R 011752Z Aug 22
MARADMIN 387/22
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC MRA RA//
SUBJ/FISCAL YEAR 2023 (FY23) SELECTED MARINE CORPS RESERVE (SMCR) RESERVE OFFICER RETENTION BONUS (RORB) AND FORWARD AIR CONTROLLER (FAC)/AIR OFFICER RETENTION BONUS//
REF/A/MSGID: DOC/DODI 1304.34/YMD: 20160711//
REF/B/MSGID: DOC/CMC/YMD: 20170323//
REF/C/MSGID: DOC/MCTFSPRIUM/YMD: 20120807//
REF/D/MSGID: DOC/MCO 1001R.1L W/CH-1/YMD: 20180315//
NARR/REFERENCE (A) IS DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE INSTRUCTION 1304.34 GENERAL BONUS AUTHORITY FOR OFFICERS. REFERENCE (B) IS NAVMC 3500.42C, TACP T AND R MANUAL. REFERENCE (C) IS THE MARINE CORPS TOTAL FORCE SYSTEM PERSONNEL REPORTING INSTRUCTIONS MANUAL. REFERENCE (D) IS THE MARINE CORPS RESERVE ADMINISTRATIVE MANAGEMENT MANUAL (MCRAMM).//
POC/T. A. DEMPSEY/MAJ/RA (RAP-2)/TEL: (703) 784-0533/EMAIL: RAP@USMC.MIL//
POC/V. D. HODGE/GYSGT/RAM-1/TEL: 703-432-9077/EMAIL: RAM-1@USMC.MIL//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1.  Purpose.  In accordance with (IAW) reference (a), this MARADMIN announces the eligibility, requirements, and administrative guidance for the FY23 SMCR RORB and FAC/Air Officer Retention Bonus.  The bonuses are for company grade officers and chief warrant officers (CWO) joined to an SMCR unit.  Officers must be filling a valid Billet Identification Code (BIC) in their Military Occupational Specialty (MOS).  Officers will incur a drilling obligation in the approved SMCR BIC on the date of bonus acceptance.
2.  Eligibility
    a.  The FY23 RORB is applicable to all CWOs and company grade officers with the 7210, 0302, 0802 MOSs who are assigned to a BIC that matches their grade and MOS.  CWOs may fill a BIC with an acceptable BIC mismatch IAW the SMCR BIC Assignment and Management Policy.  Bonus amounts are:
        (1) 7210 MOS:  $20,000, three-year obligation.
        (2) 0302 MOS:  $30,000, three-year obligation.
        (3) 0802 MOS:  $20,000, three-year obligation.
        (4) All CWOs:  $20,000, three-year obligation.
    b.  The FY23 FAC/Air Officer Retention Bonus is for officers who possess the 7502 Additional MOS (AMOS) and are assigned to a 7502 BIC in the SMCR.  Bonus amount is $30,000 for a three-year obligation.
3.  Requirements
    a.  RORB.  Company grade officers and chief warrant officers, including officers currently serving in an SMCR unit, who meet the BIC and MOS requirements in paragraph 2.  Officer must serve in a valid BIC matching their grade and MOS.  Lieutenants may fill a BIC one grade up; captains are authorized to fill a BIC one grade up or down.
        (1) SMCR officers must have either completed their service obligation or be within 90 days of completing their current obligation.
        (2) Officers serving in the active component (AC), Active Reserve (AR), Individual Ready Reserve (IRR), or Individual Mobilization Augmentee (IMA) program are eligible to request this incentive once joined to a valid BIC.
        (3) Prior service AC or AR officers must have been released from active duty under honorable conditions.
        (4) Reserve officers may not have more than a four-year break in service from the AC or last Selected Reserve assignment at the time the RORB is accepted.
        (5) IMAs are eligible regardless of the time remaining in their IMA tour.  Upon approval by RA, officers will be released from their IMA tour and be assigned to the gaining SMCR unit.
        (6) Applicants must not be in receipt of, or entitled to receive retirement or retainer pay.
