Marine Corps Law of War Program

1. THIS MSG IS APPLICABLE TO THE TOTAL FORCE,
AS WELL AS US NAVY, CIVILIAN, AND CONTRACTOR PERSONNEL WHO
ACCOMPANY MARINE CORPS FORCES ON OPERATIONS. THIS MSG
IMPLEMENTS TRAINING AND REPORTING PROCEDURES REQUIRED UNDER
REF C IN ORDER TO FULFILL OBLIGATIONS REQUIRED UNDER DOD
POLICY AND INTERNATIONAL LAW. REF A REQUIRES U.S. ARMED
FORCES TO COMPLY WITH THE LOW DURING ALL ARMED CONFLICTS,
HOWEVER SUCH CONFLICTS ARE CHARACTERIZED, AND TO COMPLY WITH
THE PRINCIPLES AND SPIRIT OF THE LOW DURING ALL OTHER OPERATIONS.
2. TRAINING. REF C ESTABLISHES FOUR LEVELS OF FORMAL LOW
TRAINING: ENTRY-LEVEL; FOLLOW-ON; SPECIALIZED; AND DETAILED.
OBJECTIVES AND REQUIREMENTS OF EACH LEVEL ARE SET FORTH IN REF C.
A. ENTRY-LEVEL. ENTRY-LEVEL TRAINING TEACHES BASIC LOW
PRINCIPLES. ENTRY-LEVEL TRAINING WILL BE PROVIDED TO ALL
ACCESSING MARINES, OFFICER AND ENLISTED, AT THE ENTRY-LEVEL
SCHOOL DEEMED APPROPRIATE BY CG MCCDC, IAW ENCL 2 OF REF C.
B. FOLLOW-ON. FOLLOW-ON TRAINING BUILDS UPON THE BASIC
PRINCIPLES TAUGHT DURING ENTRY-LEVEL TRAINING. FOLLOW-ON
TRAINING WILL BE PROVIDED AT ALL MARINE CORPS FORMAL SCHOOLS
BEYOND THE ENTRY-LEVEL. FOLLOW-ON LOW TRAINING WILL BE
INCORPORATED INTO TACTICAL EXERCISES AT ALL OPERATIONAL LEVELS
THROUGH THE USE OF REALISTIC MISSION-ORIENTED SCENARIOS IAW
ENCL 3 OF REF C. IT IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED THAT FOLLOW-ON LOW
TRAINING ALSO BE INCORPORATED INTO INDOOR SIMULATED MARKSMANSHIP
TRAINER-EXPANDED (ISMT-E) TRAINING, AS FEASIBLE. FOLLOW-ON
TRAINING WILL EMPLOY INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS APPROVED BY CG
MCCDC IN COORDINATION WITH THE JUDGE ADVOCATE DIVISION (JAD) HQMC.
C. SPECIALIZED. SPECIALIZED LOW TRAINING IS INTENDED TO IMPART
THE DETAILED LEVEL OF KNOWLEDGE REQUIRED OF MORE SENIOR MARINE
COMMANDERS, EXECUTIVE OFFICERS, INTELLIGENCE OFFICERS, OPERATIONS
OFFICERS, FUTURE PLANS OFFICERS, AND OTHERS WHOSE BILLET OR DUTIES
AND RESPONSIBILITIES MAY REQUIRE THE COMMAND OF TROOPS IN COMBAT,
PLANNING FOR COMBAT OPERATIONS, DIRECTION OF PRISONER OF WAR
HANDLING, INVESTIGATION OF ALLEGED WAR CRIMES, OR DIRECTION OF
CIVIL AFFAIRS OPERATIONS IN FOREIGN CIVILIAN POPULACES. COMMAND
STAFF JUDGE ADVOCATES (SJAS) WILL ENSURE SPECIALIZED TRAINING IS
CONDUCTED FOR THOSE MARINES IDENTIFIED IN ENCL 4 OF REF C. 
COMMAND SJA'S MUST COORDINATE WITH JAD TO ENSURE PROPER TRAINING
IS CONDUCTED. USE OF A JAD LOW IMA DET IS RECOMMENDED. REQUESTS
FOR SPECIAL BRIEFINGS OR CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION SHOULD BE SENT VIA
E-MAIL TO JAD (JAO).
D. DETAILED. DETAILED LOW TRAINING IS FOR JUDGE ADVOCATES (JA)
IOT FULFILL THEIR DUTIES AS INTL/OPLAW ADVISORS. DETAILED LOW
TRAINING WILL BE PROVIDED TO MARINE JA IAW ENCL 5 OF REF C.
COORDINATION FOR DETAILED TRAINING SHOULD BE DONE THROUGH
JAD (JAO).
3. REPORTING. PER REF C, ALL MARINES, US NAVY, AND CIVILIAN
PERSONNEL SERVING WITH OR ACCOMPANYING MARINE CORPS UNITS WHO
HAVE KNOWLEDGE OF, OR RECEIVE A REPORT OF A POSSIBLE, SUSPECTED,
OR ALLEGED VIOLATION OF THE LOW (REPORTABLE INCIDENT) WILL COMPLY
WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF ENCL 6 OF REF C.
4. EXECUTION. 
A. DC PP&O IS THE PRIMARY STAFF SPONSOR OF THE MARINE CORPS LOW
PROGRAM. DC PP&O WILL COORDINATE WITH JAD TO PROVIDE OVERALL
COORDINATION, APPROVAL, AND PROMULGATION OF MAJOR MARINE CORPS
POLICIES, PLANS, AND TRAINING INVOLVING THE MARINE CORPS
LOW PROGRAM.
B. CG MCCDC WILL ENSURE THAT ENTRY-LEVEL AND FOLLOW-ON TRAINING IS
CONDUCTED IAW REF C.
C. JAD WILL ENSURE THAT SPECIALIZED AND DETAILED TRAINING IS
CONDUCTED IAW REF C.
D. COMMANDERS WILL ENSURE PERSONNEL RECEIVE LOW TRAINING AS
DESCRIBED AND REPORTABLE INCIDENTS ARE REPORTED IAW REF C.
E. IGMC WILL ASSIST FUNCTIONAL AREA MANAGERS (JAD, MCCDC) TO
DEVELOP AND/OR REVISE INSPECTION CHECKLISTS FOR REF C. IGMC
WILL ENSURE MARINE CORPS INSPECTION PROGRAMS MONITOR LOW
PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION. 
5. EXPIRATION DATE: INDEFINITE.