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It is said that the rank of Gunnery Sergeant is the most influential rank in the Marine Corps. I am reminded of the opening lines of Stanley Kubrick's film Full Metal Jacket, “I am Gunnery Sergeant Hartman, your Senior Drill Instructor. From now on, you will speak only when spoken to, and the first and last words out of your filthy sewers will be ‘Sir.’ Do you maggots understand that?” Gunnery sergeants are respected for their honored hands-on approach to molding marines within the Corps. But what happens to gunnery sergeants when they become master sergeants is a transformation from the bright lights of glorious troop involvement to a somewhat dimmer staff position. Both gunnery sergeants and master sergeants show up each day seeking successful accomplishments with the same troops under them and the same leadership over them; however, they have completely different roles and responsibilities. In the movies and the real Marine Corps everyone is focused on the one affectionately known a