UNCLAS 211910Z JUN 07
CMC WASHINGTON DC(UC)
MARADMIN 378/07
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC CDI/TFSD//
SUBJ/NEW ASSIGNMENT RATIONALE FOR INDIVIDUAL WEAPONS//
REF/A/MSGID:DOC/MROC/DM 10-2006//
REF/B/DOC/MROC/DM 46-2006//
AMPN/REF (A) IS MROC DECISION MEMORANDUM DATED 28 FEB 06.
MPN/REF (B) IS MROC DECISION MEMORANDUM DATED 15 SEP 06.
POC/C.C.CHEEK/GS-14/C-03/LOC: DC CDI TFSD QUANTICO/TEL:
DSN 278-6086/TEL: COML (703)784-6086/TEL: FAX DSN 278-6072/
P.A.BECKETT/LTCOL/C-18/LOC: DC CDI FMID QUANTICO/DSN 278-6182/
TEL: COML (703)784-6182//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/THIS MESSAGE IS RELATED TO
INDIVIDUAL WEAPON ASSIGNMENTS AS A RESULT OF THE MARINE CORPS
EQUIPMENT REVIEW GROUP (MCERG). 1. PURPOSE. TO CLARIFY THE NEW
INDIVIDUAL WEAPON ASSIGNMENT POLICY AND TO INFORM ALL COMMANDS OF
SUBSEQUENT MODIFICATIONS TO TO/E'S THAT HAVE TAKEN PLACE.
2. BACKGROUND. DURING 2005 DC, CDI IN COORDINATION WITH THE
ADVOCATES AND MARFORS CONDUCTED A MCERG IN AN EFFORT TO ENSURE THAT
ALL EQUIPMENT REQUIREMENTS WERE PROPERLY IDENTIFIED AND DOCUMENTED.
PHASE ONE OF THE REVIEW FOCUSED ON INDIVIDUAL EQUIPMENT FOR MARINES
TO INCLUDE INDIVIDUAL"T/O" WEAPONS.
THE REVIEW, GUIDED BY THE CMC CHARTER AND DC, CDI COMMANDER'S
INTENT, TOOK INTO CONSIDERATION LESSONS LEARNED ALONG WITH KNOWLEDGE
OF NEW WEAPON TECHNOLOGY BEING FIELDED. AS A RESULT, NEW INDIVIDUAL
WEAPONS ASSIGNMENT POLICIES WERE DEVELOPED, VALIDATED, AND APPROVED
BY THE MARINE REQUIREMENTS OVERSIGHT COUNCIL (MROC) FOR
IMPLEMENTATION. MROC DECISION MEMORANDUM
46-2006 VALIDATED THE APPROVED ACQUISITION OBJECTIVES PRE 202K.
THE FOLLOWING REPRESENTS THESE NEW ASSIGNMENT POLICIES AND LAYS OUT
ASSOCIATED IMPLEMENTATION PLANS.
3. THE INDIVIDUAL REQUIREMENT FOR EACH WEAPON IS DETERMINED BY THE
WEAPONS CODE WHICH IS ASSIGNED TO EACH BILLET ON A UNIT'S T/O.
EACH WEAPONS CODE IS ASSOCIATED TO A SPECIFIC WEAPON. WEAPONS CODES
FOR EACH UIC ARE AUTOMATICALLY CALCULATED WITHIN THE TOTAL FORCE
STRUCTURE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (TFSMS) AND THE QTY IS PLACED IN THE
INDIVIDUAL (IND) COLUMN OF THE T/E UNDER THE RESPECTIVE TAMCN. MANY
WEAPONS WILL ALSO HAVE ORGANIZATIONAL QTYS AS WELL; HOWEVER, THESE
ASSIGNMENT POLICIES ONLY REFER TO THE IND PORTION OF A UNIT'S
REQUIREMENT. THIS NEW DETERMINATION OF T/O WEAPONS REQUIREMENTS HAS
CURRENTLY BEEN APPLIED TO THE T/O(S) OF THE OPERATING FORCES. THE
M16A2 (E14412M) REQUIREMENTS HAVE BEEN DELETED FROM TO/E(S) IN TFSMS
AND REPLACED WITH THE M16A4 (E1442M).
THE FOLLOWING WEAPONS CODES ARE ASSIGNED:
3.A. BILLET WEAPONS CODE"M" NOW REFERS TO THE M16A4 (E14422M).
UNITS SHOULD MAINTAIN ALL M16A2 RIFLES UNTIL THEY ARE FIELDED THE
M16A4.
3.B. BILLET WEAPONS CODE"P" STILL REFERS TO THE 9MM PISTOL
(E12502M).
3.C. BILLET WEAPONS CODE"C" NOW REFERS TO THE M4 CARBINE (MWS)
(E01957M).
3.D. BILLET WEAPONS CODE"A" STILL REFERS TO THE AUTOMATIC RIFLE
(E09607M), SQUAD AUTOMATIC WEAPON (SAW).
