R 281605Z MAY 19
MARADMIN 308/19
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC MRA RA//
SUBJ/FISCAL YEAR 2020 (FY20) ACTIVE RESERVE (AR) ALIGNMENT PLAN (ARAP)//
REF/A/MSGID:  DOC/CMC/YMD:  20110502
REF/B/MSGID:  DOC/CMC/YMD:  20190215
REF/C/MSGID:  DOC/CMC/YMD:  20171219
NARR/REFERENCE (A) IS MCO 1040R.35, RESERVE CAREER PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT MANUAL. REFERENCE (B) IS MCO 1001.52K, ACTIVE RESERVE SUPPORT TO THE UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS RESERVE. REFERENCE (C) IS MARADMIN 688/17, REVISION TO THE RESERVE CAREER PLANNING CONTACT RECORD NAVMC 10213A AND AMPLIFYING GUIDANCE TO CONDUCTING CAREER PLANNER AND COMMANDING OFFICER INTERVIEWS.//
POC/A. D. BELL/LTCOL/RA (RAM)/TEL: (703)784-0514/EMAIL: ALVIN.BELL@USMC.MIL//
POC/J. U. ARELLANO/MAJ/RA (RAP)/TEL: (703)784-9136/EMAIL: RAP@USMC.MIL//
POC/K. L. BROWN/MGYSGT/RA (RAP)/TEL: (703)784-0583/EMAIL: KEVIN.L.BROWN5@USMC.MIL//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1.  This message announces the commencement of the FY20 ARAP.  The purpose of the ARAP is to balance the AR enlisted career force inventory while retaining quality Marines.  AR Marines should contact their unit career planner for more information and compliance with this message.
2.  Background.  Retaining our best Non-Commissioned Officers and Staff Non-Commissioned Officers is critical to mission accomplishment.  Commanders must be actively involved in retention efforts to ensure we retain our best Marines and attain our enlisted inventory goals by military occupational specialty (MOS).
3.  Action
   a.  All AR Marines with an End of Current Contract (ECC) during FY20 must submit for reenlistment to RAM-1 via the Total Force Retention System (TFRS) no later than 15 October 2019.  The submission period begins 5 July 2019.  This deadline is applicable to all AR Marines who intend to reenlist and have an ECC during FY20 to include Marines serving on a For Further Observation (FFO) contract.  The requirement to submit for reenlistment no later than 15 October 2019 does not apply to AR Marines who have an ECC that falls within FY20 and were previously approved and executed an extension of enlistment to execute Permanent Change of Station Order (PCSO), Transfer of Eligibility Benefits (TEB), Special Duty Assignment (SDA), etc.  AR Marines who fall within this category will submit for reenlistment within the applicable FY in which their new ECC occurs once the extension becomes effective.  Major Subordinate Command Career Planners are directed to identify the FY20 ARAP cohort and disseminate to unit Career Planners.
   b.  Commanding Officers and Career Planners will conduct interviews with 100 percent of their FY20 ARAP population and record the interview utilizing either the AR Initial Interview, AR EAS interview or unscheduled interview option as applicable within the TFRS Interview Management Module no later than 30 September 2019.  In addition to interview topics as outlined within ref (a), the Marine’s intent to either remain on the AR Program or exit upon completion of their current EAS must be captured.  Upon completion of the interview, the unit administrative section will run the appropriate entry utilizing the “TTC 788 000 RER FLAG” in the Marine Corps Total Force System (MCTFS) to indicate whether the Marine intends to or do not intend to reenlist NLT no later than 25 October 2019.  The unit administrative section should refer to the MCTFS Prium for unit diary entry instructions.  Reserve Affairs will track the completion status of interviews and the Marine’s intent to reenlist via MCTFS and request submitted via TFRS to assess the status of the cohort in an optimal manner.
   c.  Marines who do not submit for further service prior to the applicable submission deadline will be conveying that their intent is to either exit the Active Reserve Program or retire.  RA (RAP) will utilize all information to plan accordingly for AR promotion allocations.  Marines who do not submit a request for retention to RAM-1 via TFRS prior to the FY20 ARAP submission deadline will require an endorsement with justification from the first O-6 level Commander within their chain of command.  Requests submitted after the specified deadline may not receive favorable consideration for further service.
