R 011704Z MAY 20
MARADMIN 271/20
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC PP&O//
SUBJ/GUIDANCE ON THE SUBJECTIVE OVERRIDES OF OVERALL READINESS RATING (C-LEVEL) OF DEFENSE READINESS REPORTING SYSTEM-MARINE CORPS (DRRS-MC) UNIT REPORTS//
REF/A/FY20 NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT/20DEC2019//
REF/B/CJCSI 3401.02B/FORCE READINESS REPORTING/31MAY2011//
REF/C/201216Z MAR 20 IMPLEMENTATION OF SECTION 365 OF THE FY20 NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT//
REF/D/MCO 3000.13A MARINE CORPS READINESS REPORTING/17JULY2017//NARR//
REF A SETS FUNDING LEVELS AND OUTLINES POLICY PRIORITIES FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE. SECTION 365 DIRECTS CHAIRMAN OF THE JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF TO MODIFY CJCSI 3401.02B TO PROHIBIT A COMMANDER FROM SUBJECTIVELY UPGRADING A UNIT’S OVERALL READINESS RATING (C-LEVEL). REF B ESTABLISHES POLICY, PROCEDURES, AND CRITERIA FOR THE REPORTING OF AUTHORITATIVE INFORMATION TO THE PRESIDENT AND SECRETARY OF DEFENSE RELATED TO THE READINESS OF MILITARY FORCES TO MEET MISSIONS AND GOALS ASSIGNED BY THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE. REF C IS JOINT STAFF J3 MESSAGE SETTING THE IMPLEMENTATION GUIDANCE FOR REF A ACROSS THE SERVICES ON 1 JUNE 2020 AND REQUIRES WAIVERS FOR ANY SUBJECTIVE OVERRIDES (UPGRADES AND DOWNGRADES). REF D PROMULGATES POLICIES AND PROCEDURES FOR REPORTING READINESS ON MARINE CORPS ORGANIZATIONS.
POC/J. P. BROWN/COL/POR/(703)571-1064//
POC/B. A. HULL/CIV/POR/(703)571-1063//
POC/M. G. PHILLIPS/MAJ/POR/(703)571-1031//
POC/A.C. SOTO/CTR/POR/(703)571-1018//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1. This MARADMIN provides guidance on the subjective overrides of overall readiness rating (C-Level) of Defense Readiness Reporting System-Marine Corps (DRRS-MC) unit reports to comply with revised policy and provide accurate readiness reporting.
2.  Intent. Per ref D, the policy requiring the correlation of overall readiness level (C-Level) and the mission assessment remains unchanged as it aligns with the definitions in ref B and
D. Appropriate use of the subjective override is important for more accurate reporting. However, providing for waivers will be necessary to comply with ref A Through C, while maintaining the fidelity of Marine Corps reporting.
3. Concept Of Operations.
3.A. Establish a process for the request and granting of waivers at each MEF and MARFOR that have readiness reporting units that report an overall readiness rating (C-Level). The process must provide for a general officer in the chain of command of the reporting unit to receive, consider, and report waivers allowing a subjective override (upgrade or downgrade) of the C-Level.  This process must not impinge on the timeliness of reporting per ref D. Given The distinct battle rhythms across the force, a conditional waiver can be granted based on the anticipated circumstances in the next reporting period. For example a division readiness board may consider waivers for specific battalions for the next month.
3.B. MARFORS shall compile and report to HQMC (POR), on the first week of each fiscal quarter, a summary of all waivers for their subordinate units, indicating which units were granted waivers, who granted the waiver, the date issued, and the justification in order to support the Secretary Of Defense’S report submission and briefings To Congress, per 10 U.S.C. Section 482.
3.C. Waivers may remain in force for as long as the general officer waiver authority considers the waiver appropriate in the circumstances (e.g., unit resource levels, mission assessment, and justification are unchanged).
3.D.  For units that are granted a waiver and perform a subjective override of their C-Level, the unit must indicate in the commander’s comments of their report the name, grade, command of the general officer granting the waiver, and the date of the waiver. This action meets the requirements in ref C, in addition to the required justification per ref D.
3.E.  Higher Headquarters (HHQ) reviewing submitted reports, per ref D, will ensure reporting units using a subjective override provide the required waiver detail and detailed justification (e.g., readiness and availability of subordinate units at the unit of employment level, inappropriate or inaccurate data, and manual recalculations).
3.F.  If any unit submits a report with a subjective override that does not have a waiver, the report is erroneous. The reviewing HHQ will return the report, and a corrected report must be submitted within 24 hours per ref D.
3.G.  Per ref C, for any reporting unit that is commanded by a general officer, no higher authority for a subjective upgrade of a C-Level is required.
