R 221253Z JUL 09
UNCLASSIFIED//
MARADMIN 0433/09
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC PA//
SUBJ/2009 GENERAL OFFICER PARTICIPATION IN USMC BIRTHDAY BALLS//
REF/A/MSGID:DOC/CMC WASHINGTON DC/YMD:20060830//
REF/B/MSGID:DOC/SECNAVINST 5720.44B/YMD:20051001//
REF/C/MSGID:DOC/DOD DIRECTIVE 4500.5/YMD:19970302//
NARR/REF A IS CMC GREEN LETTER 02-06, GENERAL OFFICER AND SPOUSAL TRAVEL IN SUPPORT OF MARINE CORPS BIRTHDAY BALLS.  REF B IS THE SECNAVINST 5720.44B, DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY PUBLIC AFFAIRS POLICY AND REGULATIONS.  REF C IS DOD DIRECTIVE 4500.56, DOD POLICY ON  THE USE OF GOVERNMENT AIRCRAFT AND AIR TRAVEL.//
POC/H. POWELL-RAY/CIV/UNIT:CMC WASHINGTON DC/NAME:DIVPA/TEL:703-692-1528/ EMAIL:HATTIE.POWELL-RAY@USMC.MIL//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1.  PER REF (A), THIS MARADMIN PROVIDES INFORMATION AND GUIDANCE FOR FUNDING TRAVEL OF GENERAL OFFICERS (GO) AND SENIOR EXECUTIVE SERVICE (SES) MEMBERS AS GUESTS OF HONOR (GOH) AT 2009 MARINE CORPS BIRTHDAY BALLS.
2.  HQMC HAS HISTORICALLY PROVIDED LIMITED FUNDING FOR TRAVEL OF GOH'S FOR BALLS THAT SUPPORTED DIPLOMATIC AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH EFFORTS PER REF (B).  THE FOLLOWING THREE-STEP PROCESS REMAINS IN EFFECT IN SUPPORT OF THIS MISSION:
A.  STEP ONE:  ORGANIZATIONS HOSTING A BIRTHDAY BALL MUST PLAN ON FUNDING THE TRAVEL EXPENSES OF THEIR GOH.  IF FUNDS ARE NOT AVAILABLE LOCALLY, THEN ORGANIZATIONS SHOULD SEEK FUNDING VIA THEIR CHAIN OF COMMAND.
B.  STEP TWO:  GO/SES MAY USE THEIR OWN TAD FUNDS TO SUPPORT BIRTHDAY BALL TRAVEL.  THIS WILL ALLOW FOR THE SYNCRONIZATION OF BIRTHDAY BALL TRAVEL WITH TRAVEL FOR OTHER PURPOSES.  FOR EXAMPLE, CONUS REGIONAL ENGAGEMENT TRAVEL COULD BE PLANNED IN SUCH A WAY TO COINCIDE WITH TRAVEL IN SUPPORT OF A BIRTHDAY BALL.
C.  STEP THREE:  IF FUNDING IS NOT AVAILABLE LOCALLY OR VIA THE CHAIN OF COMMAND, AND IF THE GO/SES DOES NOT HAVE THE TAD FUNDS TO SUPPORT THE REQUESTED TRAVEL, FUNDING MAY BE REQUESTED FROM CMC VIA THE DIRECTOR, PUBLIC AFFAIRS DIVISION (COMREL), HQMC.  AS IN PREVIOUS YEARS, REQUESTS FOR HQMC FUNDING OF GOH TRAVEL MUST CONTAIN SIGNIFICANT JUSTIFICATION FOR FUNDING THE TRAVEL.
3.  THE PROCEDURE FOR FUNDING TRAVEL TO BIRTHDAY BALLS DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A BLANKET APPROVAL FOR GOHS TO ATTEND EVENTS OF THEIR CHOOSING.  THERE MUST BE A DEMONSTRATED DIPLOMATIC OR COMMUNITY RELATIONS BENEFIT TO THE MARINE CORPS OR DOD FROM THE GOHS PARTICIPATION.  ORGANIZATIONS SHOULD SEEK LEGAL AND COMMUNITY RELATIONS BENEFIT GUIDANCE BEFORE A GOH IS INVITED.
4.  PER FER C, SPOUSAL TRAVEL MUST BE APPROVED BY ACMC REGARDLESS OF THE FUNDING SOURCE.
5.  FOR PROCEDURES TO REQUEST FUNDS, CONTACT THE HQMC (PAC) POC, MRS. HATTIE POWELL-RAY, AT COMM (703) 692-1528, DSN 222-1528 OR E-MAIL: HATTIE.POWELL-RAY@USMC.MIL.
6.  THIS MARADMIN IS CANCELLED 30 NOVEMBER 2009.
7.  RELEASE AUTHORIZED BY COL B.A. SALAS, DIRECTOR, DIVISION OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS, HQMC.//