Marines

A peek into the future

23 Aug 2019 | Pfc. Samantha Sanhez and Pfc. Jose Angeles Marine Corps Base Hawaii

After waiting for, what seemed like hours, finally you enter a room as a Marine greets you with a smiling face. 
“Good afternoon, how may I help you?” said Master Gunnery Sgt. Ingram, as he peeks his head over the computer screen on his desk.
“Today, I got helped with learning about duty stations that may be available to me now that I’m looking at becoming a chief,” said U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Scott Roguska, combat graphics specialist, Communication Strategy and Operations.
The Manpower Management Enlisted Assignments (MMEA) was a two day event that lasted from Aug. 19 through the 20th on Marine Corps Base Hawaii.
“The MMEA roadshow is an awesome opportunity for Marines to get face time with their monitors and get that connectivity needed to form a bond,” said Roguska. “We always hear the term ‘the needs of the Corps’ and we are accustomed as Marines, to be sent where we’re told but this is an opportunity for you to actually have a say in where you go next.”
    According to Roguska, the monitor is the person who is in charge of giving Marines orders and cutting them assignments to new and exciting places.
“The purpose of MMEA is to assist Marines in talking to their monitors as well as getting approvals for retentions for Fiscal Year 20,” said Sgt. Alexandria Aglio, the career planner for Headquarters Battalion, Marine Corps Base Hawaii. “It’s a rare occurrence that you get to sit down in front of your monitor face to face and say ‘this is where I want to go and this is why.’”

    Aglio added that she strongly encourages every enlisted first-term Marine to attend MMEA.
“As it relates to them being successful or competitive for promotion, a lot of them don’t understand fitness reports and the relative value of those reports,” said Master Gunnery Sgt. Erick Ingram, head of enlisted career counseling. “That can kind of be a road block for them for future success in the Marine Corps.”
Traveling about 90% of the time, whether it’s at the Staff Noncommissioned Officer Academy or it’s the Marines coming to their unit, it is worth it, said Ingram.
“Being at the head of enlisted career counseling, my job is to help a Marine prepare for promotion and also retention,” said Ingram. “I do individual counseling with each Marine. I enjoy working with Marines; it’s my passion.”


Marine Corps Base Hawaii