R 031152Z JUN 15
MARADMIN 270/15
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC MRA MP//
SUBJ/FY16 MARINE CORPS OFFICER TEMPORARY EARLY RETIREMENT AUTHORITY (TERA) PROGRAM//
REF/A/MSGID: DOC/CONGRESS/31DEC2011//
REF/B/MSGID: DOC/CONGRESS/23OCT1992//
REF/C/MSGID: DOC/CMC MMSR/26NOV2013//
REF/D/MSGID: DOC/CONGRESS/7JAN2011//
REF/E/MSGID: MSG/CMC MRA MP/4MAR2014//
REF/F/MSGID: DOC/DOD OSD/12APR2012//
REF/G/MSGID: CMC/311723ZDEC2013//
REF/H/MSGID: DOC/DODI/16JUN2009//
REF/I/MSGID: MSG/CMC MRA MP/01APR2014//
NARR/REF (A) IS THE NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2012 GRANTING THE SERVICES TEMPORARY AUTHORITY TO OFFER MILITARY PERSONNEL THE OPTION OF RETIRING AFTER 15 YEARS OF SERVICE. REF (B) IS THE NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 1993 GOVERNING RULES FOR TEMPORARY EARLY RETIREMENT. REF (C) IS MCO 1900.16, MARINE CORPS SEPARATION AND RETIREMENT MANUAL.  REF (D) IS TITLE 10, UNITED STATES CODE, CHAPTER 571, SECTION 6323 GOVERNING RULES FOR VOLUNTARY RETIREMENT OF AN OFFICER. REF (E) IS MARADMIN 100/14 ANNOUNCING AUTHORIZATION OF TEMPORARY REDUCTION OF ACTIVE DUTY YEARS OF COMMISSIONED SERVICE. REF (F) IS MEMORANDUM FROM THE OFFICE OF THE UNDERSECRETARY OF DEFENSE PROVIDING PROCEDURAL GUIDANCE FOR THE CONDUCT OF TEMPORARY EARLY RETIREMENT. REF (G) IS MARADMIN 704/13, UPDATE TO TRANSFER OF EDUCATION BENEFITS (TEB)POLICY. REF (H) IS DODI 1327.06, LEAVE AND LIBERTY POLICY AND PROCEDURES. REF (I) IS MARADMIN 170/14, CLARIFICATION TO TRANSITION PERMISSIVE TEMPORARY ADDITIONAL DUTY (PTAD) IN SUPPORT OF DRAWDOWN.//
POC/D. P. FITZGERALD/CAPT/CMC MMSR-2/-/TEL: DSN 278-9324//
POC/ M. MORENO/MAJ/CMC MPP-30/-/TEL: DSN 278-9365//
/GENTEXT/REMARKS/1. PURPOSE. PROVIDE GUIDANCE AND EXTEND THE DISCRETIONARY FORCE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM, TEMPORARY EARLY RETIREMENT AUTHORITY (TERA), PER REFERENCES (A) AND (B), OFFERING VOLUNTARY EARLY RETIREMENT AT A REDUCED MONTHLY RETIREMENT PAY RATE TO ACTIVE COMPONENT UNRESTRICTED OFFICERS WITH MORE THAN 15 AND LESS THAN 20 YEARS ACTIVE DUTY SERVICE DURING FISCAL YEAR 2016 (FY16). THE TERA PROGRAM IS NOT AN ENTITLEMENT, AND EACH REQUEST WILL BE CONSIDERED BASED ON THE NEEDS OF THE MARINE CORPS. OFFICERS RETIRED UNDER TERA ARE NOT ENTITLED TO INVOLUNTARY SEPARATION PAY (ISP), VOLUNTARY SEPARATION PAY (VSP), SPECIAL SEPARATION BENEFITS (SSB), OR VOLUNTARY SEPARATION INCENTIVE (VSI).
2. ELIGIBILITY. THE FOLLOWING SPECIFIC CRITERIA ARE CURRENTLY IN EFFECT:
   A. ALL ACTIVE COMPONENT UNRESTRICTED MARINE CORPS CAPTAINS, MAJORS, OR LIEUTENANT COLONELS IN THE FOLLOWING MILITARY OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALTIES (MOS) ARE ELIGIBLE FOR EARLY RETIREMENT UNDER THIS PROGRAM: 0102, 0802, 1802, 1803, 3002, 6002, 7562, AND  7564. CAPTAINS AND MAJORS WHO FAILED SELECTION FOR PROMOTION TO THE NEXT RANK MAY APPLY AND BE CONSIDERED ON A CASE-BY-CASE BASIS FOR EARLY RETIREMENT UNDER THIS PROGRAM (REGARDLESS OF MOS). HOWEVER, A MARINE WHO DOES NOT POSSESS AN MOS LISTED ABOVE AND FAILS SELECTION FOR PROMOTION AS A RESULT OF THAT MARINE’S REQUEST FOR NON-CONSIDERATION FOR PROMOTION IS NOT ELIGIBLE FOR TERA. ALL ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA ARE SUBJECT TO VERIFICATION, AND APPROVAL BY HQMC (MM) AT TIME OF PROCESSING, BASED ON THE NEEDS OF THE MARINE CORPS.
