Fiscal Year 26 Marine Corps Officer Interservice Transfer Program

1.  Previously, the Marine Corps Officer
Inter-Service Transfer (IST) Program was part of the Officer
Retention Board (ORB) along with Career Designation and the Return
to Active Duty (RAD) Program, but was removed per reference (e).
This MARADMIN provides guidance on the Marine Corps IST Program to
eligible officers that wish to transfer from another service into
the Active Component of the Marine Corps. This guidance is not
applicable to Marines interested in transferring from the Marine
Corps to another service, which is addressed in reference (i).
2.  Per references (b) and (c), active and reserve officers from
other services may request a transfer to the Marine Corps through
the Marine Corps IST Program to help fulfill authorized strength
requirements. All requests for IST must be made within authorized
strength limitations in accordance with reference (d). Applicants
who submit for the IST Program will do so requesting a transfer into
a Marine Corps Military Occupational Specialty (MOS).
3.  Eligibility
3.a.  All Active and Reserve Component officers in the grades of
O1 to O5 are eligible to apply.
3.b.  Officers who have been deferred from promotion or failed to
select for promotion one or more times in their present grade
are ineligible.
3.c.  Officers that have been notified of mandatory retirement for
any reason are ineligible.
3.d.  Officers that do not receive an approved conditional release
from their respective service are ineligible.
3.e.  Applicants must complete and pass a Marine Corps Physical
Fitness Test (PFT) and Combat Fitness Test (CFT) within six months
of application and be within Marine Corps body composition
standards. Officers applying for a Combat Arms MOS must meet the PFT
standards identified in reference (e). Non-Combat Arms applicants'
PFT scores will continue to be assessed using in accordance with
reference (g).
4.  Application Procedures
4.a.  Officers will apply to serve within a specific Marine Corps
MOS by submitting a request to the Commandant of the Marine
Corps (CMC), Manpower Management Division, Officer Assignments
(MMOA-3), via the first O-6 commander in their chain of command in
standard naval letter format which contains the following
enclosures:
4.a.1.  Copies of performance evaluations in the officer's current
service.
4.a.2.  An approved DD Form 368 (Conditional Release).
4.a.3.  DD Forms 2807-1 and 2808 completed by a medical provider.
4.a.4.  Statement of Service verified by the officer's
administrative section.
4.a.5.  All DD-214s, if received due to separation from previous
service.
4.a.6.  Certified NAVMC 11622 with a current Physical Fitness Test,
Combat Fitness Test, and waist-to-height ratio.
4.a.7.  Completed Interview Report conducted by Marine Corps
officers.
4.a.8.  At least one, but no more than three, letter(s) of
recommendation attesting to the applicant's leadership, technical
skills, abilities, and overall performance.
4.a.9.   Signed statement from their Special Security Officer (SSO)
attesting to the current security clearance level and date of
adjudication, to include eligibility for TS/SCI.
4.a.10.  Resume of flying experience, if applicable.
4.a.11.  Additional information supporting the officer's ability to
serve in the requested MOS.
4.b.  An application template is provided on the MMOA-3 website
at: https://manpower.usmc.afpims.mil/Divisions/Manpower-Management
/Officer-Assignments/Plans-and-Programs-MMOA-3/#tab/
retention-and-release.
5.  Application Process
5.a.  IST applicants will submit their package in accordance with
paragraph 4 of this MARADMIN to the MMOA-3 Organizational Mailbox
at  SMB_MANPOWER_OFFICER_PROGRAMS@USMC.MIL. All submissions will
receive a notification of receipt.
5.b.  All IST applications will be submitted as a single .PDF file
labeled "LAST NAME_EDIPI_IST."
5.c.  MMOA-3 will staff packages with the appropriate stakeholders
and recommend each package accordingly. All packages will be sent to
Deputy Commandant (DC) for Manpower and Reserve Affairs (M&RA) for
consideration.
5.d.  Applicants who are recommended for the IST Program by DC, M&RA
will be forwarded to the Secretary of War or the Senate, as
appropriate, for active component appointments through the scrolling
process. MMOA-3 will notify applicants once their package is
forwarded to the Secretary of War or Senate. Applicants whose
package is denied will be notified by MMOA-3.
5.e.  The IST process may take 180 days or more. This includes the
application screening within Manpower Management Division, Manpower
and Reserve Affairs, and the scrolling process to the Secretary of
War or Senate.
5.f.  IST decisions, requests for information, or additional
coordination will be sent to the applicant via separate
correspondence from MMOA-3.
6.  Coordinating Instructions
6.a.  Officers selected for the IST program will be career
designated and assigned an indefinite end of active service (EAS)
date. Career designation is a selective force shaping process used
to determine which officers the Marine Corps will offer the
opportunity to serve beyond their initial active duty service
obligation. This is separate and distinct from the promotion
process.
6.b.  Applicants approved to IST into the Marine Corps will serve
a minimum of 48 months on active duty, with the start date being the
date joined to the Active Component of the Marine Corps.
6.c.  Each officer recommended and approved for transfer to the
Marine Corps shall be appointed in the same grade with an effective
date set to the day they join the Marine Corps Active Component.
Officer Promotions (MMPB-10) will provide a Lineal Control Number
(LCN) in accordance with applicable laws and regulations. Questions
regarding assignment of DOR or LCN may be directed to MMPB-10 once
an estimated return date is established. MMPB-10 may be contacted
at officerpromotions@usmc.mil or at 703-784-9304.
6.d.  Company Grade Officers
6.d.1. Company grade officers (O1-O3) approved for the IST Program
will receive orders to attend the six month Basic Officer Course
(BOC) at The Basic School (TBS) in Quantico, Virginia.
6.e.  Field Grade Officers
6.e.1.  Field grade officers will complete an abridged version of
BOC at TBS. MMOA-3 will submit all packages for field grade
officers to Training and Education Command (TECOM) to determine
the training requirements for each officer.
6.f.  All Officers, including Company grade officers (O-1 to O-3),
approved for the IST Program will be assigned an MOS upon joining
the Marine Corps and will not compete for an MOS while in The Basic
School. Should an officer fail to complete the follow-on Primary
MOS (PMOS) school, MMOA-3 will redesignate the officer based on the
Service's needs.
6.g.  Applicants shall contact a nearby Marine Corps Officer
Selection Office to conduct the Interview Report required in
paragraph 4.a.6. A sample interview form is provided on the
MMOA-3 website at the link provided in paragraph 4.b of this
MARADMIN.
7.  This MARADMIN cancels on 30 September 2026.
8.  Release authorized by BGen Fridrik Fridriksson, Director,
Manpower Management Division.