Compass Points - Marine Promotion.

Marine will become Vice Chairman.

Compass Points - Marine Promotion.

Marine will become Vice Chairman.

June 25, 2025

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It looks like one Marine will soon be nearly the most senior military officer in the entire US military.

Nothing wrong with getting promoted, but how important is one more stripe, one more bar, or one more star? Do promotions matter?

Put another way, what is more important, accomplishments or promotions?

Look at the accomplishments of two Marines, John Ripley and Dakota Myer.

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The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Captain John W. Ripley (MCSN: 0-84239), United States Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism on 2 April 1972 while serving as the Senior Marine Advisor to the Third Vietnamese Marine Corps Infantry Battalion in the Republic of Vietnam. Upon receipt of a report that a rapidly moving, mechanized, North Vietnamese army force, estimated at reinforced divisional strength, was attacking south along Route #1, the Third Vietnamese Marine Infantry Battalion was positioned to defend a key village and the surrounding area. It became imperative that a vital river bridge be destroyed if the overall security of the northern provinces of Military Region One was to be maintained. Advancing to the bridge to personally supervise this most dangerous but vitally important assignment, Captain Ripley located a large amount of explosives which had been pre-positioned there earlier, access to which was blocked by a chain-link fence. In order to reposition the approximately 500 pounds of explosives, Captain Ripley was obliged to reach up and hand-walk along the beams while his body dangled beneath the bridge. On five separate occasions, in the face of constant enemy fire, he moved to points along the bridge and, with the aid of another advisor who pushed the explosives to him, securely emplaced them. He then detonated the charges and destroyed the bridge, thereby stopping the enemy assault. By his heroic actions and extraordinary courage, Captain Ripley undoubtedly was instrumental in saving an untold number of lives. His inspiring efforts reflected great credit upon himself, the Marine Corps, and the United States Naval Service.

-- John Ripley, Navy Cross Citation

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John Ripley was not looking out for himself and his career at the Dong Ha bridge. Just the opposite. Giving up all thought of his own safety, he went forward to help the men around him, to help the Marine Corps, and to help the United States. His accomplishment in blowing the bridge and and stopping the enemy advance was incredible.

In a similar way, Dakota Myer put all thoughts of himself aside and plunged into the fight.

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Medal of Honor Citation

Corporal Meyer maintained security at a patrol rally point while other members of his team moved on foot with two platoons of Afghan National Army and Border Police into the village of Ganjgal for a pre-dawn meeting with village elders. Moving into the village, the patrol was ambushed by more than 50 enemy fighters firing rocket propelled grenades, mortars, and machine guns from houses and fortified positions on the slopes above. Hearing over the radio that four U.S. team members were cut off, Corporal Meyer seized the initiative. With a fellow Marine driving, Corporal Meyer took the exposed gunner’s position in a gun-truck as they drove down the steeply terraced terrain in a daring attempt to disrupt the enemy attack and locate the trapped U.S. team. Disregarding intense enemy fire now concentrated on their lone vehicle, Corporal Meyer killed a number of enemy fighters with the mounted machine guns and his rifle, some at near point blank range, as he and his driver made three solo trips into the ambush area. During the first two trips, he and his driver evacuated two dozen Afghan soldiers, many of whom were wounded.

When one machine gun became inoperable, he directed a return to the rally point to switch to another gun-truck for a third trip into the ambush area where his accurate fire directly supported the remaining U.S. personnel and Afghan soldiers fighting their way out of the ambush. Despite a shrapnel wound to his arm, Corporal Meyer made two more trips into the ambush area in a third gun-truck accompanied by four other Afghan vehicles to recover more wounded Afghan soldiers and search for the missing U.S. team members. Still under heavy enemy fire, he dismounted the vehicle on the fifth trip and moved on foot to locate and recover the bodies of his team members. Corporal Meyer’s daring initiative and bold fighting spirit throughout the 6-hour battle significantly disrupted the enemy’s attack and inspired the members of the combined force to fight on. His unwavering courage and steadfast devotion to his U.S. and Afghan comrades in the face of almost certain death reflected great credit upon himself and upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the United States Naval Service.

-- Dakota Myer

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Dakota Myer was not looking out for himself and his career at the village of Ganjgal. Just the opposite. Giving up all thought of his own safety, he went forward to help the men around him, to help the Marine Corps, and to help the United States. His accomplishments in fighting the enemy while rescuing those around him were incredible.

