MCO 5040.6K - Inspector General of the Marine Corps Inspections Program

Scope

MCO 5040.6K establishes and promulgates the Inspector General of the Marine Corps Inspections Program (IGMCIP). The Order governs every IGMC and Commanding General's Inspection Program (CGIP) inspection across the Total Force. It takes precedence over any conflicting CGIP directive.

The Order anchors every Functional Area Checklist (FAC) the portal surfaces under /inspections/igmc. The CoRE, CoRE+, and Non-CoRE classifications on the FA registry derive from Chapter 2. The grading criteria, FAC repository rules, and the FIR/CAR reporting cycle all originate in this Order.

Audience

Commanders at every level, who publish and run a CGIP directive under the Order. IGMC and CIG inspection teams, who execute inspections and issue FIRs. Functional Area sponsors, who author and maintain FACs under Chapter 3 standards. S-1 staffs, who run self-assessment cycles, build evidence binders, and support CGIP execution. The portal's commander inspections-lifecycle pages and admin inspections-support pages resolve to this Order.

Chapter map

• Chapter 1 - Inspections overview. Background, purpose of IGMCIP, roles (IGMC, IG, CIG, CGIP, FA sponsors), inspections principles.
• Chapter 2 - Critical or Required Evaluation (CoRE) Functional Areas. Defines CoRE, CoRE+, and Non-CoRE classification.
• Chapter 3 - Functional Area Checklists (FACs). Repository rules, submission process, authoring standards.
• Chapter 4 - Inspections Grading Criteria. Commendatory, Satisfactory, Unsatisfactory at the command level, FA level, and question level. Reinspection thresholds.
• Chapter 5 - Inspections Programs. IGMC inspection types. CGIP requirements. MARFORRES and MARFORSOUTH overlay. Special circumstances.
• Chapter 6 - Communications and Required Reports. Final Inspection Report (FIR) within 30 days of inspection. Corrective Action Report (CAR) within 30 days of FIR receipt. Records retention.
• Chapter 7 - Policy and Compliance Cycle. Source documents, inspections, outputs, update cadence.

Operative content

• Commanders at every level establish and publish a unit-level CGIP directive inspecting all subordinate FAs.
• Inspected commands receive a written FIR within 30 days of the inspection.
• Inspected commanders submit a CAR to the IGMC or CIG within 30 days of receiving the FIR.
• Full CoRE and CoRE+ FA coverage is mandatory. Units without organic capability for an FA document the providing unit.
• IGMC inspections are conducted under Title 10 authority on behalf of the Commandant of the Marine Corps.

Reports required

• Final Inspection Report (FIR) - issued by the inspecting team to the inspected commander.
• Corrective Action Report (CAR) - returned by the inspected commander to the inspecting team.

Connection to higher policy

• Title 10 U.S. Code §8020. Statutory basis for IGMC inspections conducted on behalf of the Commandant of the Marine Corps.
• SECNAVINST 5040.3B. Department of the Navy inspections policy.
• MCO 5430.1A. Cited authority for the Inspector General of the Marine Corps.

Connection to Marine Corps doctrine and lower policy

• Unit-level CGIP directives. Every commander publishes one under Chapter 5, and the Order takes precedence over any conflicting CGIP directive.
• Functional Area Checklists. Authored under Chapter 3 standards and surfaced on the portal under /inspections/igmc with CoRE, CoRE+, and Non-CoRE classifications from Chapter 2.

Status

Active. Effective 2026-05-01. Supersedes MCO 5040.6J.