Brigade Commanders or Division Executive Officers. Together the Brigadier Generals select the members that sit on the Marine Corps Commissioned Officers Promotion Committee and have final say in all Master Gunnery Sergeant appointments.

For promotion to the permanent grade of brigadier general, eligible officers are screened by a promotion board consisting of general officers from the Navy, Army and Air Force. This promotion board then generates a list of officers it recommends for promotion to general rank. This list is then sent to the service secretary and the joint chiefs for review before it can be sent to the President, through the defense secretary, for consideration. The President nominates officers to be promoted from this list with the advice of the Secretary of Defense, the service secretary, and if applicable, the service's chief of staff or commandant. The President may nominate any eligible officer who is not on the recommended list if it serves in the interest of the nation, but this is uncommon. The Senate must then confirm the nominee by a majority vote before the officer can be promoted. Once the nominee is confirmed, they are promoted to that rank once they assume or hold an office or vacancy that requires or allows an officer of that rank. Their pay grade is OF-8.

Major General[]

A Major General is the eighth rank among Officers in the USMC. Major Generals are typically Division Commanders, or staff Officers at Combatant Commands. They oversee the decisions of the Marine Corps Commissioned Officers Promotion Committee and may veto their decisions and dismiss their members.

For promotion to the permanent grade of major general, eligible officers are screened by a promotion board consisting of general officers from the Navy, Army and Air Force. This promotion board then generates a list of officers it recommends for promotion to general rank. This list is then sent to the service secretary and the joint chiefs for review before it can be sent to the President, through the defense secretary, for consideration. The President nominates officers to be promoted from this list with the advice of the Secretary of Defense, the service secretary, and if applicable, the service's chief of staff or commandant. The President may nominate any eligible officer who is not on the recommended list if it serves in the interest of the nation, but this is uncommon. The Senate must then confirm the nominee by a majority vote before the officer can be promoted. Once the nominee is confirmed, they are promoted to that rank once they assume or hold an office or vacancy that requires or allows an officer of that rank. Their pay grade is OF-9.

Lieutenant General[]

Lieutenant Generals typically are either in charge of the highest Marine Corps Commands, or are deputies of Combatant Commands. They have the right to report brigadier generals of all branches of the armed forces and Vice Rear and Rear Admirals for dereliction of duty.

For promotion to the permanent grade of lieutenant general, eligible officers are screened by a promotion board consisting of general officers from the Navy, Army and Air Force. This promotion board then generates a list of officers it recommends for promotion to this general rank. This list is sent to the service secretary and the joint chiefs for review before it can be sent to the President, through the defense secretary, for consideration. The President nominates officers to be promoted from this list with the advice of the Secretary of Defense, the service secretary, and if applicable, the service's chief of staff or commandant. The President may nominate any eligible officer who is not on the recommended list if it serves in the interest of the nation, but this is uncommon. The Senate must then confirm the nominee by an unanimous vote before the officer can be promoted. Once the nominee is confirmed, they are promoted to that rank once they assume or hold an office or vacancy that requires or allows an officer of that rank.

Other than voluntary retirement, the statute sets a number of mandates for retirement. Lieutenant generals must retire after 45 years of service unless appointed for promotion or reappointed to grade to serve longer. Otherwise, all general officers must retire the month after their 65th birthday. However, the Secretary of Defense can defer a three-star officer's retirement until the officer's 67th birthday and the president can defer it until the officer's 70th birthday.

General officers typically retire well in advance of the statutory age and service limits, so as not to impede the upward career mobility of their juniors. Since there is a finite number of three-star slots available to each service, typically one officer must leave office before another can be promoted. Maintaining a three-star rank is a game of musical chairs; once an officer vacates a position bearing that rank, they have 60 days to be appointed or reappointed to a position of equal or higher importance or involuntarily retire. Historically, officers leaving three-star positions were allowed to revert to their permanent two-star ranks to mark time in lesser jobs until statutory retirement, but now such officers are expected to retire immediately to avoid obstructing the promotion flow. Their pay grade is OF-10.

General[]

Generals hold the highest Marine Corps or Combatant Commands. Flag-rank Officers from any service may be chosen as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS), the highest military position in the United States, with authority over all the other service chiefs, but generally the nomination leans to the General of the Marine Corps as he is seen is the most senior among them, even though he technically is outranked by the Generals of the Army and Air Force, and by the Fleet Admiral of the Navy as well.

Four-star grades go hand-in-hand with the positions of office to which they are linked, so the rank is temporary; the active rank of four-star general can only be held for so long- though upon retirement, if satisfactory service requirements are met, the general or admiral is normally allowed to hold that rank in retirement, rather than reverting to a lower position, as was formerly usually the case. Their active rank expires with the expiration of their term of office, which is usually set by statute. Generals are nominated for the appointment by the President from any eligible officers holding the rank of brigadier general or above who meet the requirements for the position, with the advice of the Secretary of Defense, service secretary (Secretary of the Army, Secretary of the Navy, or Secretary of the Air Force), and if applicable the Joint Chiefs of Staff. For some positions, statute allows the President to waive those requirements for a nominee deemed to serve national interests. The nominee must be confirmed by the United States Senate before the appointee can take office and assume the rank. Four-star ranks may also be given by act of Congress but this is extremely rare. Their pay grade is OF-11.

Insignia Gallery[]

Notes[]

• The Marine Corps does not have a General of the Army, General of the Air Force or Fleet Admiral equivalent rank.

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