FY06 Enlisted Grade Structure Review (EGSR)

1. PURPOSE. THIS MESSAGE ANNOUNCES THE FY06 EGSR. THE 
PURPOSE BEHIND THE EGSR IS THREEFOLD; (1) TO REVIEW REQUIREMENTS,
(2) TO ESTABLISH SUPPORTABLE GRADE SHAPES THAT MEET OPERATIONAL
REQUIREMENTS, AND (3) TO STANDARDIZE PROMOTION TIMING WITHOUT
DEGRADING UNIT OPERATIONAL CAPABILITIES.
2. BACKGROUND. CHANGES TO END STRENGTH AND FORCE COMPOSITION
(E.G., FORCE STRUCTURE REVIEW GROUP AND MIL/CIV CONVERSION) OVER 
THE PAST YEAR HAVE REQUIRED NUMEROUS TROOPLIST UPDATES AND TABLE OF 
ORGANIZATION (T/O) CHANGES. IN SOME CASES THE NEED FOR TIMELY 
INCLUSION INTO THE TABLE OF MANPOWER REQUIREMENTS PRECLUDED DETAILED
ANALYSIS OF SUPPORTABLE FORCE MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES (FROM A MANPOWER
PERSPECTIVE). THIS ANALYSIS IS CRITICAL TO PREVENTING SIGNIFICANT 
MANPOWER-RELATED PROBLEMS. SPECIFICALLY, SOME MOS'S MAY NOT HAVE
ACHIEVABLE STRUCTURE AND SOME MOS'S MAY HAVE SIGNIFICANTLY DIFFERENT 
PROMOTION TIMING.
3. OBJECTIVES. THE EGSR WILL BE CONDUCTED IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE THE
FOLLOWING OBJECTIVES:
A. ENSURE THAT EVERY MOS HAS A LOGICAL, PYRAMID-SHAPED GRADE STRUCTURE
TO THE PAY GRADE OF E-9. 
B. SHAPE THE GRADE MIX REQUIREMENT OF EACH MOS SO THAT PROMOTION TIMING
IS STANDARDIZED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE REFERENCE.
C. ENSURE THAT THE GRADE STRUCTURE REQUIREMENTS OF EACH MOS ARE 
ACHIEVABLE UNDER CURRENT FORCE MANAGEMENT POLICIES.
D. ACKNOWLEDGE THE BUDGETARY CONSTRAINTS (TOP 6 ENLISTED GRADES 54% OF
ENLISTED FORCE) AND REGULATORY CONSTRAINTS (TITLE X TOP 2 GRADES 3.5% 
OF ENLISTED FORCE) LINKED TO ENLISTED FORCE MANAGEMENT. 
E. GRADE SHAPE THE FY08 T/O'S TO MEET THE AUGUST 06 UPDATE OF THE 
TROOPLIST.
4. EXECUTION. THE SKILL GRADE FLOW RATE PARAMETERS THAT WILL BE USED
FOR THE FY06 ESGR HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED BY LINKING THE FORCE MANAGEMENT 
POLICIES IN THE REF AND THE CURRENT CONTINUATION BEHAVIOR IN THE MARINE
CORPS IN ORDER TO DETERMINE THE IDEAL FORCE DISTRIBUTION. IN TURN, THE
IDEAL FORCE DISTRIBUTION PROVIDES US WITH OPTIMAL GRADE-SHAPING PYRAMIDS.
OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS THERE WILL BE A PERIOD OF TRANSITION WHILE
WE STEER THE CURRENT FORCE IN THE DIRECTION OF THE IDEAL FORCE. HOWEVER,
IN THE LONG-TERM, THE MARINE CORPS WILL BENEFIT GREATLY FROM THE EGSR. 
THE FY06 EGSR IS COMPRISED OF THREE PHASES THAT WILL TAKE APPROXIMATELY
16 MONTHS TO COMPLETE AND WILL SPAN 3 TROOPLIST CYCLES. THE FY06 EGSR 
WILL COMMENCE 5 MAY 2005 AND END WITH THE RUNNING OF THE AUGUST 06 UPDATE
OF THE TROOPLIST. THE FOLLOWING IS A SYNOPSIS OF THE THREE PHASES:
A. PHASE I (5 MAY 2005 THROUGH AUGUST 2005): DEVELOP AND SUBMIT FOR
PUBLICATION THE HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS (HRDP) AND TOTAL 
FORCE STRUCTURE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (TFSMS) BUSINESS RULES.
B. PHASE II (SEPTEMBER 2005 THROUGH FEBRUARY 2006): COMPLY WITH HRDP AND
TFSMS BUSINESS RULES ESTABLISHED IN PHASE I BY REVIEWING AND CLEANSING
STRUCTURE REQUIREMENTS IN THE TOTAL FORCE STRUCTURE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM,
TO INCLUDE NON-PRIMARY MOS SKILLS.
C. PHASE III (FEBRUARY 2006 THROUGH AUGUST 2006): CONDUCT MOS GRADE
SHAPING.
5. FURTHER GUIDANCE AND INSTRUCTION FOR EACH PHASE OF THE EGSR WILL 
BE PUBLISHED SEPARATELY VIA MARADMIN. 
6. POC FOR MANPOWER AND RESERVE AFFAIRS IS GS-14 CHERYL FITZGERALD,
DSN 278-9370, AND FOR TOTAL FORCE STRUCTURE DIVISION IS GS-14 CYNTHIA
CHEEK, DSN 278-6086.