“Fewer first-term Marines are signing on for a second re-enlistment compared to this time last year, prompting manpower officials to ask commanders to redouble efforts to encourage young enlisted troops to stay in the Corps,” according to Marine Corps Times .  

“As of Oct. 5, just over 33 percent of targeted first-term boat spaces were filled compared to 53 percent at the same time last year… Manpower planners also prefer to have far more submissions than boat spaces so they can choose only the best qualified Marines. But re-enlistment intent is on the decline across the enlisted ranks, according to the results of the 2015 EAS Enlisted Retention Survey. Of the more than 4,200 Marines who took that survey, 38 percent said they were unlikely to sign on for another term, up 7 percent since 2013. Respondents listed civilian job opportunities, a lack of job satisfaction and pay as some of the top reasons influencing their decision to leave the Corps.”  

“Now officials are appealing to commanders and career planners to talk to Marines about career opportunities. Career planners will soon present a series of questions to active-duty Marines contemplating a re-enlistment in order to get a ‘pulse of the force.'”