Enlisted Retirement and FMCR Transfer - S-1 Procedural Page

Role and responsibility

The IPAC outbound counselor owns enlisted retirement and FMCR transfer processing per MCO 1900.16MCO 1900.16 Chapter 7 paragraph 7001 (General). The S-1 chief tracks Marines reaching 17-20 years of active federal service and 28-30 years against the FMCR and retirement gates. The S-1 officer signs by direction on the application package and the certificate routing. The commander pins the retirement at the ceremony and signs the commendatory commission for retiring officers and the certificate of appreciation for retiring enlisted.

Source documents flow from the MCTFS active federal service (AFS) record, the BASD, the PEBD, the retirement preapplication checklist per Appendix J, the application memorandum, the MMSR retirement or FMCR transfer order, and the retirement ceremony coordination. Transfer-to-FMCR or retirement actions land in MCTFS as a status change with effective date per Appendix E. Outputs include the FMCR transfer order or retirement order, the certificate of retirement and the lapel pin per paragraph 7008, the DD Form 214 per Chapter 1 Section 2, the unit retirement ceremony record, and the closed OMPF per MCO P1070.12KMCO P1070.12K Chapter 3.

Per MCO 1900.16 Chapter 7 paragraph 7003 (Eligibility for Retirement), enlisted Marines with 30 or more years of active federal service retire to the Retired List. Per paragraph 7004 (Eligibility for Transfer to FMCR), enlisted Marines with 20 or more but less than 30 years of active federal service transfer to the Fleet Marine Corps Reserve, receive retainer pay, and transfer to the Retired List at 30 years AFS (counted with FMCR time) per paragraph 7018.

Trigger events

• Marine submits voluntary retirement or FMCR transfer application per Chapter 7 paragraph 7005.
• Marine reaches 20 years AFS triggering FMCR eligibility per paragraph 7004.
• Marine reaches 30 years AFS triggering retirement eligibility per paragraph 7003.
• Statutory high-year tenure (HYT) gate reached for the grade.
• Mandatory retirement triggered by grade and service combination.
• Modification of FMCR or retirement date requested per Chapter 7 paragraph 7009.
• Retirement ceremony coordination required.

Processing workflow

1. Validate eligibility. Per MCO 1900.16MCO 1900.16 Chapter 7 paragraph 7003 (retirement at 30 years AFS) or paragraph 7004 (FMCR transfer at 20-30 years AFS), confirm the Marine meets the gate.
2. Build the application package. Per Chapter 7 paragraph 7005 (Application) and Appendix J (Retirement Preapplication Checklist), build the application memorandum, the DD Form 2656 (Data for Payment of Retired Personnel) per Appendix H, the SBP election, and the supporting documentation.
3. Receive and route the request. Per Chapter 7 paragraph 7006 (Receipt of Request), the request routes through the chain to MMSR for action.
4. Process orders and release from active duty. Per Chapter 7 paragraph 7007 (Orders and Release from Active Duty), MMSR cuts orders with the effective release-from-active-duty date and the FMCR transfer or retirement date.
5. Coordinate the retirement ceremony. Per Chapter 7 paragraph 7010 (Retirement Ceremony), schedule per command tradition. The Marine receives the FMCR/retirement certificate and the lapel pin per paragraph 7008.
6. Process accrued leave. Per Chapter 7 paragraph 7011 (Accrued Leave), the Marine sells leave or carries forward per the order rules.
7. Cut MCTFS transfer-to-FMCR or retirement transaction. Per Appendix E (Automated Processing under MCTFS) and MCTFSPRIUMMCTFSPRIUM, cut the transaction.
8. Apply characterization and grade. Per Chapter 7 paragraph 7012 (Characterization and FMCR/Retired Grade) and paragraph 7013 (Grade While a Member of the FMCR), set characterization and grade per the order rules.
9. Prepare the DD Form 214. Per Chapter 1 Section 2 paragraphs 1200-1205, prepare the DD Form 214 reflecting transfer to FMCR or retirement.
10. Close the OMPF Field Folder. Per MCO P1070.12KMCO P1070.12K Chapter 3, close for transfer to OMPF and stage the retirement order package.

