R 242039Z NOV 25
MARADMIN 560/25
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC//
SUBJ/SERVICE-LEVEL COORDINATING AUTHORITY FOR BLAST OVERPRESSURE//
REF/A/DOC/DEPSECDEF MEMO/08JUN2022//
REF/B/DOC/DEPSECDEF MEMO/08AUG2024//
REF/C/DOC/DOD BOP REFERENCE AND INFORMATION GUIDE/OCT 2024//
REF/D/DOC/DODINST 6490.13/28MAY2024//
REF/E/DOC/DODINST 6490.03/19JUL2019//
NARR/REF A IS THE DOD BLAST OVERPRESSURE POLICY. REF B IS A
DEPSECDECF MEMO REGARDING COMPREHENSIVE STRATEGY AND ACTION PLAN FOR
WARFIGHTER BRAIN HEALTH. REF C IS THE DOD BLAST OVERPRESSURE
REFERENCE INFORMATION GUIDE (D BOP RIG). REF D IS THE DOD
COMPREHENSIVE POLICY ON TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY-RELATED
NEUROCOGNITIVE ASSESSMENTS BY THE MILITARY. REF E IS THE DOD POLICY
ON DEPLOYMENT HEALTH//
POC1/LTCOL M.C. SCHMIDT, RISK MANAGEMENT DIRECTORATE (RMD)/
TEL: 703-571-4586 /EMAIL: MICHAEL.C.SCHMIDT@USMC.MIL.//
POC2/CWO5 H.G. TAYLOR JR., RISK MANAGEMENT DIRECTORATE (RMD)/
TEL: 703-571-4585 /EMAIL: HARRY.TAYLOR@USMC.MIL.//
POC3/C.R. HORTON/EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR/RMD-SD/TEL: (703)571-4588/
EMAIL: CHRISTOPHER.HORTON@USMC.MIL.//
POC4/COL T.K. GALLAGHER JR/DIRECTOR, SAFETY DIVISION (SD)/
TEL:(703) 571-4557/ EMAIL: TIMOTHY.K.GALLAGHER@USMC.MIL.//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1. The Marine Corps is committed to the health and
safety of all Sailors, Marines, and civilian employees. Decades of
combat operations have demonstrated that some injuries, particularly
internal brain injuries, may not be immediately apparent. Repeated
exposure to certain conditions can have cumulative effects. As the
science surrounding these exposures continues to evolve, we
recognize a potential relationship between blast overpressure
(BOP) exposure to low-level blasts or operation of certain weapons
systems and injury. BOP results from exposure to events that
release energy through multiple pathways (impulse noise, pressure
waves, body acceleration, and vibration). These exposures may occur
in combat operations and training environments.
2. Effective immediately, the Director of Risk Management
Directorate (RMD) is the Marine Corps’ BOP coordinating authority
for the service. This message establishes RMD as the coordinating
office for all BOP actions, both internal to the service and with
external agencies. BOP actions include but are not limited to the
experimentation, testing, or use of BOP monitoring products,
recording of weapons systems overpressures with service agencies, or
testing and evaluating mitigation procedures or improvised products.
3. RMD oversight as the coordinating authority will ensure
transparency, foster accountability, and reinforce the Marine Corps’
commitment to mitigating risk associated with BOP exposure through
meaningful impacts and tangible outcomes. Implementation of a
coordinating office is not intended to suppress any experimentation
or ongoing collaborative efforts being conducted. It is requested
that all Marine Corps units working on BOP initiatives, whether at
the Headquarters Marine Corps level, installations, or Fleet Marine
Force, communicate via email with the points of contact (POC) listed
in this message.
4. Specific units with equities in BOP initiatives are specified in
Enterprise Task Management Software Solution,(ETMS2) task ID#
DON-251030-8R5B. The units specified in ETMS2 are not necessarily
an all-inclusive list. If there are any additional units that hold
equity in BOP or are currently involved in any BOP related
initiatives, please provide BOP primary and alternate POC's, as
requested above, for those who coordinate actions internal to their
organization. These POC's will be requested to participate in
service coordination working groups beginning November 2025.
5. This message applies to the Total Force.
6. Release authorized by Lieutenant General Paul J. Rock, Jr.,
Director, Marine Corps Staff.//