R 281200Z OCT 97 ZYB
FM CMC WASHINGTON DC//MP//
TO ALMAR
UNCLAS //N01900//
ALMAR 359/97
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC MPO-47//
SUBJ/CY 1997 EARLY RELEASE POLICY FOR CHRISTMAS/NEW YEAR HOLIDAY
/PERIOD//
REF/A/DOC/SECNAV/27DEC83//
REF/B/DOC/PERS-202A/30JUL91/NOTAL//
REF/C/DOC/CMCMHF/17MAR95//
REF/D/GENADMIN/CMC M-RA/230901MAY95//
REF/E/DOC/MMSR/-//
REF/F/DOC/MIF/29MAR95//
REF/G/DOC/DFAS-KC-FSP/24AUG95//
REF/H/DOC/DOD/22JUL96 //
NARR /REF A IS SECNAVINST 1910.4, ENLISTED ADMINISTRATIVE
SEPARATIONS. REF B IS SECNAVINST 1900.7G, SEPARATION PAY FOR
INVOLUNTARY SEPARATION FROM ACTIVE DUTY. REF C IS MCO P1754.5,
TRANSITION ASSISTANCE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM. REF D IS ALMAR 158-95.
REF E IS MCO P1900.16E, MARCORSEPMAN. REF F IS MCO P1080.40H, MCTFS
PRIM. REF G IS DFAS-KC 7220.31-R, MCTFS, APSM. REF H IS THE DODFMR.
RMKS/1. THIS ALMAR ESTABLISHES AUTHORITY AND CRITERIA FOR THE EARLY
RELEASE OF ENLISTED MARINES AND RESERVE OFFICERS WHOSE TERM OF ACTIVE
SERVICE WILL EXPIRE DURING THE CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR HOLIDAY PERIOD.
2. COMMANDING OFFICERS ARE AUTHORIZED TO DISCHARGE OR RELEASE FROM
ACTIVE DUTY, SUBJECT TO CONCURRENCE IN WRITING BY THE INDIVIDUAL
MARINE, ALL RESERVE OFFICERS AND ENLISTED MARINES WHO WOULD NORMALLY
BE GRANTED LEAVE DURING THE HOLIDAY SEASON AND WHOSE EAS WILL OCCUR
DURING THE PERIOD 15 DEC 97 THROUGH 5 JAN 98, INCLUSIVE. SEPARATE NO
EARLIER THAN 8 DEC 97.
3. THIS PROGRAM IS LIMITED TO PERSONNEL STATIONED IN THE 50 STATES,
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, OR IN THEIR AREA OF RESIDENCE IN DEPENDENCIES,
TRUSTS, TERRITORIES, AND COMMONWEALTHS.
4. GENERAL INFORMATION
A. IN THE EVENT OF FUTURE RECALL, MARINES RELEASED UNDER THIS
ALMAR WILL BE CONSIDERED AS BEING IN THE SAME STATUS AS THOSE WHO
HAVE COMPLETED THEIR OBLIGATED PERIOD OF ACTIVE DUTY.
B. ENLISTED PERSONNEL SEPARATED UNDER AUTHORITY OF THIS ALMAR,
WHO ARE ELIGIBLE AS OF THEIR NORMAL EAS DATE, MAY BE AWARDED THE
GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL.
C. PERSONNEL WHO ARE ENTITLED TO SEPARATION PAY UPON NORMAL EAS,
AND WHO ELECT EARLY RELEASE FROM ACTIVE DUTY UNDER THIS ALMAR,
WILL RETAIN THEIR ENTITLEMENT TO SEPARATION PAY PROVIDED THEY HAVE
COMPLETED 6 YEARS OF ACTIVE SERVICE PRIOR TO THE DAY OF EARLY
RELEASE FROM ACTIVE DUTY. SUCH PERSONNEL ARE REMINDED THAT
EARLY RELEASE FROM ACTIVE DUTY UNDER THIS ALMAR COULD AFFECT THE
AMOUNT OF THEIR SEPARATION PAY. REF B PRESCRIBES THE METHOD OF
COMPUTING SEPARATION PAY. FURTHERMORE, IF EARLY RELEASE WOULD
DISQUALIFY PERSONNEL FOR SEP PAY DUE TO LENGTH OF SERVICE CRITERIA
UNDER THE LAW, PERSONNEL WILL NOT BE RELEASED FROM ACTIVE DUTY UNTIL
THEIR SERVICE LENGTH CRITERIA HAS BEEN MET.
D. PERSONNEL WHO ARE ENTITLED TO THE SEPARATION BENEFITS,
AUTHORIZED FOR THOSE INVOLUNTARILY SEPARATED PER REFS C AND D, REMAIN
ENTITLED TO THOSE BENEFITS IF RELEASED PER THIS ALMAR.
E. ALIENS WHO WOULD BE RELEASED BEFORE COMPLETING 3 FULL YEARS
OF SERVICE, AS THE RESULT OF THIS PROGRAM, ARE REMINDED OF THE
CONSEQUENCES OF EARLY RELEASE AS SPECIFIED IN PAR 1104.5 OF REF E.
5. ADMINISTRATIVE INSTRUCTIONS
A. SEPARATION UNDER THIS ALMAR WILL BE EFFECTED NOT EARLIER
THAN 8 DEC 97, EXCEPT IN THE CASE OF A RESERVIST ON INITIAL ACTIVE
DUTY FOR TRAINING (IADT). PROVIDED THAT THE RESERVIST IS CONSIDERED
BY THE COMMAND TO BE MOS QUALIFIED AT THE TIME OF SEPARATION, AND
THAT MEANINGFUL TRAINING IS NOT AVAILABLE DURING THE PERIOD OF 15 DEC
97 TO 5 JAN 98, RESERVISTS ON IADT AND SCHEDULED FOR COMPLETION OF
IADT BETWEEN THIS TIME FRAME MAY BE RELEASED FROM ACTIVE DUTY BASED
UPON ACTUAL OR CONSTRUCTIVE TRAVEL TIME FOR TRANSFER BACK TO THEIR
RESERVE UNITS ON 12 DEC 97.
B. FOR RESERVE OFFICERS WHO REQUEST EARLY RELEASE FROM ACTIVE
DUTY UNDER THIS ALMAR, COMMANDING OFFICERS ARE AUTHORIZED TO
MODIFY ORDERS ISSUED THEM BY CMC WHICH DIRECTED SUCH RELEASE.
C. THIS ALMAR AND PAR 6404.3 OF REF E ARE THE AUTHORITIES FOR
DISCHARGE OR RELEASE OF ENLISTED PERSONNEL.
D. THIS ALMAR IS THE AUTHORITY FOR RELEASE OF RESERVE OFFICERS.
E. RELEASE OF REGULAR AND RESERVE ENLISTED OBLIGORS FROM ACTIVE
DUTY WILL BE EFFECTED PER REF E. CONCURRENCE, IN WRITING, WILL
BE ACCOMPLISHED BY APPROPRIATE ENTRY ON PAGE 11 OF THE SRB/OQR.
F. COMMANDERS APPROVING SUCH SEPARATIONS FOR ENLISTED PERSONNEL
WILL DESIGNATE A SPECIFIC DATE FOR SEPARATION AND DIRECT THE
SEPARATING UNIT TO REPORT THE SEPARATION DATE IMMEDIATELY AS A
NEW EAS/ECC VIA UNIT DIARY ENTRY PER PAR 5060/5061 OF REF F.
G. UNIT DIARY ENTRIES REPORTING RELEASE FROM ACTIVE DUTY OR
DISCHARGE WILL BE SUBMITTED PER PAR 4300 OF REF F.
(1) THE SEPARATION PROGRAM DESIGNATOR (SPD) FOR ENLISTED
PERSONNEL BEING RELEASED FROM ACTIVE DUTY IS MDM6 UNDER CHRISTMAS
EARLY RELEASE (WITH THE EXCEPTION OF RESERVISTS COMPLETING IADT
AND MARINES BEING INVOLUNTARILY SEPARATED AT THEIR EAS).
(2) THE SPD FOR RESERVISTS COMPLETING IADT IS MBK2.
(3) THE SPD FOR THOSE BEING SEPARATED INVOLUNTARILY AT THEIR
EAS, AND WHO QUALIFY FOR THE TRANSITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (TAP)
BENEFITS IS LBK1 PER PAR 6B OF REF C.
(4) FOR RESERVE OFFICERS BEING RELEASED FROM ACTIVE
DUTY, REFER TO PCS/RELACDU ORDERS ISSUED BY CMC (MMOA-3) FOR THE SPD.
(5) AN SPD OF KDM4 WILL BE REPORTED FOR ALL ENLISTED
PERSONNEL BEING DISCHARGED WHO HAVE COMPLETED AT LEAST 8 YEARS OF
SERVICE AND DO NOT DESIRE TO BE TRANSFERRED TO THE MARINE CORPS
RESERVE (WITH THE EXCEPTION OF MARINES BEING INVOLUNTARILY DISCHARGED
AT THEIR ECC).
(6) THE SPD FOR THOSE MARINES SEPARATED INVOLUNTARILY AT
THEIR ECC, AND WHO QUALIFY FOR TAP BENEFITS IS JBK1 SEE PAR 6A
OF REF D.
