MARADMINS

R 241521Z DEC 14
MARADMIN 678/14
MSGID/GENADMIN,USMTF,2007/CMC WASHINGTON DC MRA RA//
SUBJ/SELECTED MARINE CORPS RESERVE FORWARD AIR CONTROLLER AND AIR OFFICER AFFILIATION BONUS//
REF/A/DOC/TITLE 37 U.S. CODE/-//
REF/B/MSGID:DOC/CMC/YMD:20141114//
REF/C/MSGID:DOC/CMC/YMD:20140501 REF/D/MSGID:DOC/CMC/YMD:20141107 REF/E/MSGID:DOC/CMC/YMD:20140925//
NARR/ REF A IS USC TITLE 37, CHAPTER 5, SECTION 308J. REF B IS MARADMIN 597/14, FISCAL YEAR 2015 SELECTED MARINE CORPS RESERVE OFFICER AFFILIATION BONUS (OAB). REF C IS NAVMC 3500.42B, TACP T AND R MANUAL. REF D IS MARADMIN 584/14, MCBUL 1500 FISCAL YEAR 2015 SELECTED MARINE CORPS RESERVE (SMCR) LATERAL MOVE (LATMOV) PROGRAM. REF E IS MARADMIN 489/14, MCBUL 1001 FY 15 INACTIVE DUTY TRAINING TRAVEL REIMBURSEMENT//
POC/J.D. PRICE/LTCOL/UNIT:MFR G-1 MPWR/-/EMAIL: JONATHAN.PRICE(AT)USMC.MIL/TEL:504-679-7188//
POC/A.C. DINSDALE/MAJ/UNIT:HQMC RAP/-/EMAIL: ALAN.DINSDALE(AT)USMC.MIL/TEL:703-784-9135//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1. SITUATION. STAFFING EXISTING MARFORRES 7502 BILLETS WITH PROPERLY TRAINED MARINES CONTINUES TO BE A CHALLENGE. IN ORDER TO ENSURE THE COMBAT READINESS OF OUR FORCE, IT IS VITAL TO INCREASE STAFFING FOR CRITICAL SKILL BILLETS SUCH AS FORWARD AIR CONTROLLERS (FACS) AND BATTALION AIR OFFICERS. THE INTENT OF THIS MARADMIN IS TO INCENTIVIZE PROPERLY TRAINED MARINES TO FILL EXISTING 7502 STRUCTURE AT INFANTRY BATTALIONS, INFANTRY REGIMENTS, AND ANGLICO.
2. IN ACCORDANCE WITH REF A, THIS BULLETIN IMPLEMENTS THE FISCAL YEAR 2015 (FY15) SMCR FAC/AO AFFILIATION BONUS. THE BONUS AMOUNT IS 20,000 DOLLARS. OFFICERS WHO ARE CURRENTLY IN RECEIPT OF A PREVIOUS FY OFFICER AFFILIATION BONUS IN THE AMOUNT OF 10,000 DOLLARS MAY SUBMIT FOR AN ADDITIONAL 10,000 DOLLARS BONUS IF THEY MEET THE ADDITIONAL ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS OF THIS MARADMIN AND ARE ASSIGNED TO A 7502 BILLET IDENTIFICATION CODE (BIC) IN A UNIT TYPE LISTED IN PARA 1. AVIATORS NOT ASSIGNED TO A UNIT TYPE LISTED IN PARA 1 WILL BE REQUIRED TO TRANSFER TO ONE OF THESE UNITS IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE BONUS APPROVAL. IF THE ADDITIONAL 10,000 DOLLARS BONUS IS APPROVED, A NEW THREE YEAR OBLIGATION IS REQUIRED AND WILL RUN CONCURRENT WITH THE PREVIOUS COMMITMENT.
3. ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS. IN ADDITION TO THE ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA OUTLINED IN REF B, THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA MUST BE MET.
   A. ELIGIBILITY IN REF B IS EXTENDED TO MAJORS WITH LESS THAN 4 YEARS TIG.
   B. THE OFFICER MUST POSSESS THE ADDITIONAL MOS (AMOS) OF 7502 AND HAVE A MINIMUM OF 12 MONTHS OF CURRENCY REMAINING FROM THEIR MOST RECENT 18 MONTH EVALUATION IAW REF C CERTIFICATION.