3.E. THE M4A1 CARBINE (E01907M) IS NOW LISTED AS A UNIT
ORGANIZATIONAL REQUIREMENT.
4. THE SHORT TERM AFFECT OF CONVERTING TO THESE NEW WEAPONS CODES
IS AS FOLLOWS:
4.A. PISTOLS IN THE PAST WERE ASSIGNED TO ALL MARINE OFFICERS,
SNCOS, AND NAVY BILLETS. THE NEW ASSIGNMENT POLICY ASSIGNS PISTOLS
TO MARINE COLONELS AND ABOVE, NAVY OFFICERS, AND NAVY
E6 AND ABOVE ONLY.
4.B. SERVICE RIFLES (M16) IN THE PAST WERE ASSIGNED TO MARINE
E5 AND BELOW. THE SERVICE RIFLE WILL STILL BE ASSIGNED THE SAME WITH
FEW EXCEPTIONS.
4.C. THE M4 CARBINE WAS PREVIOUSLY ASSIGNED ONLY TO SPECIFIC UNITS.
THE NEW ASSIGNMENT POLICY ASSIGNS THE CARBINE TO MARINE LT THROUGH
LTCOL, WO/CWO, SNCOS, NAVY E5 AND BELOW, AND LIMITED EQUIPMENT
VEHICLE OPERATORS.
4.D. AUTOMATIC RIFLE ASSIGNMENTS DID NOT CHANGE.
4.E. BECAUSE CURRENT PROCURMENT AND FIELDING PLANS FOR THE M16A4S
AND M4S ARE BASED ON PREVIOUS T/O REQUIREMENTS, IT WAS NOT FEASIBLE
TO STOP THIS PROCESS MID STREAM. IN ORDER TO EFFECTIVELY SUPPORT
MARINE OPERATING FORCES WITH NEW T/O WEAPON REQUIREMENTS, NEW
PROCUREMENT AND FIELDING PLANS ARE BEING DEVELOPED. WHILE IN THIS
TRANSITION PERIOD, WE MUST GUARD AGAINST ANY DEGREDATION IN THE
OPERATING FORCES CAPABILITY. NO ORGANIZATION SHALL DISPOSE OF
WEAPONS UNTIL THEIR REPLACEMENT WEAPONS HAVE BEEN FULLY FIELDED.
5. THE M9 PISTOL QUANTITIES HAVE BEEN REDUCED SIGNIFICANTLY WITHIN
THE OPERATING FORCES. THE M16A2 HAS BEEN DELETED FROM ALL UNIT
TO/E(S). THE M16A4 REPLACEMENT HAS ALREADY STARTED TO BE FIELDED.
UNITS ARE AUTHORIZED TO RETAIN M16A2S IN EXCESS TO SUPPORT
REQUIREMENTS UNTIL ALL M16A4S ARE RECEIVED. UNITS WILL REQUEST
DISPOSITION INSTRUCTIONS FOR EXCESS M16A2 RIFLES AND M9 PISTOLS UPON
BEING FULLY FIELDED ALL REPLACEMENT WEAPONS. IT IS ANTICIPATED SOME
UNITS WILL REQUIRE ADDITIONAL PISTOLS TO BE HELD AS AN
ORGANIZATIONAL REQUIREMENT IN ADDITION TO THEIR INDIVIDUAL QTY(S).
PISTOL REQUIREMENTS WILL BE ASSESSED DURING AAO VALIDATION IN FY07
AND FY08 AND FURTHER GUIDANCE PASSED VIA SEPCOR.
6. IMPLEMENTATION OF CHANGES WITHIN TFSMS WILL BE APPLIED IN THREE
PHASES:
6.A. PHASE 1. APPLICATION AND VALIDATION OF NEW WEAPONS CODES FOR
THE OPERATING FORCES.
6.B. PHASE 2. APPLICATION AND VALIDATION OF NEW WEAPONS CODES FOR
THE SUPPORTING ESTABLISHMENT.
6.C. PHASE 3. TFSMS VALIDATION, CORRECTION, AND UPDATE.
6.D. IT IS UNDERSTOOD AS A RESULT OF THIS EFFORT THE CHANGE IN
REQUIREMENTS WILL HAVE OTHER DOTMLPF IMPACTS SPECIFICALLY IN THE
AREAS OF FACILITIES AND TRAINING REQUIREMENTS (ANNUAL WEAPONS
QUALIFICATIONS). DC, CDI WILL BE CONDUCTING AN ASSESSMENT OF THESE
IMPACTS IN COORDINATION WITH THE OPERATING FORCES, SUPPORTING
ESTABLISHMENT, DC, PP&O, DC, I&L, TECOM, AND MCSC. THE RESULT OF
THIS ASSESSMNET WILL BE PUBLISHED VIA NAVAL MSG.
7. QUESTIONS CONCERNING THE ABOVE POLICY AND PROCEDURES CAN BE
DIRECTED TO THE MSG POC.//