   B. AN OFFICER MUST MEET ALL OTHER RETIREMENT ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA UNDER REFERENCE (C). PER REFERENCES (A) AND (B), OFFICERS MUST REACH AT LEAST 15 YEARS OF ACTIVE SERVICE BUT LESS THAN 20 YEARS OF ACTIVE SERVICE BY THEIR EFFECTIVE DATE OF RETIREMENT DURING FY16 TO BE ELIGIBLE.
   C. PER REFERENCES (C) AND (D), OFFICERS MAY APPLY FOR RETIREMENT AFTER COMPLETING AT LEAST 10 YEARS OF ACTIVE SERVICE AS A COMMISSIONED OFFICER. REFERENCE (E) PROVIDES AUTHORITY TO WAIVE THE REQUIRED 10 YEARS OF COMMISSIONED SERVICE (YCS) TO NO LESS THAN EIGHT (8) YCS.
   D. RETIREMENT MUST BE EFFECTIVE NLT 1 SEPTEMBER 2016. REEVALUATION OF OVER-STRENGTH MOS’S AND ADJUSTMENTS OF ELIGIBLE OFFICERS TO THIS PROGRAM WILL OCCUR ANNUALLY UNTIL THE AUTHORITY EXPIRES. FUTURE APPLICATION OF TERA WILL BE ANNOUNCED IN SUBSEQUENT MARADMINS.
   E. PER REFERENCES (F) AND (G), MARINES WHO WERE PREVIOUSLY APPROVED TO TRANSFER POST 9-11 GI BILL BENEFITS AND SUBSEQUENTLY APPROVED FOR TERA ARE CONSIDERED TO HAVE COMPLETED THEIR ADDITIONAL SERVICE OBLIGATION INCURRED FOR TRANSFERRING EDUCATIONAL BENEFITS. UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES, THERE WILL BE NO EFFECT ON A DEPENDENT’S ABILITY TO USE TRANSFERRED BENEFITS. THIS WAIVER OF OBLIGATED SERVICE FOR POST 9-11 GI BILL BENEFITS TRANSFER IS ONLY APPLICABLE TO FORCE-SHAPING SEPARATIONS. MARINES ARE REMINDED TO REVIEW EDUCATIONAL BENEFITS PRIOR TO SEPARATING.
   F. WAIVERS OF OTHER SERVICE OBLIGATIONS INCURRED WILL BE CONSIDERED ON A CASE-BY-CASE BASIS AFTER CONSIDERING THE NEEDS OF THE MARINE CORPS.
   G. EXTENSIONS WILL NOT BE GIVEN FOR THE PURPOSE OF MAKING AN OFFICER ELIGIBLE FOR TERA.
   H. OFFICERS PENDING LEGAL ACTION OR PROCEEDINGS, ADMINISTRATIVE SEPARATION, OR DISABILITY SEPARATION OR RETIREMENT ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR TERA.
   I. OFFICERS RETAINED ON ACTIVE DUTY FOLLOWING COMPLETION OF LEGAL, ADMINISTRATIVE OR DISABILITY SEPARATION PROCESSING MAY APPLY FOR TERA IF OTHERWISE ELIGIBLE.  OFFICERS WHOSE SEPARATION IS DIRECTED BY COMPETENT AUTHORITY, AS A RESULT OF LEGAL OR ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESSING, ARE NOT ELIGIBLE.
3. RETIRED PAY COMPUTATION. THE BASIC TERA RETAINER PAY ENTITLEMENT IS COMPUTED BY APPLYING A REDUCTION FACTOR OBTAINED FROM TABLE 1 OF REFERENCE (F).  RETIRED PAY MULTIPLIERS ARE SUBJECT TO FURTHER REDUCTION IF THE OFFICER PREVIOUSLY RECEIVED THE CAREER STATUS BONUS/REDUX. IN ADDITION, FOR OFFICERS RECEIVING TERA WHO PREVIOUSLY RECEIVED THE CAREER STATUS BONUS/REDUX, THE COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT NORMALLY APPLIED TO RETIRED PAY WILL BE REDUCED BY ONE (1) PERCENTAGE POINT IF THE STANDARD COLA FOR RETIREES IS GREATER THAN ONE (1) PERCENT. INFORMATION REGARDING RETIREMENT PAY CALCULATIONS IS FOUND IN THE REFERENCE SECTION ON THE MMSR WEBSITE AT: HTTPS: (SLASH SLASH)WWW.MANPOWER.USMC.MIL/PORTAL/PAGE/PORTAL/M_RA_HOME/MM/SR/RETIREMENTS. EXAMPLE: THE CALCULATION FOR A MAJOR WITH 16 YEARS 7 MONTHS AND 12 DAYS OF SERVICE. THE 12 DAYS ARE ROUNDED UP SO THAT THE REDUCTION FACTOR IS BASED ON 16 YEARS AND 8 MONTHS OR (16 X 12 (PLUS) 8 (EQUALS) 200 MONTHS). THE APPLICABLE REDUCTION FACTOR CORRESPONDS TO THE TABLE 1 ENTRY, FOUND IN REFERENCE (F), (THE DIFFERENCE OF THE NUMBER OF MONTHS AT THE MEMBER’S REQUESTED RETIREMENT DATE AND THE NUMBER OF MONTHS IN 20 YEARS OF SERVICE, 240 - 200 (EQUALS) 40 MONTHS) FOR 40 MONTHS IS .96667 REDUCTION FACTOR.  FOR A 16 YEAR O-4 WITH A HIGH 36 MONTH AVERAGE BASIC PAY OF $7,192.50 (USING THE BASIC PAY FROM THE LAST THREE FISCAL YEAR PAY TABLES FOR 2012, 2013, AND 2014 FOR A 16 YEAR O-4) WOULD BE COMPUTED AS FOLLOWS: $7,192.50 X ((200 / 12) X .025) X .96667 (EQUALS) $2,897.31, ROUND DOWN TO $2897.00 FOR THE ESTIMATED AVERAGE MONTHLY RETIREMENT ANNUITY.
