Reserve SNCO Retention Policy Changes

1. BACKGROUND: MARADMIN 334/00 ANNOUNCED CHANGES TO RETENTION 
POLICIES, SPECIFICALLY STAFF SERGEANTS AND ABOVE WHO HAVE BEEN 
TWICE PASSED FOR PROMOTION SELECTION. THE RETENTION OF TWICE 
PASSED MARINES STAGNATES PROMOTION OPPORTUNITIES FOR JUNIOR 
MARINES. EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY THE FOLLOWING POLICY IS IN FORCE:
 A. MARINES IN THE GRADES OF SERGEANT THROUGH MASTER SERGEANT 
WHO HAVE TWICE FAILED SELECTION WILL BE TRANSFERRED FROM THEIR 
PRESENT BILLETS TO THE INDIVIDUAL READY RESERVE (IRR) BY THE FIRST
DAY OF THE SEVENTH MONTH FOLLOWING THE RELEASE OF SELECTION BOARD 
RESULTS. THIS IS A NON-PUNITIVE ADMINISTRATIVE ACTION REQUIRING 
A PAGE 11 ENTRY IN THE MARINE'S SERVICE RECORD. 
 B. MARINES IN THE GRADES OF SERGEANT THROUGH MASTER SERGEANT
WHO HAVE FAILED SELECTION MORE THAN TWICE WILL ALSO BE TRANSFERRED
TO THE IRR. 
 C. SERGEANTS WHO ARE 2P WILL BE CONSIDERED FOR REENLISTMENT
IN THE IRR PROVIDED THEY ARE NOT AT SERVICE LIMITATIONS. 
SERGEANTS WILL STILL BE REQUIRED TO TRANSFER TO THE IRR. 
 D. THIS POLICY ALSO APPLIES TO INDIVIDUAL MOBILIZATION 
AUGMENTEES (IMA). IMAS MUST TRANSFER TO THE IRR AFTER BEING TWICE
PASSED FOR PROMOTION. TRANSFERRING TO THE SMCR OR TO ANOTHER
IMA BILLET WILL NOT FULFILL THE REQUIREMENT. MARINES MUST 
TRANSFER TO THE IRR. 
 E. MARINES TRANSFERRING TO AN IMA BILLET WILL NOT FULFILL THE
REQUIREMENT OF TRANSFERRING OUT OF THE SMCR. MARINES MUST TRANSFER
TO THE IRR. 
 F. MARINES WHO ARE ACTIVATED WILL COMPLETE THEIR CURRENT 
ACTIVATION ORDERS. UPON DEACTIVATION, THE MARINE WILL 
IMMEDIATELY TRANSFER TO THE IRR. REQUESTS FOR EXTENSION OF 
ACTIVATION ORDERS WILL BE DIRECTED TO THE MSC'S. 
 G. COMMANDING GENERALS OF THE 4TH MARINE DIVISION, 4TH FORCE 
SERVICE SUPPORT GROUP, AND 4TH MARINE AIRCRAFT WING WILL CONSIDER 
ONE TIME, ONE YEAR WAIVERS TO THE ABOVE POLICY ON AN INDIVIDUAL 
BASIS. ONE YEAR WAIVERS ARE INTENDED TO PROVIDE UNIT COMMANDERS 
ADEQUATE TIME TO LIMIT THE IMPACT OF REPLACING CORPORATE KNOWLEDGE.
THE FOLLOWING STIPULATIONS APPLY TO ALL WAIVER REQUESTS:
 1. WAIVER JUSTIFICATIONS SHOULD REASONABLY DEMONSTRATE 
THAT THE MARINE IN QUESTION SINGULARLY FILLS A CRITICAL NEED FOR 
THE IMMEDIATE AND CONTINUED OCCUPATION OF HIS OR HER BILLET; 
CANNOT BE REPLACED BY ANOTHER QUALIFIED MARINE DUE TO A GEOGRAPHIC
HARDSHIP IN RECRUITING OR RETENTION; THAT BY LOSS OF THE SPECIFIC 
MARINE REQUESTING A WAIVER, UNIT OPERATIONAL READINESS WILL BE 
DEGRADED AND WARTIME MISSION ACCOMPLISHMENT IS COMPROMISED. 
 2. APPROVED ONE YEAR WAIVERS ARE EFFECTIVE FROM THE DATE 
OF SUBMISSION. 
 3. WAIVER REQUESTS ARE SUBMITTED THROUGH THE MARINE'S CHAIN
OF COMMAND TO THE MSC. MSC'S WILL REPORT WAIVERS GRANTED TO MARINE
FORCES RESERVE G-1.
 4. IF A MARINE BELONGS TO A UNIT NOT DIRECTLY IN THE MFR 
CHAIN OF COMMAND, WAIVER REQUESTS WILL BE SUBMITTED DIRECT TO 
DIRECTOR, RESERVE AFFAIRS (RAP) (EXAMPLE: I MACE AND II MACE).
 H. MARINES WITH A MINIMUM OF 20 SATISFACTORY CREDITABLE YEARS
OR AT OR ABOVE SERVICE LIMITATIONS WHO HAVE TWICE FAILED SELECTION 
WILL BE GIVEN THE OPTION TO RETIRE OR TRANSFER TO THE IRR. 
2. ACTIONS: 
 A. COMMANDING OFFICERS: REVIEW UNIT ROSTERS TO IDENTIFY 
MARINES TO WHOM THE POLICY IS PRESENTLY APPLICABLE. BEGIN 
PROCESSING IDENTIFIED MARINES FOR TRANSFER TO IRR. 
 B. COMMANDING GENERALS: REVIEW AND GRANT WAIVERS IF APPLICABLE. 
 C. MARINE FORCES RESERVE: ENSURE SUBORDINATE UNITS COMPLY WITH 
THIS POLICY.
 D. CAREER RETENTION SPECIALISTS: INFORM TWICE PASSED MARINES OF
CONTINUED IRR PARTICIPATION OPPORTUNITIES, I.E. CONTINUED 
SATISFACTORY YEARS BY COMPLETING PROFESSIONAL MILITARY EDUCATION,
ACTIVE DUTY SPECIAL WORK, APPROPRIATE/ASSOCIATE DUTY, AND RESERVE 
COUNTERPART TRAINING; ALL ALLOWING THE MARINE TO RETIRE IN THE IRR.
3. THE POLICY CHANGES AND COMMAND ACTIONS CONTAINED IN THIS MESSAGE
ARE INTENDED TO BEST SUPPORT THE LONG TERM NEEDS OF THE SMCR.