Marine Corps Deserter Reporting Requirements

1. REQUEST COMMANDERS REVIEW AND COMPLY WITH THE REF IN ORDER
TO ENSURE TIMELY SUBMISSION OF DD FORM 553'S TO THIS HQ. ASSISTANCE
FROM VARIOUS LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES IS CRITICAL TO ENSURING AN
AGGRESSIVE AND EFFECTIVE DESERTER APPREHENSION PROGRAM IS
MAINTAINED. 
2. A RECENT REVIEW OF DD 553 SUBMISSIONS INDICATES AN APPROXIMATE
MARINE CORPS WIDE 33% ERROR RATE IN MEETING THE DD 553 SUBMISSION
REQUIREMENTS. FURTHER, SECTION 5002 OF THE REF STATES THAT A MARINE
MEETS DESERTION STATUS WHEN ABSENT WITHOUT AUTHORITY FROM THE PARENT
COMMAND OVER 30 DAYS (I.E. ON THE 31ST DAY OF UA). UPON REACHINIG
DESERTION STATUS, IT FURTHER REQUIRES COMMANDERS TO: A) INVENTORY
GOVERNMENT PROPERTY AND PERSONAL EFFECTS, B) MAKE UNIT DIARY
ENTRIES, C) MAKE OQR/SRB ENTRIES, AND D) PREPARE AND DISTRIBUTE THE
DD FORM 553. IN ADDITION, THE DD FORM 553 IS REQUIRED TO BE
DELIVERED TO THE MARINE CORPS ABSETNEE COLLECTION CENTER (MCACC) AT
THIS HQ NLT 7 DAYS AFTER PUBLICATION. THIS FORM IS REQUIRED IN ORDER
TO ENTER THE MARINE INTO THE NATIONAL CRIMINAL INFORMATION CENTER,
WHICH IS AN FBI DATABASE SYSTEM THAT NOTIFIES LAW ENFORCEMENT
AUTHORITIES THE MEMBER IS WANTED.
3. SINCE DESERTERS ADVERSELY IMPACT FORCE STRUCTURE, IT IS
IMPERATIVE THAT COMMANDERS CONTINUE TO PURSUE STRICT COMPLIANCE WITH
THE REF SO THIS HQ CAN MAINTAIN EFFECTIVE COORDINATION WITH OUTSIDE
LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES AND ENSURE THE PROMPT APPREHENSION OF
DESERTERS. 
4. COMMAND ASSISTANCE IS AVAILABLE THROUGH THE POC LISTED ABOVE, AND
THROUGH THE 24 HOUR/7 DAYS A WEEK DESERTER INFORMATION POINT AT DSN
224-3248 OR COMM 703-614-3248.