Resumption of Special Leave Accrual (SLA) and Designation of Qualifying Units for Fiscal Year 2026

Purpose. 1. This MARADMIN implements the Secretary 
of the Navy (SECNAV) Special Leave Accrual (SLA) designations and 
delegation of authority published in reference (b) and provides 
procedural guidance for commanders, General Officers (GO), and 
individual Marines. 
2. Background 
2.a. Reference (a) suspended the approval of SLA for Marines assigned
to deployable ships, mobile units, or other operational duties 
pending formal designation by SECNAV pursuant to 
references (e) and (f). 
2.b. Reference (b) established formal SECNAV designations for Fiscal 
Year 2026 (FY26) and delegated authority to the Commandant of the 
Marine Corps (CMC) to define and designate deployable ships and 
mobile units for the purpose of SLA. This authority was further 
delegated to Director, Manpower Plans and Policy Division (Dir, MP), 
Manpower and Reserve Affairs (M&RA), and remains in effect 
until further notice.
3. Definitions 
3.a. Deployable Ships and Mobile Units. Pursuant to the delegated 
authority in reference (b) and for the purposes of SLA administration
within the Marine Corps, a "deployable ship or mobile unit" is 
defined as any commissioned naval vessel, established operational 
Fleet Marine Force (FMF) unit, or task-organized operational 
Formation whose mission requires it to deploy, maneuver, or 
operate away from its permanent duty station (PDS) or homeport for 
sustained expeditionary, combat, or contingency operations. 
3.b. Task-Organized and Provisional Formations. This definition 
explicitly encompasses task-organized, composited, or provisional 
operational elements that assemble for specific operational 
commitments and subsequently disband, demobilize, or reconstitute 
upon mission completion. Eligible constructs include, 
but are not limited to: 
3.b.1. Marine Expeditionary Units (MEUs), Amphibious Ready Group 
(ARG) Marine elements, and associated Maritime Expeditionary Forces. 
3.b.2. Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Forces (SPMAGTFs), 
Crisis Response Forces, and Joint Task Force (JTF) enablers. 
3.b.3. Provisional battalions, squadrons, task forces, or composite 
detachments formed pursuant to an approved execute order or 
deployment order. 
3.c. Personnel Coverage and Attachment Criteria. Marines are 
considered assigned to a qualifying mobile unit if they were joined 
permanently to the unit or temporarily attached via Temporary 
Additional Duty under formal deployment orders during the 
designated operational window. SLA eligibility applies to the 
duration of the member's verified attachment to the qualifying
organization while deployed or operating away from homeport/PDS.
4. Resumption and Policy Execution 
4.a. Effective immediately upon the release of this MARADMIN, the 
suspension of SLA approvals outlined in reference (a) is rescinded. 
The processes and procedures defined herein supersede the processes 
and procedures defined in reference (c). 
4.b. In accordance with reference (b), eligibility for SLA in FY26 
is authorized under the following categories: 
4.b.1. Personnel deployed in support of Operation EPIC FURY 
pursuant to paragraph 3.8.d of reference (e). 
4.b.2. Personnel assigned to designated ships and mobile units that 
deployed or operated away from homeport or PDS for more than 60 
consecutive days in support of operations in defense of national 
security in FY26. Paragraph 5 of this MARADMIN lists the 
designated ships and mobile units that qualify under this provision.
4.b.3. Marines serving in locations formally designated for Hostile 
Fire Pay (HFP) or Imminent Danger Pay (IDP) for at least 120 
Consecutive days in accordance with reference (a) and reference (e).
4.c. In accordance with reference (e), SECNAV or those delegated must 
designate "other qualifying duty" that qualifies personnel for SLA.  
4.c.1.  SECNAV has not designated any "other qualifying duty." 
4.c.2.  Those with approving authority listed in paragraph 6 of this 
MARADMIN will not approve SLA under the "other qualifying duty" 
category. 
4.c.3.  Commands receiving requests for SLA or exceptions to policy 
to SLA under the "other qualifying duty" category will be returned 
without action prior to submission to Headquarters Marine Corps 
(HQMC). 
4.c.4.  If "other qualifying duty" is defined and designated by 
SECNAV, HQMC will release guidance via MARADMIN. 
4.d.  All items within paragraph 4, with the exception of paragraph 
4.b.1, remain in effect for future fiscal years until otherwise 
modified or canceled. 
