Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow, Calif., Feb. 14, 2014 – The Marine Corps has changed its business practices when it comes to reenlisting during fiscal year 2014.
Marines currently have until February 28, 2014, to put in their reenlistment or extension packages to stay in the Corps.
“Per Marine Administrative Message 026/14, the update to the FY14 Enlisted Retention Campaign, all Marines with an Expiration of Active Service (EAS, during FY 2014,) who desire to reenlist or extend, are required to submit the request to their career planner no later than Feb. 28,” said Master Sgt. Matthew Spencer, career planner for Marine Corps Installations West. “Requests submitted after Feb. 28 may not receive favorable consideration for further service.”
The reason for this MARADMIN is the Marine Corps trying to downsize, said Spencer. By the end of FY 2014, the Corps’ goal is to have 188,500 Marines … which needs to be met by Sept. 30. We currently have 192,841, that’s a difference of about 4,000 Marines.
With the new MARADMIN, the rate of approval has changed for everyone, he added. This year will take longer for a Marine to find out if he or she will get to stay in the Corps.
“There is no difference in the rate of approval between first term and career Marines,” said Spencer. “Normally, a reenlistment or extension request would get approved (or denied) within 30 days from the date it was submitted. Now, with the Executive Review Period in place, these requests are taking up to 3-months to get approved.”
This makes it more competitive for both first term Marines and career Marines to be retained, said Sgt. William Koeppe, career planner on Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow, Calif. This means competition becomes fiercer.
“Be the best Marine you know how to be, always (strive to) improve, complete your professional military education, improve your physical fitness test and combat fitness test scores, and seek off-duty education,” said Spencer. “Talk to your noncommissioned officers, staff noncommissioned officers, and officers about how to get better proficiency (and) conduct marks. If your record speaks for itself, you will be given the opportunity to stay (in the) Marines.”
Nothing can prevent a Marine from submitting a reenlistment, extension or lateral move request, explained Koeppe. However, Marines who have compromising issues on contract could be denied further service, depending on the situation. Every Marine’s situation is different … Headquarters Marine Corps will make the final determination on who gets to extend or reenlist for each military occupational specialty.
While waiting for a response from HQMC, Marines need to attend the Transition Readiness Seminar, 12 – 14 months from their EAS and complete all civilian transition requirements. However, attending TRS does not mean they will be automatically disapproved for retention beyond FY 2014, concluded Koeppe.