meaning for special assignment

Understanding Assignments

What this handout is about.

The first step in any successful college writing venture is reading the assignment. While this sounds like a simple task, it can be a tough one. This handout will help you unravel your assignment and begin to craft an effective response. Much of the following advice will involve translating typical assignment terms and practices into meaningful clues to the type of writing your instructor expects. See our short video for more tips.

Basic beginnings

Regardless of the assignment, department, or instructor, adopting these two habits will serve you well :

• Read the assignment carefully as soon as you receive it. Do not put this task off—reading the assignment at the beginning will save you time, stress, and problems later. An assignment can look pretty straightforward at first, particularly if the instructor has provided lots of information. That does not mean it will not take time and effort to complete; you may even have to learn a new skill to complete the assignment.
• Ask the instructor about anything you do not understand. Do not hesitate to approach your instructor. Instructors would prefer to set you straight before you hand the paper in. That’s also when you will find their feedback most useful.

Assignment formats

Many assignments follow a basic format. Assignments often begin with an overview of the topic, include a central verb or verbs that describe the task, and offer some additional suggestions, questions, or prompts to get you started.

An Overview of Some Kind

The instructor might set the stage with some general discussion of the subject of the assignment, introduce the topic, or remind you of something pertinent that you have discussed in class. For example:

“Throughout history, gerbils have played a key role in politics,” or “In the last few weeks of class, we have focused on the evening wear of the housefly …”

The Task of the Assignment

Pay attention; this part tells you what to do when you write the paper. Look for the key verb or verbs in the sentence. Words like analyze, summarize, or compare direct you to think about your topic in a certain way. Also pay attention to words such as how, what, when, where, and why; these words guide your attention toward specific information. (See the section in this handout titled “Key Terms” for more information.)

“Analyze the effect that gerbils had on the Russian Revolution”, or “Suggest an interpretation of housefly undergarments that differs from Darwin’s.”

Additional Material to Think about

Here you will find some questions to use as springboards as you begin to think about the topic. Instructors usually include these questions as suggestions rather than requirements. Do not feel compelled to answer every question unless the instructor asks you to do so. Pay attention to the order of the questions. Sometimes they suggest the thinking process your instructor imagines you will need to follow to begin thinking about the topic.

“You may wish to consider the differing views held by Communist gerbils vs. Monarchist gerbils, or Can there be such a thing as ‘the housefly garment industry’ or is it just a home-based craft?”

These are the instructor’s comments about writing expectations:

“Be concise”, “Write effectively”, or “Argue furiously.”

Technical Details

These instructions usually indicate format rules or guidelines.

“Your paper must be typed in Palatino font on gray paper and must not exceed 600 pages. It is due on the anniversary of Mao Tse-tung’s death.”

The assignment’s parts may not appear in exactly this order, and each part may be very long or really short. Nonetheless, being aware of this standard pattern can help you understand what your instructor wants you to do.

Interpreting the assignment

Ask yourself a few basic questions as you read and jot down the answers on the assignment sheet:

Why did your instructor ask you to do this particular task?

Who is your audience.

• What kind of evidence do you need to support your ideas?

What kind of writing style is acceptable?

• What are the absolute rules of the paper?

Try to look at the question from the point of view of the instructor. Recognize that your instructor has a reason for giving you this assignment and for giving it to you at a particular point in the semester. In every assignment, the instructor has a challenge for you. This challenge could be anything from demonstrating an ability to think clearly to demonstrating an ability to use the library. See the assignment not as a vague suggestion of what to do but as an opportunity to show that you can handle the course material as directed. Paper assignments give you more than a topic to discuss—they ask you to do something with the topic. Keep reminding yourself of that. Be careful to avoid the other extreme as well: do not read more into the assignment than what is there.

Of course, your instructor has given you an assignment so that they will be able to assess your understanding of the course material and give you an appropriate grade. But there is more to it than that. Your instructor has tried to design a learning experience of some kind. Your instructor wants you to think about something in a particular way for a particular reason. If you read the course description at the beginning of your syllabus, review the assigned readings, and consider the assignment itself, you may begin to see the plan, purpose, or approach to the subject matter that your instructor has created for you. If you still aren’t sure of the assignment’s goals, try asking the instructor. For help with this, see our handout on getting feedback .

Given your instructor’s efforts, it helps to answer the question: What is my purpose in completing this assignment? Is it to gather research from a variety of outside sources and present a coherent picture? Is it to take material I have been learning in class and apply it to a new situation? Is it to prove a point one way or another? Key words from the assignment can help you figure this out. Look for key terms in the form of active verbs that tell you what to do.