5. Designated Units List and Location 
5.a. Under the delegated authority in reference (b), and in 
coordination with the Fleet Marine Force and Plans, Policies & 
Operations, Dir, MP has compiled the formal list of designated 
deployable ships and mobile units eligible for FY26 SLA. 
5.b. The official FY26 SLA Designated Units List is published 
and maintained on the Manpower Military Policy (MPO) section 
of the M&RA website: https://www.manpower.marines.mil/Divisions/
Plans-and-Policies/Manpower-Plans-and-Policy/Manpower-Military
-Policy-MPO/ 
5.c. This list may be updated and republished as necessary. 
6. Approval Authority and Criteria 
6.a. The approval authority for SLA requests under this message is 
strictly retained by the first Marine GO in the requestor's 
administrative chain of command. This authority may not be 
further delegated, nor is by direction authorized for SLA approvals.
6.b. GOs may only approve SLA requests for individual Marines 
belonging to designated deployable ships and mobile units who were 
prevented from taking accrued leave due to national security 
operations, natural disaster, or catastrophe. SLA is an exceptional 
authority and must not be used to salvage leave lost due to a 
Marine's failure to properly manage their accrued leave balances. 
6.c. Maximum Accrual Limits. Eligible Marines approved for SLA may 
carry over a maximum of 30 days beyond the statutory 60-day leave 
limit (for a maximum aggregate balance of up to 90 days). Per 
reference (e), any excess balance over 90 days may be eligible for 
sell-back. 
6.c.1. SLA expires at the conclusion of the second FY for which 
the SLA is approved.  
6.c.2. For example, on 1 October 2026, a Marine lost 27 days of 
leave, reducing their balance to 60 days. Following the release of 
this MARADMIN, the Marine submitted an SLA request that was approved. 
On 30 October 2026, the Marine's SLA was adjusted to reflect the 
restored days, bringing their leave balance to 87.  The SLA approved 
for FY26 and restored in FY27 remains available until 
1 October 2028 (i.e., FY29). 
7. Action and Submission Procedures 
7.a. Unit commanders and administrative personnel sections will 
review all pending and previously held or returned SLA packages 
against the designated units list posted on the MPO website. 
7.b. Qualified packages will be forwarded via the administrative 
chain of command to the first Marine GO for decision. 
7.c. Packages must contain: 
7.c.1. An Administrative Action Form requesting SLA.  
7.c.2. Verification of assignment or TAD attachment to a designated 
unit during the qualifying period (i.e., web orders, deployment 
manifest, or operational travel claims). 
7.c.3. Written endorsement from the requestor's Commanding 
Officer (CO). 
7.d. After approval by the GO, the documentation must be submitted 
to the requestor's unit S-1. Once received by S-1, the unit CO will 
restore qualifying days in Marine Online (MOL).
7.d.1. During restoration in MOL, the CO shall add a comment that 
states which GO approved the SLA and on what date it was approved. 
7.d.2. SLA packages shall be maintained at the restoring unit S-1 per 
the Marine Corps Records Management Program.
8. Coordinating Instructions 
8.a. Commands requesting reconsideration or addition of deployable 
ships or mobile units to the designated unit list must submit formal 
justification endorsed by a GO to Dir, MP via 
https://usmc.sharepoint-mil.us/sites/dcmra_mra_mp_mpo.
8.a.1. When Dir, MP decision is made, the requesting unit will be 
notified, and the FY26 Designated Unit List will be updated on the 
MPO website, as appropriate. 
8.b. Future FY Designated Unit Lists will be published on the MPO 
website 60 days prior to the closeout of the FY, announcing units 
designated for SLA and giving Marines time to route requests prior 
to the start of the next FY.
8.c. In accordance with reference (d), leave is charged in a last in, 
first out method. Leave carried over from previous fiscal years or 
preserved under approved SLA authorities will be charged only 
after current FY leave has been fully exhausted. 
8.d. Marines can check their SLA balance on their Leave and 
Earnings Statement (LES) and in Marine Online under the 
Leave/Liberty Tab, Leave Overview Section, SLA History portion.  
8.e. Marines are notified of forecasted lost leave via their LES.
9. Direct all inquiries concerning SLA submission processes 
to local unit administration sections or PACs. Policy questions 
may be directed to MPO.
10. This MARADMIN is applicable to the Total Force.
11. This MARADMIN remains in effect until modified or cancelled. 
12. MARADMIN release authorized by Senior Executive Service 
Michael R. Melillo, Acting Director, Manpower Plans and Policy 
Division, Manpower and Reserve Affairs.