MARADMIN 500/10 - Invitational Travel Orders to Unit Memorial Services

Scope

MARADMIN 500/10 publishes Marine Corps policy on Invitational Travel Orders (ITO) for family members attending unit memorial services. The message announces Department of Defense policy allowing travel of eligible family members to attend a unit memorial service held in memory of their deceased Marine. Date signed is 2010-09-07. Applicability is the Marine Corps Total Force.

Audience

• Casualty Assistance Calls Officers (CACOs) and casualty assistance representatives. Brief families on the entitlement and coordinate ITO issuance.
• Commanding officers of hosting commands. Generate ITOs for eligible family members.
• Disbursing offices and Defense Travel Administrators. Process ITO travel and per diem.

Entitlement rules

• Travel and transportation allowances include travel to and from the unit memorial service plus two days of per diem at the memorial site, per paragraph 2.
• Only one unit memorial service is recognized for government-funded transportation and allowances, per paragraph 3.
• Allowances are limited to a two year period following the loss of the Marine, per paragraph 3.
• Memorial locations are limited to the Continental United States, Alaska, Hawaii, and U.S. Territories. The last permanent duty station of the Marine also qualifies, per paragraph 3.
• Family members are not authorized travel to memorial services conducted in a theater of combat operations, per paragraph 3.
• Eligible travelers are the spouse, children, parents, the Marine's siblings, the spouse's parents, and the Person Authorized to Direct Disposition of Human Remains (PADD), per paragraph 4.
• The command hosting the memorial generates the Invitational Travel Orders for eligible family members, per paragraph 6.

Connection to higher policy

• Department of Defense travel policy. The message implements the DoD decision to fund family travel to unit memorial services.
• Joint Travel Regulations. ITO authority and per diem rates.

Connection to Marine Corps doctrine

• MCO 3040.4, Marine Corps Casualty Assistance Program. Chapter 7, Section 2, paragraph 6b lists the beneficiaries authorized ITOs for burial and memorial services.
• IGMC Functional Area 3040, Casualty Affairs. Checklist item 0113 inspects command knowledge of this entitlement.

Status

Released 2010-09-07 per the policy index date signed. Originator CMC Washington DC MRA. Applicability is the Marine Corps Total Force. Active. The IGMC casualty affairs checklist still cites paragraphs 2, 3, 4, and 6 of this message.