Force Preservation Referral

What Force Preservation Does

Per MCO 1500.60MCO 1500.60, Force Preservation Councils review Marines exhibiting indicators of risk and coordinate intervention before the indicators escalate to crisis or separation. MCO 1500.60 Ch 3

The council pulls together S-1, command, chaplain, behavioral health, legal, and other resources. The leader provides the initial referral and the documented observations.

Indicators That Warrant Referral

The active MARADMIN and MCO 1500.60MCO 1500.60 list the qualifying indicators. Common patterns include:

• Repeated unauthorized absence or disciplinary actions.
• Substance abuse incidents.
• Financial distress with command involvement.
• Mental health concerns with command awareness.
• Family disruption affecting performance.
• Suicidal ideation reported or observed.
• Domestic violence indicators.
• Pattern of poor performance after a stable history.

A single indicator does not always warrant a referral. A pattern across two or more indicators does.

What You Document Before Referral

The Force Preservation Council needs facts.

• Specific dates and events.
• Observable behaviors. Not interpretations.
• Counseling sessions where the Marine raised or you raised concerns.
• Resource referrals already attempted (chaplain, MFLC, financial counselor).
• Marine's stated awareness of the concerns.

A referral built on observations beats a referral built on interpretations. The council reads facts.

Coordinate With the Chain Before Routing

Before submitting the referral.

• Brief your immediate senior.
• Brief the company-level leader.
• Confirm the chain agrees the referral is the right move.
• Walk the documentation up the chain so each level knows the basis.

A referral that surprises the chain reads as a section running outside the chain's awareness.

After the Council Reviews

The council typically returns:

• A determination of risk level.
• Recommended interventions and resource referrals.
• A monitoring cadence.
• A reporting back schedule.

You implement the recommendations at the section level.

• Schedule the resource appointments.
• Adjust the Marine's counseling cadence.
• Track the monitoring marks.
• Report back to the council on cadence.

When the Marine Is in Acute Crisis

A Marine in acute crisis (suicidal ideation expressed, domestic violence in progress, immediate safety concerns) does not wait for the next council meeting.

• Coordinate with chaplain or behavioral health immediately.
• Engage the chain.
• Use the Force Preservation referral as a documentation step alongside the urgent action.

Do not delay urgent care for the council process.

Common Referral Failures

• Indicators ignored until the crisis.
• Documentation thin or interpretation-heavy.
• Referral submitted without chain awareness.
• No follow-up on council recommendations.
• Marine never told the referral occurred.

Where to Go Next

• Wellness category for the broader risk-recognition tools.
• Counseling pitfalls for the upstream patterns producing crisis.