   C. AVIATORS WHO DO NOT POSSESS THE AMOS 7502 MUST COMPLETE THE TACTICAL AIR CONTROL PARTY (TACP) COURSE OFFERED BY EXPEDITIONARY WARFARE TRAINING GROUP TO RECEIVE PAYMENT IAW REF D. SCHOOL SEATS ARE LIMITED AND WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE FOR ALL UNITS.
4. APPLICATION PROCEDURES. INDIVIDUALS INTERESTED IN THE FAC/AIR-O AFFILIATION BONUS SHOULD FOLLOW THE APPLICATION PROCEDURES OUTLINED IN REF B. THE TFRS REQUEST MUST INCLUDE TRAINING DOCUMENTATION VERIFYING THE OFFICER’S GRADUATION DATE FROM TACP OR MOST RECENT 18 MONTH EVALUATION.
5. ADMINISTRATIVE GUIDANCE. ADMINISTRATIVE GUIDANCE ISSUED IN REF B GOVERNS THE ADMINISTRATIVE EXECUTION OF THE FAC/AIR-O BONUS.
   A. AVIATORS WHO ARE BETWEEN 30 TO 42 MONTHS SINCE THEIR LAST SUCCESSFUL EVALUATION (OR ORIGINAL CERTIFICATION) MAY APPLY FOR THE FAC/AO AFFILIATION BONUS AFTER JOINING THE UNIT PROVIDED  THEY COMPLETE RECERTIFICATION PRIOR TO EXPIRATION OF THE 24 MONTH WINDOW (EG. 42 MONTHS SINCE THEIR LAST SUCCESSFUL EVALUATION OR ORIGINAL CERTIFICATION).
   B. AVIATORS WHO ARE BEYOND 42 MONTHS SINCE THEIR LAST SUCCESSFUL EVALUATION (OR ORIGINAL CERTIFICATION) MAY APPLY FOR THE BONUS UPON COMPLETION OF EXPEDITIONARY WARFARE TRAINING GROUP (EWTG) AUTHORIZED UNIT-LEVEL TRAINING AND CERTIFICATION OF INDIVIDUAL TRAINING STANDARDS BY A JOINT TACTICAL AIR CONTROLLER INSTRUCTOR (JTACI). THIS OPTION IS LIMITED TO UNITS WITH A CURRENT EWTG CERTIFIED JTACI.
6. OBLIGATION. IN ADDITION TO THE OBLIGATION SPECIFICS OUTLINED IN REF B, THE FOLLOWING APPLY:
   A. RECIPIENTS MUST SERVE IN A FAC OR AIR OFFICER BIC IN THE ASSIGNED UNIT FOR THREE YEARS.
   B. RECIPIENTS MUST MAINTAIN CURRENCY AND COMPLETE AN EVALUATION EVERY 18 MONTHS IAW REF C. MAINTAINING CURRENCY WILL REQUIRE UP TO 5 DAYS OF ACTIVE DUTY OR UP TO 10 ADDITIONAL PAID DRILLS EVERY SIX MONTHS.
   C. TIME PREVIOUSLY SERVED AT THE UNIT TO WHICH THE OFFICER IS ASSIGNED PRIOR TO APPROVAL OF THE FAC AND AIR OFFICER AFFILIATION BONUS OR PRIOR TO ATTENDING TACP WILL NOT BE APPLIED TOWARDS THE OBLIGATION SPECIFIED IN THE SOU.
7. RECOUPMENT. IN ADDITION TO THE RECOUPMENT TRIGGERS OUTLINED IN REF B, RECOUPMENT WILL BE INITIATED IF THE OFFICER IS ASSIGNED TO A BIC OTHER THAN AS A FAC OR AIR OFFICER. RECOUPMENT WILL BE INITIATED BY THE UNIT IF THE OFFICER DOES NOT SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETE AN 18 MONTH EVALUATION. RECOUPMENT WILL BE WAIVED IF THE MARINE IS NOT PROVIDED THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAINTAIN CURRENCY EVERY SIX MONTHS AND EVALUATION EVERY 18 MONTHS IAW REF C.
8. ELIGIBLE MARINES WHO MUST COMMUTE GREATER THAN 150 MILES FROM THEIR HOME OF RECORD TO AN SMCR UNIT MAY BE ELIGIBLE FOR IDT TRAVEL REIMBURSEMENT TO COVER UP TO 300 DOLLARS PER MONTH IN TRAVEL EXPENSES IN ACCORDANCE WITH REF E.
9. RELEASE AUTHORIZED BY R. T. TOBIN, COLONEL, DIRECTOR, RESERVE AFFAIRS, ACTING.//