MARADMINs

This MARADMIN cancels eleven previous MARADMINs related to the Government Travel Charge Card (GTCC) program, issued between 2012 and 2020. The cancelled messages have been incorporated into the updated Marine Corps Order (MCO) 4600.40C, which was signed on January 16, 2026, and published to the Marine Corps Publications Electronic Library (MCPEL).

This MARADMIN establishes a reimbursement program for Marine Corps judge advocates and civilian attorneys working under the Staff Judge Advocate to the Commandant to recover their annual professional bar association licensing fees. Eligible attorneys who serve or are projected to serve over 179 days in fiscal year 2026 may receive up to $500 reimbursement for mandatory bar membership dues. Applications will be accepted from March 1, 2026 through July 1, 2026.

This MARADMIN announces the deployment of automated MCTFS Advisory alerts in FY26 Q2 to identify and correct Pay Entry Base Date (PEBD) errors in Marine personnel records. The system will scan records monthly and notify affected Marines, their commanders, and Personnel Administration Centers of potential PEBD discrepancies that require verification and correction. Marines who receive notifications must work with their servicing PAC to resolve discrepancies by ensuring all creditable service periods are properly documented in their records.

This MARADMIN announces the recipients of the 2025 Marine Corps Financial Management Awards Program across nine individual and three organizational categories. Award winners will be recognized at a ceremony on 26 February 2026 at the Army Navy Country Club in Arlington, VA, with HQMC P&R funding travel for recipients and select guests.

This MARADMIN announces the Fiscal Year 2027 Selective Retention Bonus (SRB) and Broken Service SRB programs for enlisted Marines with contract expiration dates between October 1, 2026, and September 30, 2027. The program offers various bonus amounts based on Primary Military Occupational Specialty (PMOS), retention zone, rank, and length of reenlistment, with seven specialized kicker programs available for critical skills including aircraft maintenance, air traffic control, lateral moves, and infantry assignments. The Broken Service SRB program is suspended for FY27.

This MARADMIN addresses significant errors in miscellaneous payment processing, with a 54% error rate identified in FY 2022-2023 reviews. It provides updated guidance to strengthen processes, clarifies that miscellaneous payments are not a procurement method, and requires proper appointment of key personnel (WAWF acceptors and certifiers) with segregation of duties to prevent fraud, waste, and abuse.

This MARADMIN announces the 2026 Financial Management Professional Development Program, scheduled for 26-30 January 2026 in Arlington, Virginia. The program is designed to bring together Marine Corps military and civilian financial managers to address dynamic financial challenges, share best practices, receive training, and discuss Defense Agencies Initiatives (DAI) related issues. Registration is required by 10 January 2026, with specific attendance allocations assigned to each DAI L2 command.

This MARADMIN announces the Fiscal Year 2027 Reserve Retention Campaign, commencing 1 April 2026, which outlines retention opportunities and eligibility for Marines in the Selected Marine Corps Reserve (SMCR), Individual Mobilization Augmentee (IMA) Program, Individual Ready Reserve (IRR), and Active Reserve (AR) Program. The campaign includes monetary and non-monetary incentives, special programs like the Commandant's Retention Program - Reserve (CRP-R) and Lateral Move Program, and establishes retention credit windows and reenlistment requirements for eligible Marines.

This MARADMIN establishes the Foreign Language Proficiency Bonus (FLPB) eligibility requirements and payment structure for Fiscal Year 2026, effective 1 October 2025. It outlines five categories of eligibility for Marines to receive monthly bonuses (up to $1,000/month or $12,000/year) based on validated foreign language proficiency through Defense Language Proficiency Tests (DLPT) or Oral Proficiency Interviews (OPI). The message applies to all Marine Corps Total Force personnel and includes specific requirements for MOS-related languages, host nation support, mission support, strategic languages, and a lump-sum bonus option.

This MARADMIN announces updates to the Formal Schools Training Support (FSTS) Program for Fiscal Year 2026, which faces a $21M funding shortfall out of a $75M total program cost. To address this deficit, TECOM has established a three-tier prioritization system for over 600 formal school courses, with Tier Three courses expected to be unit-funded rather than centrally funded for FY26.