4.  Circumstances where a waiver should be considered.
4.A.  Unit types that are employed as Bn Or Sqdn while concurrently providing subordinate units or detachments such as AAV, ARTY, CEB, ESB, HIMARS, LAAD, LSB, LAR, MACS, MAINT, MASS, MTACS, MWCS, RECON, SUPPLY, TSB, TRANS, LSB, VMU may have degraded P or S levels due to task organization and retain sufficient capacity to perform its core mission. If the unit has a calculated C3 due to being P3 and/or S3, but has a core mission assessment that is a Yes or Qualified Yes, a subjective override to C2 should be considered to reflect the unit’s capability to perform its core mission.  The unit must provide detailed comments regarding the readiness and availability of subordinate units at the unit of employment level.  The unit must also distinguish between general resource shortfalls and task organization effects.4.B. Unit types that are employed as detachments or units of employment below the Bn Or Sqdn Level Such As ANGLICO, CAG, CBIRF, COMM BN, INTEL BN, MCSF REGT, RADIO BN, RAIDER BN, RAIDER SPT GRP, VMGR may have degraded P or S levels due to task and retain sufficient capacity to source additional units of employment to perform its core mission.  If the unit is a calculated C3 due to being P3 and/or S3, but has a core mission assessment that is a Yes or Qualified Yes, a subjective override to C2 should be considered to reflect the unit’s capability to units of employment to perform its core mission.  The unit must provide detailed comments regarding the readiness and availability of subordinate units at the unit of employment level.  The unit must also distinguish between general resource shortfalls and task organization effets.
4.C.  For aggregated units where the structure is mapped from supported units such as MALS, and the unit is a calculated C3 due to being P3 and/or S3, but has a core mission assessment that is a Yes or Qualified Yes, a subjective override to C2 should be considered to reflect the unit’s capability to perform its core mission.  The unit must provide detailed comments regarding the readiness and availability of subordinate units at the unit of employment level. The unit must also distinguish between general resource shortfalls and task organization effects.
4.D.  A waiver should be considered for any unit types that have inaccurate or incorrect data from an authoritative data source resulting in a calculated C3 or C4. If there is verifiable data that can be referenced and manually recalculated to C1 or C2 per ref D, and the unit has a core mission assessment that is a Yes or Qualified Yes, a subjective override to the manually calculated C-level should be considered.  The unit must explain the error and provide the details of the manual recalculation in the commander’s comments.  The unit must also contact the DRRS-MC Help Desk to open a trouble ticket to aid in the technical resolution of the problem.
4.E.  A waiver should be considered for any unit types that have equivalent or better equipment than what is listed on the table of equipment, but not the matching items such as theater provided equipment or new equipment fielding, where the missing items result in a calculated C3 or C4 Due to being S3 or S4. If verifiable data can be referenced and manually recalculated to a C1 or C2 per ref D and the unit has a core mission assessment that is a Yes or Qualified Yes, a subjective override to the manually calculated C-level should be considered. In the commander’s comments the unit must provide the quantities of equipment possessed, the verifiable source of the equipment, and the details of the manual recalculation.
4.F.   For any unit types that have a calculated C1 or C2, But have a core mission assessment that is a No, a subjective override to C3 should be considered to reflect the unit’s inability to perform all or most of its core mission.  The unit must provide detailed comments regarding the readiness and availability of subordinate units at the unit of employment level. The unit must also distinguish between general resource shortfalls and task organization effects.
5.  Circumstances where a waiver should not be considered.
5.A.  Any unit that has degraded readiness due to R or T Levels.
5.B.  Any unit that has degraded readiness of C4 due to P4 and/or
S4  Levels with correct data and calculations.
5.C.  Any unit using forward looking justification such as, “Will be C2 once we complete ITX next week.” A change in readiness is a reporting occasion per ref D.
5.D.  Any unit that has degraded readiness with a calculated C3or C4 due to S-level and the equipment shortfall is due to possessing a training allowance, equipment in long term storage, or is otherwise not possessed by the unit.
5.E.  Any unit that could not accomplish its mission without external support or less capable improvisation than the unit design and structure such as, “If attached a company from another battalion to make up for our personnel shortfall we would be good to go.”
5.F.  Any unit with degraded readiness of C4 wanting to subjectively upgrade to C3 or a C3 wanting to subjectively downgrade to C4 should not be considered.
6.  Units with authorization to override the calculated C-level to C5 do not require a waiver or any other authorization beyond the MCBul 5400 or AMHS message directing the unit to report C5.
7.  This MARADMIN is applicable to the Total Force.
8.  Release authorized by Lieutenant General G. W. Smith Jr., Deputy Commandant, Plans, Policies, and Operations.//