4. COORDINATING INSTRUCTIONS
   A. SUBMIT TERA REQUESTS BY AA FORM VIA THE CHAIN OF COMMAND TO CMC (MMSR-2) PER REFERENCE (C). REQUESTS SHOULD BE SUBMITTED NO LATER THAN SIX MONTHS PRIOR TO THE REQUESTED RETIREMENT DATE.REQUESTS FOR A WAIVER OF OTHER SERVICE OBLIGATIONS REQUIRE JUSTIFICATION, AND EACH APPLICATION WILL BE CONSIDERED ON A CASE-BY-CASE BASIS, BASED ON THE NEEDS OF THE MARINE CORPS. SUBMIT REQUESTS TO THE CMC (MMSR-2) ORGANIZATIONAL MAILBOX AT: SMB.MANPOWER.MMSR2O(AT)USMC.MIL.
   B. THE AA FORM WILL CONTAIN THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION:
      (1) A STATEMENT THAT ALL ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA IN REFERENCE(C) HAVE BEEN SATISFIED OR PROVIDE JUSTIFICATION FOR WAIVERS OF ANY SERVICE OBLIGATION(S).
      (2) A STATEMENT VERIFYING THAT A TRANSITION ASSISTANCE CLASS AND FINAL PHYSICAL WILL BE COMPLETED PRIOR TO RETIREMENT DATE.
      (3) THE DATE OF INTENDED RETIREMENT.
      (4) THE PLANNED DETACHMENT DATE.
   C. THE FIRST ELIGIBLE DATE OF RETIREMENT UNDER THE FY16 TERA PROGRAM IS 1 OCTOBER 2015.
   D. PER REFERENCE (H), TRANSITION PTAD IS AUTHORIZED FOR USE IN CONJUNCTION WITH TERA, WHICH IS A FORCE-SHAPING PROGRAM. REF I, CLARIFIES THE CIRCUMSTANCES UNDER WHICH MARINES MAY BE AUTHORIZED TRANSITION PTAD.
   E. TERA REQUESTS WILL BE APPROVED THROUGH THE MARINE CORPS TOTAL FORCE SYSTEM. ONCE APPROVED, MMSR-2 WILL REPORT TTC 775 000 PLANNED SPD OF RBE1, OR SBE1 AS REQUIRED BASED UPON THE TYPE OF APPROVED SEPARATION. THIS ENTRY WILL REFLECT ON THE RT01 SCREEN. THE NARRATIVE REASON OF “EARLY RETIREMENT” WILL BE USED WHEN PREPARING THE DD FORM 214. THE SEPARATION AUTHORITY WILL BE PARAGRAPH 2003 OF REFERENCE (C).
   F. APPLICATION FOR TERA IS A FINAL AND IRREVOCABLE REQUEST TO RETIRE FROM THE MARINE CORPS. REQUESTS TO WITHDRAW, CANCEL, OR MODIFY SUCH APPLICATIONS WILL ONLY BE CONSIDERED WHEN IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE MARINE CORPS.
   G. HQMC (MP) MAINTAINS ALL POLICY ASSOCIATED WITH THIS PROGRAM.
   H. HQMC (MRA) MAINTAINS FINAL APPROVAL AUTHORITY FOR ALL REQUESTS.
5. THIS MARADMIN IS NOT APPLICABLE TO THE MARINE CORPS RESERVE.
6. THIS MARADMIN CANCELS ON 30 SEPTEMBER 2016. THIS MARADMIN MAY BE MODIFIED OR CANCELED AT ANY TIME BEFORE 30 SEPTEMBER 2016.
7. RELEASE AUTHORIZED BY LTGEN M.A. BRILAKIS, DEPUTY COMMANDANT, MANPOWER AND RESERVE AFFAIRS.//