R 071020Z OCT 02
FM CMC WASHINGTON DC(n)
TO ML ALMAR(n)
ALMAR
BT
UNCLAS
ALMAR 052/02
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON/MMEA-6//
SUBJ/CMC FY02 ENLISTED RETENTION RECAP AND FY03 GOAL//
RMKS/1. ENLISTED RETENTION REACHED A NEW LEVEL OF SUCCESS DURING
FY02 BECAUSE OF THE PERSONAL COMMITMENT AND DEDICATION OF EVERY
COMMANDER, LEADER, AND CAREER RETENTION SPECIALIST. OUR SUCCESS
IN ATTAINING THE FIRST TERM ALIGNMENT PLAN (FTAP) GOAL
IN FY02 IS RIVALED BY THE NUMBER OF QUALITY MARINES DESIRING
REENLISTMENT FOR FY03. AS WE BEGIN THE NEW FISCAL YEAR,
CMC (MMEA 6) HAS ALREADY RECEIVED OVER 4,500 FIRST
TERM REENLISTMENT REQUESTS. I AM CERTAIN THAT OUR GOAL OF 5,986
FIRST TERM REENLISTMENTS FOR FY03 WILL BE ACHIEVED WELL BEFORE THE
END OF THE FISCAL YEAR.
2. FY02 WAS THE PREMIER YEAR FOR THE SUBSEQUENT TERM ALIGNMENT
PLAN (STAP), AND FOCUSED ON RETAINING CAREER MARINES APPROACHING
THEIR SECOND OR THIRD REENLISTMENTS. THE RESOUNDING SUCCESS OF THE
STAP IS REFLECTED BY THE MORE THAN 6,800 REENLISTMENTS, A RESULT
FAR SURPASSING THE ESTABLISHED FY02 GOAL OF 5,784. THANKS TO THE
EFFORTS OF ALL MARINE CORPS LEADERS, RETENTION HAS BECOME
CONTAGIOUS FOR CAREER MARINES. WHILE THE FY03 STAP GOAL OF 6,172
REENLISTMENTS IS MORE AMBITIOUS THAN THE FY02 GOAL, IT IS WELL
WITHIN REACH.
3. WHILE COMBATING THE FORCES OF TERRORISM, THE FUTURE PATHS WE
FACE ARE UNCERTAIN. AS SUCH, THE IMPORTANCE OF RETAINING OUR BEST
AND BRIGHTEST MARINES HAS NEVER BEEN GREATER.
4. I AM PROUD OF OUR RETENTION SUCCESS. I COMMEND THE COMMANDERS,
CAREER RETENTION SPECIALISTS, AND ALL LEADERS WHO CONTRIBUTED TO
MEETING OUR GOALS.
5. SEMPER FIDELIS, J. L. JONES, GENERAL, U.S. MARINE CORPS,
COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS.//