MARADMIN 188/25 - Advance Notification of Changes to Special Leave Accrual

Scope

MARADMIN 188/25 provides advance notification of upcoming changes to MCO 1050.3J Regulations for Leave, Liberty, and Administrative Absence on Special Leave Accrual (SLA), as directed by DoDI 1327.06 Change 5 dated 2023-08-25 and Public Law 117-263 Section 632 dated 2022-12-22. The MARADMIN cancels MARADMIN 474/23. Effective immediately, Marines are authorized to carry over a maximum of 90 days of accrued leave from one Fiscal Year (FY) to the next. The 90-day total includes up to 60 days of annual leave and up to 30 days of SLA. The MARADMIN applies to Active Duty and Active Reserve Marines.

Audience

• Active Duty and Active Reserve Marines. Subject to the 90-day accrued leave ceiling.
• First Marine General Officer in the administrative chain of command. Sole approval authority for SLA requests.
• Commanders. Report approved SLA into Marine OnLine (MOL).
• S-1 staff and admin. Upload final SLA determinations into the OMPF. Retain copies of approved SLA requests.
• IPAC. Adjudicates SLA balance questions and FY expiration entries.
• Enlisted Marines with leave exceeding 90 days. Eligible for the one-time SLA sell-back option (up to 30 days).

Definitions

• Accrued leave balance. Annual leave plus SLA. Marines accrue at 2.5 days per month.
• Annual leave. Regular leave granted under the command leave program. Maximum 60-day FY carry-over absent SLA.
• SLA. Restored accrued leave in excess of the maximum annual leave carrying forward between FYs.

SLA expiration

Approved SLA forfeits if not used by the end of the second FY after the qualifying duty ends. Example. SLA approved in FY23 must be used by end of FY25.

Qualifying duties

• Hostile Fire or Imminent Danger Area. 120 days continuous in a location designated for Hostile Fire or Imminent Danger Pay.
• Deployable ship or mobile unit. Service on a deployable ship or mobile unit of the Operating Forces where the duty location prevents using earned leave before FY expiration.
• Other duty. 120 continuous days in prescribed duties where leave is restricted due to catastrophes, national emergencies, crises, or operations in defense of national security. The circumstances prevent the Marine from reducing the leave balance to 60 days before FY end (officially denied opportunity to take leave).
• Contingency operations. Marines assigned to units, headquarters, or supporting staff in a designated contingency operation when leave is restricted by direct involvement.

Approval and record keeping

• Approval authority. First Marine General Officer in the administrative chain of command. Written authorization required.
• MOL reporting. Commanders report SLA details into MOL once approved.
• Records. The administrative chain retains a copy of every approved SLA request. The final determination from the first Marine General Officer uploads to the Marine OMPF.

Transition period

• Marines with SLA exceeding 90 days on 2022-12-31 (COVID-19 excess leave). Use or lose by 2026-09-30.
• Marines do not rate additional SLA until the SLA balance drops below 30 days.
• SLA balance and FY expiration date appear on the Leave and Earnings Statement (LES).

One-time SLA sell back

• Authority. 37 U.S.C. Section 501.
• Eligibility. Enlisted Marines only (option does not apply to officers by law). Leave exceeding 90 days where the leave would have been restored as SLA absent the new accrued leave ceiling.
• Limit. Up to 30 days of SLA.
• Submission. Through MOL to the administrative chain of command with supporting documentation showing the leave would have qualified for SLA.
• One election only per Marine.
• Counts toward the 60-day career sell-back cap.

Action items

1. Brief Marines on the 90-day accrued leave ceiling and the 60-day annual leave plus 30-day SLA split.
2. Identify Marines with SLA exceeding 90 days on 2022-12-31. Confirm use or sell-back by 2026-09-30.
3. Route SLA approval requests to the first Marine General Officer in the administrative chain.
4. After approval, report SLA in MOL and upload the determination to the OMPF.
5. Audit qualifying duty thresholds (120 days continuous, 120 days other, contingency assignment).
6. Confirm enlisted Marines who elect the one-time SLA sell-back stay within the 60-day career sell-back cap.

Connection to higher policy

• DoD Instruction 1327.06 with Change 5 dated 2023-08-25. Leave and Liberty Procedures for Service Members.
• Public Law 117-263 Section 632 dated 2022-12-22.
• Title 37 U.S. Code Section 501 dated 2023-01-01. SLA sell-back authority for enlisted.

Connection to Marine Corps doctrine

• MCO 1050.3J. Regulations for Leave, Liberty, and Administrative Absence. The order receiving the SLA changes.
• MARADMIN 474/23. Prior SLA notification. Cancelled by this MARADMIN.
• MARADMIN 341/26. Change 1, suspends the paragraph 6.b, 6.c, and 6.d qualifying categories pending SECNAV designations.

Status

Released 2025-04-11, DTG R 101213Z APR 25. Originator CMC Washington DC MRA MP. Release authorized by Brigadier General David R. Everly, Director, Manpower Plans and Policy Division. Applicability is Active Duty and Active Reserve Marines. POC Manpower Military Policy at SMB_HQMC_MPO@usmc.mil, 703-784-9360. Active until folded into the next revision of MCO 1050.3J, as changed by MARADMIN 341/26 on 2026-07-28. The change suspends SLA authorization under paragraphs 6.b, 6.c, and 6.d until SECNAV formally designates the qualifying ships, mobile units, and duties, pending requests under those criteria return to the Marine without action, and the paragraph 6.a hostile fire and imminent danger path continues unchanged.