Reserve Officer Commissioning Programs

1. PURPOSE. THE PURPOSE OF THIS MESSAGE IS TO ANNOUNCE MODIFICATIONS TO
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR THE RESERVE ENLISTED COMMISSIONING PROGRAM
(RECP)(REF A) AND THE IMPLEMENTATION OF TWO NEW RESERVE OFFICER
COMMISSIONING PROGRAMS, THE MERITORIOUS COMMISSIONING PROGRAM-RESERVE
(MCP-R) AND THE OFFICER CANDIDATE COURSE-RESERVE (OCC-R), IN SUPPORT OF
CMC WHITE LETTER (REF B).
2. BACKGROUND. CURRENT AC MANPOWER PRACTICES AND HISTORICALLY HIGH
RETENTION RATES HAVE SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED THE NUMBER OF OFFICERS
LEAVING ACTIVE DUTY FOLLOWING THEIR INITIAL THREE OR FOUR YEAR SERVICE
OBLIGATION. THOSE THAT DO TRANSITION TO THE RESERVE COMPONENT (RC) OFTEN
DO SO AT GRADES MORE SENIOR THAN REQUIRED TO FILL JUNIOR OFFICER RANKS.
THESE FACTORS HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO AN EVER WIDENING GAP BETWEEN RC JUNIOR
COMPANY GRADE LEADERSHIP REQUIREMENTS AND MANPOWER RESOURCES.
CONSEQUENTLY, THE CMC DIRECTED THE DEVELOPMENT OF VIABLE OPTIONS TO
SOLVE THE SELECTED MARINE CORPS RESERVE (SMCR) LIEUTENANT (LT) SHORTAGE.
3. THE FOLLOWING APPROVED PROGRAMS PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXPERIENCED
AND QUALIFIED ENLISTED MARINES, BOTH ACTIVE AND RESERVE, AND QUALIFIED
COLLEGE SENIORS/GRADUATES TO PURSUE COMMISSIONED SERVICE IN SMCR UNITS
OF THE MARINE CORPS RESERVE.
THESE PROGRAMS BECAME EFFECTIVE 1 OCTOBER 2006 (FISCAL YEAR 2007).
THE ELIGIBILITY AND APPLICATION CRITERIA FOR EACH MODIFIED OR NEW
PROGRAM ARE PROVIDED BELOW.
A. RESERVE ENLISTED COMMISSIONING PROGRAM (RECP). THE FOLLOWING SPECIFIC
MODIFICATIONS/CHANGES ARE MADE TO THE RECP (REF A).
(1) ELIGIBILITY
(A) RC TIME IN SERVICE (TIS). MINIMUM TIS HAS BEEN REDUCED FROM 36
MONTHS TO 12 MONTHS FOR OTHERWISE QUALIFIED MARINES. ALL OTHER
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS APPLY AS FOUND IN REF A. ACTIVE RESERVE
(AR) MARINES WHO APPLY AND ARE SELECTED WILL BE TRANSFERRED TO THE
INDIVIDUAL READY RESERVE (IRR) PRIOR TO ASSIGNMENT TO ACTIVE DUTY FOR
TRAINING AT OFFICER CANDIDATE SCHOOL (OCS) AND WILL BE ASSIGNED TO A
SMCR UNIT UPON COMPLETION OF ALL TRAINING. FORMER AR MARINES MAY RETURN
TO AN AR STATUS UPON COMPLETION OF THEIR COMMITMENT TO THEIR RESPECTIVE
SMCR UNITS AND COMPETITIVE SELECTION BY AN AR OFFICER ACCESSION BOARD.
(B) AC MARINES. AC APPLICANTS MUST HAVE COMPLETED A MINIMUM OF 12 MONTHS
OF ACTIVE DUTY SERVICE BEFORE APPLYING FOR A RESERVE COMMISSION VIA
RECP. AC APPLICANTS MUST HAVE AN END OF ACTIVE SERVICE (EAS) DATE WITHIN
1-YEAR OF THE OFFICER CANDIDATE COURSE
(OCC) FOR WHICH THEY WISH TO ATTEND. MARINES MAY SEEK A CONDITIONAL
RELEASE VIA THEIR AC CHAIN OF COMMAND IF THE DESIRED OCC COURSE
CONVENING DATE OCCURS PRIOR TO THE MARINES ACTIVE DUTY EAS. AC MARINES
WHO APPLY AND ARE SELECTED WILL BE TRANSFERRED TO THE IRR PRIOR TO
ASSIGNMENT TO ACTIVE DUTY FOR TRAINING AT OCS.
