R 161849Z DEC 25
MARADMIN 607/25
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC MRA MP//
SUBJ/FY26 LATERAL MOVE PROGRAM FOR MARINE OFFICERS//
REF/A/DOC/CMC/05APR2020//
REF/B/MSG/CMC/10MAY2021//
REF/C/DOC/CMC/NOV2021//
REF/D/MSGID:DOC/CONGRESS//
NARR/REF A IS MCO 1210.9A LATERAL MOVE (LM) PROGRAMS FOR MARINE
CORPS OFFICERS. REF B IS MCO 1300.8 W/CH 2 MARINE CORPS PERSONNEL
ASSIGNMENT POLICY. REFERENCE C IS TALENT MANAGEMENT 2030. REF D IS
TITLE 10, UNITED STATES CODE 632.
POC/M. A. HAYNES/MAJ/DC MRA/MP/MPP-30/UNRESTRICTED OFFICERS/TEL:
703-784-9365//
POC/J. SCHULZE/MAJ/DC MRA/MM/MMOA-3/TEL: 703-784-9284//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1. Purpose. This MARADMIN announces the Fiscal
Year 2026 (FY26) Lateral Move Program for Marine officers. FY26
lateral move applications will be accepted from the release of this
MARADMIN until 30 September 2026.
2. In accordance with reference (a), additional eligibility
requirements for lateral moves are as follows:
2.a. Career-designated unrestricted officers in the grades of
captain through lieutenant colonel, to include captain-selects
whose Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) is listed in
sub-paragraph 3.a may apply for lateral move.
2.b. Officers serving in Joint Duty Assignment List (JDAL) billets
are eligible if they complete their joint tour by 1 July 2026.
2.c. Officers fulfilling Commandant’s Education Board (CEB)
utilization tours are eligible if they complete their utilization
tour by 1 July 2026.
2.d. Officers passed for promotion are not eligible to apply for
lateral move. Officers previously passed for promotion who have
been subsequently selected for promotion and meet the remaining
eligibility criteria are eligible to apply for lateral move.
2.e. Officers who are slated for command as a result of the Command
Screening Board (CSB) are not eligible. Officers currently in
command are not eligible unless their command tour is complete by 1
July 2026.
2.f. Officers who have not met minimum time on station (TOS)
requirements per reference (b) by 1 July 2026 are not eligible.
2.g. Applicants for lateral move are notified that selection for a
new Primary Military Occupational Specialty (PMOS) may result in
permanent change of station orders from their current geographic
duty station. Per reference (c), monitors will seek to keep Marines
selected for lateral move in the same geographic duty station
whenever circumstances allow it.
2.h. In accordance with reference (a), restricted officers will not
normally be allowed to laterally move except under unusual
circumstances, and then, only to meet the specific grade
requirements of that PMOS.
2.i. Officers who do not meet the eligibility criteria are
ineligible to apply.
3. Sub-paragraph 3.a. lists PMOSs that unrestricted officers may
lateral move out of, and sub-paragraph 3.b. lists PMOSs that
unrestricted officers may lateral move into. These PMOSs are
determined based on current and projected strength levels in each
PMOS. Officers desiring to lateral move out of a PMOS not listed
in sub-paragraph 3.a. or into a PMOS not listed in sub-paragraph
3.b. will not normally be considered.
