U.S. Marines with 1st Marine Division march in formation during a change of command ceremony at Camp Pendleton, Calif., June 8, 2023. The Corps is easing restrictions on reenlistment requirements for those not progressing through the ranks, which means Marines who have been eligible but have repeatedly been passed over for promotion can now reenlist. (Keegan Jones/U.S Marine Corps)
The Marine Corps is easing restrictions on reenlistment requirements for those not progressing through the ranks.
Beginning July 1, the service may approve reenlistments and extensions of Marines who were eligible but not selected for promotion to the next grade two or more times, according to a service administrative memo recently released and signed last week by Lt. Gen. James Glynn, deputy commandant for manpower and reserve affairs.
The change will enable the service to retain “more qualified, experienced Marines in high-demand occupational fields when required to enhance readiness,” the memo states.
The policy comes as part of the “Talent Management 2030” initiative developed by the service commandant. For enlisted Marines, it’s a significant change from the traditional “up or out” policy, which effectively means a discharge or a transfer to reserve duty for service members who aren’t eligible for the next rank and cannot obtain a waiver.
Corporals with eight years of service may be granted approval at the O-6 and commandant level to remain on active duty for up to 10 years without being promoted, according to the order.
Sergeants formally limited to 12 years may now stick around for 14 years with O-6 and commandant approval.
Marines in the E-6 to E-8 pay grades also must gain approval at the commandant level but do not require an O-6 endorsement. Extensions for E-9 Marines will be decided on an individual level, the memo stated.
The order also raised the maximum age limit for a Marine to 59. The move allows Marines who join at age 29, which is the oldest age a Marine is allowed to enlist, to serve 30 years in the Corps.
The extensions come amid a challenging recruitment environment, with low unemployment and a significant number of Americans who do not meet the minimum requirements for military service.
The Army, Navy and Air Force have said they don’t expect to meet their recruiting goals this year. However, the Marine Corps barely met its goal in 2022 and has said it expects to do so again this year.