6. THIS ALMAR IS NOT APPLICABLE TO:
A. PERSONNEL ON EXTENSIONS OF ACTIVE DUTY.
B. PERSONNEL SCHEDULED FOR TRANSFER TO THE FMCR OR RETIRED LIST.
C. PERSONNEL TAKING SEPARATION LEAVE.
D. PERSONNEL WHOSE LOSS, IN THE JUDGMENT OF THE COMMANDING
OFFICER, WOULD ADVERSELY AFFECT THE OPERATIONAL CAPABILITIES OF THE
COMMAND.
E. PERSONNEL WHOSE NORMAL EAS OCCURS AFTER 5 JAN 98 AND WHO ARE
QUALIFIED/APPROVED FOR EARLY RELEASE DURING THIS PERIOD PER PARS 6405
AND 6420 OF REF E.
F. PERSONNEL WHO ARE INDEBTED TO THE GOVERNMENT (TO INCLUDE
ADVANCE AND EXCESS LEAVE).
G. PERSONNEL BEING RELEASED UNDER OTHER HQMC DIRECTED EARLY OUT
PROGRAMS, I.E., EDUCATION.
7. PER PAR 6F ABOVE, INDEBTED PERSONNEL DESIRING EARLY SEPARATION
WILL BE PERMITTED TO MAKE ACCELERATED REPAYMENT OF THEIR DEBTS BY
INCREASING SCHEDULED INSTALLMENT AMOUNTS OR BY MAKING CASH
REMITTANCES PRIOR TO SEPARATION. REF G CONTAINS PROCEDURES FOR
INCREASING THE INSTALLMENT SCHEDULE AMOUNTS AND FOR MAKING CASH
COLLECTIONS TO REPAY THE INDEBTEDNESS.
8. OUTSTANDING BALANCES OF NAVY AND MARINE CORPS RELIEF LOANS ARE
DEBTS WHICH MUST BE REPAID PRIOR TO SEPARATION APPROVAL PER REF H.
SEE PAR 70501 OF REF H FOR PROCEDURES CONCERNING REPAYMENT OF NAVY
AND MARINE CORPS RELIEF LOANS UPON SEPARATION PRIOR TO EAS.
9. RECOUPMENT OF ENLISTMENT OR REENLISTMENT BONUSES WILL NOT BE
MADE FROM PERSONNEL SEPARATED UNDER THIS ALMAR.
10. PERSONNEL WHO MANIFEST SYMPTOMS OF PERSIAN GULF ILLNESS (PGI)
AND ARE UNDERGOING EVALUATION IN THE COMPREHENSIVE CLINICAL
EVALUATION PROGRAM (CCEP) WILL NOT BE SEPARATED UNDER THIS
AUTHORITY UNTIL THAT PROCESS IS COMPLETE OR UNTIL A WAIVER OF
TREATMENT/EVALUATION HAS BEEN EXECUTED.
11. PRIOR TO DISCHARGE OR RELEASE FROM ACTIVE DUTY UNDER THIS
ALMAR, INVOLUNTARILY SEPARATED MARINES WHO ELECT TO ENROLL IN THE
MONTGOMERY GI BILL (MGIB) SHOULD ENSURE A FULL $1200.00 HAS BEEN
DEDUCTED FROM THEIR PAY TO ENSURE ELIGIBILITY FOR EDUCATIONAL
BENEFITS. THESE MARINES CAN MAKE A LUMP SUM PAYMENT TO THEIR LOCAL
DISBURSING OFFICE, IF NECESSARY. DISBURSING OFFICERS SHOULD INCLUDE
ON NAVCOMPT FORM 2277 THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT IN BLOCK 9C: CASH
COLLECTION DUE TO EARLY CHRISTMAS RELEASE FOR SPECIAL MGIB ENROLLMENT
FOR INVOLUNTARILY SEPARATED MARINES.
12. IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT COMMANDS NOTIFY THEIR DISBURSING
OFFICER REGARDING EACH MARINE'S SEPARATION, PER REF G, ENSURING THAT
POE AND ABS ACTIONS (ALLOTMENTS, DIRECT DEPOSIT, LEAVE ACCOUNTS,
INDEBTEDNESS TO THE GOVERNMENT, OBLIGATED SERVICE, ETC.) ARE SETTLED
PRIOR TO A MARINE'S SEPARATION. FOR ALL CASES OF EARLY SEPARATIONS
(NON-EAS OR PRIOR TO ECC) THOSE ORGANIZATIONS RESPONSIBLE FOR
SEPARATING MARINES ARE REQUIRED TO NOTIFY THE DISBURSING OFFICER/
FINANCE OFFICER, ON NAVMC 11116, OF THE PENDING SEPARATION.//
BT