Story by Lance Cpl. Charles J. Santamaria
TWENTYNINE PALMS, Calif. - Marines are advised to provide a visual representation of themselves to the Official Military Personnel Profile before promotion or selection boards, according to Marine Administrative Message 498/13.
Marines participating in promotion or selection boards must provide a current photograph of themselves in their Service Charlie uniform for consideration.
It is up to the individual Marine to post their photo on their OMPF located on the Marine Online webpage.
It is also recommended that Marines try to have their photographs taken at a Combat Camera section aboard their installation.
Male officers and enlisted personnel will wear the Service “C” uniform with ribbons and no cover. Female officers and enlisted personnel will also wear the Service “C” uniform with the exception of Marines who are pregnant.
Marines in postpartum may take an OMPF photograph in Service “C,” maternity uniform, or Marine pattern (MARPAT) uniform.
Postpartum Marines may wear these uniforms up to six months from the scheduled date of delivery.
Marines who are deployed to a combat zone or supporting a humanitarian mission are authorized to wear desert or woodland MARPAT, depending on the season, without their cover.
Marines performing duties in a training exercise or unit deployment away from their primary duty station are also authorized to take their OMPF photograph in the MARPAT uniform. If the unit was not directed to travel with the Service “C” uniform, and the Marine will not return to their primary duty station in time to submit a photograph, a photograph in MARPAT is allowed.
Along with the photograph, a titled text box must be included in the OMPF. The text must include the Marine’s full name, last four digits of their social security number, rank and primary Military Occupational Specialty, height and weight, abbreviated billet, unit, date photo was taken, and certification by their senior leadership.
For deployed Marines, the title board will display the word “deployed” across the top. The text box should be placed at or near the bottom right corner of the digital image. Marines must ensure the identifying data is legible in the finished print.
For digital photographs, either a title board or a text box on the photograph is acceptable.
A photograph for OMPF is only considered current if it's taken within 12 months of the selection or promotion board. Individual Marines have a responsibility to ensure their photograph is submitted to the Manpower Management Service Branch.
Photographs approved for processing are typically placed in the OMPF within 2 working days.
For more information, or to view the MARADMIN, visit www.marines.mil, or www.mol.usmc.mil.