(2) APPLICATION PROCEDURES
(A) RC AND AC APPLICATION PACKAGES WILL BE ENDORSED BY THE APPLICANTS
APPROPRIATE CHAIN OF COMMAND, UP TO AND INCLUDING THE FIRST GENERAL
OFFICER IN THE MARINES CHAIN OF COMMAND.
(B) RC MARINES WHO ARE MEMBERS OF SMCR UNITS WILL NO LONGER REQUIRE
ENDORSEMENT BY THE COMMANDER MARINE FORCES RESERVE PRIOR TO SUBMISSION
TO MARINE CORPS RECRUITING COMMAND (MCRC) UNLESS THEY ARE A MEMBER OF
THE MARINE FORCES RESERVE (MARFORRES) STAFF OR A MARFORRES FORCE LEVEL
UNIT.
(C) INDIVIDUAL MOBILIZATION AUGMENTEE MARINES WILL SUBMIT APPLICATIONS
VIA THEIR APPROPRIATE OPERATIONAL SPONSORS CHAIN OF COMMAND.
(D) IRR MARINES WILL SUBMIT APPLICATIONS VIA THE COMMANDING GENERAL,
MARINE CORPS MOBILIZATION COMMAND (MOBCOM).
(E) MARINES WILL LIST ASSIGNMENT PREFERENCES AS FOLLOWS: MILITARY
OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALTY (MOS) PREFERENCE, CITY/STATE PREFERENCE, SMCR
UNIT PREFERENCE, AND IDENTIFY PRIORITIZATION OF MOS OR GEOGRAPHIC/UNIT
SELECTION. PREFERENCES WILL BE BASED ON LT BILLET VACANCIES AT SMCR
UNITS OF CHOICE AS PUBLISHED IN THE SOLICITATION MARADMIN. THIS
INFORMATION WILL BE USED AT A LATER DATE DURING THE UNIT/MOS ASSIGNMENT
PROCESS.
(3) TRAINING REQUIREMENTS. MARINES SELECTED FOR RECP WILL BE ASSIGNED TO
OCS IN QUANTICO, VA TO ATTEND THE APPROPRIATE OCC.
UPON SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF OCS, AN RECP PARTICIPANT WILL BE
COMMISSIONED A SECOND LIEUTENANT IN THE MARINE CORPS RESERVE AND
ASSIGNED TO THE NEXT AVAILABLE COURSE OF INSTRUCTION AT THE BASIC SCHOOL
(TBS). UPON GRADUATION FROM TBS RESERVE LIEUTENANTS WILL BE ASSIGNED TO
THEIR APPROPRIATE MOS SCHOOL BASED ON MOS DESIGNATION.
(4) MILITARY OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALTY ASSIGNMENT. CMC(RA), IN COORDINATION
WITH TBS, WILL ASSIGN RESERVE LIEUTENANTS THEIR MOS BASED ON INPUT TAKEN
FROM THE APPLICATION PACKAGE, INTERVIEWS WITH/OBSERVATIONS OF THE
LIEUTENANT DURING TRAINING, AND FINAL VERIFICATION OF UNIT/BILLET
REQUIREMENTS.
(5) SMCR UNIT ASSIGNMENT. CMC(RA), IN COORDINATION WITH TBS, WILL ASSIGN
RESERVE LIEUTENANTS TO THEIR INITIAL SMCR UNIT BASED ON THE SAME
CRITERIA AS LISTED IN PARA 3A(4) ABOVE.
