FY02 RETENTION GOALS MET
Date Signed: 6/15/2007 | ALMARS Number: 038/02
ALMARS : 038/02
R 250915Z JUL 02
FM CMC WASHINGTON DC(n)
TO ML ALMAR(n)
ALMAR
BT
UNCLAS
ALMAR 038/02
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC/MMEA//
SUBJ/FY02 RETENTION GOALS MET//
POC/M. T. CUCCIO/MAJ/MMEA-6/-/TEL:DSN 278-9240/-//
RMKS/1.  MARINES, CONGRATULATIONS ON ACHIEVING THIS YEAR'S
FIRST TERM ALIGNMENT PLAN (FTAP) AND SUBSEQUENT TERM
ALIGNMENT PLAN (STAP).  YOUR RETENTION EFFORTS HAVE
BEEN NOTHING SHORT OF OUTSTANDING.
2.  THIS FISCAL YEAR (FY), YOU WERE DIRECTED TO REENLIST
5,927 FIRST TERM MARINES.  YOU ACCOMPLISHED THIS GOAL LESS
THAN NINE MONTHS INTO THE FY WITH AN UNPRECEDENTED 99.2%
MILITARY OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALTY (MOS) MATCH.  A HIGH MOS
MATCH IS OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE AS IT ENSURES COMMANDS WILL
RECEIVE THE RIGHT MARINE WITH THE APPROPRIATE SKILL.
3.  DUE TO THE STEADY DECLINE OF CAREER MARINE REENLISTMENT
RATES AND THE RISE OF FTAP REQUIREMENTS OVER THE PAST FEW
YEARS, HQMC INTRODUCED THE STAP.  FOR FY02, YOU WERE
DIRECTED TO REENLIST 5,784 CAREER MARINES APPROACHING THEIR
SECOND AND THIRD REENLISTMENTS.  YOU ACCOMPLISHED THIS GOAL
IN LESS THAN NINE MONTHS WITH AN 88.5% MOS MATCH, AN IMPRESSIVE
RESULT FOR A PROGRAM IN ITS PREMIER YEAR.  MEETING THE STAP
GOAL IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO THE CORPS AS KEEPING OUR
EXPERIENCED MARINES ENSURES A VIABLE CAREER FORCE AND
DRIVES DOWN THE FTAP REQUIREMENT.  UNLIKE FTAP, STAP DOES
NOT CLOSE OUT ONCE THE AGGREGATE GOAL IS MET.  STAP
MARINES MAY CONTINUE REENLISTING THROUGH THE END OF THE
FY.
4.  THE RETENTION SUCCESS WE ENJOY WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN
POSSIBLE IF NOT FOR THE EXEMPLARY EFFORTS OF ALL MARINE
LEADERS, NCOS, SNCOS, AND OFFICERS ALIKE.  YOUR PERSONAL
LEADERSHIP TOUCH HAS SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACTED THE FUTURE OF OUR
ENLISTED CAREER FORCE.  WELL DONE ON ACHIEVING THIS YEAR'S
FTAP AND STAP GOALS.  THANK YOU FOR THE TIME AND EFFORT
EXPENDED IN MAKING RETENTION A PRIORITY.  BEST WISHES FOR
NEXT YEAR AS WE PREPARE FOR THE FY03 RETENTION GOALS.  GOOD
LUCK AND STAY MARINE.
5.  SEMPER FIDELIS, J. L. JONES, GENERAL, U.S. MARINE CORPS,
COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS//