R 260909Z SEP 00  ZYW
FM CMC WASHINGTON DC//CMC//
TO ALMAR
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UNCLAS  //N01040//
ALMAR 035/00
MSGID/GENADMIN//
SUBJ/FY00 FIRST TERM ALIGNMENT PLAN (FTAP) CLOSE OUT//
REF/A/ALMAR 23/99/REF B/MARADMIN/329/00//
NARR/REF A IS THE COMMANDANT'S PLANNING GUIDANCE.  REF B PROVIDES
EXECUTION GUIDELINES FOR THE FY01 FTAP.//
RMKS/1.  I AM PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE WE MET OUR FIRST TERM ALIGNMENT
PLAN (FTAP) GOAL.  LAST OCTOBER OUR PLANNERS DETERMINED THE MARINE
CORPS WOULD NEED TO RETAIN 5,787 FIRST TERM MARINES TO MEET THE
DEMAND FOR AN EXPERIENCED CAREER FORCE.  OUR LEADERSHIP AND THE
MARINE CORPS' PROFESSIONAL CAREER PLANNING FORCE ANALYZED THE
MISSION, CAME UP WITH COURSES OF ACTION, AND CARRIED OUT THE ATTACK
TO ACCOMPLISH THE MISSION.
2.  AS I STATED IN MY COMMANDANT'S GUIDANCE, "THE STRENGTH OF THE
CORPS IS THE MARINE AND THE STRENGTH OF THE MARINE IS THE CORPS."
OUR INDIVIDUAL MARINES WHO COMMITTED TO "STAYING MARINE" MADE IT
POSSIBLE TO ACCOMPLISH OUR MISSION AND AT THE SAME TIME STRENGTHENED
OUR CORPS.  THE COUNTRY AND THE MARINE CORPS ARE GRATEFUL FOR THIS
COMMITMENT TO THE DEFENSE OF OUR GREAT NATION.
3.  THESE INDIVIDUAL MARINES WERE IN TURN STRENGTHENED BY A MARINE
CORPS COMPRISED OF MANY FINE LEADERS AT ALL LEVELS.  THE
ACCOMPLISHMENT OF OUR FTAP GOAL IS A TRIBUTE TO THOSE WHO HAVE
MENTORED AND INFLUENCED ALL OUR MARINES.  I WOULD LIKE TO RECOGNIZE
ALL THE LEADERS AND THE UNIT CAREER PLANNERS WHO ENERGIZED THE
PROCESS OF RETENTION.  FROM THE PERSONAL INTERVIEWS AND MENTORING AT
THE UNIT LEVEL TO THE RETENTION ROAD TRIPS AND RAPID PROCESSING OF
THE NECESSARY PAPERWORK, A GREAT DEAL OF ATTENTION AND TIME WAS
EXPENDED.  I COMMEND YOU FOR YOUR EXCEPTIONAL EFFORTS.
4.  WE MUST CONTINUE TO ADDRESS RETENTION AS WE FACE A NEW FISCAL
YEAR.  FY01 WILL ALSO BE A CHALLENGE FOR OUR CORPS.  NOT ONLY MUST
WE RETAIN OUR FIRST TERM MARINES, BUT WE MUST ALSO REENLIST OUR
CAREER MARINES.  THEIR EXPERIENCE AND EXPERTISE HAVE BEEN THE BACK
BONE OF OUR CORPS.  TOGETHER, I AM CONFIDENT WE WILL BE SUCCESSFUL.
5.  THANK YOU FOR ANOTHER JOB WELL DONE.  KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.
STAY IN THE FIGHT AND STAY MARINE.  SEMPER FIDELIS, J. L. JONES,
GENERAL, U.S. MARINE CORPS, COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS.//
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