On October 22, 2010, Gen Amos succeeded Gen Conway as Commandant, USMC (CMC). The duties of the CMC include oversight of the USMC promotion process. Although the ultimate promotion authority is the Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV), the Commandant makes promotion recommendation including recommendations to delay a promotion.
On January 11, 2012, a video appeared on YouTube of Marines from a scout sniper team attached to the J/2 urinating on the bodies of several dead enemy combatants killed during combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.2 The video garnered worldwide attention, along with media and political interest. A member of the scout sniper team made the video on July 27,201 1. At the time of the combat operations and the video, Maj Conway was the 3/2 XO.