MCO 1050.3J - Regulations for Leave, Liberty, and Administrative Absence

Scope

MCO 1050.3J sets the rules for leave, liberty, and administrative absence across the Marine Corps. The order governs annual leave, advance leave, excess leave, convalescent leave, parental leave, terminal leave, liberty in CONUS and OCONUS, PTAD (permissive TAD), and PDMRA (Post Deployment Mobilization Respite Absence).

Authority

Commandant of the Marine Corps publishes the order. Manpower Plans and Policy (MPO-40) maintains it. Commanders ensure maximum use of earned leave to minimize lost leave, raise performance and career motivation, and reduce cost payments for unused accrued leave.

Audience

Every Marine uses this order to understand leave and liberty entitlements. Leaders sign leave chits and approve liberty plans under it. S-1, IPAC, and admin specialists process the transactions in MOL and DTS.

Chapter map

• Chapter 2. Advance and excess leave rules. Paragraph 6 (advance), Paragraph 7 (excess).
• Chapter 4. Leave administration. Paragraphs 2, 7, and 8 establish Marine OnLine (MOL) as the primary means to request and approve leave, liberty, and PTAD.
• Chapter 5. TAD and PTAD. Paragraphs 3, 5, and 7 cover Defense Travel System (DTS) use when generating TAD orders. Paragraph 1.a bars Marines from staying on orders or mobilization for PTAD. Paragraph 5.1.c(9) requires commanders to grant paternity leave of 10 days following birth of a child per NDAA 2009. Paragraph 5.1.c(10) requires commanders to grant adoption leave of up to 21 days for any Marine adopting a child per NDAA 2009.
• Chapter 6. Administrative leave. Paragraph 1c authorizes Post Deployment Mobilization Respite Absence (PDMRA) as a separate category.

References

• DFAS-KC 7220.31-R. Marine Corps Total Force Automated Pay Systems Manual.
• DOD 7000.14-R Vol 7A. Military pay policy.
• DOD 4515.13-R. Air Transportation Eligibility.
• MCTFSPRIUM. MCTFS Personnel Reporting Instructions Users Manual.
• JTR (formerly NAVSO P-6034). Joint Travel Regulations.
• MCO 4630.16C. Travel time policy.
• MCO P1300.8R. Personnel assignment.
• DODI 1327.6. Leave and Liberty Procedures and Policies.

Connection to higher policy

• 10 U.S.C. 701. Statutory leave entitlement.
• DODI 1327.06. Military Leave, Liberty, and Administrative Absence. MCO 1050.3J executes the instruction for the Marine Corps under Section 704 of Title 10.
• DOD 7000.14-R Vol 7A. Military pay policy behind leave accrual, sale, and lost-leave transactions.
• NDAA 2009. Source of the paternity and adoption leave requirements at Chapter 5 paragraphs 5.1.c(9) and 5.1.c(10).

Connection to Marine Corps doctrine and lower policy

• MCTFSPRIUM. Leave and absence transactions report through its TTCs. Section 7-70104 reports separations absence granted by the commanding officer per this order.
• MARADMIN 625/24. Advance notification of forthcoming changes to MCO 1050.3J and associated leave and liberty programs. MARADMIN 188/25 carries further leave program updates, and MARADMIN 341/26 suspends three SLA qualifying categories pending SECNAV designations.
• Portal admin pages on annual leave, emergency leave, convalescent leave, terminal leave, PDMRA, liberty limits, and administrative absence source the order chapter by chapter. The IGMC leave and liberty checklist inspects execution.

Status

Active. Submit change recommendations to CMC (MPO-40) via the chain of command. MARADMIN 625/24 announces changes taking effect ahead of the next revision, and MARADMIN 341/26 suspends the deployable ship, other duty, and contingency operations SLA categories as of 2026-07-28, so pair the order with its follow-on MARADMINs before ruling on a specific entitlement.