Monthly Case Management Group (CMG)

Why the CMG Exists

The Case Management Group is the multidisciplinary forum for command oversight of open SAPR Unrestricted Reports. MCO 1752.5C makes the CO attendance and the 72-hour victim update non-delegable. XO substitution is not authorized.

The CMG is not advisory. The CO chairs (or attends as a voting member where another senior chairs the installation-level CMG). Decisions on continuation of MPOs, Expedited Transfer approval, and victim support resourcing happen here.

Two Non-Delegable Anchors

Both apply to the CO personally. The MCO does not give substitution authority.

The 72-hour update rule is the most-missed item in the entire commander battle rhythm. Track it on your personal calendar. Document each update in writing.

Cadence

Monthly minimum per MCO 1752.5C. Some installations run installation-level CMGs at higher frequency.

When the unit has zero open Unrestricted Reports, the CMG still convenes monthly per local SOP. The agenda becomes shorter, but the forum stays in cadence.

Who Attends

Membership varies by installation. The standard composition includes:

• Installation CMG chair (typically Garrison or installation CO designee)
• Unit commanders with open Unrestricted Reports
• SARC (Sexual Assault Response Coordinator)
• SAPR Victim Advocates assigned to open cases
• Legal Officer or SJA representative
• Provost Marshal or MCIO investigator on active cases
• Medical or behavioral health representative
• Chaplain
• Family Advocacy Program representative when domestic involvement
• VWAP coordinator
• OSTC liaison when covered offense overlap

Unit-level CMGs running at the battalion level have a smaller standing membership but cover the same agenda.

The Agenda

A standing CMG agenda covers, for each open case:

1. Case identifier and victim consent posture. Victim's preference on engagement and notifications.
2. Investigation status. MCIO update, CDI status, evidence preservation.
3. OSTC referral status. Most sexual assault offenses are OSTC covered. Charging decisions sit with OSTC.
4. Accused status. Legal hold posted, MPO active, pretrial confinement status if applicable.
5. Victim support. SAPR VA engagement, behavioral health connections, MFLC, chaplain, family support.
6. Expedited Transfer status. Approved, pending, declined, executed.
7. VWAP engagement. Notifications, accommodations, witness preparation.
8. Climate touchpoint. Unit-level climate observations, command response.
9. Action items from prior CMG. Owners, due dates, completion status.
10. Decisions required at this CMG. Owner of each decision.

The agenda is generally SARC-maintained.

The 72-Hour Victim Update Rule

After each CMG, you update the reporting Marine on case status within 72 hours. Non-delegable.

What the update covers

• Case status since the last CMG (investigation progress, charging decisions, MPO continuation)
• Any decisions made at the CMG affecting the case
• Victim support services available and accessed
• Next steps and timeline expectations
• Opportunity for the victim to express concerns or request changes

What the update does NOT include

• Details of the accused's behavioral health
• Internal command discussions outside what affects the victim
• Speculation on outcome

Documentation

Each 72-hour update is documented. The format is at command discretion but minimally captures:

• Date and time of update
• Method (in-person, phone, written)
• Topics covered
• Marine's response or stated needs
• Follow-up items owed to the Marine
• Signature or initials of CO

Some commands maintain a victim-specific contact log filed in the case folder.

When the Marine declines update

A reporting Marine has the right to decline ongoing updates. Document the declination. Continue to make the update available without forcing the contact. The Marine's expressed preference is respected, and the 72-hour clock is satisfied by the offer.

SAPR VA Discipline at the CMG

The SAPR VA brings the victim's voice into the room (with consent). The VA also signals when their D-SAACP certification or eligibility is approaching expiration.

You as CO maintain the VA appointment letter file. If the VA at the CMG signals certification lapsing, you coordinate re-credentialing or replacement before the cert expires. A VA with lapsed D-SAACP is not authorized to advocate, and replacing one mid-case is disruptive.

Decisions Landing at the CMG

These decisions surface at the CMG and route to you.

Coordination With Other Forums

The CMG is one of four monthly forums. Coordinate the schedule.

Practical: when a Marine appears in both CMG and FPC, brief the case once in each forum, with consistent facts. The two forums have different scopes (SAPR specific vs force preservation) and different membership.

Common Failures

1. XO attends CMG. MCO 1752.5C violation. Non-delegable per Appendix B.
2. 72-hour victim update missed. Most-cited recurring failure. Document on your personal calendar.
3. Update happens but is undocumented. Compliance with the cadence but no record. Same effect as missed update at inspection.
4. SAPR VA with expired D-SAACP advocating. Appointment letter remains active but credential is lapsed. Procedural defect.
5. Restricted Report content leaks into CMG. Hard rule under MCO 1752.5C. CMG covers Unrestricted Reports only. Restricted Reports are confidential between victim, SARC, and SAPR VA.
6. CMG runs without SJA representation. Legal decisions land in the room. Absence of legal counsel weakens the decision record.
7. Climate touchpoint without safe-messaging review. Messages sensationalize or moralize. Marines under-report future cases.

What Happens When CMG Is Skipped

A CO who misses a CMG and has no MfR substitute documented faces three immediate consequences.

1. Open cases proceed without command oversight for the month. Decisions accrue without your input.
2. The 72-hour update window still runs. Even without attending, your obligation to the reporting Marine continues.
3. Audit trail shows attendance gap. SAPR program inspection (IGMC FAC #34 or similar) finds the gap.

If absence is unavoidable, the same MfR discipline applies as on FPC (see FPC SOP and Meetings).

Related Pages

• Battle Rhythm Overview (this topic, order 1) - the lookup index
• Monthly FPC and CSNE (this topic, order 3) - the parallel monthly forum
• SAPR Unrestricted Report Response (Incident Playbooks) - the incident-side procedure when a report comes in
• Force Preservation Council Overview (FPC topic) - the parallel forum