CIRRAS Commander Role and Profile Discipline

What CIRRAS Is

The Command Individual Risk and Resiliency Assessment System is, per the Suicide Prevention guide Definitions section, "a single, standardized software-based tool to enable proactive identification and assessment of individual risk and resiliency factors. CIRRAS facilitates real-time risk mitigation and management by allowing commanders and leaders to review Marine and Sailor force preservation information at any time."

CIRRAS is the official documentation record for force preservation. Spreadsheets, paper logs, and parallel trackers are not substitutes.

Access Discipline (MCO 1500.60A Para 4.b.(3)(a))

Profile-level CIRRAS access is restricted to uniformed users only.

A civilian S-1 clerk with profile access is a finding under MCO 1500.60A. Verify access lists quarterly.

What Goes in a Profile

Per the Suicide Prevention guide, CIRRAS captures four categories of information for each Marine at elevated risk.

1. Current risk indication. Low, elevated, or high based on validated assessment.
2. Active stressors. Critical stressors per the guide's definition list: relationship distress, financial problems, negative transitions (AdSep, Medboard, failure to promote), mental health challenges including substance misuse, anticipated or actual legal or military charges.
3. Leadership actions taken. What the chain has done. Counseling, mentor pairing, resource referrals, lethal-means conversations, off-base check-ins, follow-up plans.
4. Resources offered or accessed. CCP, MFLC, chaplain, OSCAR, CIRRAS-tracked appointments, MIP (Marine Intercept Program) participation, financial counselor, family advocacy.

The format is the system's. The content is the leader's responsibility.

When You Update

CIRRAS is event-driven, not calendar-driven. Update after any of these.

A profile not updated in the last 90 days is stale. Audit at every monthly FPC.

Risk Categories - What Triggers What

The Suicide Prevention guide does not publish a numeric scoring rubric. The system relies on validated leader judgment supported by the listed risk categories.

Indicators of elevated risk

• E1-E4 grade (baseline elevated risk per guide)
• Recent breakup, divorce, or major relationship distress
• Financial strain or recent large financial decision
• Recent disciplinary action (90-day window)
• Recent legal action (90-day window)
• Recent ER visit or behavioral health appointment
• Substance misuse pattern or recent SAP entry
• Isolation (remote duty, OCONUS, sole occupancy)
• Recent transition (PCS, return from deployment, separation window)
• Sleep issues, chronic pain, or behavior change observed by chain
• Negative transition out of the Corps (AdSep, Medboard, failure to promote)
• Anniversary of prior suicide-related event

Indicators of high risk

• Active suicidal ideation
• Recent suicide attempt
• Recent inpatient mental health or substance abuse treatment
• Marine reporting access to lethal means without secure storage
• Marine in pretrial confinement
• Multiple elevated indicators concurrent

Reset triggers

• 90 days post-disciplinary action without further indicators
• Stable treatment compliance for 90+ days
• Documented stressor resolution (e.g., transferred away from toxic situation)

The CO validates every elevated and high-risk determination personally. Junior leaders flag. CO confirms.

Warm Handoff Documentation (MCO 1500.60A Para 4.b.(3)(g))

The warm handoff is the documented transfer of force preservation context when a Marine departs the unit.

What it covers

• Risk indication at time of transfer
• Active stressors
• Leadership actions taken
• Resources engaged
• Open follow-up items
• Recommended battle rhythm for receiving unit

Documentation standard

Per MCO 1500.60A Para 4.b.(3)(g), the warm handoff must be fully documented in CIRRAS before any Marine departs the unit. A verbal warm handoff to the receiving CO without CIRRAS documentation does not meet the standard.

Outgoing CO turnover requires CIRRAS warm-handoff documentation for every high-risk Marine in the unit. This is briefed at the Status of Command Brief NLT 3 days prior to CoC.

Receiving end discipline

When you receive a Marine with an elevated CIRRAS indication:

1. Review the profile within 7 days of joining.
2. Verify the new-join 90-day elevated-risk rule applies (see next page).
3. Schedule the first FPC review of the Marine for the next council.
4. Pair the Marine with a small-unit leader who will own the check-in cadence.
5. Confirm any open resource referrals are still active.

CIRRAS in the Daily Rhythm

The Suicide Prevention guide treats CIRRAS as a real-time tool, not a quarterly report. Use it in the daily rhythm.

• Small-unit leader observes a behavior change. CIRRAS profile note.
• A Marine completes a counseling session. Documented in CIRRAS.
• Chaplain conducts a check-in. CIRRAS note.
• ER visit on the weekend. Updated by Monday FPC.
• Pay issue resolved or escalated. CIRRAS active stressor updated.

The Suicide Prevention guide's recurring line across every scenario is the test: did the update happen.

What CIRRAS Is Not

• Not a clinical record. Diagnoses and treatment details belong with the provider.
• Not a punitive system. Profile presence is not adverse to the Marine.
• Not optional documentation. MCO 1500.60A is the authority.
• Not accessible to family members or civilian non-unit staff.
• Not a search tool for promotion or assignment decisions. Used for force preservation only.

Common Failures

1. Civilian S-1 staff with profile-level access. Direct violation. Audit access lists.
2. Profile not updated in 90 days. Stale data. The Marine has moved on or the risk has shifted. Either way the record is wrong.
3. Warm handoff verbal only. MCO 1500.60A requires CIRRAS documentation.
4. Risk validated by XO without CO review. Non-delegable rule violation.
5. No CIRRAS entry after a DoDI 6490.08 notification. A criterion-triggered notification is by definition an event requiring CIRRAS update.
6. Profile used punitively. Marines learn the system is a trap. Subsequent help-seeking declines.
7. Same risk indication for 12 months. Either risk is being managed and should de-escalate, or it is not and should escalate. Static profiles signal absent leadership attention.

Audit Cadence

Build the audit into the FPC battle rhythm.

• Monthly: every Marine on the elevated/high list reviewed for currency.
• Quarterly: full unit access audit. Confirm uniformed-only.
• Annually: full profile sweep for completeness against the unit roster.
• At CoC: warm handoff documentation for every high-risk Marine.

Related Pages

• FPC Overview (this topic, order 1) - council role, non-delegable rules
• New Join Elevated Risk (this topic, order 3) - the 90-day automatic elevation rule
• FPC SOP and Meetings (this topic, order 4) - meeting cadence, attendance, documentation
• Outgoing CO Master Checklist (Turnover) - CIRRAS warm-handoff briefing requirement at turnover
• Suicide Attempt and Mental Health Crisis Response (Incident Playbooks) - CIRRAS update is on the 24-hour checklist