R 042350Z DEC 20
MARADMIN 733/20
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC MRA MP//
SUBJ/FY21 MARINE CORPS OFFICER VOLUNTARY EARLY RELEASE (OVER) PROGRAM FOR THE 1802 PRIMARY MILITARY OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALTY (PMOS)//
REF/A/MSGID:  DOC/SECNAV/18JUN2020//
REF/B/MSGID:  DOC/CMC/21MAY2020//
REF/C/MSGID:  MSG/CMC/MPO/19MAY2009//
REF/D/MSGID:  DOC/CMC/1APR2014//
REF/E/MSGID:  DOC/MCTFS-PRIUM/17APR2018//
REF/F/MSGID:  DOC/ASPM/24OCT2018//
REF/G/MSGID:  DOC/CMC/6MAY2020//
REF/H/MSGID:  DOC/CMC/14JAN2020//
REF/I/MSGID:  WEB/VA/5OCT2020//
NARR/REF (A) IS SECNAV APPROVAL OF THE OFFICER VOLUNTARY EARLY RELEASE (OVER) PROGRAM DATED 18 JUNE 2020. REF (B) IS MARADMIN 302/20, MANPOWER FORCE SHAPING IN SUPPORT OF FORCE DESIGN PHASE ONE. REF (C) IS MCO 1050.3J, REGULATIONS FOR LEAVE, LIBERTY, AND ADMINISTRATIVE ABSENCE. REF (D) IS MARADMIN 170/14, CLARIFICATION TO TRANSITION PERMISSIVE TEMPORARY ADDITIONAL DUTY (PTAD) IN SUPPORT OF DRAWDOWN. REF (E) IS MCTFS-PRIUM. REF (F) IS MCTFS-ASPM. REF (G) IS MARADMIN 279/20, THE ACTIVE COMPONENT TO SELECTED MARINE CORPS RESERVE OR INDIVIDUAL MOBILIZATION AUGMENTEE DIRECT AFFILIATION PROGRAM. REF (H) IS MARADMIN 017/20, TRANSFER OF POST-9/11 GI BILL EDUCATION BENEFITS (TEB) TO DEPENDENTS PROCESS. REF (I) IS THE GI BILL WEBSITE WWW.BENEFITS.VA.GOV/GIBILL.//
POC/A.D. BICKNELL/CAPT/DC MRA/MPP-30/TEL:  DSN 278-9366 COM 703-784-9365//
POC/P.M. KIRK/MAJ/DC MRA/MMOA-3/TEL: DSN 278-9284 COM 703-784-9284//
POC/S.H. ARRITT/CIV/DC MRA/MMSR-2O/TEL: DSN 278-9322 COM 703-784-9322//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1.  Purpose.  This MARADMIN establishes the authority, eligibility, and procedures for the FY21 Officer Voluntary Early Release (OVER) program for active duty officers in the 1802 Primary Military Occupational Specialty (PMOS) in support of Force Design Phase One requirements as outlined in references (a) and (b).
2.  Background.  Reference (a) provides the authority from the Secretary of the Navy to establish the OVER program.  The OVER program supports service-wide force shaping efforts, minimizes involuntary separations during force shaping, is not an individual entitlement, and each request will be considered based on the needs of the Marine Corps.  Officers separated under OVER are not entitled to Involuntary Separation Pay, Special Separation Benefits, Voluntary Separation Pay, Voluntary Separation Incentive, or Temporary Early Retirement Authority.  Officers approved for this program may separate no more than 365 days prior to their current expiration of active service (EAS) and will be considered to have completed their full active service.  This MARADMIN does not exempt Officers from completing reserve or ready reserve obligations per their individual service contracts.  Any unearned incentives received during an officer’s career may be subject to recoupment in accordance with program policy.
3.  This MARADMIN only applies to officers in the following specific primary military occupational specialty (PMOS), in accordance with force shaping efforts as outlined in reference (b):
3.A.  Active Component (AC) company grade officers in PMOS 1802.
4.  Eligibility prerequisites are as follows:
4.A.  Must have fewer than six years of active commissioned service as of 31 March 2022.
4.B.  Must not be slated for deployment at the time of requested early release (new EAS).
4.C.  Non-career designated officers must have an EAS between date of release of this MARADMIN and 31 March 2022.
4.D.  All pre-separation counseling, per Title 10 USC 1142, and all medical separation qualifications must be complete prior to new EAS.
4.E.  Officers must be eligible for an honorable or general (under honorable conditions) discharge characterization at time of early release.
4.F.  Waivers of other service obligations incurred (i.e., accepting career designation, time on station, education pay-back, time-in-grade, etc.) will be considered on a case-by-case basis based on the needs of the Marine Corps.
5.  Ineligibility.  Officers meeting any of the following conditions are ineligible to participate in the OVER program:
5.A.  Officers who are indebted to the government (to include advance and excess leave).  Indebted officers desiring early separation will be permitted to make accelerated repayment of their debts by increasing scheduled installment amounts and by making cash collections to repay their indebtedness.  Indebtedness must be entirely resolved prior to early release.
5.B.  Officers being released under other HQMC-directed early out programs, e.g., early release to accept public office.
5.C.  Officers who are currently on terminal leave pending separation and away from the permanent duty station.
5.D.  Officers who manifest symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder or traumatic brain injury and are undergoing post-deployment health evaluation and management care will not be separated under this authority until that process is complete or a waiver of treatment evaluation has been executed.
5.E.  Officers pending court-martial, adverse administrative action, or administrative or mandatory discharge until final action is taken or processing of administrative action is complete.
