APRIL 26, 2024 – Deployments, permanent changes of station, and long work hours are just some facets of military service that put a strain on a marriage. The pressure increases when both parties in the marriage are service members. Manpower Management Division, Manpower and Reserve Affairs, is creating a dual-military monitor billet to alleviate stresses associated with dual-military couples’ orders assignments process.
Statistics show that as of March 20, 2024, there are 8,695 Marines are married to another service member. Approximately 2,500 Marines in a dual-military marriage execute PCS orders every year. Nearly 60 percent of married female Marines are married to another service member. Given these statistics, it’s no surprise that the Marine Corps recognizes that co-locating dual-service couples is complicated. In the past, if complications arose, there wasn’t a single dedicated effort to tackle the issue. Manpower Management recognized the issue and acted, creating a dual-military monitor to ensure that dual-military couples have a dedicated resource. The dual-military monitor ensures efficient coordination occurs between the couple’s primary military occupational specialty monitors.
“The Commandant of the Marine Corps made the commitment to keep dual-military families together… Manpower Management created this billet to ensure that commitment is honored.” said Staff Sgt. Nancy Acuna, the Marine selected to be the dual-military monitor with Manpower Management Enlisted Assignments.
The dual-military monitor assists in various processes for dual-military couples. These include reporting marriages to administrative centers, requests for co-location, and streamlining the separation waiver process. Staff Sgt. Nancy Acuna, the Marine selected to be the dual-military monitor with Manpower Management Enlisted Assignments, will also serve as a resource for dual-military families on career options for geolocation selection, guidance on timeline execution, and available programs.
For inter-service dual-military couples and active-reserve Marine couples, the dual-military monitor facilitates communication with Marine Corps officer and enlisted duty monitors, reserve monitors, and detailers or assignments personnel from other Services.
“My job is to ensure that dual-military families feel supported by the service,” said Acuna. “They’ve made the commitment to the Marine Corps, and we recognize them by making the orders assignments process as concise and easy as possible.”
Stresses associated with dual-military marriages often cause one of the members to exit the service. The dual-military monitor will help talented Marines stay in uniform while keeping their family together. It’s a professional and personal win for Marines. It demonstrates the service’s dedication to refining policies and processes to best serve the individual Marine and optimize the capability of our force.
Additional information will be released in an upcoming Marine Administrative Message.
By Capt. Sarah Eason
Headquarters Marine Corps