26th Enlisted Retention Task Force (ERTF) Conference

1. THE 26TH ENLISTED RETENTION TASK FORCE (ERTF)
CONFERENCE WAS HELD ON 29 JAN 04. THIS MESSAGE REVIEWS
TOPICS DISCUSSED AND ANNOUNCES THE DATE FOR THE NEXT CONFERENCE.
2. TOPICS DISCUSSED:
 A. FY04 RETENTION UPDATE: AS OF 29 JAN 04, 77.5% OF THE FIRST
TERM ALIGNMENT PLAN (FTAP) HAS BEEN EXECUTED OUT OF A REENLISTMENT
GOAL OF 5,628. THERE ARE 1,369 BOATSPACES REMAINING OPEN FOR THE
FISCAL YEAR. 77 MOS'S ARE CLOSED AND 56 MOS'S ARE 70%-99% FILLED. 
OVER 55% OF THE SUBSEQUENT TERM ALIGNMENT PLAN (STAP) HAS BEEN
EXECUTED OUT OF THE FY04 GOAL OF 5,628. PER REF A, THE CMC (MMEA)
BEGAN ACCEPTING FIRST TERM LATERAL MOVE REQUESTS IN DECEMBER
AND PRIOR SERVICE ENLISTMENT PROGRAM (PSEP) REQUESTS IN JAN. 
CURRENTLY, OVER 235 FIRST TERM MARINES HAVE EXECUTED A LATERAL MOVE.
 B. OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM II: CAREER RETENTION SPECIALISTS
(CRS) OF UNITS DEPLOYING IN SUPPORT OF OIF II SHOULD CONTACT
HEADQUARTERS MARINE CORPS (HQMC) AS SOON AS POSSIBLE TO ENSURE THEIR
MARINES' RELMS ARE APPROVED PRIOR TO DEPARTING. HQMC WILL PROVIDE
AS MUCH SUPPORT AS POSSIBLE FOR MARINES WHO DESIRE TO REENLIST. 
RELMS RECEIVED FROM MARINES IN SUPPORT OF OIF II WILL HAVE PRIORITY
PROCESSING. HOWEVER THOSE RELMS WILL NOT BE MOVED AHEAD OF OTHER
MARINES IN THE CASE OF MOS'S THAT ARE NEARLY CLOSED. 
 C. FY04 CRS CONFERENCE: THE FY04 CRS CONFERENCE WILL BE HELD
AT MARINE CORPS RECRUIT DEPOT (MCRD) SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA. THE CMC
(MMEA) IS SOLICITING THE MAJOR SUBORDINATE COMMANDS FOR INPUT ON
MOS-RELATED ACTIVITIES.
 D. CRS INFORMATION: MAJOR SUBORDINATE COMMANDS ARE DIRECTED TO
KEEP A HISTORICAL COUNT OF MARINES WHO HAVE REENLISTED, BY MOS, TO
BE TRACKED QUARTERLY FOR BOTH FTAP AND STAP FOR ALL INDIVIDUAL
UNITS. AS THE 8421 MOS MATURES, A CAMPAIGN PLAN HAS BEEN DEVELOPED
TO ESTABLISH SHORT AND LONG TERM GOALS TO IMPROVE THE MOS AND
INCREASE THE PROFICIENCY OF CRS'S. THIS INCLUDES MOS GUIDELINES,
DEVELOPMENT OF THE ADVANCED CRS COURSE, AND THE CRS MCI. THE
CAMPAIGN PLAN HAS BEEN POSTED ON THE ENLISTED RETENTION AND
COUNSELING INTERNET WEB PAGE AT WWW.USMC.MIL. SELECT "CAREER",
"ENLISTED ASSIGNMENTS", THEN "ENLISTED RETENTION AND COUNSELING". 
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONCERNING ERTF BRIEFS, TIME, AND LOCATION
ARE ALSO AVAILABLE. UNITS ARE ENCOURAGED TO VISIT THE SITE. 
3. THE CMC (MMEA) COMMAND VISIT UPDATE: 
 A. FEB 9-13, FT LEONARD WOOD/KANSAS CITY
 B. RETENTION ASSIST VISITS ARE BEING PLANNED FOR BOTH THE EAST
AND WEST COASTS. FURTHER DETAILS ARE PENDING. 
4. THE NEXT ERTF CONFERENCE WILL BE 25 MAR 04 AT 1530.
5. A DETAILED AGENDA FOR THE 27TH ERTF CONFERENCE WILL BE
FORWARDED TO CONFERENCE ATTENDEES BY SEPARATE CORRESPONDENCE.
6. POC IS CAPT A. H. SNOWDEN AT DSN 278-9238 OR COMMERCIAL (703)
784-9240.