3.a. Unrestricted officers holding the following PMOSs are eligible
to apply for lateral move into PMOSs listed in paragraph 3.b (read
in two columns):
Captains and Captain-selects:
0302 Infantry Officer
0402 Logistics Officer
1302 Combat Engineer Officer
4502 Communication Strategy and Operations Officer
5803 Military Police Officer
6002 Aircraft Maintenance Officer
6602 Aviation Supply Officer
Majors and Major-selects:
0302 Infantry Officer
0802 Artillery Officer
1302 Combat Engineer Officer
5803 Military Police Officer
Lieutenant Colonels and Lieutenant Colonel-selects:
0202 Intelligence Officer
0302 Infantry Officer
0802 Artillery Officer
1302 Combat Engineer Officer
5803 Military Police Officer
1803 Assault Amphibian Officer
3.b. Eligible officers may request to lateral move into the
following PMOSs (read in two columns):
Captains and Captain-selects:
0102 Manpower Officer
0202 Intelligence Officer
3002 Ground Supply Officer
Majors and Major-selects:
0202 Intelligence Officer
0602 Communications Officer
1803 Assault Amphibian Officer
3002 Ground Supply Officer
3404 Financial Management Officer
Lieutenant Colonels and Lieutenant Colonel-selects:
0102 Manpower Officer
0402 Logistics Officer
0602 Communications Officer
3002 Ground Supply Officer
3404 Financial Management Officer
4502 Communication Strategy and Operations Officer
6002 Aircraft Maintenance Officer
6602 Aviation Supply Officer
3.c. A separate MARADMIN will be released soliciting applications
for lateral move into 1702 Cyberspace Warfare Officer, 1706 Maritime
Space Officer, and 1707 Influence Officer.
3.d. Officers approved for lateral move will incur a 36-month
service obligation upon awarding of the new PMOS at the completion
of their new PMOS school.
3.e. In accordance with reference (d), if an officer is subject to
discharge prior to completing service obligations associated with
lateral movement, the officer shall be retained on active duty until
the obligation is fulfilled, unless the Secretary of the Navy deems
this requirement is not in the best interest of the service.
3.f. Officers who fail to complete the required PMOS school will be
reassigned within their current PMOS, or at the discretion of HQMC
(MMOA).
4. HQMC (MMOA) will verify that lateral move applicants meet the
pre-requisites for the requested PMOS in accordance with the
Military Occupational Specialty Manual.
5. Lateral move applications must be submitted via the NAVMC 10274
Administrative Action (AA) Form. Applications must be endorsed by
the first O-5 commander in the applicant’s chain of command.
Applicants in the grade of O-5 must have their package endorsed by
the first O-6 commander in the applicant’s chain of command. Refer
to the MMOA-3 points of contact for application examples.
5.a. All lateral move applications shall include the following:
5.a.1. At least one but no more than three letters of
recommendation attesting to the applicant’s leadership, technical
skills and abilities, and overall performance.
5.a.2. A personal statement in naval letter format explaining why
the officer desires to lateral move into the requested PMOS. The
applicant will reference any unique experiences relevant to the
gaining PMOS.
5.b. Lateral move applications to PMOS 0202 must include a signed
statement from their Special Security Office (SSO) attesting to the
current security clearance level and date of adjudication, to
include eligibility for TS/SCI.
6. Approval of a lateral move request is subject to multiple
determining factors for each particular MOS. Officers are highly
encouraged to contact their current PMOS monitor prior to submitting
a lateral move application. Officers may also contact a career
counselor (MMRP) prior to submitting a request to evaluate the
career impact of a lateral move.
7. Applications shall be submitted as a single .PDF file to MMOA-3
at SMBMANPOWEROFFICERPR@USMC.MIL and labeled as
“EDIPI_LASTNAME_LM(insert requested PMOS)”.
Submissions will receive an e-mail confirming receipt from MMOA-3.
7.a. Upon receipt of the lateral move application, MMOA-3 will
staff the package with the appropriate stakeholders and prepare the
package for decision.
7.b. Lateral move decisions will be communicated to the Marine via
separate correspondence within 90 days of receipt by MMOA-3.
Officers approved for lateral move will execute orders to the next
available PMOS school or as directed by MMOA.
8. This MARADMIN is not applicable to the Marine Corps Reserve.
9. This MARADMIN cancels on 30 September 2026.
10. Release authorized by Lieutenant General William J. Bowers,
Deputy Commandant for Manpower and Reserve Affairs.//