Changes to Reserve Component Maternity Leave (RCML) and Reserve Component Parental Leave (RCPL)

1.  This MARADMIN announces forthcoming changes to 
the Regulations for Leave, Liberty, and Administrative Absence, 
reference (a), and provides interim implementation guidance.  
These changes address Reserve Component Maternity Leave 
(RCML) and Reserve Component Parental Leave (RCPL). 
2.  Background.  The Marine Corps has completed a comprehensive 
review of its leave and parenthood policies to align with the 
FY24 National Defense Authorization Act, reference (b), and 
Department of War initiatives, reference (c).  To simplify and 
centralize these benefits, this MARADMIN officially transfers 
all parental leave entitlements from the Parenthood and 
Pregnancy Order, reference (d), and consolidates them into 
the Regulations for Leave, Liberty, and Administrative Absence, 
reference (a).  This consolidation establishes reference (a) as
the single, authoritative source for all Marine Corps leave, liberty,
and administrative absence policies. 
2.a.  This MARADMIN is effective immediately. 
2.b.  This MARADMIN supersedes references (e) and (f). 
3.  Retroactive Application.  Reserve Marines who experienced
a qualifying event between 1 October 2024 and 7 August 2025
are retroactively eligible for RCPL.  These Marines must use this
entitlement before 6 August 2026 in accordance with reference (k). 
4.  Entitlement.  Eligible Reserve Marines, regardless of sex or 
their role as a birth parent, receive 12 paid Inactive Duty 
Training (IDT) periods as RCPL following a qualifying event. 
4.a.  One RCPL period is equivalent to one standard four-hour IDT. 
A maximum of two RCPL periods may be used per day. 
4.b.  This entire benefit must be used within one year 
of the qualifying event. 
5.  Eligibility.  To be eligible for RCPL, a Marine must meet 
all of the following requirements: 
5.a.  Be a member of the Selected Reserve, either Selected
Marine Corps Reserve (SMCR) or Individual Mobilization Augmentee
(IMA) Program, in good standing. 
5.b.  Experience a qualifying event (birth, adoption, or the 
placement of a minor child for adoption or long-term foster care). 
5.c.  Provide command-required documentation of the
qualifying event, as outlined in reference (g). 
6.  Ineligibility.  The following populations are not eligible 
for RCPL: 
6.a.  Marines in a retired status or in the Fleet Marine Corps 
Reserve. 
6.b.  Marines in the Standby Reserve (both Active and Inactive
Status Lists). 
6.c.  Individual Ready Reserve (IRR) Marines. 
6.d.  Any Reserve Marine who is otherwise determined to be
an unsatisfactory participant or is not entitled to receive 
inactive duty pay. 
7.  Rules for Use. 
7.a.  RCPL periods count toward the 48 paid IDTs authorized per 
fiscal year and contribute to a satisfactory anniversary year. 
Use of RCPL will not cause a Marine to exceed 48 total paid 
IDTs in a fiscal year. 
7.b.  RCPL may be taken in segments, with a minimum of two 
periods (one full drill day) per segment. 
7.c.  RCPL cannot be used for rescheduled or excused IDT periods. 
7.d.  RCPL is a non-transferable benefit and cannot be shared. 
8.  Extension of the One-Year Usage Period. 
8.a.  Approval Authority.  The first O-5 commander with 
Special Court-Martial Convening Authority in the Marine's 
administrative chain of command is the approval authority 
for all RCPL extension requests. 
8.b.  Qualifying Circumstances.  An extension to the one-year 
usage period may be granted if the Marine served 90 or more
consecutive days in any of the following capacities: 
8.b.1.  On active duty orders. 
8.b.2.  In-residence at a Professional Military Education 
(PME) course. 
8.b.3.  Hospitalized or receiving in-patient care. 
9.  Multiple Qualifying Events. 
9.a.  Separate Events.  If a Marine experiences a new qualifying
event more than 72 hours after a previous one, they will receive
a new 12-period RCPL allocation.  Upon receiving the new allocation,
the Marine forfeits any unused RCPL from the original event. 
9.a.1.  Example 1: A Marine has a birth and uses 8 of their 
12 RCPL periods.  Sixty days later, the Marine adopts a child.  
The Marine receives a new 12-period allocation for the adoption 
and forfeits the remaining 4 periods from the birth. 
9.a.2.  Example 2: A Marine has a birth and uses all 12 RCPL periods.  
Two months later, the Marine adopts a child.  They receive a 
new, full 12-period allocation for the adoption. 
9.a.3.  Example 3: A Marine has a birth but uses no RCPL periods.  
Three months later, the Marine adopts a child.  They receive 
a new 12-period allocation for the adoption and forfeit all 
12 periods from the birth. 
9.b.  Single Event.  Qualifying events that occur within 72 hours 
of each other are considered a single event, entitling the Marine 
to one 12-period RCPL allocation.  For example, a Marine who 
adopts two children in separate proceedings over a single weekend 
receives only one 12-period allocation. 
10.  Impact of Active Duty Service on RCPL. 
10.a.  Deferment of Existing RCPL.  A Reserve Marine with 
unused RCPL who goes on Active-Duty Operational Support (ADOS) 
orders will defer the use of any remaining RCPL until the conclusion 
of their active duty period.  The one-year usage period will be 
extended by the number of months the Marine served on ADOS. 