   d.  In some cases, RELMS will not be released by HQMC until the Active Reserve Staff Non-Commissioned Officer Promotion board and twice passed for promotion continuation board results are released.  Commanders are authorized to utilize a local command authority (LCA) extension to adjust the EAS of eligible AR Marines who have an EAS between 1 October 2019 and 29 February 2020 until 30 April 2020 in order to await a response from HQMC on a submitted reenlistment request that is in a pending status with RAM-1 in TFRS.  Career Planners will utilize the Reserve LCA RELM type in TFRS to create and execute this extension.  When generating the NAVMC 321a, the purpose will state:  “To await a response on a submitted FY20 ARAP retention request”.  Commanders are not authorized to use local command authority extensions which would result in a Marine with an ECC in FY20 being adjusted into FY21.  Non-career designated AR Marines may already have the sufficient contractual time but lack the required EAS;  if the Reserve Expiration of Current Contract (RECC) is not sufficient then an extension of enlistment is authorized.  Upon execution and reporting of the extension as necessary, the command may adjust the Marine’s EAS, not to exceed 30 April 2020 to await a response from HQMC on a submitted reenlistment request that is in a pending status with RAM-1 in TFRS.  For additional guidance on reporting the extension of enlistment on non-career designated Marines, refer to the MCTFS Prium, para 30303.1b.
4.  Commander’s Recommendation.  The Commander’s input is a critical aspect of the retention decision process.  All unit commanders/inspector-instructors, and sergeants major/first sergeants are directed to make detailed comments advocating for or against retention.
5.  Comparative Assessment.  All Marines who submit for reenlistment will be ranked against each other.  Variables used in the assessment include but are not limited to:  current performance, future promotion potential, average proficiency and conduct marks in service, Physical Fitness Test and Combat Fitness Test scores, Marine Corps Martial Arts Program level and meritorious promotion to current grade.
6.  Targeted FY20 ARAP allocations will be published for each MOS and will be announced via the ARAP boatspace report in TFRS.  ARAP allocations will be adjusted by RA throughout FY20 based on applicable policies and/or needs of the AR Program.
7.  Quality Marine Identification (QMI) guidelines
    a.  Commanding Generals (CG) may request an additional boatspace in a Marine’s PMOS, once the MOS reaches 100 percent executed.  These allocations should be utilized judiciously as they are not intended to be unlimited.  Request should be submitted through normal routing procedures via the chain of command in TFRS.
    b.  Request for a QMI boatspace will require a positive endorsement from the CG.  Requests without a positive endorsement from the CG will be administratively closed by Reserve Affairs.
    c.  QMI eligibility requirement are:
        (1)  Tier I or II based on the CO’s evaluation within block 39g of the NAVMC 11537a.
        (2)  No jeopardy on contract (jeopardy is defined as 6105, NJP, SCM, SPM or CM).
8.  To maintain the FY20 ARAP ECC cohort while ensuring the highest quality Marines are retained on the AR Program, an exception to policy has been authorized to allow Active Reserve Marines to execute Extensions greater than 23 months in length for the purpose of gaining the necessary required obligated service for Permanent Change of Station Order (PCSO), Transfer of Eligibility Benefits (TEB), Special Duty Assignment (SDA), etc.  All extension requests must be submitted to HQMC via TFRS.  Approval authority for extensions of enlistments, other than LCA extensions, resides with HQMC (RAM-1).
9.  FY20 ARAP TFRS RELM submission will begin 5 July 2019. FY20 ARAP TFRS RELM requests received prior to 5 July 2019 will be Administratively Closed with no action taken.  The specific RELM types required to be utilized can be found within TFRS Message No R65744.  Failure to comply with submission requirements as outlined within TFRS Message No R65744 will result in the RELM being administrative closed with no action taken.
10.  All FY20 ARAP RELMs adjudicated by HQMC (RAM-1) must be accepted or declined in TFRS within 10 calendar days.
11.  Release authorized by Colonel J. M. Morrisroe, Director, Reserve Affairs Division, Acting.//