R 071508Z OCT 13
UNCLASSIFIED/
MARADMIN 519/13
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC MRA MP//
SUBJ/FY14 MARINE CORPS ENLISTED VOLUNTARY SEPARATION PAY (VSP) PROGRAM//
REF/A/MSGID:DOC/CONGRESS/31DEC2011//
REF/B/MSGID:DOC/CMC MMSR/6JUN2007//
REF/C/MSGID:DOC/CONGRESS/7JAN2011//
REF/D/MSGID:DOC/SECNAV/YMD:18SEP2012/NOTAL//
REF/E/MSGID:DOC/DOD OSD/12APR2012//
REF/F/MSGID:MSG/CMC/292102ZJUN2009//
REF/G/MSGID:MSG/CMC/152049ZJUL2009//
REF/H/MSGID:WEB/VA/YMD:20101109//
REF/I/MSGID:MSG/CMC/290421ZSEP12//
NARR/REF (A) IS THE NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2012 GRANTING THE SERVICES TEMPORARY AUTHORITY TO OFFER MILITARY PERSONNEL THE OPTION OF VOLUNTARY SEPARATION.  REF (B) IS MCO P1900.16F, MARINE CORPS SEPARATION AND RETIREMENT MANUAL.  REF (C) IS TITLE 10, UNITED STATES CODE, SECTION 1175A WHICH APPLIES TO VOLUNTARY SEPARATION PAY.  REF (D) IS MEMORANDUM FROM THE OFFICE OF THE UNDER SECRETARY OF DEFENSE PROVIDING PROCEDURAL GUIDANCE FOR THE CONDUCT OF VOLUNTARY SEPARATION PAY (VSP) PROGRAM.  REF (E) IS SECNAV APPROVAL OF VOLUNTARY SEPARATION PAY (VSP) PROGRAM FOR FY13-FY16. REF (F) IS MARADMIN 0389/09, POST 9-11 GI BILL ELIGIBILITY AND BENEFITS.  REF (G) IS MARADMIN 0421/09, POST 9-11 GI BILL TRANSFERABILITY OF EDUCATIONAL BENEFITS ADMINISTRATION AND MANAGEMENT, ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES.  REF (H) IS THE MONTGOMERY GI BILL WEBSITE WWW.GIBILL.VA.GOV.  REF (I) IS MARADMIN 544/12, FY13 MARINE CORPS ENLISTED VOLUNTARY SEPARATION PAY (VSP) PROGRAM.//
POC/M. R. SANDSTROM/MAJ/CMC MPP-20/QUAN/TEL:DSN 278-9361//
POC/L. A. BENNETT/CIV/CMC MMSR-3/QUAN/TEL:DSN 278-9322//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1.  VOLUNTARY SEPARATION PAY (VSP) PROGRAM. PER REFERENCES (A), (B), (C), AND (D), THE MARINE CORPS IS AUTHORIZED TO OFFER VSP TO ACTIVE COMPONENT MARINES WITH BETWEEN 6 AND 20 YEARS OF ACTIVE DUTY SERVICE DURING FY14. THE VSP PROGRAM SUPPORTS SERVICE-WIDE FORCE SHAPING EFFORTS, IS NOT AN INDIVIDUAL ENTITLEMENT, AND EACH REQUEST WILL BE CONSIDERED BASED ON THE NEEDS OF THE MARINE CORPS.  MARINES SEPARATED UNDER VSP ARE NOT ENTITLED TO INVOLUNTARY SEPARATION PAY (ISP), SPECIAL SEPARATION BENEFITS (SSB), OR VOLUNTARY SEPARATION INCENTIVE (VSI).
2.  ELIGIBILITY.  THE FOLLOWING SPECIFIC CRITERIA IS CURRENTLY IN EFFECT:
    A.  ALL ACTIVE COMPONENT MARINE STAFF SERGEANTS (E6) IN THE FOLLOWING MILITARY OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALTIES (MOS) ARE ELIGIBLE: 0369, 0481, 0619, 0629, 1361, 2146, 2311, 2862, 5524, 6074, 6112, 6122, 6152, 6172, 6174, 6212, 6252, 6322, AND 6469.  ALL ACTIVE COMPONENT MARINE GUNNERY SERGEANTS (E7) IN THE FOLLOWING MOS'S ARE ELIGIBLE: 0161, 6112, 6152, 6172, AND 6322.  ADDITIONALLY, ALL MARINE STAFF SERGEANTS (E6) OF ANY MOS WHO HAVE FAILED SELECTION FOR PROMOTION TO E7 AT LEAST ONE TIME ARE ELIGIBLE TO APPLY.  MARINES WHO REQUESTED NON-CONSIDERATION FOR PROMOTION ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR VSP.