        (7) Captains selected for promotion to major are not eligible for this incentive.
        (8) Lieutenants, captains, or CWOs who have failed selection to the next higher grade while in a reserve competitive category are not eligible for this incentive.
        (9) CWOs who have completed any service obligation incurred from the Warrant Officer Accession Bonus, and have less than 16 years of satisfactory service, are eligible for the bonus.
        (10) Eligibility requirements may be waived by RA based on emergent needs of the Marine Corps Reserve.
    b.  FAC/Air Officer Retention Bonus
        (1) Commissioned company grade officers and majors with less than four years TIG, joined to an SMCR unit, in a valid FAC or Air Officer BIC.
        (2) The Officers must possess the AMOS of 7502 and have a minimum of 12 months of “currency” remaining from their most recent 18 month evaluation IAW reference (b) certification.
        (3) Aviators who do not possess the AMOS 7502 may submit a Lateral Move via a Career Planner (CP) to request to attend the Amphibious Tactical Air Control Party Course offered at Naval Amphibious Base (NAB) Coronado, California, or NAB Little Creek, Virginia.  RA will execute payment when the AMOS is reported in Marine Corps Total Force System (MCTFS).  School seats are limited and may not be available for all units.
        (4) Captains who have failed selection to the next higher grade while in the unrestricted reserve competitive category are not eligible for this incentive.
        (5) Applicant must submit training documentation verifying the officer’s graduation date from Amphibious Tactical Air Control Party Course or most recent 18 month evaluation if applicable.
        (6) Aviators who are between 30 to 42 months since their last successful evaluation (or original certification) may apply for the FAC/Air Officer Retention Bonus after joining the unit, provided they complete recertification prior to expiration of the 24 month window (e.g., 42 months since their last successful evaluation or original certification).
        (7) Recipients must serve in a FAC or Air Officer BIC for three years.
        (8) Recipients must remain current and complete an evaluation every 18 months IAW reference (b).  Remaining current will require up to five days of active duty or up to 10 additional paid drills every six months.  These currency requirements are in addition to the unit’s 48-drill inactive duty training and annual training schedules.
        (9) Time previously served at the unit will not be applied toward the obligation specified in the statement of understanding (SOU).
        (10) In addition to the recoupment triggers outlined in paragraph 7 below, recoupment will be initiated if the officer is assigned to a BIC other than a FAC or Air Officer.  Recoupment will be initiated by the unit if the officer does not successfully complete an 18-month evaluation.
4.  Administrative Guidance
    a.  Unit CPs will submit the request for Marines that are current members of the AR, SMCR, and IMA requesting to IUT to an SMCR unit.
    b.  Requests must be received by RA no later than 15 August 2023.  Officers must obtain a bonus approval from RA prior to 1 September 2023 and accept payment within 60 days or prior to 23 September 2023, whichever comes first.  Direct Affiliation Program participants must join an approved BIC prior to 1 September 2023 to be eligible for the bonus.  Failure to join an approved BIC within this window will result in bonus revocation, except in conjunction with a lateral move, as specified in paragraph 5 below.
    c.  All requests must be submitted via TFRS to RA.
    d.  A signed SOU must be submitted with the TFRS request prior to issuance of a bonus.  Sample SOUs can be retrieved via TFRS.
    e.  RA will adjudicate and return the officer incentive request in TFRS to the originating CP with the following items:
        (1) RA endorsed SOU with bonus approval or disapproval.
        (2) Incentive Administrative Reporting Guidance document.
    f.  Once the officer incentive request is accepted in TFRS, the following actions are required:
        (1) The originator must:
            (a) Enter the acceptance date in TFRS.
            (b) Provide the endorsed SOU, Incentive Administrative Reporting Guidance document, and TFRS approval to the unit’s administrative section for appropriate action.
        (2) The unit’s administrative section must:
            (a) Verify MCTFS D302 screen to validate posting of the obligation remark.
