Why writing Marks IS so HARD?

"I need your bullets by Friday," was a phrase I heard all too often during my 13 year Coast Guard career. Ugh!!!!!! I would initially think what type of documentation did I save what e-mails do I have that backs up my bullets of being a top-notch '7' sailing sailor.

How am I going phrase these for optimal results?

To make matters worse each command and each supervisor was completely different on how they accepted these brag o' bullets. At your last unit your Chief wanted them just bullets, the new unit wants you to go into details from 1983 and make sure you use the proper pronouns as "OS2 or Petty Officer" otherwise they will be returned and the cycle starts again.

Getting off topic though why is professional writing in the military such a challenge?

First of all an objective task is done by subjective supervisors and petty officers, despite these leaders making their best efforts to stay objective bias can always sneak into the mix.

Secondly, the system is different at each unit an E3 or an E4 going to their new unit has to adjust to bragging about themselves in a 'bullet' form and when they transfer the new unit or supervisor will change the submission process. There is not a one size fits all on the proper way to submit EER or OER documentation.

Third and final reason why is it's so so so (do I need another so) to brag about yourself. And what if your bragging leads to the supervisor saying well that is your job, taking that well thought out and planned seven down to a five.

There has been some positive changes in the marking system though, training on how to spot a seven, training on how write the marks uniformly that all units should follow and taking the E6 marks from twice a year are some positives. Some might disagree with me that changing the E6 marks to once a year was a bad move, however if a person has made the rank of E6 human nature and the drive to be better (make more money) and continue one to E7 is motivation. Chiefs only submit bullets once a year, by switching the E6 marking system up this trains them to be better prepared when marking themselves as Chiefs.

Overall, writing is hard, bragging about yourself is hard, following different standards for different units is hard. Let KaneEdits help you draft your next EER or OER. I can take out the UGH do I have too type of thinking out of drafting your marks.

KaneEdits

LaLacia Kane