    B.  REQUESTS FROM MARINES OF A GRADE, CATEGORY, OR MOS NOT LISTED IN PARAGRAPH 2.A ABOVE WILL NOT RECEIVE FAVORABLE CONSIDERATION.  REEVALUATION OF ELIGIBLE MOS'S AND GRADES AND ADJUSTMENTS TO THE ELIGIBLE POPULATION WILL OCCUR NO LESS THAN ANNUALLY THROUGHOUT THE DRAWDOWN PERIOD.
    C.  ACTIVE COMPONENT MARINES MUST HAVE AT LEAST 6 YEARS OF ACTIVE SERVICE BUT LESS THAN 20 YEARS OF ACTIVE SERVICE BY THEIR EFFECTIVE DATE OF SEPARATION DURING FY14 TO BE ELIGIBLE.
    D.  ACTIVE COMPONENT MARINES MUST HAVE SERVED AT LEAST FIVE YEARS OF CONTINUOUS ACTIVE DUTY IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING THE DATE OF SEPARATION FROM ACTIVE DUTY.
    E.  MARINES MUST NOT BE SUBJECT TO PENDING DISCIPLINARY ACTION OR SUBJECT TO ADMINISTRATIVE SEPARATION OR MANDATORY DISCHARGE UNDER ANY OTHER PROVISION OF THE LAW OR REGULATIONS.
    F.  MARINES MUST MEET ALL REENLISTMENT CRITERIA TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR VSP.
    G.  MARINES MUST NOT BE PENDING DISCHARGE WITH DISABILTY SEVERANCE PAY, TRANSFERRED TO THE TEMPORARY OR PERMANENT DISABILITY RETIRED LIST, EVALUATED FOR DISABILITY RETIREMENT, OR PREVIOUSLY DISCHARGED WITH VOLUNTARY SEPARATION PAY.
    H.  THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF SEPARATION MUST BE NO LATER THAN 30 SEPTEMBER 2014.
    I.  PER REFERENCE (E), MARINES WHO PREVIOUSLY ELECTED TO TRANSFER POST 9/11 GI BILL BENEFITS ARE ELIGIBLE FOR VSP WITH NO EFFECT ON TRANSFERRED BENEFITS.  THIS WAIVER OF OBLIGATED SERVICE FOR POST 9/11 GI BILL BENEFITS TRANSFER IS ONLY APPLICABLE TO FORCE SHAPING SEPARATIONS.  MARINES MAY NOT TRANSFER POST 9/11 GI BILL BENEFITS AFTER REQUESTING VSP.
    J.  WAIVERS OF OTHER SERVICE OBLIGATIONS INCURRED (I.E. TIME ON STATION, EDUCATION PAY-BACK, ETC.) WILL BE CONSIDERED ON A CASE-BY-CASE BASIS BASED ON THE NEEDS OF THE MARINE CORPS.
    K.  RESERVE COMPONENT SERVICE.  BY ACCEPTING VSP, MARINES MUST AGREE TO SERVE 3 YEARS IN THE INDIVIDUAL READY RESERVE (IRR).  THE SELECTED MARINE CORPS RESERVE (SMCR) IS SEEKING MARINES WHO DESIRE TO REMAIN AFFILIATED WITH THE MARINE CORPS UPON TRANSITION FROM THE ACTIVE COMPONENT.  HOWEVER, MARINES SHOULD CONSIDER THAT VOLUNTARILY SERVING ON ACTIVE DUTY WITH THE SMCR, OR SERVING ON ACTIVE DUTY FOR OPERATIONAL SUPPORT (ADOS) ORDERS, OR SERVING IN THE ACTIVE RESERVE, FOR 180 CONSECUTIVE DAYS OR MORE, WOULD REQUIRE FULL VSP RECOUPMENT.  IN ACCORDANCE WITH REFERENCE (C), INVOLUNTARY PERFORMANCE OF ACTIVE DUTY, INVOLUNTARY RECALL/MOBILIZATION (EVEN WHEN EQUAL OR GREATER THAN 180 CONSECUTIVE DAYS), AND VOLUNTARY PERFORMANCE OF ACTIVE DUTY FOR LESS THAN 180 CONSECUTIVE DAYS WOULD NOT REQUIRE RECOUPMENT OF ANY PORTION OF VSP.  ENLISTED MEMBERS INTERESTED IN JOINING THE SMCR ARE DIRECTED TO CONTACT RESERVE CONTINUATION AND TRANSITION BRANCH AT 877-415-9275.
