R 201519Z APR 26
MARADMIN 181/26
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC MRA MM//
SUBJ/FISCAL YEAR 2028 (FY28) HEADQUARTERS MARINE CORPS SPECIAL DUTY
ASSIGNMENT CAMPAIGN//
REF/A/MSGID: MCO/CMC/YMD: 2021MAY11//
REF/B/MSGID: MSG/CMC/DTG: 101434ZDEC25//
REF/C/MSGID: MCO/CMC/DTG: 2013AUG06//
REF/D/MSGID: MSG/CMC/DTG: 211824ZOCT20//
REF/E/MSGID: MSG/CMC/DTG: 231500ZFEB26//
REF/F/MSGID: MSG/CMC/DTG: 041701ZMAR25//
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
590/25, FISCAL YEAR 2027 ENLISTED RETENTION CAMPAIGN. REF (C) IS
MCO 7220.12R, SPECIAL DUTY ASSIGNMENT PAY, ASSIGNMENT INCENTIVE PAY,
AND VOLUNTEER SUPPLEMENTAL INCENTIVE. REF (D) IS MARADMIN 628/20
SPECIAL DUTY ASSIGNMENT PAY, ASSIGNMENT INCENTIVE PAY, AND VOLUNTEER
SUPPLEMENTAL INCENTIVE FOR FISCAL YEAR 2021. REF (E) IS
MARADMIN 060/26 NONCOMPETITIVE ACTIVE-DUTY CORPORAL TO SERGEANT
DRILL INSTRUCTOR PROMOTIONS. REF (F) IS MARADMIN 103/25
NONCOMPETITIVE ACTIVE DUTY CORPORAL TO SERGEANT RECRUITER
PROMOTIONS//
POC/P. N. DELACRUZ/MAJ/MMEA-25 UNIT HEAD/TEL: 703-784-9257/
EMAIL: PATRICK.DELACRUZ@USMC.MIL//
POC/E. J. SERWAS/SSGT/SDA RETENTION CHIEF/TEL: 703-432-9745/
EMAIL: ERICH.SERWAS@USMC.MIL//
POC/B. J. WALKER/GYSGT/RECRUITING MONITOR/TEL: 703-432-9474/
EMAIL: BLAKE.WALKER@USMC.MIL//
POC/Y. A. HENDERSON/GYSGT/DRILL INSTRUCTOR MONITOR/TEL:
703-432-9472/EMAIL: YAFFA.HENDERSON@USMC.MIL//
POC/D. A. HAMRICK/GYSGT/MSG MONITOR/TEL: 703-432-9476/
EMAIL: DAVID.A.HAMRICK.MIL@USMC.MIL//
POC/B. S. WILKINS/GYSGT/COMBAT INSTRUCTOR MONITOR/TEL: 703-432-9473/
EMAIL: BRANDON.WILKINS@USMC.MIL//
POC/C. SANTUARIO/SSGT/ASSISTANT SPECIAL DUTY ASSIGNMENTS MONITOR/
TEL: 703-432-9474/EMAIL: CECILIA.SANTUARIO@USMC.MIL//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1. This message announces the FY28 Headquarters
Marine Corps (HQMC) Special Duty Assignment (SDA) Campaign and
provides coordinating instructions for requesting billets as a
Recruiter, Drill Instructor, Combat Instructor, or Marine Security
Guard Detachment Commander (MSG DC). The SDA Campaign outlines
the timelines and procedures of the FY28 voluntary and involuntary
assignment periods.
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 meritorious
promotions, financial incentives, and duty station preferences, an
SDA tour is intellectually rewarding and physically and mentally
challenging.
3. Situation. The goal of the FY28 SDA Campaign is to fulfill
all SDA requirements with volunteers by building upon the sustained
volunteerism of recent years and improving the reliability and
quality of assignments. The FY28 SDA Campaign will be executed via
voluntary and (if required) involuntary assignment periods. Marines
approved for an FY28 SDA will have a class report date between 1
October 2027 and 30 September 2028.
4. Concept of Operations
4.a. Phase I: Voluntary Assignment Period (VAP)
4.a.1. The VAP begins on 1 May 2026 and ends 12 February 2027.
During this phase, HQMC will accept and review volunteer packages
for potential assignment to an SDA of the Marine’s choice. The
intent of this phase is to fulfill as many FY28 SDA openings as
possible and minimize the requirement for involuntary assignments.
See paragraph 5 for eligibility information.
4.a.2. From 29 July 2026 to 3 September 2026, the SDA monitors will
conduct the SDA Opportunities Brief to promote SDA and
screenable duty opportunities.
4.a.3. Major Subordinate Commands (MSCs) may request monitor visits
for an execution date after the SDA Opportunities Brief by
completing the Manpower Management Enlisted Assignments (MMEA)
Retention Assist Visit Request Form on the MMEA Manpower and Reserve
Affairs website.
4.a.4. The SDA Monitors will conduct a second roadshow beginning in
December 2026 to encourage Marines to volunteer before
the involuntary assignment period. The details of this roadshow
will be published in a separate MARADMIN. MSC career counselors can
expect to receive a list of SDA-eligible Marines via the Total Force
Retention System (TFRS) in November 2026 to assist with volunteer
solicitation prior to the Involuntary Assignment Period (IVAP).
4.b. Phase II: IVAP
4.b.1. The IVAP, commonly known as the HQMC SDA Screening Team
(HSST) assignment period, will begin 1 March 2027. The intent of
this period is to assign only the minimum number of Marines needed
to fulfill the remaining FY28 SDA openings. Eligible Marines will
be screened for involuntary assignment via the HSST. The IVAP will
end on 31 July 2027.
4.b.2. After 1 March 2027, 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. Marines who will have a minimum of 24 months time of station
prior to their FY28 class report date are eligible to volunteer and
encouraged to contact their career counselors and monitors 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 24 months in that MOS prior to the FY28
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 Reenlistment, Extension, Lateral Move (RELM)” via
TFRS to HQMC with the assistance of the unit career counselor.
Career counselors should include a comment in the RELM about the
Marine’s duty and class preference.
5.f. To be considered an SDA volunteer, Marines must have a
completed "SDA RELM" submitted in TFRS with a "Submitted Date" of
12 February 2027 or earlier and be requesting assignment to one of
the following duties: Recruiter, Drill Instructor, Combat
Instructor, or MSG Detachment Commander. Marines desiring to
volunteer should plan accordingly as package signature dates will
not be used to determine a Marine's volunteer status.
5.f.1. Marines with a request for a non-SDA screenable duty
(i.e. MSG Watch Stander) that are still pending in TFRS after
13 February 2027 will be considered SDA volunteers, but may still be
required to submit HSST screening materials if initial request is
disapproved. Marines submitting for these duties should plan to
submit early to receive prompt adjudication or submit these requests
with an SDA duty as a secondary preference.
5.f.2. The majority of Combat Instructor billets are restricted to
infantry PMOSs. As such, Infantry Marines are more likely to
receive directed assignments to Combat Instructor duty and should
request an assignment early in the volunteer period to secure
volunteer status.
5.f.3. Only a small portion of Combat Instructor billets are open
to Marines of any PMOS and these are regularly filled with
volunteers. Marines seeking this duty are encouraged to volunteer
early in the volunteer period to secure their assignment as these
billets will likely not be available near or during the IVAP.
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 future SDA assignment.
7. Financial Incentives. Per reference (d), 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,
volunteers for Recruiting, Drill Instructor, and MSG DC duty will
receive a Voluntary Supplemental Incentive (VSI) of $10,000.00 paid
in monthly payments of $278.00 or in lump sum. Note, Combat
Instructors will not receive VSI.
7.a. Lump Sum AIP Agreement. Commanders will ensure proper
documentation via NAVMC 118 (11) for all Marines electing single
lump sum payment in accordance with reference (d).
7.b. Current volunteer financial incentives per reference (d):
Duty Total (monthly VSI) Total (lump sum VSI)
Recruiter $703 per month $425 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.c. Current non-volunteer financial incentives per reference (d):
Duty Total (SDAP and AIP only)
Recruiter $425.00 per month
Drill Instructor $300.00 per month
MSG DC $300.00 per month
7.d. Financial incentives for all Combat Instructors per
reference (d):
Duty Total (SDAP and AIP only)
Combat Instructor $300.00 per month
8. Volunteers seeking assignment to Recruiting Duty will be
eligible to apply for a recruiting station (RS) of their choice via
the Recruiting Station Incentive (RSI) program pending RS
availability, as outlined in a future MARADMIN publication.
8.a. Marines that submitted for an FY28 recruiting assignment
prior to the release of the FY28 Recruiting Station Preference
Incentive for Recruiting Duty SDA Volunteers MARADMIN will
need to submit an "SDA ONLY" RELM requesting an RSI. RSIs are first
come, first serve.
9. Questions regarding the FY28 SDA Campaign should be referred to
the POCs listed above.
10. Release authorized by BGen Fridrik Fridriksson, Director,
Manpower Management Division.//