R 181431Z FEB 00 ZYW
FM CMC WASHINGTON DC//CMC//
TO ALMAR
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UNCLAS //N01040//
ALMAR 011/00
MSGID/GENADMIN//
SUBJ/RETENTION//
POC/A.A. WASHINGTON/COL/DSN 278-9217/-/TEL:COML (703) 784-9217//
RMKS/1. THE MARINE CORPS FACES ITS GREATEST RETENTION CHALLENGE
IN RECENT YEARS. MARINES AT THE END OF THEIR SECOND AND THIRD
ENLISTMENT ARE DEPARTING IN GREATER NUMBERS THAN ANTICIPATED.
AS MORE MARINES LEAVE, WE WILL FIND IT EXCEEDINGLY DIFFICULT TO
REPLACE THEM.
2. THE FIRST-TERM ALIGNMENT PLAN (FTAP) CONTAINS THE NUMBER OF
FIRST-TERM MARINES, BY MOS, THE MARINE CORPS MUST KEEP TO MEET
CAREER FORCE NEEDS. NOT REACHING OUR FY00 FTAP GOAL HAS AT LEAST
TWO IMMEDIATE CONSEQUENCES. FIRST, THE LOSS OF EXPERIENCED CAREER
MARINES CREATES VACANCIES, WHICH MAY TAKE SEVERAL YEARS TO OVERCOME
IN SOME MOS'S. SECOND, TO COMPENSATE FOR FTAP SHORTAGES, OUR
RECRUITING MISSION WILL EXPAND IN ORDER TO SECURE END-OF-YEAR END
STRENGTH.
3. THE FY00 FTAP GOAL OF 5,799 MARINES WAS APPORTIONED TO THE FIVE
MAJOR SUBORDINATE COMMANDS BOTH TO ALERT COMMANDERS TO THE
INCREASED NEED TO KEEP FIRST-TERM MARINES AND TO ENLIST COMMANDERS'
HELP IN ATTAINING OUR FY00 GOAL. I CALL ON ALL LEADERS THROUGHOUT
THE MARINE CORPS TO TAKE A FRESH LOOK AT RETENTION. REDEDICATE
YOURSELVES TOWARDS DOING ALL YOU CAN TO ENCOURAGE OUR CAREER
MARINES TO STAY MARINE. LIKEWISE, I FULLY EXPECT OUR COMMANDERS TO
MEET OR EXCEED THEIR FTAP GOALS.
4. THIS IS COMMAND RESPONSIBILITY OF THE HIGHEST ORDER. WE
SHOULD UNDERSTAND WHY THIS IS HAPPENING, ESPECIALLY THROUGH
EXIT INTERVIEWS, AND TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION. SIMPLY PUT,
RECRUITING IS HARD WORK, RETENTION IS EQUALLY SO. I APPRECIATE
YOUR EFFORT AND YOUR SUPPORT IN THIS MISSION. IF OUR POLICIES
ARE PART OF THE PROBLEM, LET US KNOW. SEMPER FIDELIS, J. L. JONES,
GENERAL, U.S. MARINE CORPS, COMMANDANT OF THE MARINE CORPS.//
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