Key Terms: Finding Those Active Verbs

Here are some common key words and definitions to help you think about assignment terms:

Information words Ask you to demonstrate what you know about the subject, such as who, what, when, where, how, and why.

• define —give the subject’s meaning (according to someone or something). Sometimes you have to give more than one view on the subject’s meaning
• describe —provide details about the subject by answering question words (such as who, what, when, where, how, and why); you might also give details related to the five senses (what you see, hear, feel, taste, and smell)
• explain —give reasons why or examples of how something happened
• illustrate —give descriptive examples of the subject and show how each is connected with the subject
• summarize —briefly list the important ideas you learned about the subject
• trace —outline how something has changed or developed from an earlier time to its current form
• research —gather material from outside sources about the subject, often with the implication or requirement that you will analyze what you have found

Relation words Ask you to demonstrate how things are connected.

• compare —show how two or more things are similar (and, sometimes, different)
• contrast —show how two or more things are dissimilar
• apply—use details that you’ve been given to demonstrate how an idea, theory, or concept works in a particular situation
• cause —show how one event or series of events made something else happen
• relate —show or describe the connections between things

Interpretation words Ask you to defend ideas of your own about the subject. Do not see these words as requesting opinion alone (unless the assignment specifically says so), but as requiring opinion that is supported by concrete evidence. Remember examples, principles, definitions, or concepts from class or research and use them in your interpretation.

• assess —summarize your opinion of the subject and measure it against something
• prove, justify —give reasons or examples to demonstrate how or why something is the truth
• evaluate, respond —state your opinion of the subject as good, bad, or some combination of the two, with examples and reasons
• support —give reasons or evidence for something you believe (be sure to state clearly what it is that you believe)
• synthesize —put two or more things together that have not been put together in class or in your readings before; do not just summarize one and then the other and say that they are similar or different—you must provide a reason for putting them together that runs all the way through the paper
• analyze —determine how individual parts create or relate to the whole, figure out how something works, what it might mean, or why it is important
• argue —take a side and defend it with evidence against the other side

More Clues to Your Purpose As you read the assignment, think about what the teacher does in class:

• What kinds of textbooks or coursepack did your instructor choose for the course—ones that provide background information, explain theories or perspectives, or argue a point of view?
• In lecture, does your instructor ask your opinion, try to prove their point of view, or use keywords that show up again in the assignment?
• What kinds of assignments are typical in this discipline? Social science classes often expect more research. Humanities classes thrive on interpretation and analysis.
• How do the assignments, readings, and lectures work together in the course? Instructors spend time designing courses, sometimes even arguing with their peers about the most effective course materials. Figuring out the overall design to the course will help you understand what each assignment is meant to achieve.

Now, what about your reader? Most undergraduates think of their audience as the instructor. True, your instructor is a good person to keep in mind as you write. But for the purposes of a good paper, think of your audience as someone like your roommate: smart enough to understand a clear, logical argument, but not someone who already knows exactly what is going on in your particular paper. Remember, even if the instructor knows everything there is to know about your paper topic, they still have to read your paper and assess your understanding. In other words, teach the material to your reader.

Aiming a paper at your audience happens in two ways: you make decisions about the tone and the level of information you want to convey.

• Tone means the “voice” of your paper. Should you be chatty, formal, or objective? Usually you will find some happy medium—you do not want to alienate your reader by sounding condescending or superior, but you do not want to, um, like, totally wig on the man, you know? Eschew ostentatious erudition: some students think the way to sound academic is to use big words. Be careful—you can sound ridiculous, especially if you use the wrong big words.
• The level of information you use depends on who you think your audience is. If you imagine your audience as your instructor and they already know everything you have to say, you may find yourself leaving out key information that can cause your argument to be unconvincing and illogical. But you do not have to explain every single word or issue. If you are telling your roommate what happened on your favorite science fiction TV show last night, you do not say, “First a dark-haired white man of average height, wearing a suit and carrying a flashlight, walked into the room. Then a purple alien with fifteen arms and at least three eyes turned around. Then the man smiled slightly. In the background, you could hear a clock ticking. The room was fairly dark and had at least two windows that I saw.” You also do not say, “This guy found some aliens. The end.” Find some balance of useful details that support your main point.

You’ll find a much more detailed discussion of these concepts in our handout on audience .

The Grim Truth

With a few exceptions (including some lab and ethnography reports), you are probably being asked to make an argument. You must convince your audience. It is easy to forget this aim when you are researching and writing; as you become involved in your subject matter, you may become enmeshed in the details and focus on learning or simply telling the information you have found. You need to do more than just repeat what you have read. Your writing should have a point, and you should be able to say it in a sentence. Sometimes instructors call this sentence a “thesis” or a “claim.”

