MARADMINS

R 111635Z JUN 01  ZYW
FM CMC WASHINGTON DC//CMC//
TO ALMAR
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UNCLAS  //N05312//
ALMAR 026/01
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC/CMC/MP//
SUBJ/MARINE CORPS DEPLOYMENT TEMPO (DEPTEMPO) POLICY GUIDANCE//
REF/A/DOC/NDAA FOR FY00/SEC 586/6AUG99//
REF/B/MSG/CMC WASHINGTON DC/MP/260800Z/MAY00//
REF/C/MSG/CMC WASHINGTON DC/MI/121817Z/SEP00//
REF/D/MSG/CMC WASHINGTON DC/MP/181537Z/SEP00//
REF/E/DOC/MCTFS SR NOTICE 2-00/1080/MIF/5OCT00//
REF/F/DOC/NDAA FOR FY01/SEC 574/30OCT00//
REF/G/MSG/CMC WASHINGTON DC/MP/150800Z/NOV00//
REF/H/MSG/CMC WASHINGTON DC/MI/271819Z/DEC00//
REF/I/MSG/CMC WASHINGTON DC/MP/191515Z/JAN01//
REF/J/MSG/CMC WASHINGTON DC/MI/011839Z/MAR01//
REF/K/DOC/MCTFS SR NOTICE 1-01/1080/MI/2APR01//
REF/L/MSG/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N1/031208Z/OCT00//
REF/M/MSG/CNO WASHINGTON DC/N1/281523Z/MAR01//
NARR/REFS A THROUGH M CONTAIN GUIDANCE REGARDING THE PROCEDURES FOR
TRACKING AND MANAGING INDIVIDUAL PERSONNEL TEMPO (PERSTEMPO) AS A
RESULT OF LEGISLATION CONTAINED IN THE NATIONAL DEFENSE
AUTHORIZATION ACTS (NDAA) OF FISCAL YEARS 2000 AND 2001.  BOTH REFS
L AND M CAN BE FOUND BY ACCESSING THE ITEMPO LINK AT THE NAVY
PERSONNEL COMMAND WEBSITE (WWW.BUPERS.NAVY.MIL).//
RMKS/1.  IN AN EFFORT TO LIMIT PERSONNEL AND DEPTEMPO IN THE
SERVICES, CONGRESS ENACTED PERSTEMPO LEGISLATION IN THE NDAA
OF FISCAL YEAR 2000 (FY00).  THROUGH THE NDAA FY00 LEGISLATION
(WITH FURTHER MODIFICATIONS IN NDAA FY01), CONGRESS HAS MANDATED
REQUIREMENTS FOR SERVICES TO TRACK AND MANAGE DEPTEMPO AND TO PAY
HIGH-DEPLOYMENT PER DIEM TO SERVICE MEMBERS WHO EXCEED 400 DAYS OF
DEPLOYED TIME WITHIN A ROLLING 730-DAY (TWO-YEAR) PERIOD.
A.  MARINE CORPS PERSTEMPO POLICY, WITH ASSOCIATED MANAGEMENT
GUIDANCE AND IMPLEMENTATION PROCEDURES, WILL BE CONTAINED IN A MARINE
CORPS ORDER BEING DRAFTED.  THIS ALMAR PROVIDES INTERIM GUIDANCE ON
HOW COMMANDERS ARE TO PROCEED IN REGARDS ONLY TO THE DEPTEMPO PORTION
OF THE CURRENT PERSTEMPO LEGISLATION.
B.  FOR CLARITY AND COMMON REFERENCE, PERSTEMPO ENCOMPASSES ALL DAYS
THAT MARINES ARE NOT AFFORDED A CHANCE TO RETURN TO THEIR RESIDENCE
OR BILLETING AREA AT THEIR ASSIGNED PERMANENT DUTY STATION BECAUSE
OF MILITARY COMMITMENTS.  DEPTEMPO AND NON-DEPTEMPO, BOTH SUBSETS
OF PERSTEMPO, COMPOSE THE SUM TOTAL OF PERSTEMPO.  REFS B AND G
CONTAIN DETAILED DEFINITIONS AND INFO ABOUT THE INTENT OF CONGRESS
IN DEVELOPING THIS LEGISLATION.
2.  POLICY
A.  THE MARINE CORPS WILL COMPLY WITH THE SPIRIT AND INTENT OF THE
LAW PERTAINING TO DEPTEMPO.  COMMANDERS WILL LIMIT THE DEPTEMPO OF
THEIR MARINES TO THAT, WHICH IS ABSOLUTELY REQUIRED TO ACHIEVE AND
MAINTAIN NECESSARY PERSONNEL AND UNIT READINESS TO ACCOMPLISH
ASSIGNED MISSIONS.
