PAA 02-22 - Authorization Of Digital Signatures On The DD Form 214

Scope

PAA 02-22 authorizes digital signatures on the DD Form 214, the Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty. The authorization covers both the member's signature in block 21a and the signature of the official authorized to sign in block 22b. The advisory was coordinated with M&RA (MMSR). Issued by Headquarters Marine Corps Manpower and Reserve Affairs, Manpower Information Branch (MIF) and distributed through the MISSA portal for execution by S-1, IPAC, and commanders across the force.

Audience

• S-1 desks and IPAC clerks preparing and finalizing DD Form 214s.
• 0102, 0111, and 0170 admin specialists.
• Officials authorized to sign block 22b.
• Separating and retiring Marines signing block 21a.

Operative paragraphs from the source

1. REQUEST ADDRESSEES DISSEMINATE THIS MESSAGE TO SUBORDINATE ELEMENTS.
2. THIS ADVISORY IS TO NOTIFY ADDRESSEES OF THE AUTHORIZATION TO AFFIX DIGITAL SIGNATURES ON THE DD FORM 214. THIS AUTHORIZATION APPLIES TO BOTH THE MEMBER'S SIGNATURE IN BLOCK 21A AND THE OFFICIAL AUTHORIZED TO SIGN BLOCK 22B OF THE DD FORM 214.
3. REF A IS UNDER REVIEW AND THIS AUTHORIZATION WILL BE EXPLICITLY ADDRESSED IN THE NEXT REVISION.
4. Paraphrased for portal style. Until a system modification reaches the Document Tracking Management System, units affix digital signatures using Adobe Acrobat DC (Pro) by adding the digital signature and date blocks. Affixing a digital signature is not mandatory at this time. The advisory recommends setting the date field properties to font Times New Roman 12 with a custom date format of YYYYMMDD.
5. THIS PAA HAS BEEN COORDINATED WITH M&RA (MMSR).
6. EFFECTIVE PAAS ARE LOCATED UNDER THE REFERENCE TAB OF THE MISSA PORTAL LOCATED AT HTTPS:(SLASH)(SLASH)EIS.USMC.MIL/SITES/MISSA/SITEPAGES/PAA.ASPX

References cited inside the PAA

• Reference (a). The advisory names it only as under review, the repository record does not identify the document. Paragraph 3 promises explicit treatment of the digital signature authorization in its next revision.

Connection to Marine Corps policy

• The portal's retirement awards and DD-214 page cites this advisory for the digital signature authorization and cites DoD Manual 1336.05 as the governing issuance for the DD Form 214.
• PAA 07-25 carries the later DD Form 214 completion and obligated service rules for FY26 Warrant Officer Basic Course attendees.
• DD Form 215 handles corrections after DD-214 generation, digital or wet signature.

Status

Source MISSA portal, CAC restricted, list item 8. POC: michael.franks@usmc.mil. No cancellation notice for this advisory appears in the repository record. Paragraph 3 states the next revision of reference (a) absorbs this authorization, confirm on the MISSA reference tab whether the revision published before citing this advisory as the standing authority.