R 291800Z AUG 23
MARADMIN 428/23
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC MRA MM//
SUBJ/FISCAL YEAR 2025 (FY25) HEADQUARTERS MARINE CORPS SPECIAL DUTY ASSIGNMENT CAMPAIGN//
REF/A/MSGID: DOC/CMC/YMD: 2021MAY11//
REF/B/MSGID: DOC/CMC/DTG: 060815ZFEB23//
REF/C/MSGID: DOC/CMC/DTG: 031945ZFEB22//
REF/D/MSGID: DOC/CMC/DTG: 151300ZJUN23//
NARR/REF A IS MCO 1326.6 CHANGE-1, SELECTING, SCREENING, AND PREPARING ENLISTED MARINES FOR SCREENABLE BILLETS AND INDEPENDENT DUTY ASSIGNMENTS (SCREENMAN). REF B IS MARADMIN 064/23, FISCAL YEAR 2024 ENLISTED RETENTION CAMPAIGN. REF C IS MARADMIN 039/22, SPECIAL DUTY ASSIGNMENT PAY, ASSIGNMENT INCENTIVE PAY, AND VOLUNTEER SUPPLEMENTAL INCENTIVE. REF D IS MARADMIN 309/23, FISCAL YEAR 2025 RECRUITING STATION PREFERENCE INCENTIVE FOR RECRUITING DUTY SPECIAL DUTY ASSIGNMENT VOLUNTEERS//
POC/D. S. TYKWINSKI/CAPT/MMEA-25/TEL: 703-784-9257/EMAIL: DREW.TYKWINSKI@USMC.MIL//
POC/E. W. BRANCH/GYSGT/SDA RETENTION CHIEF/TEL: 703-432-9745/EMAIL: ETHAN.W.BRANCH@USMC.MIL//
POC/R. NORIEGA/GYSGT/RECRUITING MONITOR/TEL: 703-432-9474/EMAIL: ROLANDO.NORIEGA@USMC.MIL//
POC/B. M. HUND/GYSGT/DRILL INSTRUCTOR MONITOR/TEL: 703-432-9472/EMAIL: BRANDON.HUND@USMC.MIL//
POC/J. A. GOODSON/GYSGT/MSG MONITOR/TEL: 703-432-9476/EMAIL: JAMES.A.GOODSON@USMC.MIL//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1. This message announces the Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25) Headquarters Marine Corps (HQMC) Special Duty Assignment (SDA) Campaign and provides coordinating instructions for requesting billets as a Recruiter, Drill Instructor, or Marine Security Guard Detachment Commander (MSG DC). The SDA Campaign outlines the timeline of the FY25 voluntary and involuntary assignment periods with corresponding initiatives and procedural changes.
2. Background. A successful SDA tour is a hallmark of a competitive Marine and makes him or her exceptionally qualified for promotion. In addition to opportunities for SNCO meritorious promotions, financial incentives, and duty station preferences, an SDA tour is intellectually rewarding and physically and mentally challenging.
3. Situation. It is undesirable to involuntarily assign Marines to SDAs. As such, the goal of the FY25 SDA Campaign is to fulfill all SDA requirements with volunteers. CMC (MMEA) closed the FY24 SDA season with the largest number of volunteers yet, reducing the quantity of Marines that would have otherwise been involuntarily assigned. To continue this success in FY25, CMC (MMEA) seeks to improve SDA volunteerism through education about volunteer benefits, greater command engagement on SDA volunteerism, and procedural updates to improve the reliability and quality of assignments. The FY25 SDA Campaign will be executed via voluntary and (if required) involuntary assignment periods from 1 June 2023 to 1 July 2024. Marines approved for an FY25 SDA will have a class report date between 1 October 2024 and 30 September 2025.
4. Concept of operations:
4.a. Voluntary Assignment Period (VAP)
4.a.1. Phase I: Phase I began 1 June 2023 with approval of FY25 SDA requests for Marines reenlisting via the FY24 Commandant's Retention Program (CRP) and FY24 Subsequent Term Alignment Plan (STAP). During this phase, HQMC will accept and review volunteer packages for potential assignment to an SDA of the Marine’s choice. See paragraph 5 for eligibility information.
4.a.2. Phase I is intended to set conditions for Phase II by establishing a base of volunteers, increasing SDA knowledge, and creating digital products in the MMEA Dashboard for use in Phase II. Phase I will end on 31 December 2023.
4.a.3. Major Subordinate Commands (MSC) may request monitor visits for an execution date between 1 September 2023 to 22 December 2024 by completing the CMC (MMEA) Assist Visit Request on the Manpower and Reserve Affairs website. To access the form, go to https:(slash)(slash)www.manpower.usmc.mil/webcenter/portal/MMEA_New and click on the "MMEA ASSIST VISIT REQUEST" box at the bottom of the page. Requests for SDA monitor visits should be requested no later than (NLT) 90 days prior to the first day of the requested visit, with possible exceptions for September and October.
