A U.S. Marine Corps Forces Reserve member is the first to change rank from master sergeant to first sergeant this month as part of the new E-8 pilot redesignation initiative.
Master Sgt. Joseph B. Stoker was selected from applicants to be the first to benefit from the pilot program, according to a late December DVIDS memo. The aim of the program is to grant new leadership opportunities to experienced Marines and give them greater control over their careers.
“I came into the Marine Corps from a place of uncertainty, but it gave me a chance to build a life and purpose I never thought possible,” Stoker said in the memo.
“As I transition to First Sergeant, I’m determined to give back, leading Marines with the same integrity and dedication that was shown to me,” he said.
The pilot program, established through a Marine administrative message, allows qualified master sergeants to apply for the first sergeant military occupational specialty.
“The E-8 redesignation program was designed to ensure that experienced leaders like Stoker could apply their skills to meet the evolving needs of the Marine Corps,” the memo says.
As first sergeant, Stoker continues his leadership role in his unit but his new rank requires him to take a broader focus on the overall health and success of the unit.
Stoker is based in New Orleans and has 17 years of service in the Marines, according to the release.
He has served in numerous roles such as drill instructor, senior enlisted adviser and wing aircraft maintenance/material readiness chief with 4th Marine Aircraft Wing.
“Master Sgt. Stoker was a first sergeant in all but rank. The chevron wasn’t a promotion, but a confirmation of the leader he has always been,” Sgt. Maj. Edwin A. Mota, command senior enlisted leader of U.S. Marine Corps Forces Reserve and U.S. Marine Corps Forces, South, said in the memo.
Before the pilot program, Marines were solely formally selected by a board process to the rank of either first or master sergeant after serving as an E-7, with a gunnery sergeant rank.
Cristina Stassis is an editorial fellow for Defense News and Military Times, where she covers stories surrounding the defense industry, national security, military/veteran affairs and more. She is currently studying journalism and mass communication and international affairs at the George Washington University.
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