QUANTICO, Va. -- Marine Corps Recruiting Command conquered the Department of Defense’s assigned missions for fiscal year 2015 through the hard work and dedication of Marines across the nation.
Marine Corps Recruiting Command commissioned 1,692 officers, enlisted 29,466 active and 5,116 reserve Marines, and facilitated the return of 3,629 prior-service Marines to duty in the Corps’ reserve units.
In FY15, Recruiting Command commissioned the most diverse group of officers the Corps has ever seen. Diversity groups accounted for 26.31 percent of accessions, exceeding the five year average of 19.7 percent.
"This is a big step toward achieving our goal of having a Marine Corps that accurately reflects those it defends," Lt. Col. Matthew Kessler, Head of Officer Programs, MCRC. "When the country can look at the Marine Corps and see themselves in it, the organization becomes more approachable to the people, and the bond between the two grows. Being diverse also gives us the opportunity to examine and solve problems with perspectives from all walks of life. This allows us to execute our missions in the most effective and efficient way possible."
The young men and women looking to join the Corps’ ranks must be of the highest caliber in order to lead Marines in an uncertain world.
"The quality of our candidates has never been this high," said Kessler. "The average grade point averages, physical fitness test, and Scholastic Aptitude Test scores are the highest they have ever been, but we look at more than just physical and mental attributes.
"We read their letters of recommendation to see if they hold leadership positions at their place of work, at their church, on campus, or in their communities," said Kessler. "Having intelligent and physically fit Marines that possess the ability to lead ensures our organization's success."
To meet their mission, the Diversity section with MCRC engages communities to inform the public of the opportunities the Marine Corps provides.
"Many highly qualified high school and college aged students don’t know about the Marine Corps outside of video games and movies," said Master Sgt. Damien Cason, Diversity Chief, MCRC. "By organizing events with different national organizations, we can tell the Marine Corps’ story, make connections throughout the community, and provide the public with a face to the name. This work then helps recruiters and officer selection officers engage with prospective Marines who may not have made a connection with the Marine Corps otherwise."
Most of the work began in 2007 and 2008, when the Marine Corps was the least diverse in recent years, said Cason.
"Since then, through our efforts, diversity groups have continuously grown through the ranks, and will continue to in the coming years," said Cason.
In FY16, recruiters, officer selections officers, and prior service recruiters will continue to evaluate applicants from a whole-person perspective, to find only the best qualified individuals to lead Marines through tomorrow’s conflicts.
Those interested in becoming a Marine can visit https://www.marines.com/ or call 1-800-MARINES.