(6) SELECTED RESERVE (SELRES) SERVICE OBLIGATION. THE SELRES SERVICE
OBLIGATION HAS BEEN EXTENDED TO 4 YEARS (48 MONTHS) OF COMMISSIONED
SERVICE (FROM DATE OF COMMISSION) VICE 3 YEARS. THIS INCREASE IS TO
ENSURE EQUITY OF SERVICE OBLIGATION LENGTHS TO ALL SMCR UNIT OFFICER
ACCESSION PROGRAMS: RECP, MCP-R, AND OCC-R. TIME SPENT IN TRAINING AT
TBS AND MOS SCHOOL WILL COUNT TOWARD THE 48 MONTH REQUIREMENT.
B. MCP-R IMPLEMENTATION. THE MCP-R PROGRAM IS ESTABLISHED FOR ENLISTED
MARINES, AC AND RC, POSSESSING AN ASSOCIATES DEGREE OR REQUISITE NUMBER
OF SEMESTER HOURS, TO APPLY FOR A RESERVE COMMISSION AND FOLLOW-ON
SERVICE IN AN SMCR UNIT UPON COMPLETION OF ALL REQUIRED TRAINING: OCS,
TBS, AND AN APPROPRIATE MOS SCHOOL.
MCP-R PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS WILL MIRROR THOSE LISTED IN REF (C) FOR THE
AC MCP WITH THE EXCEPTIONS BEING COMMISSIONING DATE AND COMPONENT IN
WHICH APPOINTMENT IS MADE.
(1) ELIGIBILITY.
(A) MCP-R ALLOWS COMMANDING OFFICERS TO NOMINATE HIGHLY QUALIFIED
MARINES, RC AND AC, WHO DO NOT POSSESS A BACCALAUREATE DEGREE BUT WHO
HAVE DEMONSTRATED EXCEPTIONAL LEADERSHIP POTENTIAL, FOR ASSIGNMENT TO
OCS AND SUBSEQUENT COMMISSIONING IN THE MARINE CORPS RESERVE.
(B) MCP-R APPLICANTS MUST HAVE SATISFACTORILY EARNED AN ASSOCIATE LEVEL
DEGREE OR COMPLETED 75 SEMESTER HOURS OR MORE OF COLLEGE WORK AT A
REGIONALLY ACCREDITED COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY. COURSES WILL NOT BE COUNTED
MORE THAN ONCE TOWARDS THE CUMULATIVE TOTAL REQUIREMENT MINIMUM
(MULTIPLE COURSE HOURS WILL NOT BE COUNTED FOR COURSES THAT ARE
REPEATED).
(C) RC APPLICANTS MUST HAVE COMPLETED 12 MONTHS OF RESERVE SERVICE IN
THE SELRES OF THE MARINE CORPS READY RESERVE AND HAVE AT LEAST
12 MONTHS REMAINING ON THEIR CURRENT RESERVE ENLISTMENT OR EXTENSION ON
THE DATE OF APPLICATION. PRIOR SERVICE ENLISTED MARINES MUST HAVE
COMPLETED A MINIMUM OF 12 MONTHS OF RESERVE SERVICE IN THE SELRES OR
ACTIVE DUTY SERVICE IN THE AC WITH 12 MONTHS REMAINING ON THEIR CURRENT
RESERVE ENLISTMENT OR EXTENSION ON THE DATE OF APPLICATION. AR MARINES
WHO APPLY AND ARE SELECTED WILL BE TRANSFERRED TO THE IRR OF THE READY
RESERVE PRIOR TO ASSIGNMENT TO ACTIVE DUTY FOR TRAINING AT OCS AND WILL
BE ASSIGNED TO AN SMCR UNIT UPON COMPLETION OF ALL TRAINING. FORMER AR
MARINES MAY RETURN TO AN AR STATUS UPON COMPLETION OF THEIR COMMITMENT
TO THEIR RESPECTIVE SMCR UNITS AND COMPETITIVE SELECTION BY AN AR
OFFICER ACCESSION BOARD.
