Overseas Tour Extension Incentive Program (OTEIP)

1.  This MARADMIN provides clarifying instructions for 
the Overseas Tour Extension Incentive Program (OTEIP).  Marines 
assigned Outside of the Continental United States (OCONUS), to 
locations designated as eligible in paragraph 8 of this message, who 
volunteer and are approved to extend their OCONUS assignment for a 
period of at least 12 months, may elect one of the following three 
incentives:
1.a.  Financial Incentive - $2,000, paid in 12 equal installments of 
$166.66 per month.  This incentive is taxable unless otherwise 
exempted, such as a combat tax exclusion.
1.b.  A single and consecutive period of nonchargeable special rest 
and recuperative (SR&R) leave not to exceed 30 days.
1.c.  A single and consecutive period of nonchargeable SR&R leave not 
to exceed 15 days and round-trip transportation at government expense 
to the nearest continental United States (CONUS) port of entry (POE).  
The CONUS is defined as the 48 contiguous States.  A Marine that 
extends for a period of 13 months or more may elect this incentive 
and receive 5 additional days of SR&R, for a total period of 20 
consecutive days.  Government funded transportation and SR&R leave 
are to be taken concurrently; execution of only one forfeits the 
other.
2.  Cancellation.  Effective immediately, references (d) and (e) are 
cancelled.
3.  The OTEIP is separate and distinct from the in-place consecutive 
overseas tour (IPCOT) leave travel entitlement.  OTEIP and IPCOT 
incentives are not interchangeable.  More information on IPCOT may be 
found in references (a) through (c). 
4.  The OTEIP provides an incentive for the Marine, not for the 
Marine's dependents.  
5.  Overseas extensions are added to the end of a Marine's current 
Rotational Tour Date (RTD).
6.  Eligibility:
6.a.  All Marines, of any MOS or paygrade, entitled to basic pay and 
assigned to an OCONUS location listed in paragraph 8.
6.b.  Marines must complete their initial tour, including previously 
approved extensions.  The initial tour length must comply with 
reference (b) supplement "Tour Lengths and Tours of Duty OCONUS".
6.c.  Marines must execute an agreement to extend overseas for a 
period of not less than 12 months.  Marines who execute multiple 
extensions of less than 12 months, summing to a total of 12 months 
or greater, do not qualify for the OTEIP.
6.d.  If, during an overseas tour extension period, a Marine 
becomes ineligible for further overseas duty, he or she will be 
removed from the program.
6.d.1.  If the ineligibility for further overseas duty is a result 
of actions taken by or under the control of the Marine, entitlement 
to any portion of the incentive not taken shall be lost.  Payments 
and SR&R leave/travel received prior to the removal from the program 
will not be recouped.
6.d.2.  If the ineligibility for further overseas duty is a result of 
actions taken by the Marine Corps, then the entitlement to a prorated 
financial incentive continues until the day of departure from the 
OCONUS location.  Executed SR&R leave/travel conducted prior to the 
ineligibility will not be recouped.  Eligibility to execute SR&R 
leave/travel shall be lost.
7.  Execution:
7.a.  Enlisted Marines will request an overseas extension via their 
career counselor.  Requests will be routed to CMC (MMEA) within the 
Total Forces Retention System (TFRS).  Approved overseas extensions 
will state if the extension qualifies for the OTEIP, the number of 
months of the extension, and the date of the new RTD.
7.b.  Officers will request an overseas extension via a written 
request to their PMOS monitor.  Requests will be submitted via AA 
Form and be endorsed by the first O-5 commander in the Marine's 
administrative chain of command.  Officers in the ranks of Lieutenant
Colonel and Colonel shall include an endorsement by the first O-6 
commander in the Marine's administrative chain of command.   If 
approved, MMOA will provide the officer with an AMHS message stating 
if the extension qualifies for the OTEIP, the number of months of the 
extension, and the date of the new RTD.
7.c.  The Marine is responsible for providing the RELM or AMHS 
message to the applicable installation personnel administration 
center (IPAC) for unit diary reporting of the updated RTD.
7.d.  Marines approved for OTEIP will select their desired incentive 
at the time they desire to execute the incentive, not at the time of 
extension submission or approval.  Once a Marine receives the first 
installment of the financial incentive, receives a travel line of 
accounting (LOA), or is credited the SR&R, the incentive is deemed 
executed and may not be changed.  Marines with previously approved 
OTEIPs prior to this message who desire to change their approved 
incentive will continue to request OTEIP incentive changes to CMC 
(MMIB-3).
7.e.  Marines requesting the government funded transportation and 
15 (or 20) days SR&R incentive will request a funding LOA from CMC 
(MMIB-3) at smb_manpower_mmib_3@usmc.mil.  All travel must be 
arranged through a Commercial Travel Office (CTO)/Distribution 
Management Office (DMO), if available.  Marines are encouraged to 
submit requests to CMC (MMIB-3) no less than 30 days prior to their 
desired travel date.  Requests will include:
-AA form
-Endorsement from the O-5 commander or higher
-Approved RELM or AMHS Extension Approval
-CTO/DMO Cost Estimate for flight to POE
-CTO/DMO Cost Estimate to Alternate Location, if applicable
7.f.  Periods of SR&R leave must be executed in a single and 
continuous manner. SR&R leave shall not be split into multiple 
periods. If the member elects to take a period that is less than the 
full amount of eligible incentive days, any remaining SR&R leave is 
forfeited.  In cases when multiple OTEIP leave periods are requested 
and erroneously approved, only one period is eligible for SR&R leave, 
and all other periods will be charged as annual leave. OTEIP leave 
will be processed through the Marine Online Leave and Liberty module 
and include OTEIP approval documents as an attachment to the request.
7.g.  Marines are to execute their OTEIP incentive during the 
extension period. Incentives shall not be executed prior to the 
effective date of the overseas extension.  The effective start date 
of the overseas extension is the day after the Marine's original RTD.
The overseas extension period ends the day of departure from the 
OCONUS location via a permanent change of station (PCS), the 
effective date of a new overseas extension, or the effective date of 
an IPCOT.  If a Marine failed to execute an incentive during the 
extension period, a Marine may request payment of the financial 
incentive within three years after the completion of the overseas 
extension.  This change is not retroactive; OTEIP incentives not 
claimed during the extension period prior to the publication of this 
message are not eligible.
7.h.  OTEIP travel or SR&R leave may not be used in conjunction with 
PCS or separation/retirement orders.
8.  In accordance with reference (c), effective 1 November 2026, 
Director, Manpower Management Division designates all OCONUS 
locations, with the exception of the State of Hawaii and all 
countries within the Marine Corps Forces Europe area of 
responsibility, as eligible locations for the OTEIP.  OTEIPs approved 
prior to this effective date remain eligible for the available 
incentives at the time of the OTEIP approval.  Director, Manpower 
Management Division will periodically reevaluate eligible locations 
in accordance with staffing requirements.  A MARADMIN will be 
published when eligibility is updated.
9.  Records Disposition.  Approved overseas tour extension must be 
filed in the Marine's OMPF.  MMEA and MMOA will maintain records of 
all overseas extensions approved under the OTEIP.  The information 
will be retained by MCC and will include the number of requests 
received and the number of requests approved.  Records of overseas 
tour extension requests under the OTEIP, to include all supporting 
documentation, will be retained by the CMC (MMEA) and CMC (MMOA) for 
a period of two years.  CMC (MMIB-3) will retain records of 
appropriation data issued for the travel option for a period of five 
fiscal years.
10.  Release authorized by Lieutenant General William J. Bowers, 
Deputy Commandant for Manpower and Reserve Affairs.