This MARADMIN announces the Selected Marine Corps Reserve (SMCR) Retention and Affiliation Bonus (RAB) program, consolidating three previously separate bonus programs (SRB-R, DAB, and EAB). The program offers bonuses ranging from $5,000 to $25,000 for corporals through staff sergeants in designated MOSs who commit to 12, 24, or 36-month service obligations in the SMCR, with an additional $5,000 "unit kicker" available for Marines who serve at specific high-priority units and locations.

This MARADMIN establishes the Fiscal Year 2026 Judge Advocate Continuation Pay (JACP) Program, offering up to $110,000 in retention bonuses to eligible Marine Corps judge advocates. The program targets captains and majors with 4-12 years of commissioned service who have accepted Career Designation, providing payments in three phases throughout their careers in exchange for three-year active duty service obligations. Applications are accepted from October 1, 2025, through June 1, 2026.

This MARADMIN provides updates to the FY26 Enlisted Retention Campaign, modifying guidance on Subsequent Term Alignment Plan (STAP) submissions, Local Command Authority extensions, Commanding General's Retention Program requirements, and Lateral Move processing. The changes aim to streamline retention processes and improve the Marine Corps' ability to retain highly qualified Marines, with key deadlines set for 30 November 2025.

This MARADMIN establishes the FY26 Total Force Enlistment Incentive Programs and Enlistment Bonuses, effective 1 October 2025, to support Marine Corps recruiting goals. It outlines enlistment option programs (EOPs) with specific skill-group guarantees, enlistment bonuses ranging from $5,000 to $15,000 for active component recruits, and Selected Marine Corps Reserve (SMCR) enlistment bonuses of $6,000 or $10,000 plus Montgomery G.I. Bill-Selected Reserve (MGIB-SR) Kickers up to $350/month for 36 months.

This MARADMIN cancels the Fiscal Year 2026 Selective Retention Bonus (SRB) and Broken Service SRB (BSSRB) programs effective 28 October 2025, as the Marine Corps met its FY26 retention goals in September 2025. Only reenlistment submissions received at HQMC prior to 28 October 2025 will be eligible for bonuses if funding is available, and the FY27 bonus programs will be announced at a later date.

This MARADMIN solicits nominations for the 2025 Marine Corps Financial Management Awards Program (MCFMAP), which recognizes outstanding achievement and innovation by individual Marines, Civilian Marines, and units/organizations in the financial management community for the period 1 January 2025 to 31 December 2025. Nominations are due by 19 December 2025, with award recipients to be announced in January 2026 and honored at a ceremony on 26 February 2026 at the Army Navy Country Club.

This MARADMIN announces the immediate shutdown of Marine Corps operations due to a lapse in government funding after Congress failed to pass a Continuing Resolution or FY26 Defense Appropriation by September 30, 2025. Active duty Marines and those on certain reserve orders must continue reporting for duty without pay until funding is restored, while most civilian employees will be furloughed after completing an orderly shutdown.

This MARADMIN announces the implementation of the Defense Language Proficiency Test 5-Computer Adaptive (DLPT5-CA) as the official test for Foreign Language Proficiency Bonus (FLPB) certification for Modern Standard Arabic, replacing the conventional DLPT5. Marines who take the test during the pilot phase (1 September 2025 through 30 September 2026) may request a waiver to use their previous conventional test score as their official score for FLPB eligibility if more favorable.

MARADMIN 438/25 announces the Fiscal Year 2026 Reserve Retention Campaign, designed to maximize retention efforts across the Marine Corps Reserve by offering various monetary and non-monetary incentives to eligible Marines. The campaign targets Marines in the Selected Marine Corps Reserve (SMCR), Individual Mobilization Augmentee (IMA) Program, Individual Ready Reserve (IRR), and Active Reserve (AR) Program whose contracts end on or before 30 September 2026. Retention packages submitted between 1 April 2025 and 31 March 2026 will be credited toward the FY26 campaign.

This MARADMIN updates Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) policies for Reserve Component Marines without dependents, implementing dual BAH entitlement for those attending training or PME for 140-364 days when not assigned government quarters, and clarifying BAH eligibility for those on voluntary OCONUS orders exceeding 180 days. Marines must provide proof of occupancy and financial responsibility for their primary residence to qualify for the allowance.