Guidance on Foreign Area Employment-Overseas Tours Beyond 5 Years

1.  This MARADMIN supersedes MARADMIN 193/14 of Apr 14. Reference F provides for local commanders to approve extension of an initial overseas tour up to a maximum of five years.  Reference B limits civilian employment in appropriated funded positions in foreign areas to a period of five continuous years absent an approved business case for retaining the employee in the overseas location.   Reference D delegated authority to approve extensions beyond five years to the Commandant of the Marine Corps (CMC) and allows for re-delegation of this authority for the first renewal tour agreement beyond five and up to nine continuous years overseas.
2.  The authority to approve extension requests for  the first renewal tour agreement beyond five and up to seven continuous years overseas is delegated to
Commanding General, Marine Corps Installations Pacific 
Commander, Marine Corps Forces Pacific 
Commander, Marine Corps Forces Europe and Africa 
Commanding General, Marine Corps Logistic Command
Commander, Marine Corps System Command 
Commanding General, Training and Education Command 
Commanding General, Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center.
This authority may not be re-delegated further.  All HQMC assets must have Command endorsement.  Sufficient justification must be provided with each request and address the following:
A.  A timeline enumerating the previous recruitment efforts.
B.  A written business case detailing the need for the extension.
C.  A letter from the employee's home command providing Return Rights for the duration of the extension or a letter from the employee forfeiting Return Rights or a letter from the overseas command indicating the employee does not have Return Rights.
D.  A plan to return the employee at the end of the extension.
E.  A workforce succession plan for filling the position (including a copy of the Request for Personnel Action (RPA)) no later than nine (9) months prior to the expiration of the renewal agreement tour.
3.  The CMC (MP) shall retain authority to approve extension requests for renewal tour agreements beyond seven years based on written justification.  Local commanders are not allowed to authorize administrative tour extensions beyond seven (7) years.  Each written justification must address the following:
A.  Timeline enumerating the previous recruitment efforts.
B.  A written business case detailing the need for the extension.
C.  An explanation of the unanticipated events or circumstances that caused the workforce succession plan not to succeed.
D.  A revised and enhanced workforce succession plan to mitigate the identified gaps in previous approach for filling the position (including a copy of the RPA) no later than nine (9) months prior to the expiration of the renewal agreement tour. 
E.  A plan to return the employee at the end of the extension.
4.  All requests for renewal tour agreements beyond seven years must be submitted to CMC (MPC).  These requests must be originated by the requesting official and routed through the proper approval chain.  The request must contain an endorsement from the servicing HRO certifying the request is in compliance with this MARADMIN, the applicable references and be endorsed by the Commander.  Each request should also include the Overseas Tour Extension (OTE) request checklist, copy of employee notification of overseas tour expiration beyond 5 years (current and previously approved), copy of Job Opportunity Announcement (JOA), all certificates of eligibles and a copy of the renewal tour agreement.   In order to allow sufficient time for review, all requests for tour extensions shall be submitted no later than nine (9) months prior to the end of the employee's overseas tour.
5.  Eligible employees must register in the PPP within seven (7) workdays after being notified in writing that their tours are not being extended or after declining a tour extension.
6.  Questions regarding overseas renewal agreements may be directed to Michelle DelMedico at (703) 784-9385 DSN 278-9385 or Brenda Molina at (703) 432-9328 DSN 378-9328.
7.  Release authorized by BGen G. W. Smith, Jr., Director, Manpower Plans and Policy Division.