So, if your instructor tells you to write about some aspect of oral hygiene, you do not want to just list: “First, you brush your teeth with a soft brush and some peanut butter. Then, you floss with unwaxed, bologna-flavored string. Finally, gargle with bourbon.” Instead, you could say, “Of all the oral cleaning methods, sandblasting removes the most plaque. Therefore it should be recommended by the American Dental Association.” Or, “From an aesthetic perspective, moldy teeth can be quite charming. However, their joys are short-lived.”

Convincing the reader of your argument is the goal of academic writing. It doesn’t have to say “argument” anywhere in the assignment for you to need one. Look at the assignment and think about what kind of argument you could make about it instead of just seeing it as a checklist of information you have to present. For help with understanding the role of argument in academic writing, see our handout on argument .

What kind of evidence do you need?

There are many kinds of evidence, and what type of evidence will work for your assignment can depend on several factors–the discipline, the parameters of the assignment, and your instructor’s preference. Should you use statistics? Historical examples? Do you need to conduct your own experiment? Can you rely on personal experience? See our handout on evidence for suggestions on how to use evidence appropriately.

Make sure you are clear about this part of the assignment, because your use of evidence will be crucial in writing a successful paper. You are not just learning how to argue; you are learning how to argue with specific types of materials and ideas. Ask your instructor what counts as acceptable evidence. You can also ask a librarian for help. No matter what kind of evidence you use, be sure to cite it correctly—see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial .

You cannot always tell from the assignment just what sort of writing style your instructor expects. The instructor may be really laid back in class but still expect you to sound formal in writing. Or the instructor may be fairly formal in class and ask you to write a reflection paper where you need to use “I” and speak from your own experience.

Try to avoid false associations of a particular field with a style (“art historians like wacky creativity,” or “political scientists are boring and just give facts”) and look instead to the types of readings you have been given in class. No one expects you to write like Plato—just use the readings as a guide for what is standard or preferable to your instructor. When in doubt, ask your instructor about the level of formality they expect.

No matter what field you are writing for or what facts you are including, if you do not write so that your reader can understand your main idea, you have wasted your time. So make clarity your main goal. For specific help with style, see our handout on style .

Technical details about the assignment

The technical information you are given in an assignment always seems like the easy part. This section can actually give you lots of little hints about approaching the task. Find out if elements such as page length and citation format (see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial ) are negotiable. Some professors do not have strong preferences as long as you are consistent and fully answer the assignment. Some professors are very specific and will deduct big points for deviations.

Usually, the page length tells you something important: The instructor thinks the size of the paper is appropriate to the assignment’s parameters. In plain English, your instructor is telling you how many pages it should take for you to answer the question as fully as you are expected to. So if an assignment is two pages long, you cannot pad your paper with examples or reword your main idea several times. Hit your one point early, defend it with the clearest example, and finish quickly. If an assignment is ten pages long, you can be more complex in your main points and examples—and if you can only produce five pages for that assignment, you need to see someone for help—as soon as possible.

Tricks that don’t work

Your instructors are not fooled when you:

• spend more time on the cover page than the essay —graphics, cool binders, and cute titles are no replacement for a well-written paper.
• use huge fonts, wide margins, or extra spacing to pad the page length —these tricks are immediately obvious to the eye. Most instructors use the same word processor you do. They know what’s possible. Such tactics are especially damning when the instructor has a stack of 60 papers to grade and yours is the only one that low-flying airplane pilots could read.
• use a paper from another class that covered “sort of similar” material . Again, the instructor has a particular task for you to fulfill in the assignment that usually relates to course material and lectures. Your other paper may not cover this material, and turning in the same paper for more than one course may constitute an Honor Code violation . Ask the instructor—it can’t hurt.
• get all wacky and “creative” before you answer the question . Showing that you are able to think beyond the boundaries of a simple assignment can be good, but you must do what the assignment calls for first. Again, check with your instructor. A humorous tone can be refreshing for someone grading a stack of papers, but it will not get you a good grade if you have not fulfilled the task.

Critical reading of assignments leads to skills in other types of reading and writing. If you get good at figuring out what the real goals of assignments are, you are going to be better at understanding the goals of all of your classes and fields of study.

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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Protracted Cases/Special Assignment

Only a very small number of highly complex actions quality for inclusion on this track. The requests for special assignment to an individual judge must be directed to the Administrative Judge. The Administrative Judge, after review of the file and reasons asserted in support of the need for special assignment, determines if special assignment is warranted. If so, all scheduling is thereafter determined by the assigned judge.