3.  SEPARATIONS PAY COMPUTATION.
    A.  SEPARATIONS PAY WILL BE CALCULATED AS 20 PERCENT (.2) MULTIPLIED BY YEARS OF SERVICE (YOS) MULTIPLIED BY ANNUAL BASE PAY (ABP).  EXAMPLE:  THE CALCULATION FOR A STAFF SERGEANT WITH 12 YEARS OF SERVICE WILL BE 20 PERCENT MULTIPLIED BY 12 YOS (BASED ON ARMED FORCES ACTIVE DUTY BASE DATE) MULTIPLIED BY THE ANNUAL BASIC PAY RATE OF 41,940, WHICH EQUALS 100,656 (.2 X 12 X 41,940 = 100,656).  AN ELIGIBLE STAFF SERGEANT WITH 12 YEARS OF SERVICE WOULD RECEIVE 100,656 BEFORE TAXES.
    B.  PAYMENTS AWARDED UNDER THIS PROGRAM WILL BE PAID IN A SINGLE LUMP SUM THAT IS TAXABLE.
4.  DISABILITY IMPLICATIONS.  A MARINE WHO IS PAID VSP AND WHO LATER QUALIFIES FOR DISABILITY COMPENSATION (FOR EXAMPLE, VETERANS AFFAIRS) SHALL HAVE DEDUCTED FROM EACH PAYMENT OF SUCH DISABILITY COMPENSATION A MONTHLY SCHEDULED AMOUNT UNTIL THE TOTAL AMOUNT DEDUCTED FROM SUCH DISABILITY COMPENSATION IS EQUAL TO THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF VSP PREVIOUSLY PAID.
5.  RETIREMENT IMPLICATIONS.  IN ACCORDANCE WITH REFERENCE (C), A MARINE WHO IS PAID VSP AND WHO LATER QUALIFIES FOR RETIRED OR RETAINER PAY SHALL HAVE DEDUCTED FROM EACH PAYMENT OF SUCH RETIRED OR RETAINER PAY A MONTHLY SCHEDULED AMOUNT UNTIL THE TOTAL AMOUNT DEDUCTED FROM SUCH RETIRED OR RETAINER PAY IS EQUAL TO THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF VSP PREVIOUSLY PAID.
6.  COORDINATING INSTRUCTIONS
    A.  SUBMIT VSP REQUESTS THROUGH TOTAL FORCE RETENTION SYSTEM (TFRS) VIA THE UNIT CAREER PLANNER TO HQMC (MMEA 6). DETAILED GUIDANCE ON THE TFRS SUBMISSION PROCESS WILL BE RELEASED VIA A SEPARATE TFRS MESSAGE.  REQUESTS FOR A WAIVER OF OTHER SERVICE OBLIGATIONS AS REFERENCED IN PARAGRAPH 2.J ABOVE REQUIRE JUSTIFICATION AND ENDORSEMENT BY THE FIRST GENERAL OFFICER IN THE CHAIN OF COMMAND.  EACH REQUEST WILL BE CONSIDERED CASE-BY-CASE BASED ON FORCE REQUIREMENTS AND THE NEEDS OF THE MARINE CORPS.
    B.  MARINES SHOULD CAREFULLY CONSIDER PARTICIPATION IN THE VSP PROGRAM FROM A PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL PERSPECTIVE PRIOR TO SUBMITTING A REQUEST.  TO BE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT THIS PROGRAM IN AN ORDERLY MANNER, THE DECISION TO APPLY FOR VSP IS A FINAL AND IRREVOCABLE DECISION TO SEPARATE FROM THE MARINE CORPS.  REQUESTS TO WITHDRAW, CANCEL, OR MODIFY APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE APPROVED.
    C.  REQUESTS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE VSP PROGRAM WILL STATE THAT EACH MARINE IS A VOLUNTEER FOR THE PROGRAM AND HAS BEEN COUNSELED ON THE IMPLICATIONS OF PARTICIPATION IN THE VSP PROGRAM.  EXAMPLE STATEMENT INCLUDES:  QUOTE, I UNDERSTAND THAT BY TAKING VOLUNTARY SEPARATION PAY (VSP), I AM FOREGOING THE BENEFITS, FINANCIAL AND OTHERWISE, OF AN ACTIVE DUTY OR RESERVE RETIREMENT.  I UNDERSTAND I MUST COMPLETE TAP-TAMP PRIOR TO SEPARATION.  I UNDERSTAND THAT I ACCEPT A THREE YEAR OBLIGATION IN THE INDIVIDUAL READY RESERVE.  I UNDERSTAND THAT IF I QUALIFY FOR MILITARY RETIRED OR RETAINER PAY IN ACCORDANCE WITH TITLE 10 OR TITLE 14, UNITED STATES CODE, AND/OR VETERANS ADMINISTRATION DISABILITY COMPENSATION PURSUANT TO THE LAWS ADMINISTERED BY THE SECRETARY OF VETERANS AFFAIRS AFTER RECEIVING VOLUNTARY SEPARATION PAY, I WILL BE SUBJECT TO A DEDUCTION FROM RETIRED PAY OR FROM DISABILITY COMPENSATION IN THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF ANY VSP PAID. I HAVE BEEN COUNSELED ON AND UNDERSTAND THAT AS A PARTICIPANT IN THE VSP PROGRAM, SHOULD I SUBSEQUENTLY RETURN TO ACTIVE DUTY VOLUNTARILY, TO INCLUDE ACTIVE DUTY PERIODS IN THE SMCR, OR AR PROGRAM, OR WHILE UNDER ADOS ORDERS, THAT ARE EQUAL TO OR GREATER THAN 180 CONSECUTIVE DAYS, I WILL BE SUBJECT TO FULL RECOUPMENT OF VSP.  I HAVE BEEN COUNSELED ON AND UNDERSTAND THE CONTENTS OF THE VSP MARADMIN, UNQUOTE.  ATTACH THIS COUNSELING STATEMENT (PG 11) TO THE TFRS REQUEST.