B.  SOME MARINES WILL EXCEED THE 400-DAY DEPLOYED LIMIT ESTABLISHED
BY LEGISLATION BECAUSE OF THE MARINE CORPS' FUNDAMENTAL
EXPEDITIONARY NATURE AND ITS FORWARD DEPLOYMENT/FORWARD STATIONING
ROTATIONAL REQUIREMENTS.  APPROVAL FOR MARINES TO DEPLOY BEYOND THE
400-DAY LIMIT MUST COME FROM THE APPROPRIATE GENERAL OFFICER
AUTHORIZED TO APPROVE THEIR DEPLOYMENT BEYOND 220 DAYS.  ALSO,
MARFOR COMMANDERS AND DC, M&RA ARE AUTHORIZED TO ESTABLISH A
DEPTEMPO THRESHOLD AT 370 DAYS FOR LOCAL MANAGEMENT PURPOSES.
DC, M&RA WILL PROVIDE THE AUTOMATED TOOLS TO ASSIST IN THIS EFFORT.
C.  HIGH-DEPLOYMENT PER DIEM WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED AN ENTITLEMENT OR
A ROUTINE "COST OF DOING BUSINESS."  SIMILARLY, HIGH-DEPLOYMENT PER
DIEM WILL NOT BE USED AS AN INCENTIVE FOR DEPLOYMENT, REENLISTMENT,
SERVICE EXTENSION, ETC.
D.  THE MARINE CORPS CONTINUES TO RECOMMEND TO THE DEPARTMENT OF THE
NAVY AND DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE THAT PAYMENTS OF HIGH-DEPLOYMENT PER
DIEM BE DRAWN FROM THE SERVICE OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE (O&MMC)
APPROPRIATION.
E. ASSIGNMENT OPTIONS.  THE EFFECTS OF DEPTEMPO LEGISLATION ON OUR
CURRENT PERSONNEL ASSIGNMENT SYSTEM ARE UNDER REVIEW BY DC, M&RA.
IN MAKING ASSIGNMENTS, MONITORS WILL NOW FACTOR DEPTEMPO WITH OTHER
FORCE MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS, SUCH AS GRADE, MOS, COMMAND
SCREENING, SCHOOL SEAT ASSIGNMENTS, CAREER PROGRESSION
OPPORTUNITIES, ETC..  HOWEVER, WE ARE AN EXPEDITIONARY CORPS IN WHICH
ALL HANDS ACCUMULATE DEPTEMPO IN THE COURSE OF THEIR SERVICE, AND THE
AVAILABLE INVENTORY OF MARINES IS NOT LARGE ENOUGH TO PERMIT THIS
HEADQUARTERS TO MANAGE DEPTEMPO BY SIMPLY ROTATING ASSIGNMENTS
BETWEEN DEPLOYING AND NON-DEPLOYING BILLETS.  COMMANDERS SHOULD NOT
EXPECT THE EFFECTS OF DEPTEMPO LEGISLATION TO BE MITIGATED
SIGNIFICANTLY BY CHANGES TO THE ASSIGNMENT PROCESS.
F.  UNDER CURRENT LEGISLATION, THE SECRETARY OF THE NAVY MAY SUSPEND
THE APPLICABILITY OF THE PERSTEMPO DEPLOYMENT MANDATES WHEN THE
SECNAV DETERMINES THAT SUCH A WAIVER IS NECESSARY IN THE NATIONAL
SECURITY INTERESTS OF THE UNITED STATES.
3.  DEPTEMPO POLICY MANAGEMENT.  CLEARLY, THE KEY CONCERN ABOUT
MANAGEMENT OF PERSTEMPO CENTERS ON DEPTEMPO AND THE PAYMENT OF
HIGH-DEPLOYMENT PER DIEM TO MARINES EXCEEDING THE 400-DAY LIMIT
SPECIFIED IN LEGISLATION.  THE FOLLOWING MANAGEMENT GUIDANCE
APPLIES:
A.  HIGH-DEPLOYMENT PER DIEM PAYMENTS ARE AUTHORIZED CONSISTENT WITH
THE GUIDANCE PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPHS 2B AND 2C ABOVE.
B.  HIGH-DEPLOYMENT PER DIEM COSTS ARE NOT BUDGETED ITEMS IN FY01
THROUGH FY03.  BUDGETING FOR SUCH EXPENSES WOULD BE INCONSISTENT WITH
THE INTENT OF CONGRESS AND WOULD PUT BUDGETED FUNDS AT RISK DURING
THE VARIOUS BUDGET REVIEW CYCLES.
