MARADMINS
All the Marine Corps MARADMINS listed here by year, number, and status.
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MARINE CORPS TEMPORARY EARLY RETIREMENT AUTHORITY PROGRAM
Date Signed: 3/5/2019 | MARADMINS Number: 135/19
Cancelled
MARADMINS : 135/19

R 042225Z MAR 19
MARADMIN 135/19
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC MRA MP//
SUBJ/MARINE CORPS TEMPORARY EARLY RETIREMENT AUTHORITY (TERA) PROGRAM//
REF/A/MSGID: DOC/CMC MMSR/7AUG15//
REF/B/MSGID: DOC/CONGRESS/23DEC16//
REF/C/MSGID: DOC/DOD/21DEC18//
REF/D/MSGID: DOC/SECNAV/6NOV18/NOTAL//
REF/E/MSGID: DOC/SECNAV MRA/17DEC18/NOTAL//
REF/F/MSGID: DOC/CMC MIF/3JUL13//
NARR/ REF (A) MCO 1900.16 W/CH 1, SEPARATION AND RETIREMENT MANUAL (SHORT TITLE: MARCORSEPMAN).  REF (B) IS THE NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2017 WHICH GRANTS THE SERVICES TEMPORARY AUTHORITY TO ALLOW MILITARY PERSONNEL TO RETIRE AFTER ONLY 15 YEARS OF SERVICE.  REF (C) IS DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE INSTRUCTION 1332.46 TEMPORARY EARLY RETIREMENT AUTHORITY FOR SERVICE MEMBERS THAT ESTABLISHES POLICY, ASSIGNS RESPONSIBILITIES, AND PROVIDES PROCEDURES FOR THE ADMINISTRATION OF TERA.  REF (D) IS SECNAV MEMORANDUM THAT DELEGATES AUTHORITY TO ASSISTANT SECNAV (MANPOWER AND RESERVE AFFAIRS) TO ESTABLISH AND MAINTAIN TERA.  REF (E) IS ASSISTANT SECNAV (MANPOWER AND RESERVE AFFAIRS) MEMORANDUM THAT DELEGATES AUTHORITY TO THE MARINE CORPS TO ESTABLISH AND MAINTAIN TERA.  REF (F) MCO 1000.6, ASSIGNMENT, CLASSIFICATION, AND TRAVEL SYSTEM MANUAL (SHORT TITLE: ACTSMAN).  POC/MPP-20 ENLISTED PLANS/QUAN/TEL: 703-784-9361/DSN: 278-9361//
POC/MPP-30 OFFICER PLANS/QUAN/TEL: 703-784-9365/DSN: 278-9365//
POC/MMSR-2/QUAN/TEL: 703-784-9324/DSN: 278-9324//
POC/RAM/QUAN//TEL: 703-784-9137/DSN: 278-9137//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1.  Purpose.  Retirement with at least 20 years of service continues to be the standard retirement entitlement for those who complete a career in the Military Services.  Early retirement serves as an additional force management tool to meet the needs of the Marine Corps and approval of TERA requests remains an exception to policy governing the regular retirement of service members in reference (a).  Per references (b) through (e), the Marine Corps is authorized to offer voluntary early retirement under certain criteria to Active Component (AC) and Active Reserve (AR) Marines with more than 15 and less than 20 years active duty.  This authority extends through 31 December 2025 unless sooner rescinded.
2.  Justification for TERA submission.  AC and AR TERA requests must meet one of the below criterion to be considered.
2.a.  TERA in conjunction with waiving Physical Evaluation Board (PEB) findings.  Marines being considered for disability separation or retirement must complete the PEB process with a finding of “unfit”, have more than 15 but less than 20 years active service, and be willing to waive the PEB findings in order to apply for TERA.  Marines approved for early retirement in these cases must have a retirement date that occurs within the timeframe that a disability separation or retirement is expected to occur.  Marines disapproved for TERA in conjunction with PEB findings will be required to execute their disability separation as directed by the PEB.
2.b.  Marines receiving an administratively closed/denied reenlistment request due to force shaping needs may be eligible to apply for TERA.
2.c.  TERA in conjunction with hardship.  Individuals considering TERA for hardship reasons shall first exhaust humanitarian transfer options in accordance with reference (f).  Marines requesting TERA for exceptional need based on personal or professional circumstances will be given consideration provided they meet all other eligibility criteria and where approval is consistent with the intent of TERA as a force shaping measure and aligns with the needs of the Marine Corps.
3.  Active Component Eligibility.  In addition to meeting at least one of the criteria in paragraph 2, AC Marines must meet all of the below criterion.
3.a.  Must be in the Active Component serving on active duty.
3.b.  Must have more than 15 and less than 20 years of active service at the requested date of retirement.
3.c.  Must be serving in the pay grades E6-E8, WO-CWO5, and O1-O5.
3.d.  Must not be stabilized for deployment at the time of their requested date of retirement.
3.e.  Must not be pending legal action, legal proceedings, administrative separation, or disability evaluation.
3.f.  Must meet all other regular retirement eligibility criteria under reference (a).
3.g.  Complete all other service obligations (e.g. time on station, time in grade, continuation pay, education pay-back).  Waivers of existing service obligations will be considered on a case-by-case basis, factoring in force requirements and the needs of the Marine Corps.
4.  Active Reserve Eligibility.
4.a.  In addition to the eligibility criterion listed in paragraph 2 and paragraphs 3.b. through 3.g., the below criteria applies to Marines on the AR Program.