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Meaning of assignment in English

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• It was a jammy assignment - more of a holiday really.
• He took this award-winning photograph while on assignment in the Middle East .
• His two-year assignment to the Mexico office starts in September .
• She first visited Norway on assignment for the winter Olympics ten years ago.
• He fell in love with the area after being there on assignment for National Geographic in the 1950s.
• act as something
• all work and no play (makes Jack a dull boy) idiom
• be at work idiom
• be in work idiom
• housekeeping
• in the line of duty idiom
• undertaking

You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:

assignment | American Dictionary

Assignment | business english, examples of assignment, collocations with assignment.

These are words often used in combination with assignment .

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Translations of assignment

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• on assignment
• American    Noun
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Definition of assignment noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

• Students are required to complete all homework assignments.
• You will need to complete three written assignments per semester.
• a business/special assignment
• I had set myself a tough assignment.
• on an assignment She is in Greece on an assignment for one of the Sunday newspapers.
• on assignment one of our reporters on assignment in China
• The students handed in their assignments.
• The teacher gave us an assignment on pollution.
• Why did you take on this assignment if you're so busy?
• He refused to accept the assignment.
• assignment on

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Explainer: When Principals Go on ‘Special Assignment’

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You won’t see a job description for “principal on special assignment” on the San Diego Unified School District website.

But that’s not to say the job doesn’t exist.

The special assignment position became public knowledge after La Jolla High School principal Dana Shelburne was given the title late last month.

Shelburne’s reassignment comes in the wake of a damning audit that found , among other things, that more than $200,000 in donations wasn’t backed up by any receipts.

Shelburne told U-T San Diego “the audit has nothing to do with this,” and school board trustee Scott Barnett also denied that Shelburne’s reassignment was related to the audit .

Now that this high-profile principal has been reassigned, let’s take a look at what, exactly he’ll be doing.

What does the title mean?

Principals at the district are placed on special assignment by the superintendent, without approval from the school board.

They remain employees of the district. Shelburne will report to a yet-to-be-named director of special projects in the central office. He’s currently the lone principal on special assignment in San Diego, but there have been others in the past.

Ruth Peshkoff, a former chief human resources officer for San Diego Unified, said other potential special assignments could include:

– Overseeing a new student information system for tracking students as technology gets old

– Managing a grant that the school received in order to make sure the money is spent properly

– Substituting at other schools

Has this ‘special assignment’ been taken before?

Shelburne will officially be working as the district’s “school construction liaison.”

He’s not the first principal to hold that position.

Former Lincoln High principal Wendell Bass had the same assignment during the roll-out of Proposition MM, a bond passed in 1998 to renovate existing schools and construct new ones.

Bass, who has since retired, was given the job while Lincoln was being rebuilt in 2004. He said Wednesday that the position was created the year before he took it.

Cheryl James-Ward, an assistant professor of educational leadership at San Diego State University, said that these special assignments can last from six months to several years. Bass held the job for four years until Prop. MM work ended in 2008.

Cynthia Reed-Porter, a spokeswoman for San Diego Unified, said there hasn’t been a need for a school construction liaison since 2008, because so far, Proposition S — a bond passed in 2008 to finish off school repairs and renovations begun under Proposition MM and to upgrade technology in classrooms — has dealt with mostly technology and isolated construction. By contrast, Proposition Z will focus on campus-wide construction, she said.

What will Shelburne be doing, exactly?

Reed-Porter said that in the coming school year, 40 new principals will be starting at campuses and that some of those principals may have never dealt with construction at their schools.

New bond projects could benefit, then, from a principal who is familiar with construction occurring on campuses, said Reed-Porter. That’s where Shelburne will come in.

Lee Dulgeroff, who oversees the district’s bond programs, said Shelburne’s new duties will include coordinating construction and renovation projects, providing design input, coordinating meetings, developing classroom specifications and coordinating construction activities to minimize classroom disruption.

Why was Shelburne given this assignment?

James-Ward said that, in general, principals on special assignment usually have some expertise in the position they are assigned to.

In a newsletter to parents the day after the appointment, Shelburne said his background of involvement with construction projects at “La Jolla High School, Muirlands and elsewhere” made him a good fit for the role.

District officials  said that Shelburne’s past experiences overseeing the construction of a pool, athletic field and science building among other projects at La Jolla high and elsewhere made him an ideal candidate for the job.

Where is Shelburne’s salary coming from?

When Bass held the position that Shelburne will be taking, he was paid using Prop. MM funds.

Shelburne will also be paid out of bond money.

Normally, district employees can’t be paid with bond money, unless they’re working directly on bond-related projects, as Shelburne will be.

