MCO 1720.2A - Marine Corps Suicide Prevention System (MCSPS)

Scope

MCO 1720.2A sets Marine Corps suicide prevention policy and assigns responsibilities to every stakeholder in the Marine Corps Suicide Prevention System (MCSPS). The order covers prevention, intervention, and postvention. Procedures live in NAVMC 1720.1, reference (r) of the order. Suicide prevention executes under this order and the procedures in reference (r) together.

Audience

• Commanders of major operational and installation level commands. Own the written command suicide prevention program and the appointment of program personnel.
• Suicide Prevention Program Officers (SPPOs) and Suicide Prevention Program Coordinators (SPPCs). Command-level appointments working for the appointing commander.
• S-1 sections filing appointment letters and tracking annual training completion.

Commander requirements

Paragraph 4.b.(2) of the order tasks all major operational and installation level commands.

• Appoint suicide prevention program personnel in writing. Appointees complete the M&RA, MF online training within 30 days of appointment and stay current on annual suicide prevention training.
• Appoint an SPPO, E-6 or above, at battalion, squadron, and regimental or aircraft group level. Recruiting station commanders appoint E-5 or above. Reserve commands appoint an SPPO at each Inspector-Instructor duty station.
• Appoint an SPPC, E-7 or above, at the MEF command element, MSC, information group, and recruiting district level. A civilian SPPC requires an exception to policy from DC M&RA, MF SPC through the chain of command.
• Do not assign chaplains or religious program specialists as SPPO or SPPC.
• Establish and implement a written command suicide prevention program covering awareness education, early identification, referral to treatment, reporting, reintegration, and postvention.
• Report every suicidal ideation, attempt, and death by suicide by OPREP-3 SIR. Do not delay an ideation report pending a Competent Medical Authority determination. Submit the MF 30-day Death or Suspected Death by Suicide Report, a DoDSER for each attempt and death, and a Personnel Casualty Report for each attempt and death.
• Issue risk management procedures. Internal event notification, stress mitigation measures, lethal means restriction, and required hotline and website information.
• Keep a Marine at risk of harm to self or others in sight and escort the Marine to a mental health evaluation.
• Demonstrate compliance through regularly scheduled inspections.

IGMC functional area

The IGMC Suicide Prevention Program checklist, FA 1720.1, revised 23 September 2026, cites this order in 15 of its 17 items, most often at paragraph 4.b.(2). NAVMC 1720.1C appears beside it in 12 items as the procedures reference. Item 0101 checks the written SPPC or SPPO appointment, item 0104 the signed command program policy, and item 0106 the SMITR core leader functions in the policy. All three cite this order. The commander oversight matrix links its FA 1720.1 row here.

Connection to higher policy

• DoDI 6490.16, Defense Suicide Prevention Program. Reference (a) of the order.
• DoDI 6490.08, Command Notification Requirements to Dispel Stigma in Providing Mental Health Care to Service Members.
• DoDI 6490.04, Mental Health Evaluations of Members of the Military Services.

Connection to Marine Corps doctrine and lower policy

• NAVMC 1720.1C, Marine Corps Suicide Prevention System Procedures. Reference (r) of the order. Carries training, reporting, reintegration, and postvention procedures.
• MCO 5210.11F. Records management for records created under the order.
• MCO 1500.60A, Force Preservation Council. Companion risk management process.

Status

Signed 2 August 2021 by the Deputy Commandant for Manpower and Reserve Affairs. Cancels MCO 1720.2. MCPEL lists the order as Current. Applies to the active and reserve components, effective the date signed. Verified against the signed PDF from MCPEL on 2026-09-29.