Policy Change to the Active Reserve (AR) Enlisted Career Designation Process

1. PURPOSE. TO ANNOUNCE A POLICY CHANGE TO THE
ACTIVE RESERVE (AR) ENLISTED CAREER DESIGNATION PROCESS CONTAINED IN
REF A.
2. BACKGROUND. CURRENTLY, RESERVE AFFAIRS (RA) HOLDS TWO AR
ENLISTED CAREER DESIGNATION BOARDS EACH FISCAL YEAR TO SELECT AR
ENLISTED MARINES FOR CAREER DESIGNATION (CD). AR MARINES WITH AT
LEAST 18 MONTHS ON THE PROGRAM SUBMIT A PAPER APPLICATION TO THE
BOARD. IF SELECTED, THIS CD STATUS DESIGNATES A MARINE AS A
CAREERIST ON THE AR PROGRAM AND ALLOWS THEM THE OPPORTUNITY TO EARN
AN ACTIVE DUTY RETIREMENT PROVIDED THEY CONTINUE TO REMAIN
REENLISTMENT ELIGIBLE.
3. INFORMATION. CHANGING THE AR ENLISTED CAREER DESIGNATION
PROCESS WILL ALLOW AR MARINES TO BE SELECTED AS CAREERISTS IN A MUCH
MORE EFFICIENT AND COST EFFECTIVE MANNER.
 A. RA WILL ELIMINATE THE CD BOARD PROCESS AND IMPLEMENT AN AR
VERSION OF THE ACTIVE COMPONENT'S (AC) FIRST TERM ALIGNMENT PLAN
(FTAP) PROGRAM. THIS NEW PROCESS WILL REQUIRE AR MARINES TO SUBMIT
FOR CD STATUS IN CONJUNCTION WITH APPLYING FOR REENLISTMENT VIA THE
TOTAL FORCE RETENTION SYSTEM (TFRS). AR MARINES WOULD THEREFORE BE
ELIGIBLE TO SUBMIT FOR CD STATUS AT THE SAME TIME THEY BECOME
ELIGIBLE TO SUBMIT FOR REENLISTMENT, WHICH IS 12 MONTHS BEFORE THEIR
EXPIRATION OF ACTIVE SERVICE (EAS). 
 B. THIS POLICY CHANGE WILL FURTHER PROMOTE THE MARINE CORPS'
COMMITMENT TO THE TOTAL FORCE CONCEPT BY HAVING ALL ACTIVE DUTY
CAREER MARINES SELECTED VIA THE SAME PROCESS.
4. ACTION. THIS POLICY IS EFFECTIVE 1 APRIL 2003.
ALL AR MARINES WHO HAVE APPLIED FOR THE MARCH 2003 ENLISTED CAREER
DESIGNATION BOARD WILL STILL HAVE THEIR PACKAGES BOARDED FOR CAREER
DESIGNATION STATUS. THEY WILL ONLY BE SCREENED FOR CAREER
DESIGNATION AND NOT FOR REENLISTMENT.