P 141223Z MAR 00  ZYW
FM CMC WASHINGTON DC//CMC//
TO ALMAR
BT
UNCLAS  //N01040//
ALMAR 017/00
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC MMEA//
POC/MMEA-6/DSN 278-9240//
POC/MPP-20/DSN 278-9361//
SUBJ/RETENTION STAND DOWN//
RMKS/1.  TO BOOST THIS YEAR'S RETENTION EFFORTS, I AM DIRECTING
A TWO-DAY, NO LATER THAN 31 MARCH 2000, MARINE CORPS WIDE
RETENTION STAND DOWN.  MY INTENT IS FOR ALL OR US TO SPEND THE BETTER
PART OF 48 HOURS FOCUSING ON REENLISTING OUR MARINES.  THE MARINE
CORPS MUST REMAIN STRONG AS WE CONFRONT THE CHALLENGES OF THE 21ST
CENTURY.  TO DO THIS, WE MUST ROLL-UP OUR SLEEVES AND PERSONALLY TALK
TO EACH MARINE WHO HAS AN END OF ACTIVE SERVICE (EAS) DATE DURING
THIS FY.
2.  MY IMMEDIATE OBJECTIVE IS TO REACH THIS YEAR'S CHALLENGING FY00
FIRST TERM ALIGNMENT PLAN (FTAP) GOAL OF 5,788 MARINES.
WE SHOULD ENCOURAGE OUR FIRST TERM MARINES TO REMAIN IN THE CORPS
WITH US.  PLEASE MAKE SURE ALL HANDS UNDERSTAND, DISSEMINATE, AND
SUPERVISE THE PROGRESS OF APPORTIONED FTAP REQUIREMENTS.  NEXT,
PLEASE CONCENTRATE ON KEEPING OUR CAREERISTS SO FUTURE FTAP GOALS DO
NOT INCREASE.  WE MUST SEEK OUT ALL CAREER MARINES WITH AN UPCOMING
EAS AND EXPLAIN THE BENEFITS OF REMAINING IN THE MARINE CORPS.
3.  MANY SUCCESSFUL UNIT INITIATIVES ARE ALREADY UNDERWAY AND I
APPLAUD YOUR INNOVATION.  THE KEY FOR OUR STAND DOWN WILL BE COMMAND
INVOLVEMENT.  WE KNOW WHAT WE ARE UP AGAINST AND WE SHOULD ATTACK.
WE NEED TO DEVELOP A SCHEDULE TO ADDRESS EACH OF OUR MARINES ON A
PERSONAL LEVEL, AND UTILIZE ALL AVAILABLE ASSETS TO ANSWER THEIR
QUESTIONS.  IN ADDITION TO OUR LEADERS AND CAREER PLANNERS, THE BASE
MARINE CORPS COMMUNITY SERVICES PERSONNEL SHOULD PLAY AN INTEGRAL
ROLE IN THE STAND DOWN.  HEADQUARTERS MARINE CORPS (MMEA-6) WILL
REMAIN AT THE READY DURING ALL HOURS TO ACCOMMODATE ANY ON-THE-SPOT
REENLISTMENTS, OR FIELD ANY RETENTION QUESTIONS.  LIKEWISE, OUR
ENLISTED PLANNERS (MPP-20) WILL PROVIDE APPORTIONED COMMANDS WITH
ENLISTED RETENTION BRIEFS (HARD COPY AND PRESENTATION FORMAT)
SUITABLE FOR REPRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTION TO SUBORDINATE COMMANDS.
IN ADDITION, WE ARE OFFERING A TEAM FROM MMEA TO ALL DIVISION,
WING, FSSG, BASE OR STATION COMMANDERS WHO DESIRE THEIR PRESENCE TO
ASSIST YOUR REENLISTMENT EFFORTS.  THEIR RECENT EXPERIENCE DURING A
WEST COAST COMMAND VISIT YIELDED TREMENDOUS RESULTS (165 ON THE
SPOT REENLISTMENTS).
4.  THE QUALITY OF OUR RETENTION STAND DOWN RESTS WITH EACH
COMMANDER AND OUR SNCO LEADERSHIP.  WE ARE ONLY LIMITED BY OUR
IMAGINATION AND WE SHOULD SHARE SUCCESSFUL ENTERPRISES.  TAKE CARE
OF OUR MARINES BY SPENDING THE TIME TO TELL THEM WE APPRECIATE THEIR
CONTRIBUTIONS AND NEED THEM TO CONTINUE SERVING OUR COUNTRY'S BELOVED
CORPS IN THE FUTURE.  OUR EFFORTS THUS FAR HAVE BEEN COMMENDABLE AND
ARE GREATLY APPRECIATED.  CONTINUE TO MARCH.  SEMPER FIDELIS,
J. L. JONES, GENERAL, COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS.//
BT