Marine rank: Sergeant

So my Marine has become a sergeant.
He is still himself, but he is not. I know that he is someone different with the men around him, with his wife and children, with his brothers and with me.
Here, at his ceremony, he stands out in his field:

"How the Marines promote their enlisted: The E-1 through E-3, the first three ranks are awarded automatically after certain periods of time. The Marines promote their E-4s (Corporals) and E-5s (Sergeants) based on something called a cutting score. Your cutting score is the number of points you have earned based on your time in rank, your time in service, your conduct at your job, your accuracy with the rifle, and physical fitness as well as if you have done any additional training in the form of MCIs. Since time in service and time in rank always go up, assuming you don't drop in your scores in other things you will eventually get a higher score every month and more every quarter." - Jon Davis, Sergeant of Marines, Iraq vet, weapons instructor.

According to Sergeant Davis, several things are important in getting the score up quickly. 1. The choice of jobs, because some jobs carry more points than others. 2. Doing pull-ups, because physical fitness also earns points. And 3. doing MCIs because the tests are worth cutting points too.

oo-rah

In the United States Marine Corps, two ranks fall under the wider category of noncommissioned officer: corporal and sergeant. Although a sergeant ranks above a corporal, which is an E4 rank, the duties of a sergeant are similar. The main difference is that sergeants are responsible for a larger number of marines and equipment than corporals are. Chron

As the highest ranking noncommissioned officers, sergeants are the backbone of the Marine Corps. They are the main link between each marine and the organization's leadership, and they are responsible for implementing the policies and orders given by officers. 
Sergeants are responsible for the training subordinates in their basic military skills and their respective military occupational specialties. 
Sergeants respond directly to their commanding officer for the performance of their marines, and must therefore ensure the members of their unit are properly motivated to perform their tasks to the best of their ability. 

 

U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Cody R. Nelson, a member of the III Marine Expeditionary Force combat shooting team, points his M249 light machine gun down range and listens to a range official during an international machine gun shooting match at the 2012 Australian Army Skill at Arms Meeting (AASAM) in Puckapunyal, Australia, May 9, 2012. AASAM was an international marksmanship competition that included 16 countries. (TSgt Michael Holzworth)

In the meanwhile, this is where my Marine loves to spend his time the most. On the range. Teaching and practicing, Sergeant or not.