    D.  A SUBMISSION WINDOW IS ESTABLISHED FOR THE VSP PROGRAM TO ALLOW COMMANDERS AND HQMC TO ASSESS IMPACTS ACROSS THE FISCAL YEAR AS A PART OF A COMPREHENSIVE SERVICE-WIDE DRAWDOWN CONCEPT.  THIS WILL ALLOW COMMANDERS TO ASSESS THE IMPACTS TO THEIR STAFFING OVER THE COURSE OF THE FISCAL YEAR AS THEY CONDUCT THEIR MID-RANGE TRAINING PLAN.  THE SUBMISSION WINDOW WILL COMMENCE IMMEDIATELY UPON THE RELEASE OF THIS MARADMIN AND WILL CLOSE 29 NOVEMBER 2013.  THE FIRST ELIGIBLE DATE TO SEPARATE UNDER VSP IS 31 MARCH 2014.  UPON APPROVAL, A COPY OF THE REQUEST PACKAGE WILL BE FORWARDED FOR INCLUSION IN THE SEPARATIONS FOLDER OF EACH MARINE'S OFFICIAL MILITARY PERSONNEL FILE (OMPF).
    E.  IF VSP IS APPROVED; MMSR-3 WILL REPORT AN EAS/ECC TO COINCIDE WITH THE MARINE'S APPROVED SEPARATION DATE.  CAREER COUNSELORS WILL PREPARE AND EXECUTE THE RESERVE CONTRACT FOR THE MARINE'S 3 YEAR OBLIGATION AND FORWARD IT TO THEIR ADMINISTRATION UNIT.  ONCE ADMINISTRATION UNITS RECEIVE THE MARINES RESERVE CONTRACT, THEY WILL REPORT TTC 004-001, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE ONLINE PRIUM.  ONCE THE MARINE'S RESERVE ECC IS UPDATED MMSR-3 WILL REPORT THE DISCHARGE APPROVAL.  MMSR-3 WILL REPORT TTC 775 005 AND A PLANNED SEPARATION CODE OF KCN1 OR MCN1.  THE NARRATIVE REASON OF "FORCE SHAPING-VSP" WILL BE USED WHEN PREPARING THE DD FORM 214.  THE SEPARATION AUTHORITY WILL BE PARAGRAPH 6404 OF REFERENCE (B).
    F.  EXTENSIONS WILL NOT BE GIVEN FOR THE PURPOSE OF MAKING A MARINE ELIGIBLE FOR VSP.
    G.  HQMC (MP) MAINTAINS ALL POLICY ASSOCIATED WITH THIS PROGRAM.
    H.  HQMC (MM) MAINTAINS FINAL APPROVAL AUTHORITY FOR ALL REQUESTS.
7.  GENERAL INFORMATION.  MARINES ARE REMINDED TO REVIEW EDUCATIONAL BENEFITS PRIOR TO PARTICIPATING IN VSP PROGRAM.  A LIST OF ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR THE POST 9-11 GI BILL CAN BE FOUND IN REFERENCES (F) AND (G).  MGIB REQUIREMENTS ARE FOUND IN REFERENCE (H).
8.  THIS MARADMIN IS NOT APPLICABLE TO THE MARINE CORPS RESERVE.
9.  REFERENCE (I) IS CANCELED UPON THE PUBLICATION OF THIS MARADMIN.
10.  THIS MARADMIN CANCELS ON 30 SEP 2014.  THIS MARADMIN MAY BE MODIFIED OR CANCELED AT ANYTIME BEFORE 30 SEP 2014.
11.  RELEASE AUTHORIZED BY COL J. G. NETTLES, ACTING DIRECTOR, MANPOWER PLANS AND POLICY DIVISION.//