4.a.4. Phase II: Phase II of the VAP begins 1 January 2024 and is intended for commands to conduct direct marketing to SDA eligible Marines who might otherwise be assigned involuntarily. MSCs can expect to receive a list of eligible Marines and have access to products that will aid in understanding SDA eligibility, incentives, and availability/statistics. Data in the CMC (MMEA) Dashboard will be accessible at https:(slash) (slash)www.manpower.usmc.mil/webcenter/portal/MMEA_New and then clicking on the "MMEA Dashboard (Power BI)" box. Phase II will end on 29 February 2024.
4.a.5. CMC (MMEA) will conduct an SDA Roadshow from mid-January to mid-February to reinforce Phase II actions. Details for the SDA Roadshow will be released via separate correspondence NLT 22 December 2023.
4.b. Involuntary Assignment Period (IVAP)
4.b.1. Ideally, all SDA requirements are fulfilled by volunteers. If enough volunteers are not acheived, the IVAP will commence on 1 March 2024. The intent of this period is to assign only the minimum number of Marines needed to fulfill the remaining FY25 SDA openings. Eligible Marines will be screened for involuntary assignment via the HQMC SDA Screening Team (HSST). The IVAP will end NLT 1 July 2024.
4.b.2. During the IVAP, Marines not identified for screening via the HSST may request assignment to an SDA as a volunteer. However, these volunteers will no longer have priority for assignment and may be restricted by Primary Military Occupational Specialty (PMOS) requirements.
5. Eligibility
5.a. Reference (a) contains the complete listing of eligibility and screening criteria.
5.b. FY24 First Term Alignment Plan Marines and STAP Marines with more than six months time on station in the geographical location may be eligible to volunteer and are encouraged to contact their career planners for more information.
5.c. Marines who have executed a lateral move into their present MOS are not eligible to submit for voluntary assignment unless they have completed a minimum of 36 months in that MOS prior to the class start date.
5.d. Marines who have previously completed an SDA are eligible to serve on a second tour. Marines must have been in the Fleet Marine Forces for a minimum of 24 months prior to their class start date.
5.e. Marines who wish to volunteer for assignment to an SDA must submit an “SDA RELM” using the Total Force Retention System (TFRS) to HQMC with the assistance of the unit career planner. Career planners should include a comment in the RELM about the Marine’s preference.
5.f. To be considered an SDA volunteer, Marines must have an "SDA RELM" submitted in TFRS with a "Submitted Date" equivalent to or earlier than the release date of the HSST screening list on TFRS and be requesting assignment to one of the following duties: Recruiter, Drill Instructor, or Marine Security Guard Detachment Commander. Marines desiring to volunteer should plan accordingly as package signature dates will not be used to determine a Marine's volunteer status.
6. Volunteer Cancellations and Modifications
6.a. To increase the reliability of volunteer assignments, volunteer cancellation and modification requests prior to the IVAP will be considered on a case-by-case basis, based upon the needs of the Marine, the PMOS, the SDA, and the Marine's command. Marines should provide full justifications for these requests.
6.b. All cancellation and modification requests, for volunteers and non-volunteers alike, occurring after publication of the HSST screening list will be scrutinized. Marines and commands should provide thorough justifications, detailing why the Marine is no longer eligible and/or the risks incurred if the Marine remains in their current assignment.
7. Financial Incentives. Per reference (c), all Marines who earn the additional MOS for their SDA and are assigned to the corresponding SDA billet MOS will receive SDA Pay (SDAP) and Assignment Incentive Pay (AIP). In addition to SDAP and AIP, SDA volunteers will receive a Voluntary Supplemental Incentive (VSI) of $10,000 paid in monthly payments of $278 or in lump sum.
7.a. Current volunteer financial incentives per reference (c):
Duty Total (monthly VSI) Total (lump sum VSI)
Recruiter $653 per month $375 monthly and $10,000
Drill Instructor $578 per month $300 monthly and $10,000
MSG DC $578 per month $300 monthly and $10,000
7.b. Current non-volunteer financial incentives per reference (c):
Duty Total (SDAP and AIP only)
Recruiter $375 per month
Drill Instructor $300 per month
MSG DC $300 per month
8. Volunteers seeking assignment to Recruiting Duty will be eligible to apply for a recruiting station of their choice via the Recruiting Station Incentive (RSI) program pending recruiting station (RS) availability, as outlined in reference (d) MARADMIN 309/23.
9. Questions regarding the FY25 SDA Campaign should be referred to the POCs listed above.
10. Release authorized by BGen Ryan S. Rideout, Director, Manpower Management Division.//