FM CMC WASHINGTON DC(uc)
TO AL ALMAR(uc)
ALMAR
BT
UNCLASSIFIED
ALMAR 043/03
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC CMC//
SUBJ/COMMANDANT'S GUIDANCE FOR MARINES AFFECTED BY THE RECENT
/MOBILIZATION AND STOP LOSS POLICIES//
REF/A/MSG/CMC/121500ZMAY2003//
REF/B/MSG/CMC/231000ZMAY2003//
REF/C/MSG/CMC/271903ZMAY2003//
NARR/REFERENCE A IS MARADMIN 228/03 AND ANNOUNCES THE TERMINATION OF
THE STOP LOSS AND STOP MOVE POLICIES.  REFERENCE B PROVIDES
ADMINISTRATIVE GUIDANCE ON REMOVING MARINES FROM STOP LOSS.
REFERENCE C PROVIDES ADMINISTRATIVE GUIDANCE ON DEACTIVATION.//
POC/B. J. BYRNE/LTCOL/CMC MPP/-/TEL:COMM 703 784 9363/-//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1.  AS THE BATTLES IN OUR NATION'S WAR ON TERRORISM
CONTINUE,  I WANT TO REINFORCE OUR CORPS' REQUIREMENT TO ENSURE A
POSITIVE EXPERIENCE BY THOSE MARINES TRANSITIONING FROM OUR RANKS  
CONTINUING THE DIGNITY AND RESPECT THEY HAVE EARNED THROUGH THEIR
SELFLESS AND COURAGEOUS SERVICE.
2.  IT IS MY INTENT THAT ALL MARINES AFFECTED BY THE RECENT
MOBILIZATION AND STOP LOSS POLICIES RECEIVE THE UTMOST
PROFESSIONAL CONSIDERATION AS THEY UNDERGO DEACTIVATION AND
TRANSITION.  "TAKING CARE OF OUR OWN" MEANS:
A.  PROVIDING APPROPRIATE RECOGNITION;
B.  ENSURING HIGHEST LEVEL OF MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH;
C.  DOCUMENTING RECORD OF SERVICE;
D.  PROVIDING INFORMATION ON VETERANS BENEFITS; AND
E.  RETURNING MARINES TO THEIR PLACE OF RESIDENCE.
3.  MARINES CONTINUE TO SERVE OUR CORPS FAITHFULLY AFTER THEY LEAVE
ACTIVE SERVICE.  THEY CONNECT THE CORPS TO THE SOCIETY THAT WE
DEFEND AND SET THE EXAMPLE FOR THOSE WHO WILL SERVE IN THE FUTURE.  
ADDITIONALLY, THEY SUPPORT THOSE CURRENTLY WEARING OUR UNIFORM ON A
DAILY BASIS AND MANY JOIN THE RESERVE COMPONENT, PREPARING TO SERVE
ACTIVELY IN THE FUTURE.  THE TREATMENT MARINES RECEIVE SHOULD
REMAIN CONSISTENTLY HIGH THROUGH THEIR TRANSITION, DOING SO WILL
LEAVE A LASTING IMPRESSION.  WE WILL SERVE THEM AS FAITHFULLY AS
THEY HAVE SERVED THE CORPS AND THE NATION.
4.  SEMPER FIDELIS.  M. W. HAGEE, GENERAL, U.S. MARINE CORPS,
COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS//