R 132003Z DEC 18
MARADMIN 696/18
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC MRA MP//
SUBJ/ENLISTED ACTIVE DUTY SERVICE LIMITS AND HIGH YEAR TENURE//
REF/A/MSGID:MSG/CMC MRA MP/101900ZOCT17//
REF/B/MSGID:MSG/CMC MRA MP/021526ZJUL18//
REF/C/MSGID:DOC/CMC MRA MM/YMD:20100908//
REF/D/MSGID:DOC/CMC MRA MM/YMD:20150807//
REF/E/MSGID:DOC/CMC MRA MM/YMD:20120614//
REF/F/MSGID:DOC/CMC/20180822//
POC/L.E.BEINDORF/CIV/MPP-20/CMC MRA /POLICY ISSUES 703-784-9361//
NARR/REF A IS MARADMIN 555/17 ECFC PROGRAM FOR FY18.  REF B IS MCBUL 7220. FISCAL YEAR 2019 (FY19) SELECTIVE RETENTION BONUS (SRB) PROGRAM AND FY19 BROKEN SERVICE SRB (BSSRB) PROGRAM. REF C IS MCO 1040.31, THE ENLISTED RETENTION AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT MANUAL.  REF D IS MCO 1900.16 W/CH 1, MARINE CORPS SEPARATION AND RETIREMENT MANUAL.  REF E IS MCO P1400.32D W/CH 2, THE ENLISTED PROMOTIONS MANUAL.  REF F IS MCBUL 1300 SERGEANTS MAJOR SLATING PROCESS.//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1.  Purpose.  To provide Commanders, Senior Enlisted Leaders, Career Planners, and individual Marines with information regarding enlisted active duty service limits and high year tenure (HYT). Additionally, this MarAdmin introduces new service limits for Sergeants. This MarAdmin supersedes ref A.
2. Background.
2.a.  Establishing and applying service limits for each grade is a critical element of the Marine Corps Enlisted Career Force Controls (ECFC) program whose purpose is to balance the inventory of Marines by grade and MOS to meet career force requirements.
3.  Information.
3.a.  Service limits and HYT.  Service limits ensure that Marines who have reached a certain year of service in their current grade without being selected for promotion are either separated from the active component at their expiration of active service (EAS) or transferred to the Fleet Marine Corps Reserve (FMCR). HYT is established for certain grades that have failed selection twice to the next higher grade and have not reached service limits at their current EAS.  Service limits and HYT policies provide guidance, but the final decision is provided by CMC (MM) based on the needs of the Marine Corps.
3.b.  Service limits and HYT are as follows:
Cpl              8 years active Marine Corps service
Sgt             12 years active Marine Corps service
SSgt            20 years active service
GySgt           22 years active service (HYT is 20 years)
1stSgt/MSgt     27 years active service (HYT is 22 years)
SgtMaj/MGySgt   30 years active service
Note:  Prior active service in another branch of the armed forces is counted when determining the service limits and HYT for SSgts and above.
3.c.  Continuation of service.
3.c.1.  Cpls with 4 or more years of active Marine Corps service who reenlist at the end of their first term may be authorized a 4 or 5 (if required) year reenlistment.
3.c.2.  Sgts service limitation is 12 years of active Marine Corps service or two failed selections to SSgt.
3.c.3.  The following applies to Sgts in relation to the FY19 change from 10 to 12 years service limits:
3.c.3.a.  Sgts that have already been approved for separations pay and have less than 12 years of active Marine Corps service may leave active duty at their current separation date and receive separations payment (if authorized).
3.c.3.b  If favorably endorsed at the Bn/Sqdn level, Sgts that have not failed selection to SSgt more than once and have less than 12 years of active Marine Corps service may submit a reenlistment request, if more than 24 months, or an extension of their current contract, if less than 24 months, via their career planner to CMC (MM) for decision.  This includes Sgts who have already been approved for separations pay, or that have been offered less than a 48-month reenlistment, or that have been denied further service.
3.c.3.c.  Sgts who applied for reenlistment prior to 30 Sep 2018 may be eligible for the Early Reenlistment Kicker announced in ref B.  These Sgts should request the additional required service to meet the eligibility requirements via unit career planner to CMC (MM).  Sgts who do not meet the criteria set forth in ref B will not be authorized the payment.  Waivers are not authorized.
3.c.3.d.  Sgts who reenlisted for 24 months for further observation are not authorized a 24 month extension.
3.c.3.e.  Sgts already separated from active duty are not eligible for reentry under this change in service limit policy.
3.c.4.  Per ref C, CMC (MM) will consider extension requests for GySgts, 1stSgts, and MSgts on a case by case basis, provided they do not exceed service limits.
3.d.  Mandatory transfer to the FMCR due to service limitations.  Marines eligible for retirement who are approaching service limits must transfer to the FMCR per ref D.  Marines approaching service limits who must request transfer to the FMCR are defined as follows:
3.d.1.  All SSgts approaching 20 years of service.
3.d.2.  GySgts approaching 22 years of service, or if twice passed for promotion, GySgts approaching 20 years of service or who have an EAS between 20 and 22 years of service.  See ref E pertaining to promotion eligibility in conjunction with request for transfer to FMCR.
3.d.3.  1stSgts/MSgts approaching 27 years of service, or if twice passed for promotion, 1stSgts/MSgts approaching 22 years of service or who have an EAS between 22 and 27 years of service.  See ref E pertaining to promotion eligibility in conjunction with request for transfer to FMCR.
3.d.4.  DC, MRA will retain service limit waiver authority for SgtMaj/MGySgt who request to serve beyond 30 years of service.
3.d.5.  Marines requesting a waiver of service or HYT limits:
3.d.5.a.  Who meet eligibility requirements to transfer to the FMCR, will submit an AA Form/standard naval letter with justification, via the Marines chain of command, up to the first general officer, to include supporting command endorsements, to CMC (MMSR-2) for processing.  Marines may request a service limit or HYT waiver of six months or less that does not cross the end of current fiscal year in conjunction with transfer to the FMCR.  Such requests only require a Bn/Sqdn level endorsement to CMC (MM) for authorization.
3.d.5.b.  1stSgts/MSgts and below, who have been twice passed for promotion or who have met service limits, per para 3.b., will not be considered for service limit extensions greater than one year.
3.d.5.c.  Sgts who are subject to service limitations (12 years and twice passed for promotion), per paragraph 3.c.2, may apply for a waiver for active Marine Corps service up to 14 years if favorably endorsed at the O-6 level to CMC(MM).  Marine must be retention eligible per ref C and promotion eligible per ref E.  Retention eligibility includes, but is not limited to, no adversity on current contract and meeting height/weight and fitness standards.  Promotion eligibility includes, but is not limited to, being PME complete for grade and not in a permanent limited duty status.
3.d.5.d.  Per ref F, Sergeants Major who desire consideration for command level slating, but require a waiver of the 30 year service limit will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
4.  Action.  Commanders, Senior Enlisted Leaders, and Career Planners will ensure that all Marines are familiarized with the contents of this MARADMIN.
5.  Reserve applicability.  This MARADMIN is not applicable to the Marine Corps Reserve.
6.  Release authorized by BGen W.H. Swan, Director, Manpower Plans and Policy Division.//