R 041615Z MAR 25
MARADMIN 102/25
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC MRA RA// 
SUBJ/ SELECTED MARINE CORPS RESERVE (SMCR) RESERVE OFFICER RETENTION 
BONUS (RORB) AND FORWARD AIR CONTROLLER (FAC)/AIR OFFICER (AO) 
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/S. A. STEELE/MAJ/RA (RAP-2)/TEL: (703) 784-0533/EMAIL:  
RAP@USMC.MIL//POC/L. REILLY/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 SMCR RORB and FAC/AO Retention Bonus.  
The bonuses are for company grade officers 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
2.a.  The RORB is applicable to all company grade officers with the 
7210, 0302, 0802 MOSs who are assigned to a BIC that matches their 
grade and MOS.  Bonus amounts are:
2.a.1.  7210 MOS: $20,000, three-year obligation. 
2.a.2.  0302 MOS: $30,000, three-year obligation.
2.a.  0802 MOS: $20,000, three-year obligation.
2.b.  The FAC/AO 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: 
2.b.1.  7502 MOS: $30,000 for a three-year obligation.
3.  Requirements
3.a.  RORB.  Company grade 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.   
3.a.1.  SMCR officers must have either completed their service 
obligation or be within 90 days of completing their current 
obligation.
3.a.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 SMCR BIC.
3.a.3.  Prior service AC or AR officers must have been released from 
active duty under honorable conditions.
3.a.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.
3.a.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.
3.a.6.  Applicants must not be in receipt of, or entitled to receive 
retirement or retainer pay.
3.a.7  Captains selected for promotion to major are not eligible for 
this incentive.  
3.a.8.  Lieutenants and captains who have failed selection to the
next higher grade while in a reserve competitive category are not 
eligible for this incentive.  
3.a.9.  Eligibility requirements may be waived by RA based on 
emergent needs of the Marine Corps Reserve.
3.b.  FAC/AO Retention Bonus
3.b.1.  Commissioned company grade officers and majors with less than 
four years TIG, joined to an SMCR unit, in a valid FAC or AO BIC.
3.b.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.b.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.
3.b.4  Captains who have failed selection to the next higher grade 
while in the unrestricted reserve competitive category are not 
eligible for this incentive.  
3.b.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.
3.b.6.  Aviators who are between 30 to 42 months since their last 
successful evaluation (or original certification) may apply for the 
FAC/AO 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).
3.b.7.  Recipients must serve in a FAC or AO BIC for three years.
3.b.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.
3.b.9.  Time previously served at the unit will not be applied toward 
the obligation specified in the statement of understanding (SOU).
3.b.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 AO.  Recoupment will be initiated by the unit 
if the officer does not successfully complete an 18-month evaluation.
4.  Administrative guidance 
4.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.
4.b.  Windows for RORB FAC/AO submission deadlines will be posted in 
the Total Force Retention System (TFRS).
4.c.  All requests must be submitted via TFRS to RA.
4.d.  A signed SOU must be submitted with the TFRS request prior to 
issuance of a bonus.  Sample SOUs can be retrieved via TFRS.
4.e.  RA will adjudicate and return the officer incentive request in 
TFRS to the originating CP with the following items:
4.e.1.  RA endorsed SOU with bonus approval or disapproval.
4.e.2.  Incentive Administrative Reporting Guidance document.
4.f.  Once the officer incentive request is accepted in TFRS, the 
following actions are required:
4.f.1 The originator must:
4.f.1.a.  Enter the acceptance date in TFRS.
4.f.1.b.  Provide the endorsed SOU, Incentive Administrative 
Reporting Guidance document, and TFRS approval to the unit’s 
administrative section for appropriate action.
4.f.2. The unit’s administrative section must:
4.f.2.a.  Verify MCTFS D302 screen to validate posting of the 
obligation remark.
4.f.2.b.  Report the reserve BIC via the Inventory Development 
Management System (IDMS) and applicable bonus entry per the 
Incentive Administrative Reporting Guidance document via the 
Unit Diary/Marine Integrated Personnel System (UD/MIPS).
4.f.2.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.
4.g.  Payment will execute upon completion of all MCTFS reporting 
and posting requirements IAW reference (c).
4.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.
4.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.
4.j.  Officers must affiliate with the gaining unit (if not already 
joined to an eligible unit/BIC) in the Fiscal Year (FY) commensurate 
with their TFRS request.
4.k.  All approved bonuses must be paid by end of requested FY.
4.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/AO Retention Bonus
5.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. 
5.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.  
5.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.
5.d.  Selection to major will disqualify an officer from retraining 
eligibility. 
5.e.  The training requirements will not be waived.
6.  Obligation
6.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.
6.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:
7.a.  Fails to fulfill the three-year service obligation.  
7.b.  Fails to participate satisfactorily in all scheduled drills and
annual training IAW reference (b).
7.c.  Performs Active Duty Operational Support (ADOS) with a unit 
other than their own for a period greater than 90 cumulative days per 
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 
Mandatory Drill Participation Stop Date (MDPSD) by the same number of 
days covered by the school ADOS orders.
7.d.  Transfers to the AC or the AR program.
7.e.  Elects to transfer to the IMA program.
7.f.  Transfers to the IRR or another Service.
7.g.  Resigns his or her commission.
8.  Coordinating Instructions
8.a.  Requests for early release or deferment of the service 
obligation shall be submitted to RAP-2.
8.b.  The RORB and FAC/AO 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.
8.c.  Incentives will be approved in the order they are received 
until funding limitations are reached.  Availability of funds will 
be updated periodically via TFRS message as requested.
8.d.  Direct liaison is authorized between SMCR units and RA.
8.e.  This MARADMIN is in effect until canceled.
9.  This MARADMIN is applicable to the reserve component.
10.  Release authorized by Major General K. D. Pierson, Director, 
Reserve Affairs Division.//