The Marine Corps Enlisted Aide Program (MCEAP) is the overarching program responsible for the recruitment, training, and assignment for duty as a Marine Enlisted Aide (MEA) to General Officers (GOs). The MCEAP consists of those Marines who serve as MEAs; Marines in a training status to become MEAs; Marines assigned to Department of Defense (DoD) Messes as required, including the White House, Secretary of Defense (SECDEF), Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff (CJCS), and the Secretary of the Navy (SECNAV); Marines designated as curators at the Home of the Commandants; and the food service Marines assigned to the Commandant’s flight detachment at Fleet Logistics Support Squadron One. Marines serving as MEAs to GOs in quarters are assigned the secondary Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) designator of 3372. Marines who hold the MOS 3372 designator and those assigned, are regulated by references (a) and (c). Reference (c) also establishes the number of Marine Corps MOS 3372s who can be assigned within the Joint community. This Order is in accordance with references (a) through (ae).

Congress has provided the authorization and limitations for the use of enlisted Marines in a service capacity in government quarters in reference (a). References (c) and (d) establish DoD and Department of the Navy (DON) policy governing the use of MEAs. Under references (c) and (d), the MEAs are authorized for the purpose of relieving GOs of those tasks and details, which would otherwise be at the expense of the GO’s primary military and official duties. Authorized MEA duties are those duties that relate to the military and official responsibilities of those officers to whom the MEAs are assigned. These duties include assistance in discharging official DoD social responsibilities inherent in certain Flag Officer (FO) and GO. positions. The propriety of such duties is governed by the official purpose served, rather than the nature of the duties.

Because of the unique and essential support this program provides to the senior leaders of the Marine Corps, the Commandant of the Marine Corps (CMC) retains management responsibility of the program. The MCEAP Staff Noncommissioned Officer in Charge (SNCOIC) and Officer In Charge (OIC) reports directly to CMC.