10.a.1.  Example: A Marine with 8 unused RCPL periods goes 
on ADOS orders for 6 months.  Use of RCPL is deferred during 
the ADOS period. Upon completion, the Marine's one-year usage 
window is extended by 6 months. 
10.b.  Qualifying Event During Active Duty.  If a Reserve Marine 
on ADOS orders for 30 or more consecutive days experiences a 
new qualifying event, they are not eligible to use RCPL while on 
active duty.  Instead, their one-year RCPL usage period will begin 
on the first day following the conclusion of their ADOS orders. 
10.b.1.  Example: A Marine on 12-month ADOS orders has a 
qualifying birth three months into their tour.  The Marine must wait 
until their ADOS period ends.  The one-year period to use their 
12 RCPL periods begins the day after their active duty service 
concludes. 
10.c.  Documentation.  The command that issued the ADOS 
orders is responsible for providing the Marine's parent Reserve 
unit with documentation verifying the period of active service to 
support any extension. 
10.d.  A Reserve Marine who is performing active duty under orders 
issued for a cumulative period greater than 12 consecutive months 
(>365 days) and who meet the criteria in accordance with 
reference (e), may be eligible for Active-Duty Parental Leave (ADPL). 
11.  Conversion of ADPL to RCPL. 
11.a.  Eligibility.  A Marine separating from the Active Component 
or Active Reserve Program with unused ADPL may convert it to 
RCPL if they join the Selected Reserve and the conversion occurs 
within 12 months of their separation date. 
11.b.  Usage Deadline.  All converted RCPL periods must be used 
within one year of the original qualifying event. 
11.c.  Conversion Rate.  The conversion rate is one RCPL period for 
every seven full days of unused ADPL.  Partial weeks are not 
converted.  The number of RCPL periods authorized upon conversion 
cannot exceed the number of IDT periods the Marine is reasonably 
expected to perform within the one-year usage window or their 
remaining service obligation, whichever is shorter. 
11.c.1.  Example: A Marine separates with 58 days of unused ADPL.  
This equals eight full weeks.  The Marine is authorized eight RCPL 
periods upon joining the Selected Reserve, provided they have at 
least eight IDTs scheduled within their usage window and remaining 
service obligation. 
12.  Reserve Component Maternity Leave (RCML). 
12.a.  Initial Postpartum Period.  A Reserve Marine approved for 
RCML will not be scheduled to perform, nor be authorized to request, 
inactive duty training for the first 6 weeks immediately 
following a birth.  This 6-week period is the initial convalescent 
portion of the RCML benefit. 
12.b.  Entitlement.  The birth parent is authorized up to 6 paid IDT 
periods as RCML, regardless of whether the birth was vaginal or 
cesarean.  This benefit must be used within the 8-week period 
immediately following the birth.  Any unused RCML is forfeited after 
this 8-week period.  One RCML period is equivalent to one standard 
four-hour IDT, with a maximum of two periods used per day. 
12.c.  Transition to RCPL.  A birth parent may begin using RCPL after 
the 6-week convalescent period ends, provided all authorized RCML 
has been used. 
12.d.  Combining RCML and RCPL.  A birth parent may request to 
use their RCML and RCPL entitlements consecutively.  While 
requests to use these benefits within the first 18 weeks following 
childbirth should be approved, commanders have the authority to 
deny requests to use RCPL that extend beyond this 18-week period 
based on unit operational and training requirements. 
13.  Administration and Tracking. 
13.a.  Procedure After System Update.  Following the RTAMMS update, 
the following procedures apply: 
13.a.1.  Marines must request RCPL or RCML in advance of the 
scheduled IDT period and receive approval from the Unit Drill Manager. 
13.a.2.  Individual Mobilization Augmentee (IMA) Marines must ensure 
12 IDT periods are scheduled in RTAMMS to utilize the RCPL benefit. 
13.a.3.  Upon execution of the drill, Muster Managers will record the 
leave in the Drill Management Module (DMM) by marking the Marine
"(X)-Present Satisfactory" and applying reason code 
"04-RC Maternity Leave" or "06-RC Parental Leave" as appropriate.  
These entries will be submitted to the Reserve Marine's 
electronic record. 
13.b.  Command Accountability.  Commanders are responsible for 
ensuring all RCPL and RCML periods are properly tracked and that 
Marines do not exceed the authorized number of periods for each 
benefit within the stipulated timeframes. 
14.  Fetal, Infant, and Perinatal Loss. 
14.a.  Stillbirth or Miscarriage.  In the event of a stillbirth or 
miscarriage, a healthcare provider may recommend that the birth 
parent use up to 6 RCML periods for recovery.  In these 
circumstances, neither parent is eligible for RCPL. 
14.b.  Death of a Child.  If a Marine experiences the death 
of a child during their one-year RCPL eligibility period, any unused 
RCPL is immediately forfeited and no longer authorized for use. 
14.c.  Bereavement Options.  Following any perinatal loss or 
death of a child, Marines may request to be excused from or to 
reschedule a scheduled IDT period.  Commands should liberally 
approve such requests. 
14.d.  Casualty Reporting.  In accordance with the Marine Corps 
Casualty Assistance Program, reference (j), commands will contact 
the HQMC Casualty Section for specific reporting instructions 
following the death of a Marine's dependent. 
15.  This MARADMIN is applicable to the Reserve Component. 
16.  Release authorized by Brigadier General Lauren S. Edwards, 
Director Manpower Plans and Policy Division, 
Manpower and Reserve Affairs.