FISCAL YEAR 2026 RESERVE RETENTION CAMPAIGN

R 181740Z SEP 25
MARADMIN 438/25
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC MRA RA//
SUBJ/FISCAL YEAR 2026 RESERVE RETENTION CAMPAIGN//
REF/A/MSGID: MCO/CMC/RA: 20200626//
REF/B/MSGID: MCO/CMC/RA: 20190215//
REF/C/MSGID: MSG/CMC/YMD: 20211207//
REF/D/MSGID: MSG/CMC/YMD: 20211207//
AMPN/REF A IS MCO 1040R.31, RESERVE CAREER RETENTION AND DEVELOPMENT
MANUAL. REF B IS MCO 1001.52K, THE MANAGEMENT OF THE ACTIVE RESERVE
(AR) PROGRAM. REF C IS MARADMIN 695/21, RESERVE AFFILIATION JUNIOR
ENLISTED PERFORMANCE EVALUATION SYSTEM (JEPES) SCORE POINTS
INCENTIVE. REF D IS MARADMIN 696/21, SELECTED MARINE CORPS RESERVE
BILLET IDENTIFICATION CODE (BIC) INCENTIVE.//
POC/J. C. WILLIAMS/MGYSGT/RA/TEL: 703-784-9669/EMAIL:
[email protected]//
POC/H. G. SANDLER/CAPT/RA (RAP)/TEL: 703-784-9588/EMAIL:
[email protected]//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1. Purpose. The Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) Reserve
Retention Campaign is designed to meet the Service's retention
requirements by maximizing retention efforts across the Marine
Corps Reserve.
2. Situation. The campaign details retention opportunities and the
FY26 eligible population for Marines in the Selected Marine Corps
Reserve (SMCR), Individual Mobilization Augmentee (IMA) Program,
Individual Ready Reserve (IRR), and Active Reserve (AR) Program.
It underscores the essential role of command teams in supporting
Career Counselors by facilitating Marine availability for interviews
and ensuring timely processing of retention packages. Command teams
include the Inspector-Instructor (I-I), Reserve Commanding Officer
(CO)/ Senior Enlisted Advisor (SEA), Active Component CO
(if applicable), I-I SEA, and/or the Reserve SEA.
3. Reserve Retention Eligibility
3.a. Commandant's Retention Program - Reserve (CRP-R). Identifies
and prioritizes up to 20 percent of the most qualified Marines
within the FY26 SMCR retention population.
3.b. SMCR Incentive Eligible Population is based on Mandatory Drill
Participation Stop Date (MDPSD). Marines eligible to submit
incentive packages within FY26 are SMCR Marines with an MDPSD on or
before 31 March 2026, those serving beyond their MDPSD, or those
without an MDPSD.
3.c. Reenlistment Eligible Population. All SMCR, IMA, and IRR
Marines with a Reserve End of Current Contract (RECC) on or before
30 September 2026 are eligible to submit retention packages.
3.d. AR Program Marines with an End of Active Service (EAS) on or
before 30 September 2026 are eligible to submit retention packages.
4. Reserve Retention Incentives and Programs. Identification,
details, and eligibility of all available FY26 Reserve retention
incentives and programs will be published in separate MARADMINs
and within the Total Force Retention System (TFRS). The following
incentives and programs support the FY26 Reserve Retention Campaign:
4.a. Monetary Incentives
4.a.(1) Selective Retention Bonus - Reserve (SRB-R). The SRB-R is a
monetary incentive offered to eligible SMCR Marines in exchange for
additional SMCR service obligation.
4.a.(2) Direct Affiliation Bonus (DAB). A monetary incentive for
Active Component Marines who transition seamlessly to an SMCR billet
in exchange for an SMCR service obligation. DAB recipients also
retain healthcare benefits for six months beyond their End of Active
Service date.
4.a.(3) SMCR Enlisted Affiliation Bonus (EAB). A monetary incentive
for select Marines who affiliate with an SMCR unit from the IRR.
4.a.(4) AR Enlisted Affiliation Bonus (AR EAB). A monetary
incentive for select Marines who are accepted for accession into the
AR program.
4.b. Non-Monetary Incentives
4.b.(1) Junior Enlisted Performance Evaluation System (JEPES)
Incentive. Per reference (b), eligible Corporals may elect to
receive up to 50 JEPES points in exchange for (12) month drilling
obligation in the SMCR.
4.b.(2) Billet Identification Code (BIC) Incentive. Per reference
(c), the BIC Incentive protects eligible Marines from being subject
to BIC realignment for 12 months in exchange for a 12-month SMCR
service obligation. Specifically, eligible Marines who accept the
BIC Incentive will not be required to find a new BIC, conduct an
IUT, execute a lateral move, or transfer to the IRR voluntarily or
involuntarily for a period of 12-month.
4.c. Retention Programs
4.c.(1) Commandant's Retention Program - Reserve (CRP-R). Selected
Marines receive expedited reenlistment processing with reduced
administrative requirements and prioritized access to SRB-R funding.
CRP-R MARADMIN will be released via separate correspondence.
4.c.(2) Lateral Move (LatMov) Program. Allows eligible Marines to
pursue new career opportunities by transitioning to needed MOSs in
exchange for an additional SMCR service obligation.
5. Concept of Operations
5.a. Announcement of Retention Mission. Reserve retention goals
for FY26 will be assigned upon release of Reserve Command Retention
Mission (R-CRM). Mission will include obligations and reenlistments
under both the Reserve First Term Alignment Plan (R-FTAP) and Reserve
Subsequent Term Alignment Plan (R-STAP) categories. All retention
actions executed prior to release of the R-CRM will be credited
toward FY26.
5.b. Retention Credit. Obligations and reenlistments submitted
between 1 April 2025 and 31 March 2026 will be credited toward the
FY26 Reserve Retention Campaign, upon acceptance in TFRS. Requests
for incentives and reenlistment submitted on or after 1 April 2026
will be applied to the FY27 Reserve Retention Campaign.
6. Reenlistment and Extension Requirements
6.a. Reenlistment. SMCR, IMA, and IRR Marines with an RECC on or
before 30 September 2026 must be submitted as a reenlistment.
Marines listed on the CRP-R will be allowed to reenlist early. If a
reenlistment request is submitted with an incentive request, but
incentive funds are no longer available, then the request will be
processed as a reenlistment-only request, with no incentive
authorized. AR Program Marines with an End of Active Service (EAS)
on or before 30 September 2026 must be submitted as a reenlistment.
6.b. Extensions. SMCR, IMA, and IRR Marines with an RECC and AR
Program Marines with an EAS on or after 1 October 2026 who require
service obligation on of up to 22 months of additional contractual
time will be processed as an extension. Marines who require service
obligation over 22 months of additional contractual time will be
adjudicated as an early reenlistment on a case-by-case basis.
7. Local Command Authority (LCA) Extensions. Commanders are
authorized to approve LCA extensions for AR, SMCR, IMA, and IRR
Marines effective upon publication of this message. Marines with a
FY26 RECC may be extended up to August 2026. All LCA extensions
approved under this authority must be submitted via TFRS.
Commanders are not authorized to approve extensions that would cause
Marines to exceed established service limitations.
8. Future changes to this MARADMIN will be published as necessary
via TFRS messages.
9. This MARADMIN applies to service in the Marine Corps Reserves.
10. This MARADMIN is canceled on 30 September 2026.
11. Release authorized by Major General John F. Kelliher III,
Director, Reserve Affairs Division.//