Accomplishments or promotions? What do John Ripley and Dakota Myers have in common? They both accomplished great things for Corps and Country and neither one was ever promoted to the most senior ranks. In their biggest contributions to Corps and Country neither one seemed to focus much on themselves or their careers; they both focused on others.

Should Marines be overly concerned with their own promotion, with their own careers? Before, during, and after his tenure as Marine Corps Commandant, General Gray often warned about the pernicious effects of careerism.

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Gray’s effect on the Corps was enormous. Speaking to new officers at mess night at the Basic School, he begins by saying he is retired, so of course he has no influence on the Corps. It is clearly a joke. What bothers him most about today’s military, he goes on to say, is careerism. It has eroded the other services, and it is creeping into the Corps. The only thing you should worry about, he tells the assembled second lieutenants, is taking care of your people. In fact, he recommends adding a new little box to the officer evaluation reports: It would say, Does this officer care more about his career than about his troops? A ‘yes’ mark would terminate that officer’s career.

— Thomas Ricks, “Making the Corps” (p 147)

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General Gray was independent. Gray spent his Marine Corps years stubbornly focused on helping his Marines and his Marine Corps. He never spent much time focusing on his own career. He was often promoted in-spite of himself. General Al Gray and leaders like him are the kind of senior leaders the Marine has always needed and will always need. While there is only one Al Gray, the Marine Corps has been continually blessed with so many Marines who give their best for others.

Now it is being reported widely that the US Commander-in-Chief has nominated a Marine for the second highest billet in the US military: Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs.

It is always good when a Marine receives positive attention in the national press. Americans have a deep love and respect for Marines, but that love and respect is not lightly given. It comes from the heroism of Marines in battles around the world. Americans love and respect Marines as as result of their always faithful service and their valorous accomplishments.

Officially, the nomination of the Marine is PN354 — 119th Congress (2025-2026)

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PN354 — 119th Congress (2025-2026)

The following named officer for appointment as Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and appointment in the United States Marine Corps to the grade indicated while assigned to a position of importance and responsibility under title 10, U.S.C., sections 601 and 154:

To be General

Nominee:

Gen. Christopher J. Mahoney

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By statute, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Vice Chairman are the two most senior officers in the US military. In decades gone by, the idea of putting a Marine on the Joint Chiefs was a bitterly controversial issue. In those early days, the senior leaders of the services met without the Marine Commandant. While the other services met in the big conference room, they closed the door on the Marine Commandant. It was not until October 20, 1978 when Jimmy Carter signed signed Public Law 95-485 that the Commandant of the Marine Corps officially became a full and equal member of the JCS.

Today it is good for the Marine Corps to have a Marine nominated to be the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs. But what the Marine Corps has always given the Nation is far more than just a few senior Marines in a few senior positions. What the Marine Corps has always given the Nation is elite level service. Nominations, positions, and promotions are nice, but what the Marine Corps needs today and tomorrow is what the Marine Corps has always given to the Nation: faithful service and heroic feats.

Promotions to the next billet, no matter how senior, are not prizes to be won but are merely opportunities to accomplish more for Corps and Country.

What do John Ripley and Dakota Myers have in common? For one thing, both Marines are remembered not for their great promotions but for their great deeds.

One more stripe, one more bar, or one more star. Do promotions matter?

Put another way, what is more important, accomplishments or promotions?

Compass Points congratulates General Christopher J. Mahoney on his nomination to be Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs and wishes him great success in his new billet. He will be in position to make all the military services stronger, including the Marine Corps. In days gone by, the Marine Corps was in such a perilous position, it was not even invited to be a member of the Joint Chiefs. Many national defense experts back then had doubts about the readiness and relevancy of the Marine Corps. Decades ago, there were plans, to send Marine aviation to the Navy, send Marine infantry to the Army, and send the Marine Corps to the history books.

What saved the Marine Corps decades ago? What saved the Marine Corps down through the decades is the same thing that will save the Marine Corps today, the amazing accomplishments of Marines. There is an ethos among Marines that makes each Marine and each Marine unit strong. The ethos involves toughness and discipline; the ethos requires Marines to live and serve not for themselves but for others. A special ethos builds special warriors: Marines. When Adm Chester Nimitz made his famous quote, he was not talking about the Navy, the Army, or the Air Force. He was describing the US Marine Corps where; "Uncommon valor was a common virtue."