4.b.  All AR program (Component Code B1) Staff Sergeants and above who have been evaluated by the current FY AR Continuation Board and have been determined viable for continued service, are eligible to apply.  All AR Staff Sergeants and above who have either been identified for release from the AR program via the current FY AR Continuation Board or have requested non-consideration for promotion are not eligible for TERA.
5. Considerations.  Pay grade, military occupational specialty/occupational field inventory health, years of service, remaining obligated service, potential for future service and advancement, and future force structure requirements are all considerations in the approval process.  Requests for waiver of service obligations or when pending/in receipt of orders require justification and each application will be considered based on the needs of the Marine Corps.  The requested retirement date will not normally be approved for a date beyond a Marine’s current end of active service (EAS).  Any payments requiring a service obligation (i.e. Continuation Pay, Aviation Bonus, and Selective Retention Bonus) are subject to recoupment of the unearned portion of the payment if TERA is approved.  Marines transferred to the Fleet Marine Corps Reserve under TERA are not entitled to Involuntary Separations Pay (ISP), Special Separation Benefits (SSB), Voluntary Separation Incentive (VSI), or Voluntary Separation Pay (VSP).
6.  Retired pay computation.
6.a.  Retirement pay calculations are found in reference (c).  The basic TERA retainer pay entitlement is computed by applying a reduction factor obtained from reference (c).  Retired pay multipliers are subject to further reduction if the Marine previously received the Career Status Bonus/REDUX or the Blended Retirement System.  For Marines in receipt of TERA who previously received the Career Status Bonus/REDUX, the cost of living adjustment normally applied to retired pay will be reduced by one percentage point if the standard Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) for retirees is greater than one percent.
6.b.  Example calculation for a Staff Sergeant with 15 years of service that did not elect CSB/REDUX:  (time in service reduction factors associated with TERA calculations are found in reference (c)).  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 - 180 = 60 months)) for 60 months is a .950 reduction factor.  For example, a 15 year Staff Sergeant with a high-36 month average basic pay of $3,824 would be computed as follows: $3,824.00 X ((180 / 12) X .025) X .950 = $1,362.30 for the estimated average monthly retirement annuity.  Computation for Marines covered by the BRS retirement plan is the same as described above with the exception that the retired pay multiplier is reduced from .025 to .020.  Marines approved for TERA retirement who are participants in the Blended Retirement System (BRS) may not elect a lump sum of retired pay upon retirement with less than 20 years of service.  7.  Per reference (c), approval of TERA has no effect on previously approved transferred of Post 9/11 G.I. Bill education benefits.  This waiver of obligated service for Post 9/11 G.I. Bill educational benefits transfer may be revoked based on change of Department of Defense (DOD) policy and the needs of the Marine Corps.
8.  Coordinating Instructions.
8.a. Submit TERA requests by Administrative Action (AA) form via the chain of command to Manpower Management Separation and Retirement (MMSR-2) per reference (a).  The primary method to submit a request is the MMSR-2 organizational mail box at: Enlisted: smb.manpower.mmsr2e@usmc.mil; Officers: smb.manpower.mmsr2o@usmc.mil.  Applications must include chain of command endorsement through the first general officer, with the exception of requesting TERA in conjunction with waiving PEB findings which requires endorsement at the O-5 command level.  Endorsement recommendations should be made based on assessment of the character and quality of the applicant, taking into consideration performance and potential for further service.  Final decision authority has been delegated to the Director, Manpower Management Division for AC Marines and Director, Reserve Affairs Division for AR Marines.
8.b.  The AA form will contain the following information:
8.b.1.  A statement that all eligibility criteria in reference (a) has been satisfied or a justification for waiver of any service obligation.
8.b.2.  A statement verifying that a transition assistance class and final physical will be completed prior to Fleet Marine Corps Reserve transfer date.
8.b.3.  The date of intended transfer (requested retirement date) to the Fleet Marine Corps Reserve (enlisted) or Retired List (officers).  This date must be the last day of the month for enlisted or the first day of the month for officers.
8.b.4.  The Planned Detachment Date (PDD).
8.b.5.  A statement of justification criteria outlined in paragraph 2 of this MARADMIN.
8.b.6.  Marines meeting eligibility criteria may apply upon publication of this MARADMIN.  Requests for retirement must be submitted no later than four months prior to the PDD for ample processing time; this does not apply to TERA requests in conjunction with waiving PEB findings.
8.c.  After initial receipt by MMSR through the organizational mailbox, TERA requests are staffed via the Separation and Retirement Staffing System.
8.c.1.  Once approved, MMSR-2 will report Type Transaction Code 775 000 with a planned Separation Program Designator of NBE1 for enlisted Marines and RBE1 for officers. This entry will reflect on the RT01 screen in the Marine Corps Total Force System.  The narrative reason of “Early Retirement” will be used when preparing the DD Form 214.  The separation authority will be paragraph 7007 of reference (a).
8.c.2.  Marines can track the status of their request through the Basic Individual Record in Marine Online and by contacting their unit administrator. Use the “RET/FMCR Status” field under the retirement information section.  Address further questions regarding individual requests through unit administrators.  Per reference (a) the standard window to process a request is 60 days.
9.  CMC (MP in conjunction with RA) maintains all policy associated with this program.  CMC (MM/RA) maintains final approval authority for all TERA requests.
10.  This MARADMIN is applicable to the Active Component and Marine Corps Active Reserve.
11.  This MARADMIN cancels on 31 December 2025 unless sooner rescinded.
12.  Release authorized by LtGen M. A. Rocco, Deputy Commandant, Manpower and Reserve Affairs.//