(D) AC APPLICANTS MUST HAVE COMPLETED A MINIMUM OF 12 MONTHS OF ACTIVE
DUTY SERVICE BEFORE APPLYING FOR A RESERVE COMMISSION VIA MCP-R. AC
APPLICANTS MUST HAVE AN EAS DATE WITHIN 1-YEAR OF THE OCC FOR WHICH THEY
WISH TO ATTEND. MARINES MAY SEEK A CONDITIONAL RELEASE VIA THEIR AC
CHAIN OF COMMAND IF THE DESIRED OCC COURSE CONVENING DATE OCCURS PRIOR
TO THE MARINES ACTIVE DUTY EAS. AC MARINES WHO APPLY AND ARE SELECTED
WILL BE TRANSFERRED TO THE IRR PRIOR TO ASSIGNMENT TO ACTIVE DUTY FOR
TRAINING AT OCS.
(2) APPLICATION PROCEDURES. MCP-R APPLICATION PROCEDURES WILL BE THE
SAME AS THOSE LISTED IN PARA 3A(2) ABOVE.
(3) COMMISSIONING CRITERIA. UNLIKE AC MARINES PARTICIPATING IN THE
CURRENT MCP, MCP-R APPLICANTS WILL BE COMMISSIONED AS SECOND LIEUTENANTS
UPON SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION AND GRADUATION FROM OCS PER TITLE 10 U.S.
CODE, SECTION 12205. RESERVE OFFICERS COMMISSIONED VIA THE MCP-R PROGRAM
WILL NOT BE ELIGIBLE FOR APPOINTMENT BEYOND THE RANK OF FIRST LIEUTENANT
UNTIL THEY HAVE COMPLETED ALL BACCALAUREATE DEGREE REQUIREMENTS.
(4) TRAINING REQUIREMENTS. MCP-R TRAINING REQUIREMENTS WILL BE THE SAME
AS THOSE LISTED IN PARA 3A(3) ABOVE.
(5) MOS ASSIGNMENT. MOS ASSIGNMENTS WILL BE PROVIDED IN THE SAME MANNER
AS PRESCRIBED IN PARA 3A(4) ABOVE.
(6) SMCR UNIT ASSIGNMENT. SMCR UNIT ASSIGNMENTS WILL BE PROVIDED IN THE
SAME MANNER AS PRESCRIBED IN PARA 3A(5) ABOVE.
(7) SELRES SERVICE OBLIGATION. MCP-R MARINES WILL INCUR A 48 MONTH
(4-YEAR) SELRES SERVICE OBLIGATION FROM THE DATE OF COMMISSIONING.
TIME SPENT IN TRAINING AT TBS AND MOS SCHOOL WILL COUNT TOWARD THE
48 MONTH REQUIREMENT.
C. OCC-R IMPLEMENTATION. THE OCC-R PROGRAM IS FOR QUALIFIED CIVILIAN
COLLEGE SENIORS OR GRADUATES WHO MAY APPLY FOR A RESERVE COMMISSION AND
FOLLOW-ON SERVICE IN AN SMCR UNIT UPON COMPLETION OF ALL REQUIRED
TRAINING; OCS, TBS, AND AN APPROPRIATE MOS SCHOOL.
OCC-R PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS WILL MIRROR THOSE LISTED IN REF (D) FOR OCC
WITH THE EXCEPTION BEING THE COMPONENT IN WHICH APPOINTMENT IS MADE.
(1) ELIGIBILITY. THE OCC-R PROGRAM IS AN ADDITIONAL CATEGORY OF THE
OVERALL OCC PROGRAM AS FOUND IN REF (D). THE OCC-R PROGRAM IS A
COMMISSIONING PROGRAM FOR COLLEGE SENIORS AT, OR GRADUATES OF, AN
ACCREDITED COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY. MEMBERS OF THE READY RESERVE ARE NOT
ELIGIBLE FOR OCC-R AND SHOULD APPLY FOR COMMISSIONING VIA RECP OR MCP-R.
FEMALE APPLICANTS WHO APPLY FOR OCC-R, AND ARE ACCEPTED, WILL BE
ASSIGNED TO THE APPROPRIATE TRAINING COURSE OF PRESCRIBED DURATION AT
OFFICER CANDIDATES SCHOOL (OCS). FEMALE CANDIDATES ATTEND OCS IN THE
FALL OR SUMMER ONLY.
