Reserve Separation and Retirement - S-1 Procedural Page

Role and responsibility

The Marine Forces Reserve (MARFORRES) and the SMCR/AR unit S-1 own reserve separation and retirement processing per MCO 1900.16MCO 1900.16 Chapter 3 paragraph 3001 (Definitions). The S-1 officer signs by direction on routing actions. The S-1 chief tracks reservists at qualifying service gates (20 satisfactory years per paragraph 3012) and at age 60 application gate per paragraph 3017. MMSR routes the action through HQMC. The convening authority signs involuntary discharge action per paragraph 3003. MCO 1001R.1LMCO 1001R.1L provides parallel reserve administrative procedures.

Source documents flow from the reservist's MCTFS reserve service record, the satisfactory year analysis per paragraph 3012, the annual reserve retirement point statement per paragraph 3022, the application memorandum per paragraph 3005, paragraph 3016, or paragraph 3017, the involuntary discharge package per paragraph 3003, the JAG sufficiency review when applicable, and the MMSR action. Reserve actions land in MCTFS as a reserve component status change per Appendix E. Outputs include the reserve discharge order, the Retired Reserve transfer, the 20-year letter, the retired pay grant order at age 60, and the closed OMPF per MCO P1070.12KMCO P1070.12K Chapter 3.

Per MCO 1900.16 Chapter 3 paragraph 3005 (Retirement or Separation for Age and Service), reservists retire or separate at statutory age or service gates. Per paragraph 3010 (Retirement with Pay Based on Active Service), reservists with sufficient active service retire on active duty rules. Per paragraph 3011 (Transfer to Reserve Retired List with Pay), the standard reserve retirement path runs at age 60 with 20 satisfactory years. Per paragraph 3012 (Qualifying Service), satisfactory year accrues at 50 or more retirement points.

Trigger events

• Reservist submits resignation per Chapter 3 paragraph 3002.
• Involuntary discharge initiated per Chapter 3 paragraph 3003.
• Reservist requests transfer to another component or service per Chapter 3 paragraph 3004.
• Reservist reaches mandatory retirement gate per Chapter 3 paragraph 3005.
• Reservist twice fails of selection for promotion per Chapter 3 paragraph 3006.
• Unsatisfactory participation reaches separation threshold per Chapter 3 paragraph 3007.
• Reservist with 20 satisfactory years applies for transfer to Retired Reserve per Chapter 3 paragraph 3016.
• Reservist applies for retired pay at age 60 per Chapter 3 paragraph 3017.

Processing workflow

1. Identify the reserve action. Per MCO 1900.16MCO 1900.16 Chapter 3 paragraphs 3002 (officer resignation), 3003 (involuntary discharge), 3004 (transfer), 3005 (retirement), 3006 (twice FOS retirement), or 3007 (unsatisfactory participation).
2. Validate qualifying service. Per Chapter 3 paragraph 3012 (Qualifying Service), confirm satisfactory years. Per Table 3-1 (Reference Table for Inactive/Active Duty Points), apply the point accrual rules.
3. Process officer resignation. Per Chapter 3 paragraph 3002 (Resignation of Officers), route the resignation through MMPB.
4. Process involuntary discharge. Per Chapter 3 paragraph 3003 (Involuntary Discharges), route the discharge package per the basis. JAG sufficiency review applies for adverse characterization.
5. Process retirement for age and service. Per Chapter 3 paragraph 3005, route the application through MARFORRES and MMSR per the order rules.
6. Process retirement for twice failure of selection. Per Chapter 3 paragraph 3006, the reservist twice failing selection for promotion retires or separates per the order rules.
7. Process retirement for unsatisfactory participation. Per Chapter 3 paragraph 3007, the unsatisfactory participation discharge or retirement follows the order rules.
8. Compute retired pay. Per Chapter 3 paragraph 3013 (Computation of Retired Pay), the retired pay reflects the active service points and any active duty service.
9. Process application for transfer to Retired Reserve. Per Chapter 3 paragraph 3016 (Transfer to Retired Reserve Awaiting Pay at Age 60), the application routes through MARFORRES.
10. Process application for retired pay at age 60. Per Chapter 3 paragraph 3017 (Application for Retired Pay Benefits at Age 60), the application routes through MARFORRES and DFAS Retired and Annuitant Pay.

