Modification to MCO 1610.7A ICO Fitness Reports

1.  PURPOSE.  This MARADMIN provides amplifying guidance to the policy established in reference (a) by prohibiting the use of merit reorder language in fitness reports.
2.  Background.  The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019 provides the service Secretaries with greater officer personnel management flexibilities to better serve the demands of todays officer force.  References (b) and (c) provide detailed background information and applicability.  Reference (a) states that the fitness report provides the primary means for evaluating a Marines performance to support the Commandants efforts to select the best qualified personnel for promotion, career designation, retention, resident schooling, command, and duty assignments.  The primary mission of officer promotion boards is to select the best and fully qualified officers for promotion.
3.  Guidance.   Promotion selection and merit reorder are two unique, separate, and distinct processes that occur during the promotion process.  Comments in a fitness report recommending merit reorder to a promotion board are prohibited because the reporting official lacks the visibility on the totality of the records being screened by the board.  Comments in a fitness report indicating that the promotion board took action to raise or lower a Marine in the lineal standing is also prohibited.  Any report containing language referring to merit reorder shall be returned to reporting officials for correction.
4.  Coordinating Instructions.  Commanders and reporting officials will ensure widest dissemination and adherence of this MARADMIN.
5.  This MARADMIN is applicable to the Marine Corps Total Force.
6.  Release authorized by LtGen M. A. Rocco, Deputy Commandant, Manpower and Reserve Affairs.