C.  PER DIEM EXPENSES INCURRED BY COMMANDERS' DECISIONS TO AUTHORIZE
THE DEPLOYMENT OF MARINES BEYOND THE 400-DAY THRESHOLD WILL BE
MANAGED WITHIN THE RESPECTIVE O&MMC BUDGETS OF THE COMMANDERS MAKING
THE DECISION.  SIMILARLY, PER DIEM EXPENSES INCURRED BY DC, M&RA
DECISIONS TO AUTHORIZE THE DEPLOYMENT OF MARINES (THOSE NOT ASSIGNED
TO THE MARFOR COMMANDERS) BEYOND THE 400-DAY THRESHOLD WILL BE
MANAGED IN THE M&RA O&MMC BUDGET.
D.  182-DAY DEPTEMPO THRESHOLD APPROVALS FOR NAVY PERSONNEL SERVING
WITH MARINE CORPS UNITS CAN BE AUTHORIZED BY THE FIRST MARINE
GENERAL IN THE SAILOR'S CHAIN OF COMMAND.  HOWEVER, THE NAVY MUST
AUTHORIZE 220-DAY DEPTEMPO THRESHOLD APPROVALS FOR ALL SAILORS.
REQUEST 220-DAY THRESHOLD APPROVALS FOR SAILORS PER THE GUIDANCE
PUBLISHED IN REF L.  DEPTEMPO THRESHOLD APPROVALS FOR OTHER
SERVICE PERSONNEL MUST BE AUTHORIZED BY THE MEMBER'S RESPECTIVE
SERVICE CHAIN OF COMMAND.
E.  BASED ON THE MCTFS PERSTEMPO TRACKING AND FORECASTING TOOLS,
COMMANDERS HAVE THE CAPABILITY TO FORECAST POTENTIAL HIGH-DEPLOYMENT
PERSONNEL FOR THE 2ND THROUGH 4TH QUARTERS OF FY02 AND FOR THE 1ST
AND 2ND QUARTERS OF FY03, THEREBY AFFORDING A TOOL FOR PRIORITIZING
EXPENDITURES.  COMMANDERS ELECTING TO PRIORITIZE PAYMENT OF
HIGH-DEPLOYMENT PER DIEM ABOVE EXISTING O&MMC PRIORITIES WILL
PROVIDE THIS HEADQUARTERS WITH A FORECAST OF THE SPECIFIC EFFECT
THOSE FUNDING DECISIONS WILL HAVE ON OTHER COMPETITORS FOR O&M
FUNDING (I.E., DEGRADATION OF READINESS, CANCELLATION OF TRAINING
EVENTS, INABILITY TO PERFORM CERTAIN TYPES OF MAINTENANCE, ETC.).
F.  WITHOUT CONGRESSIONAL LEGISLATIVE OR FISCAL RELIEF, THIS
HEADQUARTERS IS NOT PLANNING TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL O&MMC FUNDING TO
SUPPORT HIGH-DEPLOYMENT PER DIEM PAYMENTS.  COMMANDERS SHOULD NOT
MAKE DECISIONS TO PAY HIGH-DEPLOYMENT PER DIEM BASED ON THE
ASSUMPTION THIS HEADQUARTERS WILL PROVIDE ADDITIONAL O&MMC
RESOURCES.
4.  IMPLEMENTATION.  THE LEGISLATIVE REQUIREMENTS OF THE NDAA OF FY00
INCLUDE PROVISIONS FOR TRACKING THE NUMBER OF DAYS MARINES ARE
DEPLOYED.  THE MARINE CORPS IMPLEMENTED TRACKING AND OTHER MANAGEMENT
TOOLS EFFECTIVE 1 OCT 2000.  APPROPRIATE IMPLEMENTATION ACTIONS
REQUIRED BY PERSTEMPO LEGISLATION HAVE BEEN PROMULGATED IN A SERIES
OF MESSAGES, MARADMINS, AND PERSONNEL ADVISORIES.  REFS A THROUGH K
APPLY.
5.  PROSPECTS FOR LEGISLATIVE RELIEF.  RELIEF FROM THE RESTRICTIONS
IMPOSED BY DEPTEMPO LEGISLATION MAY BE NECESSARY.  ANY REQUEST FOR
LEGISLATIVE RELIEF MUST BE SUPPORTED BY SPECIFIC EXAMPLES.  BY
SEPCOR, THIS HEADQUARTERS WILL REQUEST ACTUAL AND PROJECTED DEPTEMPO
DATA TO DETERMINE THE NEED FOR SEEKING FUTURE DEPTEMPO RELIEF FROM
SECNAV OR CONGRESS.  MARFOR COMMANDERS SHOULD EXPECT TO RECEIVE
THE DATA CALL SHORTLY AFTER THE RELEASE OF THIS MESSAGE.
6.  J. L. JONES, GENERAL, U.S. MARINE CORPS, COMMANDANT OF THE
MARINE CORPS.//
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