USMC: Cultural recruiting shakeup

The Marine Corps released a new plan - called “Talent Management 2030” - on Nov. 3 to overhaul how it recruits and retains Marines. The plan would require personnel changes that could require shrinking the number of service members to accommodate an emphasis on keeping trained personnel, and allowing trained civilians to enter the service without starting at the bottom. Gen. David H. Berger, commandant of the Marine Corps, sees no alternative but to pivot away from a system prioritized on massing a “young, physically tough, replaceable force” that was “not all that highly skilled.” For nearly four decades, the Marines have recruited some 30,000 troops annually, and with a turn over rate at about 75 percent at the end of their 4-year contract. Other services retain a higher percentages. “We’re the anomaly, and we brag about it," Berger said. “It will not work for us going forward, I don’t think.” The Marine Corps is going to have to “treat people like human beings instead of inventory,” he said, and making it appealing for more, with experience, to stay. The plan amounts to a significant cultural shake-up. (Source: Washington Post 11/03/21) Marine Corps Talent Management 2030: Shakeup could include force cuts, emphasis on retaining experienced personnel - The Washington Post