Individual Mobilization Augmentee Program Tour Length and Extension Authority

1.  Purpose.  This MARADMIN updates policy governing
IMA Program tour length and extension authority as outlined in
references (a) and (b).  The intent is to ensure extensions beyond
the standard tour length are deliberate, justified, and supported by
mission necessity while supporting normal billet turnover and overall
force health.
2.  Tour Policy.
2.a.  The standard IMA Program tour length is three years.
2.b.  Command-slated Billet Identification Codes will be set at two
years in accordance with issuing MARADMIN guidance.
2.c.  Commands should plan for normal billet turnover at the
completion of the standard three-year tour. Extension requests will 
be considered on a case-by-case basis and must include adequate
justification tied to specific mission requirements. Extensions
should not be treated as routine administrative actions.
2.d.  Commands shall ensure IMA billets are advertised in the 
Inventory Development and Management System (IDMS) module within the
Reserve Total Force Manpower Management System (RTAMMS), in
accordance with reference (b), in advance of a Marine's tour 
completion to facilitate the identification and assignment of 
qualified replacements and support normal billet turnover.
3.  Extension Authority.
3.a.  Commands may request extensions in one-year increments beyond
the standard three-year tour length.
3.b.  Requests to serve a fourth consecutive year in the same unit
require endorsement from a battalion or squadron level Commanding
Officer or higher. In cases where a Commanding Officer is not
reasonably available due to command structure, endorsement may be
provided by an O-6 or above in the Marine's chain of command.
Endorsement authority may not be delegated or exercised by direction.
3.c.  Fourth year extension requests will be considered on a
case-by-case basis and must include adequate justification supporting
continued assignment. Reserve Affairs (RA) will consider overall
force health, including Selected Marine Corps Reserve staffing levels
for the Marine's rank and Military Occupational Specialty,
availability of qualified replacements, and applicable Billet
Identification Code (BIC) assignment policy.
4.  Fifth Year Extension.
4.a.  Requests to serve a fifth consecutive year in the same unit
require endorsement by a General Officer (GO) or Senior Executive
Service (SES) within the Marine's operational chain of command.
Endorsement authority may not be delegated.
4.b.  GO/SES endorsements must address mission necessity, the absence
of a suitable replacement, and the operational or readiness impact if
the extension is not approved.
4.c.  Fifth year extensions are intended to be exceptional and will
be approved only when mission requirements cannot be met through
normal turnover or replacement.
5.  Submission and Processing.
5.a.  Extension requests will be initiated by the Marine's
Operational Sponsor in the RTAMMS. Command endorsements required
under paragraphs 3 and 4 must be submitted as signed correspondence
to the organization mailbox listed in the Points of Contact section
of this MARADMIN.
5.b.  RA will review command endorsements for policy compliance and
completeness prior to approval of any extension request in RTAMMS
within IDMS.
5.c.  Extension requests may be submitted to RA no earlier than 90
days prior to the Marine's end of tour and must arrive no later than
15 days prior to the end of tour.
6.  Applicability.
6.a.  This MARADMIN applies to all IMAs unless otherwise excepted by
approved Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) or separate agreements
governing specific occupational fields or organizational constructs
(e.g., IMA judge advocates assigned under the Reserve Legal Support
construct) from the Secretary of the Navy or Headquarters Marine
Corps. Commands with unique mission requirements or low-density,
high-demand skill sets that necessitate extended continuity beyond
standard IMA tour length policies may request consideration for an
MOU with DC, M&RA (RA). Approval of such requests will be limited
and require coordination with appropriate Headquarters Marine Corps
stakeholders.
7.  Command and Signal.
7.a.  This MARADMIN is effective immediately upon release.
7.b.  This guidance will be incorporated into reference (b) at the
next revision.
7.c.  Direct questions concerning this MARADMIN to the POCs listed
above.
8.  Release authorized by Major General John F. Kelliher  III,
Director, Reserve Affairs Division.