Special Leave Accrual (SLA) - S-1 Procedural Page

Role and responsibility

The S-1 chief identifies Marines meeting SLA eligibility criteria. The commander authorizes SLA per the qualifying duty category. The S-1 officer signs by direction on routine SLA cases. The IPAC pay clerk processes the MCTFS leave accrual ceiling adjustment. The Marine carries responsibility to use accumulated leave before the SLA period expires.

Source documents flow from duty assignment orders, deployment orders, HFP/IDP area entry documentation, and homeport assignment records. SLA actions land in MCTFS as accrual ceiling adjustments per MCTFSPRIUMMCTFSPRIUM. Outputs include the SLA authorization memorandum, the MCTFS leave ceiling update, and the OMPF Field Folder leave tab entry.

Per MCO 1050.3JMCO 1050.3J Chapter 2 paragraph 9.a, Marines are authorized to accrue up to 120 days earned leave under four qualifying duty categories. The standard 60-day annual ceiling is temporarily increased to allow accrual during qualifying duty. The Marine has limited time to use the accumulated leave before reverting to the standard ceiling.

Trigger events

• Marine serves at least 120 continuous days in HFP/IDP area per paragraph 9.a(1).
• Marine serves on a deployable ship or mobile unit deployed at least 120 continuous days away from designated homeport per paragraph 9.a(2).
• Marine serves on a deployable ship homeported overseas with the ship deployed more than 50 percent of the time per paragraph 9.a(3).
• Marine serves on other prescribed duty supporting national emergency or contingency operations for at least 120 continuous days per paragraph 9.a(4).
• Pre-deployment training cycle approaches the 120-day threshold (Mojave Viper, Mountain Viper, Desert Talon, work-ups per paragraph 9.a(4)).
• Fiscal year end approaches with affected Marines holding accumulated leave above the standard ceiling.
• Marine departs qualifying duty and SLA period ends.

Processing workflow

1. Identify eligible Marines. Pull duty assignments and deployment status from MCTFS. Cross-check against the four qualifying duty categories per MCO 1050.3JMCO 1050.3J Chapter 2 paragraph 9.a.
2. Validate the qualifying duty category. Determine which of paragraphs 9.a(1), 9.a(2), 9.a(3), or 9.a(4) applies. The S-1 chief validates.
3. Confirm 120-day continuous period. Per paragraph 9.a(1) and 9.a(2), the continuous period requirement is 120 days. Per paragraph 9.a(3), 50 percent deployment time over the fiscal year applies for ships homeported overseas.
4. Build the SLA authorization package. Stage the qualifying duty documentation, the deployment record, and the Marine's current leave balance.
5. Route through commander. The commander authorizes SLA per the right qualifying paragraph.
6. Submit SLA authorization through MCTFS. Cut the leave ceiling adjustment transaction per MCTFSPRIUMMCTFSPRIUM.
7. Track the accrued leave balance against the 120-day cap. Audit each affected Marine on a fixed cycle.
8. Brief affected Marines. Inform on use-it-or-lose-it rules and the SLA expiration window.
9. Process loss prevention. Coordinate leave use before fiscal year end where the SLA period closes.
10. Document SLA period in MCTFS. Record SLA start, qualifying duty category, and SLA end date.

Systems of record and forms

Systems

• MCTFS. Master leave balance and SLA ceiling state.
• MOL. Surfaces leave balance to the Marine.
• UD-MIPS. Cuts SLA ceiling adjustment transactions.
• OMPF Field Folder. Holds the SLA authorization memorandum.

Forms

• SLA Authorization Memorandum. Local format documenting qualifying duty and authorization.
• NAVMC 10274 Application for Leave or Liberty. Standard leave request when SLA leave is used.
• Deployment Order or Duty Assignment. Source documentation for qualifying duty.

Common pitfalls

• SLA authorized without 120-day continuous period validation. Per MCO 1050.3JMCO 1050.3J Chapter 2 paragraph 9.a(1) and 9.a(2), the 120-day continuous threshold is required.
• Deployable ship SLA authorized for Marine serving less than 120 days. Per paragraph 9.a(2), Marines serving less than 120 consecutive days away from homeport are not eligible.
• Overseas homeport SLA authorized for Marine assigned less than 6 months of fiscal year. Per paragraph 9.a(3), Marines assigned less than 6 months of the fiscal year are not eligible.
• Other duty SLA authorized outside national emergency or contingency support. Per paragraph 9.a(4), the duty must directly support a designated contingency operation.
• SLA period expires without Marine using accumulated leave. Leave above the standard ceiling is lost at the end of the SLA period. The S-1 chief tracks and notifies.

Decision points

• Qualifying duty category selection. The duty fits multiple categories. The S-1 chief selects the most specific applicable paragraph per MCO 1050.3JMCO 1050.3J Chapter 2 paragraph 9.a.
• Pre-deployment training as Other Duty. Pre-deployment exercises (Mojave Viper, Mountain Viper, Desert Talon, work-ups) qualify under paragraph 9.a(4) when directly supporting a designated contingency. The commander documents the basis.
• SLA extension at qualifying duty change. The Marine transitions between qualifying duties without break. The S-1 officer authorizes continued SLA per the new category.

Authority

This sub-page sits under MCO 1050.3JMCO 1050.3J Marine Corps Leave and Liberty Manual Chapter 2 Section 9 (Special Leave Accrual). Paragraph 9.a defines eligibility criteria and the 120-day cap. Paragraph 9.a(1) covers HFP/IDP areas. Paragraph 9.a(2) covers deployable ships and mobile units. Paragraph 9.a(3) covers deployable ships and mobile units homeported overseas with the 50-percent deployment rule. Paragraph 9.a(4) covers other duty supporting national emergency or contingency operations. S-1 responsibilities sit at MCO 5000.14DMCO 5000.14D MCAP enclosure 4. The processing workflow maps to NAVMC 3500.3E T-R event 0111-GENA-2013 (Process special leave accrual).

Related references

• MCO 1050.3J Chapter 2 Section 9. Authoritative SLA rules and four qualifying duty categories.
• MCO 5000.14D Marine Corps Administrative Procedures. S-1 leave responsibilities.
• MCTFSPRIUM. SLA ceiling adjustment transaction format.
• MCO P1070.12K Individual Records Administration Manual. SLA documentation.
• NAVMC 3500.3E Manpower and Administration T-R Manual. Event 0111-GENA-2013 governs SLA processing.