(2) APPLICATION PROCEDURES. OCC-R APPLICATION PROCEDURES/REQUIREMENTS
ARE IN ACCORDANCE WITH REF (D).
(3) COMMISSIONING CRITERIA. IN ACCORDANCE WITH REF (D).
(4) TRAINING REQUIREMENTS. MARINES SELECTED FOR OCC-R WILL BE ASSIGNED
TO OCS IN QUANTICO, VA TO ATTEND THE APPROPRIATE OCC.
UPON SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF OCS, AN OCC-R PARTICIPANT WILL BE
COMMISSIONED A SECOND LIEUTENANT IN THE MARINE CORPS RESERVE AND
ASSIGNED TO THE NEXT AVAILABLE COURSE OF INSTRUCTION AT TBS.
RESERVE LIEUTENANTS WILL BE ASSIGNED TO THE APPROPRIATE MOS SCHOOL BASED
ON MOS DESIGNATION.
(5) MOS AND UNIT ASSIGNMENT. AS PART OF THEIR SERVICE CONTRACT OCC-R
CANDIDATES WILL COMPLETE NAVMC 11534 ANNEX C WITH THEIR RESPECTIVE
OFFICER SELECTION OFFICERS TO CHOOSE MOS PREFERENCE, CITY/STATE
PREFERENCE, SMCR UNIT PREFERENCE, AND IDENTIFY PRIORITIZATION OF MOS OR
GEOGRAPHIC/UNIT SELECTION. FINAL MOS AND ASSIGNMENTS WILL BE DETERMINED
IN THE SAME MANNER AS PRESCRIBED IN PARAS 3A(4) AND 3A(5) ABOVE.
(6) SELRES SERVICE OBLIGATION. OCC-R MARINES WILL INCUR A 48 MONTH
(4-YEAR) SELRES SERVICE OBLIGATION FROM THE DATE OF COMMISSIONING.
TIME SPENT IN TRAINING AT TBS AND MOS SCHOOL WILL COUNT TOWARD THE
48 MONTH REQUIREMENT.
4. Post ENTRY LEVEL Training Opportunities. ALL NEWLY cOMMISSIONED
LIEUTENANTS IN THE AFOREMENTIONED PROGRAMS WILL BE AFFORDED THE
OPPORTUNITY TO ACCEPT UP TO twelve (12) CUMULATIVE MONTHS OF ADDITIONAL
POST TRAINING ACTIVE DUTY VIA CMC (RA) FUNDED ACTIVE DUTY FOR SPECIAL
WORK (ADSW)/ACTIVE DUTY FOR OPERATIONAL SUPPORT (ADOS) ORDERS IN ORDER
TO FACILITATE OFFICER LEADERSHIP SKILL DEVELOPMENT IN EITHER THE
OPERATING FORCES OR THEIR PARENT SMCR UNIT. MCP-R LIEUTENANTS WHO HAVE
NOT COMPLETED THEIR DEGREE REQUIREMENTS AS IDENTIFIED IN PARA 5c ABOVE
WILL ONLY BE ASSIGNED ORDERS TO THEIR RESPECTIVE SMCR
UNIT/INSPECTOR-INSTRUCTOR/SITE COMMAND IN ORDER TO FACILITATE THEIR
CONCURRENT BACCALAUREATE DEGREE COMPLETION. ALL NEWLY COMMISSIONED
RESERVE LIEUTENANTS WILL be available for activation as required to meet
operational REQUIREMENTS REGARDLESS OF COMMISSIONING SOURCE.
5. THE AFOREMENTIONED PROGRAMS WILL BE INCORPORATED INTO THE APPROPRIATE
REFERENCES.
6. QUESTIONS CONCERNING THIS MARADMIN CAN BE DIRECTED TO CAPTAIN J.
SCHUMACHER (JOSEPH.SCHUMACHER@USMC.MIL) AT (703) 784-9136/37/38,
DSN: 278-XXXX.
7. THIS MARADMIN APPLIES TO THE TOTAL FORCE.