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Alex Corey is a reporting intern at Voice of San Diego. You can contact him directly at [email protected]. More by Alex Corey

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Army to slash thousands of jobs in major revamp to prepare for future wars, temporary promotion authority – department of the army select recruiters (dasr).

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Special Duty Assignments

Performing Special Duty assignments is not only career enhancing, but also gives self-satisfaction while serving Soldiers. The following PDF explains some of the Special Duty assignments available for Soldiers.

Full PDF found here: SPECIAL DUTY ASSIGNMENTS

**Special assignments include special management command and joint, HQDA, and HRC assignments that have special missions and require personnel with specific qualifications. Soldiers assigned to these positions will be stabilized for a period of 36 months. However, HRC may reassign Soldiers with less than 36 months in accordance with paragraph 3– 8 a (10). This section establishes policies for assignments to the following agencies:

a.  International and OCONUS Joint headquarters, U.S. military missions, military assistance advisory groups, Joint U.S. military advisory groups, and similar activities. b.  The U.S. Central Command. c.  Headquarters, Department of the Army and HRC. d.  The U.S. Disciplinary Barracks. e.  The U.S. Army Intelligence and Security Command. f.  Office of the Assistant Chief of Staff for Intelligence and field activities. g.  Defense Courier Service. h.  The U.S. Criminal Investigation Command. i.  The U.S. Transportation Command. j.  The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). k.  The U.S. Military Academy, U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, U.S. Army War College, and U.S. Army Officer Candidate School. l.  Joint communications support element. m.  U.S. Army Test and Evaluation Command (ATEC).

**All personnel actions pertaining to nominative assignments are processed by HRC (AHRC–EPD). The normal tour of duty for these assignments is 3 to 4 years, unless otherwise specified by the individual agency. Soldiers assigned to these agencies are contact replacements requested by the appropriate agency approximately 9 to 12 months in advance of the incumbent’s scheduled rotation date. Stringent screening processes exist to ensure that only the most highly qualified Soldiers are selected for nominative posi- tions at the following agencies:

a.  Office, Secretary of Defense. b.  Joint Staff. c.  Defense Commissary Agency. d.  Defense Finance and Accounting Service.  e.  Defense Information Systems Agency. f.  Defense Nuclear Agency. g.  Defense Logistics Agency. h.  Defense Intelligence Agency. i.  Defense Mapping Agency. j.  On-Site Inspection Agency. k.  Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences. l.  U.S. Delegation NATO Military Committee. m.  Immediate Offices-Office, Secretary of the Army. n.  Office, Army Chief of Staff. o.  Military Personnel Exchange Program (AR 614–10). p.  Offices of the Administrative Assistant to the Secretary of the Army.

**Special Operations Forces (SOF) assignments require Soldiers able to excel in the performance of their duties in highly complex and dynamic environments throughout the full spectrum of modern warfare and peacetime missions. The nature of SOF missions requires a high state of readiness, therefore, Soldiers will be assigned on a priority basis. Stringent screen- ing processes exist to ensure that only the highest quality Soldiers are accepted and assigned. Soldiers who desire to apply for duty or assignment may do so without regard to current assignment. Only fully qualified Soldiers will be accepted for duty in the following assignments:

a.  Special Forces positions. b.  Civil Affairs positions. c.  Psychological operations positions. d.  U.S. Army Special Operations Command Operational Support and/or Force Sustainment positions.  e.  75th Ranger Regiment positions. f.  Special mission units’ positions. g.  160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment positions. h.  U.S. Special Operations Command positions.

Reference for above can be found in: AR 614-200

Synonyms of assignment

• as in lesson
• as in appointment
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Thesaurus Definition of assignment

Synonyms & Similar Words

• responsibility
• undertaking
• requirement
• designation
• appointment
• authorization
• installment
• installation
• destination
• emplacement
• investiture
• singling (out)

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• dethronement

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun assignment contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of assignment are chore , duty , job , stint , and task . While all these words mean "a piece of work to be done," assignment implies a definite limited task assigned by one in authority.

When is it sensible to use chore instead of assignment ?

While the synonyms chore and assignment are close in meaning, chore implies a minor routine activity necessary for maintaining a household or farm.

When is duty a more appropriate choice than assignment ?

Although the words duty and assignment have much in common, duty implies an obligation to perform or responsibility for performance.

When might job be a better fit than assignment ?

The synonyms job and assignment are sometimes interchangeable, but job applies to a piece of work voluntarily performed; it may sometimes suggest difficulty or importance.

When could stint be used to replace assignment ?

In some situations, the words stint and assignment are roughly equivalent. However, stint implies a carefully allotted or measured quantity of assigned work or service.

