MARADMINs

This MARADMIN announces the recipients of the Fiscal Year 2025 Marine Corps Ground Safety Awards, recognizing commands and individuals for outstanding contributions to safety and mishap prevention. Awards are presented in multiple categories including the Warrior Preservation Award, Marine Corps Safety Excellence Awards for various ranks and civilians, and Marine Corps Safety Awards for different installation groups.

This MARADMIN announces the Safety Operational Advisory Group (SOAG) meeting scheduled for 28-30 April 2026 in conjunction with Modern Day Marine at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, DC. The SOAG serves as a strategic forum for Fleet Marine Forces and supporting establishment to engage with Marine Corps Safety leadership on priority risk areas, safety culture, and readiness initiatives. Registration is required but free for military and civilian government personnel.

This MARADMIN directs the Marine Corps transition from the legacy ATHOC mass notification system to the Department of Defense enterprise-wide Alert! Mass Warning and Notification System (MWNS). The migration will occur in four phases beginning in Q3 FY 2026, affecting all Marine Corps installations and organizations. All DOD personnel whose normal place of duty is on a DOD installation must enroll in Alert! and update their information every 90 days to ensure timely emergency notifications.

This MARADMIN updates the call for nominations for Fiscal Year 2025 Marine Corps Ground Safety Awards, canceling MARADMIN 447/25. It solicits nominations across multiple categories including the Warrior Preservation Award, Marine Corps Safety Excellence Award, Marine Corps Safety Award, and Marine Corps Civilian Safety Professional of the Year. Nomination packages must be submitted by 15 January 2026.

MARADMIN 579/25 provides fall-winter holiday safety guidance for all Marines, Sailors, and Civilian Marines, emphasizing risk management during travel and time off. The message directs commanders to conduct personal check-ins with personnel about holiday plans and to implement Back In The Saddle (BITS) training upon return in 2026 to reset standards and reinforce safety protocols.

This MARADMIN establishes the Director of Risk Management Directorate (RMD) as the Marine Corps' service-level coordinating authority for all blast overpressure (BOP) initiatives, effective immediately. All Marine Corps units working on BOP-related activities—including experimentation, testing, monitoring, or mitigation efforts—are required to communicate with RMD points of contact. This applies to the Total Force and aims to ensure transparency and accountability in managing BOP exposure risks.

This MARADMIN reaffirms physical security procedures and requirements for Arms, Ammunition, and Explosives (AA&E) facilities across the Marine Corps, emphasizing the requirement for annual physical security surveys following recent GAO audit findings of non-compliance. It establishes comprehensive guidance for commanders on conducting surveys, maintaining accountability, personnel screening, and reporting requirements for all AA&E facilities.

This MARADMIN establishes the FY26 safety inspection schedule for Marine Corps parachute and Helicopter Rope Suspension Techniques (HRST) programs. The inspections will be conducted by the Naval Safety Command's Parachute Safety Analyst at various Marine Corps units worldwide between December 2025 and September 2026. All Marine Corps units with parachute and/or HRST capabilities are affected and must prepare for scheduled inspections, including conducting self-assessments and having equipment ready for review.

This MARADMIN establishes supplemental email-based immediate notification procedures for parachute mishaps, hazards, and near-miss incidents to ensure timely dissemination to senior Marine Corps leaders and parachuting stakeholders. Units conducting parachute operations must submit DD Form 1748 reports within 24 hours (Class A-C mishaps) or 48 hours (Class D-E mishaps and hazards) to CMC Safety Division, which will disseminate information via a Microsoft Teams distribution list. This process supplements, but does not replace, existing Risk Management Information (RMI) system reporting requirements.

MARADMIN 446/25 announces the immediate establishment of the Risk Management Directorate (RMD), which consolidates the CMC Safety Division and the Marine Corps Directorate of Analytics & Performance Optimization into a new organizational structure. The RMD will enhance Marine Corps readiness through integrated risk management policy, data-driven analysis, and proactive mitigation strategies for all on- and off-duty activities.

This MARADMIN announces the FY26 schedule for the Ground Mishap Investigation Course (GMIC), which provides root cause analysis training to battalion/squadron level Safety Officers and Managers. The course is offered at eight locations worldwide with 19 sessions scheduled from October 2025 through September 2026, targeting USMC/USN personnel in grades E-6 to E-8, O-1 to O-5, or GS civilian equivalents who are formally appointed as Ground Safety Officers or Managers.

This MARADMIN announces the Marine Corps' observance of National Insider Threat Awareness Month (NITAM) in September 2025, with the theme "Partnering for Progress." All Marine Corps personnel are encouraged to participate in NITAM events and training throughout September to raise awareness of insider threats and facilitate early identification and mitigation of risks posed by malicious insiders.

This MARADMIN announces the Fiscal Year 2026 schedule for the Ground Safety for Marines (GSM) course, which provides training on unit-level safety and occupational health programs, hazard identification, and safety inspections. The course is offered at seven locations worldwide (Quantico, Camp Lejeune, Camp Pendleton, Kaneohe Bay, Camp Butler, Iwakuni, and MARFORRES New Orleans) with multiple sessions throughout the year. Target participants are E-6 to E-8, O-1 to O-5, WO-1 to CWO-3, or GS equivalent personnel appointed as Ground Safety Officers/Managers with at least 12 months remaining in their billet.

This MARADMIN announces the 2025 National Red Ribbon Week Campaign (23-31 October 2025) and Prescription Drug Take Back Day (25 October 2025). The campaigns aim to increase awareness of drug abuse consequences, promote prevention efforts, and provide safe disposal methods for prescription medications. All Marines, family members, civilian personnel, and reserve component members are encouraged to participate in awareness activities and local observances.

This MARADMIN establishes interim policy for "wet silk" parachute water landing training for Marines conducting parachute operations near water obstacles. All qualified parachutists in parachutist-coded billets must complete wet silk currency training every 48 months, with refresher training required within 90 days before deliberate water drop zone operations. Initial currency training must be completed by 31 January 2026.

This MARADMIN announces Change 1 to MARADMIN 185/24, updating the policy and procedures for phasing out fluorinated Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF) and Alcohol Resistant AFFF fire suppression systems in Marine Corps facilities. The update provides new guidance for FY25 execution, including revised facility categorization procedures, updated timelines for system deactivation, and safety mitigation measures for continued use of aircraft hangar crane systems during the transition period.

This MARADMIN announces the 2025 Marine Corps 101 Critical Days of Summer (CDS) safety campaign, running from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day (24 May to 1 September 2025). It emphasizes the need for heightened risk awareness during this period when Marines historically experience more preventable off-duty recreational mishaps, particularly involving private motor vehicles, motorcycles, and water-related activities. All Marines and Sailors are required to receive documented summer safety briefings prior to each extended holiday liberty period.

This MARADMIN establishes Marine Corps policy on the wear and purchase of body armor and personal protective equipment (PPE) for Marines and Sailors assigned to USMC and joint commands. It supersedes previous guidance and mandates that only government-tested and approved PPE may be used, prohibiting commercial alternatives unless specifically authorized. Commanders at O-5 level and above are authorized to determine required protection levels based on mission, threat, and environmental factors.

This MARADMIN directs commanders to conduct a comprehensive motorcycle safety program sweep by 30 May 2025 in response to nine motorcycle-related Marine deaths since October 2024. All O-5/O-6 commanders must assess all Marines to identify motorcycle riders, verify training completion, and ensure proper licensing/endorsements are documented in MCTFS and MCTIMS.