6.  Program timeline.  Application processing will commence immediately upon release of this MARADMIN.  Officers must request to separate no more than 365 days prior to current EAS.  This is not waiverable.  The 365-day early release window is determined based on the officer's original EAS.  For example, a first lieutenant who has a current EAS of 1 March 2022 may be approved for early release no earlier than 1 March 2021, which is 365 days prior to his or her EAS.  Additionally, the officer must meet all eligibility criteria outlined in paragraph 4 of this MARADMIN prior to early release.  Upon early release, the officer will be considered to have completed his or her full active service.  To allow for processing time, HQMC requires that OVER packages be submitted at least 60 days prior to the requested early release date.  If an officer is transferring to the Reserve Component (RC), SECDEF approval requires packages to be submitted at least 90 days prior to the requested early release date.
7.  Coordinating instructions.
7.A.  HQMC (MP) maintains all policy associated with this program.
7.B.  HQMC (MM) maintains final approval authority for all requests.
7.C.  Individual officers must submit requests to participate in the OVER program via the first O-5 commander or higher in their chain of command.  Any officer who is TAD or FAP or who is temporarily assigned to another unit must receive final approval from their parent command.
7.D.  Commanders will submit all requests for early release for non-career designated officers to HQMC (MMOA-3) via AA form.  Requests for career designated officers will be submitted to HQMC (MMSR-2O). Those officers who desire to transfer to the RC will notify RAM-1 to begin the reserve approval process.
7.D.(1).  Commanders will recommend approval of a specific date for separation when endorsing an officer's request for early release.  Commanders are advised that vacancies occurring from officers approved for the OVER program will be filled based on each officer's original EAS and not the officer's early separation date.  Terminal leave and post-deployment mobilization respite administrative absence may be taken in conjunction with this program based on commanders' discretion per reference (c).
7.D.(2).  Per reference (d) the OVER program is a force-shaping/reduction program and transition PTAD is authorized for use if an officer is approved for early release.
7.D.(3).  Commanders must provide specific justification for individual officers not recommended for approval to participate in the program.
7.E.  Upon HQMC (MM) final approval, MMOA-3 (for non-career designated officers) and MMSR-2O (for career designated officers) will report the approval via appropriate unit diary entry TTC 775 per reference (e) and notify commanders via naval message of early out approval, with info copies to MSC or MEF commanders and service.
7.E.(1).  The separation program designator (SPD) code for active duty officers being released from active duty is MCC1 and applies to Marines who have remaining obligated service and are eligible to transfer to the RC.
7.E.(2).  The SPD code for active duty Marines being discharged from active duty is KCC1 and applies to Marines who have completed active duty obligated service and are not eligible to transfer to the RC.  It is imperative that commands notify their disbursing officers (DO) regarding each officer's early separation per reference (f).  Those organizations responsible for separating Marines are required to immediately notify the DO via NAVMC 11116 of the pending separation.  A NAVMC 11060 must then be submitted to the DO within one working day after the drop entry post.
7.F.  Officers being separated with the OVER program will sign and submit a Page 11 entry to their Official Military Personnel File acknowledging they are a volunteer for the OVER program.  Example Page 11 entry:  quote, I have been approved for participation in the Officer Voluntary Early Release (OVER) program.  I understand that my new EAS is (YYYYMMDD).  I have been counseled on the contents of the OVER program MARADMIN and understand that I will be considered to have completed my full active service, unquote.
7.F.(1).  Officers are reminded that the OVER program does not exempt reserve or ready reserve obligations per their individual service contract. 
7.G.  The copy of the request package will be forwarded for inclusion in the separations folder of each officer’s official military personnel file (OMPF).
8.  Reserve Component Opportunity.  The RC continually seeks qualified officers transitioning from the Active Component to support the Marine Corps Reserves.  Company grade officers with the 1802 PMOS with less than six years’ time in service transitioning into the RC may request to lateral move into another PMOS.  Depending on the PMOS, officer Reserve affiliation bonuses may be available for officers transitioning from the AC.  In accordance with reference (g), officers have the option to directly affiliate into a Selected Marine Corps Reserve (SMCR) or Individual Mobilization Augmentee program.  Officers desiring to transition into the RC may need to request a Reserve commission via correspondence with their respective monitor.  Opportunities within the RC include platoon or company command, resident professional military education, congressional fellowships, and advanced or additional MOS training.  Continued full time active duty service is available through the Active Reserve program, active duty for operational support, and mobilization.  Officers interested in Reserve opportunities are encouraged to contact the Reserve Career Management Team, Reserve Affairs at COM 703-784-0524.
8.A.  Reserve Commission Approval.  Officers who desire to transition to the SMCR may request to be processed for a reserve commission and be approved prior to application for OVER.  Alternatively, officers can request to have their early release date (new EAS) be contingent on reserve commission prior to release from the AC if the officer has remaining service obligations.  Officers should contact the reserve Career Management Team at the number listed in paragraph 8.
9.  General information.
9.A.  In the event of future recall, Marines released under this MARADMIN will be considered as being in the same status as those who have completed their obligated period of active duty.
9.B.  For the purpose of post-service benefits, early separation under this program is considered to be for the convenience of the government (service members are entitled to all applicable benefits).
9.C.  Officers are reminded to review educational and transfer of GI bill benefits prior to separating.
10.  This MARADMIN is not applicable to the Marine Corps Reserve.
11.  This MARADMIN cancels on 31 March 2022 unless sooner updated due to implementation of Force Design subsequent phases or if force shaping initiatives for the 1802 PMOS is met.
12.  Release authorized by LtGen D. A. Ottignon, Deputy Commandant for Manpower & Reserve Affairs.//