Systems of record and forms

Systems

• MCTFS. Holds the reserve service status.
• UD-MIPS. Cuts reserve discharge and retirement transactions per Appendix E.
• MARFORRES Personnel. Routes the reserve action.
• MMSR. Cuts retirement orders.
• MMPB. Routes officer resignation per paragraph 3002.
• DFAS Retired and Annuitant Pay. Cuts reserve retired pay at age 60.
• Reserve Retirement Credit Reporting System. Per Chapter 3 paragraph 3022.

Forms

• Resignation Request. Per Chapter 3 paragraph 3002.
• Involuntary Discharge Package. Per Chapter 3 paragraph 3003.
• Retirement Application. Per Chapter 3 paragraph 3005, 3016, or 3017.
• 20-Year Letter (Notice of Eligibility for Retired Pay at Age 60). Per Chapter 3 paragraph 3016.
• Annual Retirement Point Statement. Per Chapter 3 paragraph 3022.
• DD Form 214 (qualifying release from active duty events).

Common pitfalls

• Satisfactory year miscount. Per MCO 1900.16MCO 1900.16 Chapter 3 paragraph 3012, satisfactory year requires 50 or more retirement points. A miscount delays or denies eligibility.
• 20-year letter not issued at qualification. Per Chapter 3 paragraph 3016, MMSR issues the letter at qualification. The reservist needs the letter for the age-60 application.
• Age-60 application missed. Per Chapter 3 paragraph 3017, the application drives the pay start. Without the application, DFAS holds the pay.
• Involuntary discharge without JAG review when adverse characterization recommended. Per Chapter 3 paragraph 3003 and JAGINST 5800.7G principles, the legal review applies when adverse characterization is recommended.
• Annual retirement point statement not reconciled. Per Chapter 3 paragraph 3022, the statement drives qualifying service. Reconcile annually.

Decision points

• Transfer to Retired Reserve versus retirement on active service. Per MCO 1900.16MCO 1900.16 Chapter 3 paragraph 3010 (Retirement with Pay Based on Active Service) versus paragraph 3011 (Transfer to Reserve Retired List with Pay), the active service duration controls the path.
• Honorary retirement versus retirement with pay. Per Chapter 3 paragraph 3014 (Retirement of Reservists Not Qualified for Retired Pay), the reservist who has not earned the qualifying service is permitted to retire as honorary without pay.
• Component transfer versus discharge. Per Chapter 3 paragraph 3004 (Transfer to Another Component or Service), the reservist is permitted to transfer in lieu of discharge per the order rules.
• Disability retirement. Per Chapter 3 paragraph 3015 (Physical Disability Retirement), the reservist disability retirement follows Chapter 8 with reserve-specific application.

Authority

This sub-page sits under MCO 1900.16MCO 1900.16 Chapter 3 (Separation and Retirement of Reserve Officers Not on Active Duty and Retirement of Enlisted Reservists Not on Active Duty) paragraphs 3001-3023. MCO 1001R.1LMCO 1001R.1L sets Marine Forces Reserve administrative procedures. DODI 1332.30DODI 1332.30 sets DoD-level officer separation policy. 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 3 paragraphs 3001-3023. Authoritative reserve separation and retirement rules.
• MCO 1001R.1L. Marine Forces Reserve administrative procedures.
• DODI 1332.30. DoD-level officer separation policy.
• MCO P1070.12K Chapter 2. OMPF closeout.
• MCO 5000.14D MCAP enclosure 4. S-1 separation responsibilities.
• NAVMC 3500.3E. T-R event 0170-PERA-2002.