R 281739Z JUL 17
MARADMIN 399/17
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC MRA RA//
SUBJ/MARINE CORPS READY RESERVE ENLISTED CAREER FORCE CONTROLS (ECFC)//
REF/A/MSGID: DOC/CMC/YMD: 20110502//
REF/B/MSGID: DOC/CMC/YMD: 20110606//
REF/C/MSGID: DOC/CMC/YMD: 20131126//
NARR/REFERENCE (A) IS MCO 1040R.35 RESERVE CAREER PLANNING AND RETENTION MANUAL. REFERENCE (B) IS MCO 1001.52J ACTIVE RESERVE (AR) SUPPORT TO THE RESERVE COMPONENT (RC). REFERENCE (C) IS MCO P1900.16F MARINE CORPS SEPARATION AND RETIREMENT MANUAL//
POC/D. J. SAUCIER/MSGT/RA (RAP)/TEL: 703-784-9136/EMAIL: RAP@USMC.MIL//
POC/P. D. FOREMAN/MSGT/RA (RAM)/TEL: 703-784-0577/EMAIL: PATRICK.FOREMAN@USMC.MIL//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1.  Purpose.  To provide Commanders, Senior Enlisted Leaders, Career Planners, and individual Marines information regarding the origin, requirement, and program elements of the Ready Reserve ECFC.  This MARADMIN provides Ready Reserve ECFC policies based on the current environment and is in accordance with the provisions in the references.  Refer to reference (a) for definitions of components, years of service, and programs.  This message is not applicable to Active Component (AC) Marines or Reserve Marines in the Active Reserve (AR) program.
2.  Background
    a.  The Marine Corps implemented the ECFC program for the AC in 1985 as a tool to improve the management of the career force.  The Director of Reserve Affairs (RA) has instituted the Ready Reserve ECFC to:
        (1) Actively shape the inventory of Marines by grade and military occupational specialties (MOS) to the requirements of the Selected Marine Corps Reserve (SMCR), Individual Mobilization Augmentee (IMA), and Individual Ready Reserve (IRR).
        (2) Stabilize retention in order to standardize promotion flow points across all MOSs and maintain career progression opportunities for SMCR, IMA, and IRR Marines.
        (3) Retain the best and most qualified Marines.
        (4) Comply with Title 10 United States Code end strength requirements.
    b.  The end state of the Ready Reserve ECFC program is to balance the inventory of Marines by grade and MOS to meet career force requirements.
3.  Ready Reserve Service Limits
    a.  Service limitations in the Ready Reserve (excluding AR Marines) are based on the following two criteria:  qualifying years of service and total federal service.
        (1) A qualifying year of service (satisfactory year (sat year)) is the sum of all periods of service in the AC, SMCR, IMA, AR, and IRR.  A year of qualifying service occurs when the member earns a minimum of 50 reserve retirement points (including 15 membership points) during the members anniversary year.
        (2) Total federal service is defined as the sum of all periods of time during which the Reserve Marine is a member of the armed forces.
    b.  Service spent as prior service, or in another branch of service will be considered when determining service limits.
    c.  The grade held determines the number of years of service authorized.
    d.  The following table shows Ready Reserve service limitations by grade for calculation at the time of reenlistment, to include the period of reenlistment/extension contemplated:  (read in two columns)
Grade               Limit of Service
Cpl                 8 years qualifying service
Sgt                 13 years qualifying service
SSgt                20 years qualifying service
GySgt               22 years qualifying service
1stSgt/MSgt         27 years qualifying service
SgtMaj/MGySgt       30 years total federal service
Note:  "30 years total federal service” also applies to all ranks as a maximum service limit
    e.  The service limits for AR Marines are contained in reference (b) and published via a separate AR ECFC message.
4.  Ready Reserve Service Limit Waiver Process
    a.  Waivers of service limits may be granted on a case-by-case basis and only when retention is in the best interest of the service, the Marine is deploying for combat and cannot be replaced, or the MOS is deemed critical by the Director of RA, or the request is for retirement per reference (c).
        (1) The Deputy Commandant, Manpower and Reserve Affairs (DC, MRA)) is the adjudicating authority for waivers of service limits in the case of Sergeants Major/Master Gunnery Sergeants and/or all cases that exceed one year of the service limit.
        (2) Director, RA is the adjudicating authority for all other requests.
        (3) Exception
            (a) The Director, RA is authorized to approve waiver requests for two months or less for retirement purposes as stated in the Total Force Retention System (TFRS) message R65498.
            (b) The Director, RA is authorized to approve waiver requests for one month or less without an endorsement from the first Commanding General in the Marines chain of command.  This authority will only be used as outlined in paragraph 4a of this message.
    b.  All service limit waiver requests will be initiated by the individual Marine utilizing an Administrative Action form (NAVMC 10274).  The requests should be positively endorsed (endorsements must address critical issues in paragraph 4a by the first Commanding General in the chain of command except as specified in TFRS message R65498.
    c.  All service limit waiver requests will be submitted to RA (RAM) via TFRS with chain of command endorsements as required.  Submission must comply with reference (a) and the current fiscal year Reserve Reenlistment Extension Lateral Move (RELM) processing guidelines.  RA (RAM) will endorse and forward to DC, MRA as required.  The RA Sergeant Major will provide additional information to all First Sergeants/Sergeants Major (8999 MOS) requests.
5.  Additional information
    a.  Members who are granted a waiver may compete for promotion if applicable.  Members twice failed for selection in grade will not be eligible to compete for promotion.
    b.  ECFC waivers are not required for medical hold purposes.
6.  Action.  Commanders, Senior Enlisted Leaders, and Career Planners will familiarize all Ready Reserve Marines with the contents of this MARADMIN.
7.  This MARADMIN is applicable to the Reserve Component.
8.  Release authorized by Colonel J. M. Morrisroe, Director, Reserve Affairs Division, Acting.//