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Marines

Photo Information

Lt. Gen. Rex C. McMillian (center left), commander of Marine Forces Reserve and Marine Forces North, and Sgt. Maj. Anthony A. Spadaro (center right), sergeant major Marine Forces Reserve and Marine Forces North, poses with Marines nominated for Reserve Career Planner of the Year during the Reserve Career Planner Awards presentation at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, Calif., Feb. 24, 2016. This year’s Reserve Career Planner of the Year was Sgt. Christopher Smith (left), a career planner from 3rd Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company, Force Headquarters Group, Marine Forces Reserve and the runner-up was Staff Sgt. Andrew Watson, a career planner from 4th Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion, 4th Marine Division, Marine Forces Reserve. Smith, Watson and other career planners work diligently through the year to assist Marines with making future occupational decisions.

Photo by Cpl. Gabrielle Quire

Commander of Marine Forces Reserve Commends Reserve Force 2015 Top Career Planners

4 Mar 2016 | Cpl. Gabrielle Quire U.S. Marine Corps Forces Reserve

On February 23, 2016, Marines  across Marine Forces Reserve were awarded for their standout performance in 2015 as career planners at the annual Reserve Career Planner Award Ceremony at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, California.

Lt. Gen. Rex C. McMillian, commander of Marine Forces Reserve and Marine Forces North, as well as Sgt. Maj. Anthony A. Spadaro, sergeant major of Marine Forces Reserve and Marine Forces North, attended the ceremony to personally award and congratulate the recipients.

“We have to recognize the Marines that are getting out in front, doing exceptional work and rising to the top,” said McMillian. “It's important to the leadership of the Marine Corps and MARFORRES to recognize and give them the credit they deserve.”

The 2015 Reserve Career Planner of the Year was Sgt. Christopher Smith, a career planner from 3rd Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company, Force Headquarters Group, MARFORRES. Smith and other career planners work diligently through the year to assist Marines with making future occupational decisions.

“Out of all of the highly qualified and experienced career planners in MARFORRES, I was given the honor and privilege to represent them and be able to set the example for future career planners to come,” said Smith.

             The job of a career planner often involves the counseling of Marines on career progression, retention, special duty assignments and incentives. In addition, they also coordinate with their commanders and senior leaders to conduct various manpower briefs on important topics such as retention, lateral moves, first term alignment plan assignments, special duty assignments, promotions, separations and retirements. Career planners are also in charge of handling retention documents and coordinating reenlistment ceremonies.

            Career planners play a crucial role in the retention of high-quality Marines as well as their placement in the Corps. With this being a priority, career planners across the Reserve component have been hard at work to do just that.

McMillian said that he’s thrilled with MARFORRES right now because manpower requirements are above 90 percent across the board, billet identification code alignments are above 85 percent, morale is off the charts and there is superb leadership at MARFORRES.

“When you have that kind of a background and that kind of a situation, it’s tough to have a bad day at MARFORRES,” he said.

            According to Sgt. Maj. Anthony A. Spadaro, career planners are not only “career planners” but life planners as well.

            “We also have to think about the Marines who are transitioning out and make sure they are set up for success. The commandant has mandated to Lt. Gen. McMillian not only to make good Marines but to make better citizens,” said Spadaro.  “We have an inherent responsibility to that Marine going out the door that the career planner sets them up for lifelong success so they never forget, once a Marine always a Marine.”

            The Marine Corps is an expeditionary force which thrives on readiness. Skilled career planners work hard to get the right Marines in the right places, not only to help the individual Marine but to make each unit stronger and ready to fight tonight.