Outbound Interview and Counseling - S-1 Procedural Page

Role and responsibility

The Career Planner conducts the Outbound Interview for every outbound Marine. The S-1 chief tracks Outbound Interview completion against the outbound roster. The S-1 officer signs by direction on the interview record routing. The Career Planner applies retention counseling per MCO 1040.31 (Enlisted Retention and Career Development Program) for Marines continuing service. The Transition Assistance Management Program coordinator applies transition counseling per MCO 1700.31 for Marines separating or retiring. The Marine provides feedback on the unit experience and career intentions.

Source documents flow from the outbound orders, the Marine's career record (fitness reports, awards, qualifications, retention status), the Marine's EAS and PEBD, the DD Form 2648 Pre-Separation Counseling Checklist per MCO 1700.31 for separating Marines, and the unit feedback questionnaire. Outbound Interview outputs include the documented interview record, the career counseling notes, the retention or transition counseling record, the unit feedback record, the records access brief acknowledgment, the chain of command awareness of unit issues raised, and the audit trail.

Per MCO 1300.8MCO 1300.8, the Outbound Interview supports unit cohesion, career development, and transition. The interview runs ahead of the unit check-out completion. For separating Marines, the DD Form 2648 Pre-Separation Counseling Checklist completes per MCO 1700.31 before the DD Form 214.

Trigger events

• Outbound orders cut on a Marine.
• Retention counseling cycle on Marines approaching EAS.
• Separation processing window opens triggering DD Form 2648.
• Transition Assistance Management Program (TAP) enrollment for separating Marines.
• Promotion or special assignment opportunity affecting retention decision.
• Unit feedback collection per command policy.

Processing workflow

1. Schedule the Outbound Interview. The Career Planner schedules the interview for every outbound Marine.
2. Pull the Marine's career record. Pull fitness reports, awards, qualifications, EAS, PEBD, and prior retention counseling.
3. Cover career counseling and assignment history. Review the Marine's career trajectory, the assignment history, and the Marine's career interests.
4. Apply retention counseling. Per MCO 1040.31, Marines continuing service receive retention counseling. The Career Planner covers reenlistment options, special pay, and assignment opportunities.
5. Apply transition counseling. Per MCO 1700.31, separating Marines receive transition counseling. The TAP coordinator covers employment, education, VA benefits, and TAMP-eligible programs.
6. Pull DD Form 2648 pre-separation counseling checklist. Per MCO 1700.31, separating Marines complete DD Form 2648 ahead of separation.
7. Capture unit feedback. The Marine provides feedback on the unit experience, leadership, training, and quality of life. The S-1 routes findings to the chain of command per command policy.
8. Brief records access. The outbound Marine receives a brief on post-separation records access through DPRIS (Defense Personnel Records Information System), milConnect, and NPRC (National Personnel Records Center) for veterans.
9. Document the interview. The Career Planner completes the Outbound Interview Record.
10. Route the record. The record routes to the unit S-1 file, the OMPF Field Folder copy when applicable, and the Marine.

Systems of record and forms

Systems

• Career Planning Records. Holds retention counseling and career development records.
• TAP System. Holds DD Form 2648 and transition counseling records.
• Unit Outbound File. Holds Outbound Interview Records.
• MOL. Surfaces orders and career data.
• DPRIS, milConnect, NPRC. Post-separation records access.

Forms

• Outbound Interview Record. Local format documenting the interview.
• DD Form 2648 Pre-Separation Counseling Checklist. Per MCO 1700.31.
• Retention Counseling Form (NAVMC 11534 or equivalent). Per MCO 1040.31.
• Unit Feedback Questionnaire. Per command policy.
• Records Access Brief Acknowledgment. Local format.

Common pitfalls

• Outbound Interview skipped. Per MCO 1300.8MCO 1300.8, every outbound Marine receives the interview.
• Retention counseling skipped for Marines continuing service. Per MCO 1040.31, retention counseling supports career development.
• DD Form 2648 skipped for separating Marines. Per MCO 1700.31, the pre-separation checklist completes ahead of separation.
• TAP enrollment skipped. Per MCO 1700.31, separating Marines route through TAP.
• Records access brief skipped. The outbound Marine needs the records access channels for post-separation document needs.
• Unit feedback routed without commander review. The chain of command reviews unit feedback per command policy.
• Interview record not retained. The unit S-1 retains the record per the records retention schedule.

Decision points

• Retention versus transition counseling. The Marine's career decision drives the counseling path.
• TAP eligibility. Separating Marines enroll per MCO 1700.31.
• Unit feedback handling. The S-1 routes feedback to the chain of command per command policy. Anonymous feedback options apply per command policy.
• DD Form 2648 timing. Per MCO 1700.31, the checklist completes within the pre-separation window before the DD Form 214.

Authority

This sub-page sits under MCO 1300.8MCO 1300.8 Marine Corps Personnel Assignment Policy and MCO 1900.16MCO 1900.16 Marine Corps Separation and Retirement Manual. MCO 1040.31 covers Enlisted Retention and Career Development. MCO 1700.31 covers Transition Assistance Management Program. DD Form 2648 supports pre-separation counseling. The processing workflow maps to NAVMC 3500.3E T-R event 0170-PERA-2105.

Related references

• MCO 1300.8. Personnel assignment.
• MCO 1900.16. Separation and retirement.
• MCO 1040.31. Retention and career development.
• MCO 1700.31. Transition Assistance Management Program.
• DD Form 2648. Pre-Separation Counseling Checklist.
• NAVMC 3500.3E. T-R event 0170-PERA-2105.