NEW ORLEANS -- Enlisted Marines in the Active Reserve program may now be eligible for an early voluntary retirement as a part of the Temporary Early Retirement Authority program. The retirement will be at a reduced monthly retainer pay rate available to AR Marines only. The Marine must have more than 15 and less than 20 years of active duty time as of Sept. 30, 2014.
Marines must submit their request via the chain of command to the Commandant of the Marine Corps. At a minimum, the submission must be endorsed by the inspector-instructor or battalion/squadron commanding officer. The submission window for a TERA request ends Sept. 1, 2014. The first eligible date to transfer to the fleet Marine Corps Reserve is July 31, 2014. The standard window to process a request is 60 days.
Marines are reminded TERA is not an entitlement and each request will be considered based on the needs of the Marine Corps and the AR program. Marines transferred to the fleet Marine Corps Reserve under TERA are not entitled to involuntary separation pay, special separation benefits or voluntary separation incentive.
To be able to implement this program in an orderly manner, the decision to apply for TERA is a final and irrevocable decision to retire from the Marine Corps. Requests to withdraw, cancel or modify applications will not be approved.
For a full list of eligibility requirements and more information, see Marine administrative message 138/14.