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QUANTICO, Va. - The option for company grade officers to end their active service up to one year early in exchange for two years in the Marine Corps Selected Reserve has been extended through fiscal year 2013, according to Marine Corps administrative message 511/12, signed Sept. 14.
The Company Grade Officer Early Out program is only available to officers ranked lieutenant or captain, who have not been career designated. Those interested in the program are encouraged to apply up to 18 months from their requested end of active service date, and no later than four months before the requested EAS.
The program was started in fiscal year 2012 and, along with the Voluntary Enlisted Early Release Program and the Officer Voluntary Early Release Program, is a way for the Corps to reduce costs by allowing Marines to end their contracts early, said Maj. Shawn Haney, spokesperson for Marine Manpower and Reserve Affairs.
She said the point of the program is not so much to downsize the Corps, as it’s aimed at officers who plan to end their service anyway. It also promotes reserve affiliation and smoothes the process of transferring to the reserves.
“It’s a good program for Marines who know where they’re going directly after EAS,” said Maj. Andrew Dausman, transition officer in charge at Reserve Counterpart Training. “We work with them to find an assignment they want to fill.”
The program not only holds a spot in the reserves for participating officers, but it also allows them access to the Tricare’s Transitional Assistance Management Program, including a six-month extension of their Tricare benefits.
Haney said the early out has to be approved by command, and there needs to be a slot the officer can feasibly fill in the reserve.
“A lot of things play into it, so it’s not going to make sense for everybody,” she said.
Last year, 27 officers participated in the program, and Haney said she expected similar numbers this year. She said there is no particular goal for a number of officers. “All we can do is let people know it’s there, and then it’s completely voluntary.”
Under the Officer Affiliation Bonus program, officers who choose to join the reserves for three years are entitled to a $10,000 bonus, whether or not they join through the early out program.
Base Adjutant Capt. Shanelle Porter advised that officers interested in the program investigate it first and then submit an administrative action form to their commander.
“They should make sure they read the MARADMIN in its entirety,” she said. The AA form is to be forwarded up the chain of command and on to the Plans, Programs and Systems Support Section of Manpower Management Officer Assignment, Headquarters Marine Corps.
| Date Taken: | 09.14.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 10.02.2012 14:52 |
| Story ID: | 95597 |
| Location: | QUANTICO, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 130 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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