Proper Appearance

• The uniform appearance and personal grooming standards of Marines are set by regulations and the orders of the unit commander. As part of their daily routine sergeants keep an eye out for infractions of these standards whether it be an untucked shirt, hair extending below the shirt collar or someone wearing an improper uniform on a given day. Enforcing these standards is one of many ways that the sergeant maintains discipline within the unit.
  
  

Attendance

• At any time of the day, Marine sergeants are accountable for all of the people under their supervision. The sergeant must know who is off duty, who is on duty and where they are working. Sergeants monitor excessive tardiness or absences of their troops and, if necessary, report them to their superiors.
  
  

Training

• Marines fresh from boot camp and their occupational training still have a lot to learn about their jobs and about combat skills. Sergeants provide on-the-job training to new Marines and help them link the information from formal training courses to the actual job they will have to do day in and day out. Since sergeants oversee squads or sections of Marines who have the same, or similar, MOS -- Military Occupational Specialty -- as themselves, they can teach junior Marines all the tips they have accumulated in their time in the Corps.
  
  

Property Accountabilty

• In addition to the personal welfare of junior enlisted Marines, sergeants also are accountable for military property. Sergeants must keep track of the weapons and supplies assigned to their squad or section. For example, squad members may be assigned M-16 rifles for field training exercises. When these weapons are signed out from the property clerk, sergeants are required to see that each and every one is signed back in.
  
  

Morale and Welfare

• Finally, sergeants must look out for the welfare of their squad or section. This includes access to nutritious food, serviceable clothing and adequate shelter. Sergeants also keep up the morale of their Marines by rewarding those who have performed well in their duties. This encourages those receiving the praise or reward and gives everyone else a goal to reach for. Most important, sergeants are the conduit between junior marines and higher-ranking NCOs and officers. Since leaders do not have as much face time with individual Marines, they rely on sergeants for the information on the morale of the unit.