MARADMIN 225/23 - Establishment of the Small-Unit Leader Initiative

Scope

MARADMIN 225/23 announced the Small-Unit Leader Initiative (SULI), a new program providing high-performing, committed, first-term corporals eligibility for promotion to Sergeant. The MARADMIN responded to the Fleet Marine Force need to retain and promote the highest-quality corporals. Effective 2023-06-01. The MARADMIN was cancelled by MARADMIN 222/26 effective 2026-10-01. Applicability was the Marine Corps Active Component. A complementary Reserve Component program was announced separately.

Audience

• First-term Corporals at 36 months or more TIS who had executed a reenlistment and completed required PME. Eligible.
• First O-5 commander in the Marine chain of command. Recommended Marines for SULI promotion.
• Commands. Manually screen and confirm the Marine meets or exceeds the monthly JEPES cutoff score.
• HQMC MMEA-1. Annotated 36-month TIS eligibility for each reenlisted Marine in the Total Force Retention System (TFRS) RELM. Concurrently ran a draw case code (DCC) of "ZU" to track FY24 corporal and below reenlistments.
• IPAC. Reported SULI promotions through unit diary. Used meritorious promotion TTC 052-003 with the effective date of the 1st of the month.
• HQMC MMPR-2. Adjudicated MCO P1400.32D changes folding in the program.

Eligibility (original SULI rule)

A first-term corporal had to meet every condition.

1. First O-5 commander recommendation.
2. Minimum 36 months TIS.
3. Executed reenlistment.
4. All required Professional Military Education (PME) complete.
5. JEPES promotion cutoff score for the month of promotion met.

Implementation process

• Effective 2023-06-01. Commands manually screened and validated against the monthly JEPES cutoff.
• JEPES cutoff retrieval. Commands typed "JEPA" in MCTFS for cutoff scores by MOS and the Marine JEPES validation. Current month cutoffs were available after current month select grades posted (approximately the 20th).
• JEPES validation. "JWKS" in MCTFS. Pull the projected JWKS before current month select grades posted, and the JEPA screen after they posted. Both attached with the MARADMIN to IPAC submissions.
• SULI promotion authority. Retained at the O-5 command level. No additional restrictions or criteria.
• SULI promotions did not affect previously established meritorious promotion allocations.

Administrative requirements

• O-5 command teams used the MOL EPAR module "SULI Eligible Promotion" to submit current "JEPA" and "projected JWKS" screens showing JEPES score eligibility, the O-5 command recommendation letter, executed reenlistment documents, and the command-generated promotion warrant.
• IPAC reported SULI promotions no later than the 5th of each month using TTC 052-003 with effective date of the 1st of the month.
• MOL MRO Dashboard JEPES scores diverged from the authoritative MCTFS JEPES score. The MCTFS score remained the authority for promotion eligibility.
• Authoritative JEPES score computed in MCTFS using the total of objective scores and command input marks as of the command cutoff date for each promotion month. Late entry caused MCTFS to recompute.
• SULI remedial promotions were not actionable due to system limitations. Commands ensured training data and input marks submitted timely. Late entries shifted the SULI promotion to the next month of eligibility.

Cancellation

MARADMIN 222/26 announced the cancellation of SULI effective 2026-10-01. The TIS requirement for promotion to Sergeant was changed from 48 months back down to 30 months at the same point, removing the need for SULI as a TIS-bypass mechanism for high-performing corporals.

Action items

(Historical, while active.)

1. Identify reenlisted corporals with 36+ months TIS and complete PME.
2. Pull the current month JEPES cutoff and the Marine score in MCTFS.
3. O-5 commander signs the recommendation letter.
4. Submit through the MOL EPAR module to IPAC.

Connection to higher policy

(None at federal or DoD level beyond the standard MCO chain.)

Connection to Marine Corps doctrine

• MCO P1400.32D w/CH 2. Marine Corps Promotion Manual, Volume 2, Enlisted Promotions.
• MCO 1040.31. Enlisted Retention and Career Development Program.
• MARADMIN 612/19. Announcement of Authority for Early Reenlistment, Delegation of Reenlistment Approval Authority, and Changes to Promotion Requirements Policy. Increased TIS to 48 months.
• MARADMIN 334/20. Forthcoming Changes to MCO P1400.32D, Marine Corps Promotion Manual, Volume 2, Enlisted Promotions.
• MARADMIN 222/26. Forthcoming Changes to TIS Requirement for Promotion to Sergeant and Changes to the Staff Sergeant Promotion Process. Cancels SULI effective 2026-10-01.
• Total Force Retention System (TFRS). System of record for the DCC ZU tracking.

Status

Released 2023-04-28, DTG R 280800Z APR 23. Originator CMC Washington DC MRA MP. Release authorized by Lieutenant General James F. Glynn, Deputy Commandant, Manpower & Reserve Affairs. Applicability was the Marine Corps Active Component. Not applicable to the Marine Corps Reserve (complementary program announced via SEPCOR). POCs Major M.E. Kilber at MPP-20 (703-784-9361) and Major S.J. Maxwell at MMPR-2 (703-784-9710). Cancelled by MARADMIN 222/26 effective 2026-10-01. Use this entry for historical context only.