When can task be used instead of assignment ?

The meanings of task and assignment largely overlap; however, task implies work imposed by a person in authority or an employer or by circumstance.

Thesaurus Entries Near assignment

assignments

Cite this Entry

“Assignment.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/assignment. Accessed 13 May. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on assignment

Nglish: Translation of assignment for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of assignment for Arabic Speakers

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Marine combat instructors can avoid recruiting or drill instructor duty

The Marine Corps has made the combat instructor job a special duty assignment once more, effectively allowing those instructors to sidestep the sometimes-dreaded recruiter or drill instructor jobs .

Each year, a portion of Marine noncommissioned officers are given special duty assignments, which take them out of their regular jobs for a few years to perform other duties on behalf of the Corps. Now, the combat instructor job, which entails training Marines in combat skills, counts as a special duty assignment.

“It’s an extremely rewarding duty because you actually get to affect and to teach the warfighting skills that all Marines learn through the entry-level training pipeline, and it’s really critical for the operational readiness of the force,” Gunnery Sgt. Tyler Stokes , the enlisted assignments monitor for the combat instructor community, said in a video the Marine Corps recently posted to LinkedIn.

Marines get plucked from their regular jobs and placed into special duty assignments through the annual Headquarters Marine Corps Special Duty Assignment Screening Team screening process, often called HSST for short.

The Marine Corps itself said in an administrative message in 2023, “A successful SDA tour is a hallmark of a competitive Marine and makes him or her exceptionally qualified for promotion.”

The other special duty assignments are recruiter, drill instructor and Marine security guard detachment commander. Before a rule change that was announced in 2017, combat instructor and Marine security guard watchstander also counted as special duty assignments.

After that change, those two jobs became Type 1 screenable billets, a category that also includes Marine Corps security forces guards, staff noncommissioned officer academy faculty advisors and curriculum developers, and Marine special operators, among others, according to Marine spokeswoman Capt. Sarah Eason.

“Designation as a Special Duty Assignment increases the staffing priority of this duty, ensuring maximum fill of available billets,” Eason said of the recent redesignation of the combat instructor role via email May 3.

A 2019 analysis by the Marine Corps of the impact of special duty assignments — which at the time didn’t include combat instructor — on Marines’ lives found they were correlated with better promotion chances but also with higher rates of divorce, addiction and suicide attempts.

“Due to increased responsibilities and duties outside of one’s normal occupational field, SDA tours are often viewed as a Marine’s most stressful noncombat tour,” the analysis stated.

Now that being a combat instructor is a special duty assignment again, Marines who complete that role won’t end up on future HSST lists, according to Eason.

For the next special duty assignment season, fiscal year 2026, combat instructor may be an option for Marines who end up on the list “but will be subject to availability after the volunteer period,” Eason said.

“Unlike other SDAs, there are a limited number of Combat Instructor billets open to any primary military occupational specialty, and these routinely fill with volunteers,” the spokeswoman added. “The preponderance of Combat Instructor billets requires an infantry primary (military occupational specialty), so Marines in this field will likely be able to request Combat Instructor duty during the HSST.”

As a special duty assignment, the combat instructor role will come with incentives that include easier promotions and choice over a next duty station, according to Eason. Combat instructors will continue to receive special pay.

A plan to make the combat instructor job a special duty assignment again has been in the works since at least 2021, as the Corps planned to lengthen the infantry course from nine to 14 weeks, creating a demand for more instructors. Training Command did not respond by time of publication to a Marine Corps Times question about the current length of the course.

Irene Loewenson is a staff reporter for Marine Corps Times. She joined Military Times as an editorial fellow in August 2022. She is a graduate of Williams College, where she was the editor-in-chief of the student newspaper.

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Jacksonville lawyer says someone holding a gun doesn’t necessarily mean they’re a threat

Tarik Minor , Anchor, I-TEAM reporter

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A Jacksonville-based lawyer said someone holding a gun doesn’t mean that they are a threat after Black U.S. Air Force airman Roger Fortson was fatally shot six times in his apartment hallway.

RELATED: Experts say gun alone doesn’t justify deadly force in fatal shooting of Florida airman

Civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump said the Okaloosa County deputy knocked on the wrong door because Fortson had been home alone and on FaceTime with his girlfriend at the time of the shooting.

“Roger Fortson was the best America had to offer. He was a patriot. He was a U.S. airman, special ops,” Crump said.

Okaloosa deputies disputed that claim and said the deputy responded to the right apartment.

News4JAX asked local defense attorney Belkis Plata if simply holding a gun while opening the door of your home is enough to justify law enforcement opening fire.

