MARCH 6, 2023 – In November 2021, the United States Marine Corps published Talent Management 2030 by U.S. Marine Corps General David H. Berger, commandant of the Marine Corps. The report outlined a way forward in providing skilled Marines new opportunities and benefits if they chose to continue service. One benefit that was identified was providing Marines the option to remain at the same duty station for longer periods of time, improving training and job credibility, increasing unit stability, and creating a better, more stable home life for the Marines and their families.
This new concept was endorsed even further in recent comments from U.S. Marine Corps General Eric Smith, assistant commandant of the Marine Corps, at the 33rd annual WEST Conference in San Diego last month.
“What if…we let you and your spouse work in the same place for six years?” Smith said to conference attendees, many of which were active duty Marines. “We don’t call that homesteading anymore; we call that being smart.”
“I have been given the opportunity to take the teachings I have learned and pass them on to the next generation of Marines. I enjoy giving back to the Division that has given me so many opportunities.” Lance Cpl. Cade Allison, a crew chief with 2nd Assault Amphibian Battalion, 2nd Marine Division
The Marines and Sailors at 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force, are implementing the leaders’ efforts to build a future force that is diverse, competitive, and structured in a way that gives the Marine Corps an advantage over future adversaries.
“The Marine Corps is transitioning to an ‘invest and retain’ model,” said Col Robert Hallett, 2nd MARDIV Assistant Commander. “For the Division, we are taking advantage of efficient solutions that we can implement now.”
Throughout the command, Marines choose to stay at 2nd MARDIV for more than stability. They are choosing to remain on station for greater opportunities and a chance to give back to the Marine Corps.
“I was given the opportunity to be in the new boat platoon,” said Lance Cpl. Cade Allison, a crew chief with 2nd Assault Amphibian Battalion, 2nd Marine Division. “This is the first time that I feel I have the opportunity to build something new for the Division.”
Allison has traveled across the U.S. and overseas, allowing him to hone his skills and learn more about what the Marine Corps offers. Because of this, Allison chose to reenlist and stay with 2nd AA Bn.
“I have been given the opportunity to take the teachings I have learned and pass them on to the next generation of Marines,” said Allison. “I enjoy giving back to the Division that has given me so many opportunities.”
Sgt. Jakob Anilao, a data systems administrator with 2nd MARDIV, is another Marine who has taken advantage of the new initiatives offered in Talent Management 2030. Anilao has requested to stay on station due to the connections he made throughout 2d MARDIV.
“I have a personal point of contact to almost every unit, and that alone is an extremely valuable resource,” said Anilao.
Anilao now manages the day-to-day operations within the Division G-6 help desk. Anilao has chosen to go to a higher echelon within 2d MARDIV to support the Division by using the connections he has made to help expedite the time between services and requests.
With the incentive to stay in 2nd MARDIV, Anilao and Allison hope to give back to the Marine Corps by aligning their talents with the needs of the service to enhance the performance of their units and achieve overall mission accomplishment.
“Keeping that talent at the Division is important, but even more important is communicating to that Marine and their family that they are valuable to us; we need them to be successful,” said Hallett. “Ultimately, we need the talented Marines to want to stay in, and one way to do that is to align their skill sets with positions where they can best contribute to the success of their family, their unit, and the Corps.”
By Cpl. Alexis Sanchez | 2nd Marine Division