Marine combat instructors may see special duty assignment status again 6 hours ago Chief Warrant Officer 4 Dave Tomlinson, infantry weapons officer at Marine Corps Systems Command, demonstrates the Squad Common Optic attached to the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle. (Matt Gonzales/Marine Corps) CAMP PENDLETON, California ― In an effort to retain more and better combat instructors, the Marine Corps says it is strongly considering returning the billet to special duty assignment status ― a status in line with drill instructor or recruiter duty. Combat instructors had a special duty assignment status until 2019 when the job was made into a type 1 screenable billet, which comes with slightly fewer perks than the special duty assignment.