Active Duty Service Obligation (ADSO) for Cyberspace Warfare Operators

1.  This message provides amplifying guidance to the
Active Duty Service Obligation (ADSO) requirement associated with 
multiple milestones for 1721, Cyberspace Warfare Operators:  
1.a. Completing apprentice-level National Security Agency (NSA) 
training and certification for cyberspace operator (CO) or 
exploitation analyst (EA) work roles. 
1.b. Completing senior level United States Cyber Command training 
and certification for cyberspace operator or exploitation analyst 
work roles. 
1.c. Completing formal training requirements as part of a lateral 
move process. 
2.  CYBERSPACE OPERATOR.   
2.a Marines must gain up to 60 months of additional obligated 
service either through extension or reenlistment, accounting for 
both training and utilization.  An example timeline is as follows: 
2.a.1.  15 months of senior cyber operator training. 
2.a.2.  15 months of joint qualification requirements. 
2.a.3.  30 months utilization tour. 
2.a.4.  Marines who volunteer to attend the formal training pipeline
must gain additional obligated service prior to the convening date 
of senior level cyber operator training (e.g. FORGE 201).    
3.  EXPLOITATION ANALYST. 
3.a.  Marines must have 36 months of obligated service, accounting 
for both training and utilization, prior to the convene date of 
senior level training.  An example timeline is as follows: 
3.a.1.  2 months of senior exploitation analyst training. 
3.a.2.  10 months of joint qualification requirements. 
3.a.3.  24 months utilization tour. 
3.a.4.  Marines who volunteer to attend the formal training 
pipeline, and do not possess the required obligated service, must 
gain additional obligated service prior to the convene date of 
senior level exploitation analyst training (e.g. HAMR). 
4. LATERAL MOVE 
4.a. The Marine Corps invests a significant amount of time and 
training into Cyberspace Warfare Operators. A considerable quantity
of applications for lateral move into the Cyberspace field are 
received each FY. The service must forecast these lateral moves and
plan for their school seats accordingly. Given sustained interest in
1721 lateral moves, limited school seats, and long training 
pipeline, it is necessary to clarify lateral-move service 
obligations to ensure the service is receiving sufficient return on
investment with these Marines. 
4.b. Marines who apply to laterally move into the 1721 PMOS during
their retention End of Current Contract (ECC) Fiscal Year (FY) are
required to reenlist for 60 months before the lateral move is 
approved. 
4.b.1. Marines who apply to laterally move into the 1721 PMOS 
outside of their retention ECC eligibility window are required to
agree to extend their current contract for 47 months after 
graduating the required courses and obtaining the PMOS. Marines will
still be required to make a reenlistment decision when the 
eligibility window for their ECC cohort opens.      
5.  ELIGIBILITY GUIDELINES FOR CO AND EA. 
5.a.  Must be Active Duty Marine in the rank of Staff Sergeant and 
below. 
5.b.  Must be stationed under MARFORCYBER, Marine Cryptologic 
Support Battalion, or Joint Force Headquarters - Cyber.  
5.c.  Must have successfully completed all required basic level
training and any additional screening or assessment identified by 
MARFORCYBER or Marine Corps Cyberspace Warfare Group. 
5.d.  Must not have more than three years time on station (TOS) 
prior to entering the senior level training. 
5.e.  Eligibility criteria may be waived based on critical 
operational needs determined by the first O6 commander. 
5.f.  Rank criteria may not be waived for cyberspace operators. 
5.f.1.  Selection to the grade of E8 negates any remaining time of 
training, qualification, or utilization. 
6.  ADMINISTRATIVE PROCESS. 
6.a.  ADSO mechanism is a RELM via MMEA-1.  
6.b.  EAS will be updated to reflect the contract extension from the
start date of senior level training.  
6.c.  ADSO will not affect Marines' reenlistment opportunity based 
on their ECC.  
6.d.  Marines will remain eligible for selective retention bonuses 
when submitting for reenlistment.  
7. This MARADMIN supersedes reference (e). 
8. This MARADMIN is not applicable to the Marine Corps Reserve. 
9. Release authorized by LtGen M. G. Glavy, Headquarters Marine 
Corps, Deputy Commandant for Information.