Personnel Decisions Overview

Five Decision Categories

Most commander personnel decisions fall into five categories. Each has its own authority chain, processing route, and characterization rules.

Discipline lives in a separate topic because the procedural rules and the convening authority chain differ from administrative decisions.

The Authority Chain

Your signature authority varies by decision type. The pattern below covers the most common configurations. Confirm against MCO 1900.16 and unit local SOP for specifics.

The grade and rank thresholds matter. A battalion CO does not have authority for every personnel action.

When OSTC Overlap Applies

Per MARADMIN 633/24, Marines under OSTC case authority on a covered offense are not eligible for separation, retirement, transfer, or reenlistment processing without OSTC and SJA coordination.

Before any personnel decision on a Marine with an open or recent covered-offense allegation:

1. Confirm OSTC has not exercised authority
2. If OSTC has exercised authority, coordinate with SJA before any administrative action
3. Document the coordination in the personnel file
4. Avoid actions appearing to prejudge OSTC disposition

This rule applies even when the personnel decision appears unrelated to the alleged offense. A Marine awaiting OSTC disposition who requests voluntary separation still requires OSTC coordination.

The Procedural Backbone

Three procedural rules apply across all personnel decisions.

Notification

Marines have the right to notification of any adverse personnel action affecting their career. The notification format and timeline are set by the specific authority (MCO 1900.16 for separations, MCO P1400.32D for promotion actions).

Rebuttal and rights

Marines have the right to consult counsel, submit written rebuttal, and elect a board where the action and grade qualify. Skipping the rebuttal opportunity is procedural defect grounds.

Routing

Every adverse action routes through S-1 for documentation and through IPAC for OMPF entry. A decision signed at the unit level but not routed to OMPF exists only at the unit and is lost at later separation processing.

SJA Coordination Triggers

Coordinate with SJA before signing any of the following:

• Administrative separation with OTH characterization
• Administrative separation where the basis is misconduct
• Separation for substance abuse
• Separation involving a Marine with prior NJP or court-martial
• Any decision on a Marine with OSTC case authority overlap
• Promotion removal recommendations
• Any decision where the underlying conduct is contested by the Marine
• Reductions in grade outside straightforward NJP results

A short SJA conversation prevents most procedural defects. The cost of not coordinating is high when a decision is challenged at PERB or via Article 138 complaint.

Decisions Not Covered in This Topic

For clarity on scope, the following decisions live elsewhere in the portal:

• NJP routing and outcomes - Discipline and Records topic
• Page 11 entries - Discipline and Records topic
• Awards - covered in Outgoing CO checklist and dedicated future work
• FITREP execution - Leader topic plus dedicated future work
• PCS orders - MMOA process, dedicated future work
• Reenlistment approvals - MMEA process, retention overlap

These touch personnel records but are not "decisions" the CO makes in the MCO 1900.16 sense.

Common Failures

1. Initiating separation processing on a covered-offense Marine without OSTC coordination. MARADMIN 633/24 violation.
2. Signing OTH characterization without SJA coordination. High procedural risk.
3. Skipping the rebuttal opportunity. Defect grounds.
4. Decision not routed to OMPF. Lost at separation processing later.
5. Reductions in grade outside CO authority. Action voided.
6. Promotion withhold without proper notification. Marine challenges through chain.
7. Treating the Separation Authority as a rubber stamp. Higher-level rejection sends the package back, sometimes with adverse findings on initiating command.

Decision Framework Before Initiating

Before initiating any personnel action, ask:

1. Which category does this decision fall into?
2. Do I have signature authority for this category and grade?
3. Is there an OSTC overlap requiring SJA coordination first?
4. Has the Marine been notified and given rebuttal opportunity?
5. Is the underlying basis documented (counseling, prior actions, evidence)?
6. Will the decision route through S-1 to OMPF correctly?
7. What is the appeal path the Marine retains?

A "no" or "unclear" on any of these is a sign to coordinate before signing.

Related Pages

• Administrative Separation Authority (this topic, order 2) - separation processing in depth
• Retirement Processing (this topic, order 3) - voluntary, medical, and IDES paths
• Reductions in Grade (this topic, order 4) - the various reduction pathways
• Promotion Withholds and Removals (this topic, order 5) - withhold and removal procedures
• NJP Routing and Commander Authority (Discipline and Records topic)
• Page 11 Entries (Discipline and Records topic)
• OSTC Covered Offenses (Turnover topic) - the overlap rules