“Someone holding a gun doesn’t necessarily mean that they are posing a threat, even in criminal law unless you have the intent to use it. It is not the same thing, as when you actually pointed at someone say words that you’re going to use it or aim it in their direction,” Plata said.

She said in her opinion, the deputy reacted out of impulse and failed to de-escalate the situation or give Fortson time to comply with his commands.

It wasn’t until after Fortson was shot that the deputy is heard ordering the U.S. airman to drop the weapon.

Plata said she still believes law enforcement will find a defense for the Okaloosa deputy’s actions as to why this was a permissible act.

“I feel like that’s why other eyes outside of law enforcement have to look at situations like this. Because when the officers are the ones supervising their own and reviewing their own, they have their own personal biases, they’re police officers, they want to protect the police, when you don’t want to find fault. Another officer might have done the exact same thing. That doesn’t make it right. It’s not excusable, and there has to be a consequence,” Plata said.

Copyright 2024 by WJXT News4JAX - All rights reserved.

About the Author

Tarik minor.

Tarik anchors the 4, 5:30 and 6:30 p.m. weekday newscasts and reports with the I-TEAM.

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MLB Trade Rumors

Giants Designate Daulton Jefferies For Assignment

By Steve Adams | May 6, 2024 at 12:00pm CDT

The Giants announced Monday that they’ve designated right-hander Daulton Jefferies for assignment. His spot on the 40-man roster will go to right-handed pitching prospect Mason Black , whose previously reported promotion from Triple-A Sacramento is now official.

Jefferies, 28, went through two years of painstaking rehab to get back to the big leagues after undergoing both Tommy John surgery and thoracic outlet surgery. The former No. 37 overall draft pick’s Giants debut at the end of March was his first MLB appearance since May 2022 with the A’s.

Jefferies shined in spring training this year (2.57 ERA, 16-to-3 K/BB ratio in 14 innings) and has pitched quite well in four Triple-A appearances this season. In 18 1/3 frames with Sacramento, he’s notched a tidy 3.44 ERA while fanning 22.7% of his opponents against a sharp 6.7% walk rate.

However, in a pair of big league appearances, he’s lasted just 4 2/3 innings overall and been tagged for 13 runs (nine earned) on the strength of 14 hits (two homers) and a pair of walks. Jefferies has only fanned four of the 31 men he’s faced. He’s seen more than half the balls in play against him land for hits, which certainly hasn’t helped his cause, but he’s also paid the price for plenty of mistakes over the plate; in addition to the pair of homers, he’s surrendered six doubles and a triple.

Jefferies has had a fair bit of minor league success, but he’s yet to carry it over to the big leagues in a quartet of seasons where he’s seen mostly fleeting action. In 61 MLB frames, he carries an unsightly 6.64 earned run average, although his overall mark in six minor league seasons is nearly half that number, sitting at 3.88. Injuries have played no small part in his struggles; the previously mentioned Tommy John surgery in 2022 was actually the second of his career, and he battled nerve issues in his elbow for nearly a year before finally being diagnosed with thoracic outlet syndrome and undergoing that surgery.

The Giants will have a week to trade Jefferies, attempt to pass him through outright waivers, or release him. He’s in his final minor league option season, so any team that acquires him would be able to send him to Triple-A without needing to expose him to waivers. Jefferies has been outrighted once in the past, so even if he goes unclaimed on waivers, that prior outright assignment grants him the right to reject another outright assignment in favor of free agency.

33 Comments

Good thing they gave up Bart to make room for Jefferies.

Giants don’t need Bart when Reetz is OPSing 5.000 🙂

Bart was a lost cause in SF. He might well still be; time will tell.

He is hitting .200, so he appears to still be lost

Yeah, but .200 on the Pirates will get you a lot of playing time… and to be fair, 3 of his 7 hits are homers.

They were never going to carry three catchers full time

Whoa! didn’t see that coming….Jefferies had a solid 17.36 ERA.and FIP was only 8.30 it shows he played better than ERA suggests.

Someone should take a chance on this guy

Ummm, you mean kinda like the Giants just did? At some point, you are who the back of your baseball card says you are unfortunately.

I got the Blue Jays claiming him

I feel bad for the guy after all he’s been through. Two Tommy John surgeries, plus thoracic outlet surgery. Players seem to have a much lower rate of success after TOS.

@Jean Matrac I think any pitcher who even has TOS surgery is just ending their career. Better off taking a year off of pitching than have a rib removed. Find any other alternative!

Same surgery that doomed Matt Harvey

Wonder if he was named for Dutch Daulton or Dalton from Roadhouse?

