Fiscal Year 2026 Active Reserve Special Duty Assignment Campaign

1.  This message announces the Fiscal Year 2026
(FY26) Reserve Affairs Management (RAM), Active Reserve (AR),
Special Duty Assignment (SDA) Campaign and provides coordinating
instructions for requesting billets as a Prior Service Recruiter
(PSR), Drill Instructor (DI), or Marine Combat Instructor (MCI).
The SDA Campaign outlines the timeline of the FY26 voluntary and
involuntary assignment periods with corresponding initiatives and
procedural changes.
2.  Background.  A successful SDA tour is a hallmark of a
competitive Marine and makes them exceptionally qualified for 
promotion.  In addition to opportunities for SNCO meritorious 
promotions and financial incentives, an SDA tour is developmental, 
rewarding, and both physically and mentally challenging.
3.  Situation.  The goal of the FY26 AR SDA Campaign is to fulfill 
all AR SDA requirements with volunteers by building upon the 
sustained volunteerism of recent years.  Marines approved for a FY26
AR SDA will have a class report date between 1 October 2025 and 30
September 2026.  The FY26 AR SDA Campaign will be executed via 
voluntary and (if required) involuntary assignment periods from 1 
July 2024 to 30 June 2025.
4.  Concept of Operations:
4.a.  Voluntary Assignment Period (VAP)
4.a.1.  The VAP begins 1 July 2024 and ends 28 February 2025.
During this period, CMC (RAM) will accept and review volunteer
packages for potential assignment to an SDA of the Marine's choice.
The intent of this phase is to fulfill as many FY26 AR SDA openings
as possible and to minimize the requirement for involuntary
assignments.  See paragraph 5 for eligibility information.
4.b.  Involuntary Assignment Period (IVAP)
4.b.1.  The IVAP will begin on 1 March 2025.  The intent of this
period is to assign  the  required number of Marines to fulfill
remaining FY26 AR SDA openings.  Eligible Marines will be screened
for involuntary assignment via CMC (RAM).  The IVAP will end 1 July
2025.
4.b.2.  During the IVAP, Marines not identified for screening may
request assignment to an SDA as a volunteer.  However, these
volunteers will no longer have priority for assignment and may be
restricted by Primary Military Occupational Specialty (PMOS)
requirements.
5.  Eligibility:
5.a.  Reference (a) contains the complete listing of eligibility and
screening criteria.
5.b.  Corporals through gunnery sergeants who will not exceed
Enlisted Career Force Controls (ECFC) limits prior to 30 September
2029 per reference (b).  Corporals may only volunteer for MCI duty.
5.c.  Marines must have more than 12 months time on station as of 1
March 2025.  Eligible Marines are encouraged to contact their career
planner and monitor for more information.
5.d.  Marines who have executed a lateral move into their present
MOS are not eligible to submit for voluntary assignment unless they
have completed a minimum of 36 months in that MOS prior to the class
start date.
5.e.  Marines who have previously completed an SDA are eligible to
serve on a second tour dependent on the PMOS population 
supportability.  Marines must have been in their PMOS a minimum of
24 months prior to their class start date.
5.f.  Marines who wish to volunteer for assignment to an SDA must
submit an "SDA RELM" using the Total Force Retention System (TFRS)
to HQMC (RA) with the assistance of the unit career planner.  
Career planners should include a comment in the RELM about any 
preferences a Marine may have (SDA type, duty locations, and class
dates).
5.g.  To be considered an SDA volunteer, Marines must have an "SDA
RELM" submitted in TFRS before 1 March 2025 and be requesting
assignment to one of the following duties: PSR, DI, or MCI. Marines
desiring to volunteer should plan accordingly, package signature
dates will not be used to determine a Marine's volunteer status.
5.h.  Eligible Marines volunteering for PSR duty are required to
conduct an interview with a PSR Career Recruiter nearest their
location using the PSR screening addendum.  Telephonic screenings
are authorized; however, in-person interviews should be executed to
the greatest extent possible.  The last page of the addendum must be
signed by the Career Recruiter.  The entire addendum is required to
be attached to and submitted with the SDA RELM.  Marines should
contact the nearest PSR District Headquarters using the number 
provided below:
1.  PSRS-1, Garden City, NY:     (516) 824-3091/3095
2.  PSRS-4, Columbus, OH:        (717) 836-1098/1117
3.  PSRS-6, Parris Island, SC:   (843) 228-4427/4431
4.  PSRS-8, Fort Worth, TX:      (817) 738-6260 ext. 23/24 
5.  PSRS-9, Great Lakes, IL:     (847) 688-7129/7130 ext. 782/772
6.  PSRS-12, Camp Pendleton, CA: (619) 738-5348/(760) 763-6219
6.  Volunteer Cancellations and Modifications:
6.a.  To increase the reliability of volunteer assignments, 
volunteer cancellation, and modification requests prior to the IVAP
will be considered on a case-by-case basis based upon the needs of
the Marine, the PMOS, the SDA, and the Marine's command.  Marines
should provide full justifications for these requests.
6.b.  All cancellation and modification requests, for volunteers and
non-volunteers alike, occurring after publication of the IVAP
screening list will be scrutinized. Marines and commands should
provide thorough justifications detailing why the Marine is no
longer eligible and/or the risks incurred if the Marine remains in
their current assignment. 
7.  Financial Incentives.  Details regarding specific updates to
financial incentives will be provided in a separate MARADMIN related
to SDA Pay and Assignment Incentive Pay.
8.  Questions regarding the FY26 AR SDA Campaign should be referred
to the POCs listed above.
9.  This MARADMIN is only applicable to the Active Reserve.
10.  Released authorized by Major General Karl D. Pierson, Director, 
Reserve Affairs Division.