R 040700Z DEC 97 ZYB
FM CMC WASHINGTON DC//ARD/C4I//
TO ALMAR
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UNCLAS //N05600//
ALMAR 403/97
MSGID/GENADMIN//
SUBJ/CLARIFICATION OF USE OF INTERNET AND COMPACT DISC (CD)
PUBLICATIONS//
REF/A/MCO P5600.31//
POC/MR. BOB RENNER/GS11/PRIPHN:(703)614-2951/PRIFRQ:224-2951/-//
RMKS/1.  CMC (ARD), FIELD SUPPLY AND MAINTAINANCE ANALYSIS OFFICES,
AND THE MARINE CORPS PUBLICATIONS STOCK POINT ALBANY GA HAVE RECEIVED
NUMEROUS QUESTIONS CONCERNING OFFICIAL STATUS OF ELECTRONIC
PUBLICATIONS.
2.  FOR CLARIFICATION, HAVING ACCESS TO MARINE CORPS PUBLICATIONS VIA
THE INTERNET AND CD DOES NOT RELIEVE THE COMMANDER FROM THE
OBLIGATION TO HAVE PAPER COPIES OF MISSION ESSENTIAL PUBLICATIONS ON
HAND (OR ON ORDER) EQUAL TO QUANTITIES ON THE UNIT'S PUBLICATION
LISTING.  UNTIL THERE IS A CAPABILITY TO DISSEMINATE AND RETRIEVE
ELECTRONIC MARINE CORPS PUBLICATIONS THROUGHOUT THE MARINE CORPS,
COMMANDERS SHALL MAINTAIN PAPER COPIES OF ALL PUBS CONSIDERED TO BE
MISSION-ESSENTIAL.  DIGITAL VERSIONS HAVE NOT YET BEEN CLASSIFIED AS
"OFFICIAL."  ADDITIONALLY, THE REFERENCE'S  PROHIBITION OF LOCALLY
REPRODUCING PUBLICATIONS DOES NOT APPLY TO THE OUTPUTTING OF AN
ELECTRONIC FILE FROM A PERSONAL COMPUTER.
3.  POLICY AND GUIDANCE FOR DIGITAL VERSIONS OF MARINE CORPS
PUBLICATIONS WILL BE PROMULGATED WHEN THE TECHNOLOGY IS ADEQUATELY
DEVELOPED TO GUARANTEE THE IMMEDIATE AND UNIVERSAL ACCESS TO ALL
USERS.
4.  PARAGRAPH 2 ABOVE ADDRESSES THE PREPONERENCE OF FIELD INQUIRIES.
RELATED QUESTIONS SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO MR. D. H. REYNOLDS CMC (ARD)
DSN 224-3075.//
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