R 041156Z APR 16

MARADMIN 188/16

MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC MRA MP//

SUBJ/JOINT TRAVEL REGULATION (JTR) CHANGES TO PRIMARY RESIDENCE//

REF/A/MSGID: DOC/DOD/01APR16//

REF/B/MSGID: MSG/CMC WASHINGTON DC MRA MP/211901ZAPR15//

NARR/REF A IS JOINT TRAVEL REGULATIONS, REF B IS MARADMIN 204/15 VALIDATION REQUIREMENTS WHEN DETERMINING PRIMARY RESIDENCE FOR RESERVE COMPONENT (RC) MARINES//

POC/UNIT: CMC MPO/TEL: DSN 278-9386/87/88/ TEL: COM (703)784-9386/87/88//

RMKS/1.  Purpose.  To announce two imminent policy changes to reference (a) with regard to primary residence.  Military Advisory Panel (MAP) item 131-14(R) and MAP 132-14(R) of reference (a) provide substantial changes to Reserve Component (RC) travel and transportation allowances.  The changes are expected to take effect 1 April 2016.

2.  Change One.  MAP 131-14(R) of reference (a) modified the primary residence definition provided in paragraph 10000-H, App-A1.  Per reference (a) the primary residence must be established prior to notification (oral or written) of a call to active duty travel order.  Effective 1 Apr 2016, all Marine Reserve Orders Writing System (MROWS) orders for RC Marines will require a validated primary residence prior to issuance.  Reference (b) provides the validation requirements for establishing or changing a primary residence in the Marine Corps Total Force System (MCTFS).

3.  Change Two.  MAP 132-14(R) of reference (a) modified paragraph 7355  to authorize travel and transportation allowances based upon an RC member’s primary residence and not the Place from which Entered (or Called) to Active Duty (PLEAD).  If a member begins travel from a PLEAD other than the primary residence, per diem will be payable if the primary residence is outside the commuting area of the duty location, even if the PLEAD is not.  When travel commences from a PLEAD other than the primary residence, transportation allowances will be authorized not to exceed the cost for travel between the duty location and primary residence.  This will allow RC members to have a break between active duty orders, to include performing Inactive Duty Training (Drills), without the requirement to return home at the end of the first active duty period. 

4.  Examples:

    A.  An eligible member who has a validated primary residence in Buffalo, NY, who ends a temporary active duty tour in Washington, DC without returning home, and has a break in service of one or more days before the Service orders the member to active duty to Marine Corps Base Quantico, VA (duty location) via a second set of temporary duty orders.  Under such circumstances Washington, DC becomes the members PLEAD.  The change allows authorized travel and transportation allowances from Washington, DC to Quantico, and then from Quantico to Buffalo, NY (primary residence).  Per diem is also payable while the member performs the temporary duty at Quantico because the duty location is outside the vicinity (i.e., outside of reasonable commuting distance) of the primary residence.  The traveler is no longer required to physically return to the primary residence prior to initiating the second period of active duty, as was the case in previous policy.

    B.  An eligible member, who has a validated primary residence in Buffalo, NY, is ordered/called to temporary active duty (60 days) at their assigned Home Training Center (HTC) located in Ft Worth, TX.  Just prior to the execution of the 60-day temporary active duty orders, the member executes 14 day Annual Training orders followed by 21 Inactive Duty Training (drills).  The traveler is no longer required to physically return to the primary residence after the period of IDTs or drills prior to the execution of the temporary active duty orders, as was the case in previous policy.  The member will receive entitlements based upon the validated primary residence.

    C.  An eligible member who has a validated primary residence in Washington DC who ends an active duty tour in Buffalo, NY without returning home and has a break in service of one or more days before the Service orders the member to active duty to Marine Corps Base Quantico, VA (duty location).  Buffalo, NY becomes the members PLEAD.  The change allows authorized travel and transportation allowances from Buffalo, NY to Quantico, VA.  Per diem is not payable while the member performs the temporary duty at Quantico because the duty location is considered to be within a reasonable commuting distance of the primary residence.  The traveler is no longer required to physically return to the primary residence prior to initiating the second period of active duty, as was the case in previous policy.

5.  These policy changes found in reference (a) supersede all previous Marine Corps policies on the subject.  All orders and instructions will be updated to reflect the changes in their next respective revisions.  This policy is effective 1 Apr 2016.  Primary Residence validation should occur any time a Marine establishes a new primary residence or at least every year.

6.  Primary Residence is not applicable to Active Component (AC) or Active Reserve (AR) Marines.

7.  Release authorized by BGen G. W. Smith, Director Manpower Plans and Policy Division.//