Or maybe John Dalton, that guy was pretty cool too….

Don’t know, but I also didn’t know before today that his uncle is former big league reliever Blas Minor.

“The name…. is Dalton”

Now, it’s decision time for the Giants and the rest of the league. Will Jefferies find a new home? Will he be sent to Triple-A purgatory? Or will he take the path less traveled and explore free agency?

Stay tuned for the next episode of “Baseball’s Got Talent” as we witness the highs, lows, and curveballs of the MLB roster game. ⚾

Astros? Can’t be worse than Brown/Abreu/Hader/Pressly/Bielak/France/Urquidy

The next ones to be sent packing should be: Slater Flores Yaz Chapman Ahmed Murphy Hjelle Zaidi

Yaz and Chapman still have value, albeit replacement value and not much more. It feels too early to call it on Chapman, though, who is better than he has played so far.

I notice you didn’t include Soler on your list. His performance has been pretty underwhelming, too, especially given his salary. I hope he can start hitting dingers when there are guys on base.

Oops, just forgot Soler. He should be the 2nd one gone after Slater.

Flores has value especially at his price point of 6.5M (and player opt-out in 2025 option) his previous years show decent numbers with power potential more than Yaz.

Yaz is a declining value last few years, he has 1 more ARB year but he is getting 7.9M this year, and is not living up to it. since 2021 Yaz is sloping downwards and teams know this so there will be very little in return for him, he is more valuable to Giants than any other team.

All others on the list have little value in trade unless added as a complementary item.

Chapman is going no where. Murphy has nice track record and injured now, he has possibility to turn it around. inexpensive player – there is no C in system that could replace – Sabol is nice but Murphy is more value than him.

Datashark, Yastrzemski is one of the few Giants’ players that has been producing. As I responded to @TellItGoodbye, Yaz has a .927 OPS over the last 14 games.

sure right now, but lets look at bigger picture.

Yes, the bigger picture needs to be looked at, and things might look differently a few months from now. But these posts seem to be all about what these guys have done this season.

The season so far is still a small sample. So if someone is in favor of cutting loose guys like Flores and Yastrzemski, based on a small sample, then it has to cut both ways. And so far all we have is small samples.

But it’s not a small sample. Yaz has been going downhill and getting injured. I love Wilmer, and he’s cheap, I just wish we could find more exciting players who can actually steal a base.

The Giants have played 36 games. That is a small sample.

This is exactly what I’m talking about. Flores has value. Murphy has a good track record. Chapman is better than this. On and on. Meanwhile we’re sinking fast. All those players are past their prime and slow. Maybe Chapman just doesn’t have it anymore. The game has sped up. It was so painfully obvious playing the Phillies. We were like an over-50 men’s league compared to them. It’s not just age, it’s excitement for the game. Compare Brandon Marsh to Wilmer or Yaz. It’s like our guys are just going through the motions. We need speed and youth. There’s exactly one exciting position player on our team – Jung Hoo Lee, and he’s still adjusting.

Trade values on all those players listed is in the Sell low point, but outside of Murphy, and Flores they are pretty much going to stay around this point.

Chapman is untradeable so that is not even a question to send packing.

The question is WHEN would be the best time to ship those players off or cut bait — being the farm system is still not showing players that can make an impact they are stuck and have been for many years now. Sure they have had diamonds or even cubic zirconia’s but other teams are doing laps around them.

Webb is the best player on team but I have seen him on the mound being more frustrated than previous years..

@Tellit Wow! That kind of managerial acumen is going to be the death of your lemonade stand!

Hey, I’m allowed to be grumpy after that series in Philly!! Go Giants!!

Was time to DFA Jefferies. Hopefully Black can add a much needed spark.

Zaidi is reaching a critical point where tough decisions have to be made to turn the Giants season around. Giants must have a winning record each month to have any chance of making the playoffs.

Giants not making playoffs will surely be Zaidi’s demise

TellItGoodbye, Since 4/18, 14 games, Yastrzemski has a .927 OPS. Yet Conforto isn’t on your list, and over that same span he has a .585 OPS. What a brilliant roster management suggestion.

Why pick from that arbitrary date? On the season Conforto is 100 pts better OPS.

It’s not arbitrary. It’s the last 2 weeks worth of games, and it illustrates how players are trending. Yastrzemski is trending up, Conforto is trending down. Looking at the season’s numbers doesn’t tell you much. Especially if one player gets off to a slow start, and the other a hot one.

Conforto only has better numbers on the season because he got off to a hot start. one week into the season he had a 1.192 OPS. Now it’s .737, a drop of 455 points. Yaz went from .273 to .630, a rise of 357 points.

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