            (b) Report the reserve BIC via the Inventory Development Management System (IDMS), bonus PEF code, and applicable bonus entry per the Incentive Administrative Reporting Guidance document via the Unit Diary/Marine Integrated Personnel System (UD/MIPS).
            (c) E-mail the RA endorsed SOU to Manpower Management Records and Performance (MMRP) Branch for inclusion into the member’s Official Military Personnel File at smb.manpower.mmsb@usmc.mil.
    g.  Payment will execute upon completion of all MCTFS reporting and posting requirements IAW reference (c).
    h.  In the event the officer does not accept the bonus approval or join to the SMCR unit, the originator must notify RA via organizational mailbox at RAM-1@USMC.MIL.
    i.  Waiver requests with all required endorsements will be routed to RA and submitted as an attachment to the TFRS request at the time of submission.  Waiver requests will include the member’s chain of command endorsements to include Commander, MARFORRES.  RA will approve/disapprove waiver requests via TFRS adjudication.
    j.  Officers must affiliate with the gaining unit (if not already joined to an eligible unit/BIC) between 1 October 2022 and 1 September 2023.
    k.  All approved bonuses must be paid by 23 September 2023.
    l.  Marines in receipt of this bonus are required to waive the reasonable commuting distance requirement (if applicable) per reference (d).
5.  Retraining in conjunction with the RORB or FAC/Air Officer Retention Bonus
    a.  Requests for assignment to the SMCR lateral move program must be submitted to and approved by Dir RA prior to the Marine joining or agreeing to remain with the SMCR unit.
    b.  Marines assigned to the SMCR lateral move program must report for formal MOS training within 180 days of affiliation with the applicable SMCR unit.
    c.  If a Marine is accepted for the SMCR lateral move program, payment of the applicable incentive will not be made until MOS training is complete.
    d.  Selection to major will disqualify an officer from retraining eligibility.
    e.  The training requirements will not be waived.
6.  Obligation
    a.  Recipients of these incentives will incur a three year obligation to the SMCR beginning on the date the bonus was approved.  The service obligation of officers who submit for the bonus during the last 90 days of their current SMCR obligation will not run concurrent.  The new obligation will begin upon completion of the current obligation.  Contractual time previously served will not be applied towards the new contractual obligation.  Officers who accept this bonus in conjunction with a Lateral Move will begin their obligation upon graduation from the MOS producing school.
    b.  Recipients must serve in a BIC commensurate with their grade and MOS.  Officers are permitted to IUT to other grade and MOS appropriate BICs in the SMCR.
7.  Recoupment.  Recoupment will occur on a prorated basis if the officer:
    a.  Fails to fulfill the three-year service obligation.
    b.  Fails to participate satisfactorily in all scheduled drills and annual training IAW reference (b).
    c.  Performs Active Duty Operational Support (ADOS) with a unit other than their own for a period greater than 90 cumulative days per FY without prior approval by RA.  Acceptance of ADOS orders to attend Expeditionary Warfare School (or other career-level PME) and/or Marine Corps Command and Staff (or other intermediate-level PME) will not count towards this 90 days but will require the extension of the MDPSD by the same number of days covered by the school ADOS orders.
    d.  Transfers to the AC or the AR program.
    e.  Elects to transfer to the IMA program.
    f.  Transfers to the IRR or another Service.
    g.  Resigns his or her commission.
8.  Coordinating Instructions
    a.  Requests for early release or deferment of the service obligation shall be submitted to RAP-2.
    b.  The RORB and FAC/Air Officer Retention Bonus are distributed as a lump sum payment, less any applicable taxes, and will not be paid out while member is on active duty orders.
    c.  Incentives will be issued on a first-come, first-served basis until funds are exhausted.  Availability of funds will be updated periodically via TFRS message as required.
    d.  Direct liaison is authorized between SMCR units and RA.
    e.  This policy cancels on 30 September 2023.
9.  This MARADMIN is applicable to the reserve component.
10.  Release authorized by Major General M. S. Martin, Director, Reserve Affairs Division.//