NEW ORLEANS -- Billet identification codes are given to every Marine when they report to a unit. These BICs are designed to place Marines at the right place with the right job, according to the needs of the Marine Corps and that Marine’s qualifications. Headquarters Marine Corps, Marine Forces Reserve, and Marine Corps Recruiting Command uses these assignments to develop recruiting plans, determine eligibility for incentives and retraining, and also when approving inter-unit transfers and SMCR retention requests.
Reserve Affairs and Marine Corps System Command has evaluated the process of assigning BICs and distributing Marines and decided to create a new system that makes it easier for the administrative Marine, and decreases the possibility for human error.
This new sub-module to the current Manpower System is called the Inventory Development and Management System, which will be implemented throughout MARFORRES beginning Oct. 1, 2014.
According to Chief Warrant Officer 3 Raymond Garcia, the MARFORRES manpower personnel officer, most units throughout MARFORRES are already on board with the new program. If the BIC managers with the individual units do not understand the Marine's military occupation specialty and what billets he or she can hold, the Marine could potentially be incorrectly placed into a billet.
"This system pretty much takes the chances of human error out of the process," said Garcia. "The old system just had an input spot where the BIC manager would select a billet for them to hold. With the new system, it shows each individual Marine within their unit and what billets they can hold according to their MOS."
From there, BIC managers can correctly and proficiently assign Marines to their appropriate units while using the new Inventory Development and Management System. MARFORRES expects that the transition to this new system will increase readiness reporting almost immediately.
For more information, see Marine administrative message 062/13 or 078/13.