Systems of record and forms

Systems

• MCTFS. Holds active federal service, FMCR transfer, and retirement state.
• UD-MIPS. Cuts FMCR transfer and retirement transactions per Appendix E.
• MOL DTMS. Prepares the DD Form 214.
• MMSR. Cuts retirement and FMCR transfer orders.
• DFAS Retired and Annuitant Pay. Cuts retainer pay (FMCR) and retired pay.
• Retired Activities/MyArmyBenefits/MyNavyHR-equivalent USMC retired Marine portal. Surfaces retired benefits.

Forms

• Retirement or FMCR Transfer Application Memorandum. Per Chapter 7 paragraph 7005.
• Appendix J Retirement Preapplication Checklist. Required pre-submission.
• DD Form 2656 (Data for Payment of Retired Personnel). Per Appendix H.
• DD Form 2656-1 (Survivor Benefit Plan Election). Per Chapter 1 paragraph 1406 (SBP).
• FMCR Transfer Order or Retirement Order. Cut by MMSR.
• Certificate of Retirement / FMCR. Per paragraph 7008.
• Lapel Pin. Per paragraph 7008.
• DD Form 214. Per Chapter 1 Section 2.
• Figure 7-2 SRB Entry. Per Chapter 7.

Common pitfalls

• SBP election not made or made incorrectly. Per Chapter 1 paragraph 1406 (Survivor Benefit Plan) and Chapter 7 paragraph 7005, the SBP election is required and is irrevocable at retirement. The IPAC counselor walks the Marine and spouse through the election.
• Appendix J preapplication checklist skipped. Per Chapter 7 paragraph 7005, the checklist drives the package. A missed item triggers MMSR returns.
• Accrued leave miscomputed. Per Chapter 7 paragraph 7011 and the 60-day career cap, validate the leave sell against MCTFS.
• DD Form 214 lacks combat service and HDP designations in Block 18. Per Chapter 1 Section 2 paragraph 1202 and Appendix B, the remarks capture combat service affecting VA benefits.
• Lapel pin and certificate issuance skipped. Per Chapter 7 paragraph 7008, the lapel pin and certificate accompany the retirement or FMCR transfer.

Decision points

• FMCR transfer versus full retirement. Per MCO 1900.16MCO 1900.16 Chapter 7 paragraphs 7003 and 7004, the AFS gate controls. The Marine at 20-30 years AFS transfers to FMCR with retainer pay. The Marine at 30 years AFS or beyond retires to the Retired List.
• Modification of the FMCR or retirement date. Per Chapter 7 paragraph 7009 (Modification) and paragraph 7019 (Requests to Change), modification routes through MMSR per the order rules.
• Advancement on the Retired List. Per Chapter 7 paragraph 7018 (Retirement of Members of FMCR and Advancement on the Retired List), the highest grade satisfactorily held controls advancement.

Authority

This sub-page sits under MCO 1900.16MCO 1900.16 Chapter 7 (Retirement of Enlisted Marines and Transfer to FMCR) paragraphs 7001-7019. Chapter 1 Section 4 paragraphs 1401-1407 set creditable service, retired pay multiplier, SBP, and DEERS. Chapter 1 Section 5 paragraphs 1501-1503 cover voluntary recall. Appendix J provides the retirement preapplication checklist. Appendix H references DD Form 2656. 10 USC Chapter 65 sets the statutory authority. MCO P1070.12KMCO P1070.12K Chapter 3 covers OMPF closeout. S-1 responsibilities sit at MCO 5000.14DMCO 5000.14D MCAP enclosure 4. The processing workflow maps to NAVMC 3500.3E T-R event 0170-PERA-2002.

Related references

• MCO 1900.16 Chapter 7 paragraphs 7001-7019. Authoritative enlisted retirement and FMCR transfer rules.
• MCO 1900.16 Chapter 1 Section 4 paragraphs 1401-1407. Creditable service and retired pay.
• MCO 1900.16 Appendix J. Retirement preapplication checklist.
• 10 USC Chapter 65. Statutory authority.
• MCO P1070.12K Chapter 2. OMPF closeout.
• MCO 5000.14D MCAP enclosure 4. S-1 retirement responsibilities.
• NAVMC 3500.3E. T-R event 0170-PERA-2002.