FY26 Lateral Move Program for Marine Officers

1.  Purpose.  This MARADMIN announces the Fiscal 
Year 2026 (FY26) Lateral Move Program for Marine officers.  FY26 
lateral move applications will be accepted from the release of this 
MARADMIN until 30 September 2026.  
2. In accordance with reference (a), additional eligibility 
requirements for lateral moves are as follows:  
2.a.  Career-designated unrestricted officers in the grades of 
captain through lieutenant colonel, to include captain-selects 
whose Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) is listed in 
sub-paragraph 3.a may apply for lateral move.  
2.b.  Officers serving in Joint Duty Assignment List (JDAL) billets 
are eligible if they complete their joint tour by 1 July 2026.
2.c.  Officers fulfilling Commandant's Education Board (CEB) 
utilization tours are eligible if they complete their utilization 
tour by 1 July 2026.  
2.d.  Officers passed for promotion are not eligible to apply for 
lateral move.  Officers previously passed for promotion who have 
been subsequently selected for promotion and meet the remaining 
eligibility criteria are eligible to apply for lateral move.
2.e.  Officers who are slated for command as a result of the Command 
Screening Board (CSB) are not eligible. Officers currently in 
command are not eligible unless their command tour is complete by 1 
July 2026.
2.f.  Officers who have not met minimum time on station (TOS) 
requirements per reference (b) by 1 July 2026 are not eligible. 
2.g. Applicants for lateral move are notified that selection for a 
new Primary Military Occupational Specialty (PMOS) may result in 
permanent change of station orders from their current geographic 
duty station. Per reference (c), monitors will seek to keep Marines 
selected for lateral move in the same geographic duty station 
whenever circumstances allow it.
2.h.  In accordance with reference (a), restricted officers will not 
normally be allowed to laterally move except under unusual 
circumstances, and then, only to meet the specific grade 
requirements of that PMOS. 
2.i.  Officers who do not meet the eligibility criteria are 
ineligible to apply. 
3. Sub-paragraph 3.a. lists PMOSs that unrestricted officers may 
lateral move out of, and sub-paragraph 3.b. lists PMOSs that 
unrestricted officers may lateral move into.  These PMOSs are 
determined based on current and projected strength levels in each 
PMOS.  Officers desiring to lateral move out of a PMOS not listed 
in sub-paragraph 3.a. or into a PMOS not listed in sub-paragraph 
3.b. will not normally be considered.  
3.a.  Unrestricted officers holding the following PMOSs are eligible 
to apply for lateral move into PMOSs listed in paragraph 3.b (read 
in two columns):
Captains and Captain-selects:
0302    Infantry Officer    
0402    Logistics Officer
1302    Combat Engineer Officer
4502    Communication Strategy and Operations Officer
5803    Military Police Officer
6002    Aircraft Maintenance Officer
6602    Aviation Supply Officer
Majors and Major-selects:
0302    Infantry Officer
0802    Artillery Officer
1302    Combat Engineer Officer
5803    Military Police Officer
Lieutenant Colonels and Lieutenant Colonel-selects:
0202    Intelligence Officer
0302    Infantry Officer
0802    Artillery Officer
1302    Combat Engineer Officer
5803    Military Police Officer
1803    Assault Amphibian Officer
3.b.  Eligible officers may request to lateral move into the 
following PMOSs (read in two columns):
Captains and Captain-selects:
0102    Manpower Officer
0202    Intelligence Officer
3002    Ground Supply Officer
Majors and Major-selects:
0202    Intelligence Officer
0602    Communications Officer
1803    Assault Amphibian Officer
3002    Ground Supply Officer
3404    Financial Management Officer
Lieutenant Colonels and Lieutenant Colonel-selects:
0102    Manpower Officer
0402    Logistics Officer
0602    Communications Officer
3002    Ground Supply Officer
3404    Financial Management Officer
4502    Communication Strategy and Operations Officer
6002    Aircraft Maintenance Officer
6602    Aviation Supply Officer
3.c. A separate MARADMIN will be released soliciting applications 
for lateral move into 1702 Cyberspace Warfare Officer, 1706 Maritime 
Space Officer, and 1707 Influence Officer.
3.d.  Officers approved for lateral move will incur a 36-month 
service obligation upon awarding of the new PMOS at the completion
of their new PMOS school.  
3.e.  In accordance with reference (d), if an officer is subject to 
discharge prior to completing service obligations associated with 
lateral movement, the officer shall be retained on active duty until 
the obligation is fulfilled, unless the Secretary of the Navy deems 
this requirement is not in the best interest of the service.
3.f.  Officers who fail to complete the required PMOS school will be
reassigned within their current PMOS, or at the discretion of HQMC 
(MMOA).
4.  HQMC (MMOA) will verify that lateral move applicants meet the 
pre-requisites for the requested PMOS in accordance with the 
Military Occupational Specialty Manual.
5.  Lateral move applications must be submitted via the NAVMC 10274 
Administrative Action (AA) Form.  Applications must be endorsed by 
the first O-5 commander in the applicant's chain of command.  
Applicants in the grade of O-5 must have their package endorsed by 
the first O-6 commander in the applicant's chain of command. Refer 
to the MMOA-3 points of contact for application examples. 
5.a.  All lateral move applications shall include the following: 
5.a.1.  At least one but no more than three letters of 
recommendation attesting to the applicant's leadership, technical
skills and abilities, and overall performance.  
5.a.2.  A personal statement in naval letter format explaining why 
the officer desires to lateral move into the requested PMOS.  The 
applicant will reference any unique experiences relevant to the 
gaining PMOS.
5.b.  Lateral move applications to PMOS 0202 must include a signed 
statement from their Special Security Office (SSO) attesting to the 
current security clearance level and date of adjudication, to 
include eligibility for TS/SCI.
6.  Approval of a lateral move request is subject to multiple 
determining factors for each particular MOS.  Officers are highly 
encouraged to contact their current PMOS monitor prior to submitting 
a lateral move application.  Officers may also contact a career 
counselor (MMRP) prior to submitting a request to evaluate the 
career impact of a lateral move. 
 7.  Applications shall be submitted as a single .PDF file to MMOA-3 
at SMBMANPOWEROFFICERPR@USMC.MIL and labeled as 
"EDIPI_LASTNAME_LM(insert requested PMOS)".  
Submissions will receive an e-mail confirming receipt from MMOA-3.
7.a.  Upon receipt of the lateral move application, MMOA-3 will 
staff the package with the appropriate stakeholders and prepare the 
package for decision. 
7.b.  Lateral move decisions will be communicated to the Marine via 
separate correspondence within 90 days of receipt by MMOA-3.  
Officers approved for lateral move will execute orders to the next 
available PMOS school or as directed by MMOA.  
8.  This MARADMIN is not applicable to the Marine Corps Reserve.
9.  This MARADMIN cancels on 30 September 2026.
10.  Release authorized by Lieutenant General William J. Bowers, 
Deputy Commandant for Manpower and Reserve Affairs.