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Military Discharges and Military Counseling

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Delayed Entry Program Discharge (DEP Discharge)

Marines

After you read this fact sheet, please call the Hotline (877-447-4487) to talk over your options with a counselor.

MCRCO 1100.1 Enlistment Processing Manual (9 November 2011)

Source
MCRCO 1100.1 Enlistment Processing Manual (EPM) 9 November 2011 (1.5 MB)

Comments: To view or download the complete regulation, click on the link to it in the box above these comments.

2203. DELAYED ENTRY PROGRAM (DEP)

1. General Information

a. This program permits the Recruiting Command to enlist male and female applicants into the Regular Marine Corps or SMCR and delay their departure for recruit training. Regular and Reserve non-prior service applicants are eligible to participate in the program. See paragraph 4205, page 4-32, for additional information.

Comments: "SMCR" is the Selected Marine Corps Reserve.

b. Individuals intending to enlist into the Regular Marine Corps and desiring to participate in the DEP must first enlist into the Marine Corps Reserve. The DEP is a component of the Marine Corps Reserve. These individuals remain in the Reserve while in the DEP, do not become a member of a specific unit, are credited with inactive duty time against their military service obligation (MSO) of 8 years, are not required to attend any Reserve unit functions, and are not entitled to any pay or other benefits. These individuals are often referred to as poolees. On the date these individuals depart for recruit training, they are administratively discharged from the reserve component and enlisted onto active duty in the Regular Marine Corps.



4301. DISCHARGES
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2. Disqualified Enlistees
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c. When an individual is qualified, properly enlisted, and sworn in, but refuses to execute the order to recruit training or to the assigned command, the recruiting station commander will immediately notify the gaining command of the same. The gaining command will join the enlistee by service record only and make an appropriate unit diary entry reflecting "unauthorized absence", and process for discharge.
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3. Other Situations Involving Members of the DEP and SMCR Awaiting IADT Where Discharge is Appropriate

Comments: "DEP" is Delayed Entry (or Enlistment) Program.

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d. Desire for Release or Intent Not to Report. Cases will arise in which members express a desire to be released from their enlistment contract. This may have been expressed through letters to a congressional representative via chain of command. Their intention is to not report to the MEPS for enlistment in the Marine Corps, or to not execute their IADT orders. Whenever commanding officers of recruiting stations are confronted with the above situation, the following action will be taken:

Comments: "MEPS" is Military Entrance Processing Station. "IADT" is Initial Active Duty for Training.

(1) The individual will be interviewed and counseled about fulfilling the contract. Individuals will be reminded that their enlistment contract is legally and morally binding.

(2) If the interview and counseling session fails, and the individual insists on being released from the enlistment, the individual will be discharged as soon as possible.

(3) Letters advising individuals of their discharge from the DEP should not chastise or degrade the individual. Rather, we should offer our best wishes for success in their future endeavors so as to maintain a cordial relationship.

4. Procedures for Discharge of Members of the DEP/SMCR Prior to IADT

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b. District commanding officers may effect discharges for members of the DEP and members of the SMCR awaiting IADT under the provisions contained in the current edition of MCO P1900.16 (Short Title MARCORSEPMAN). They may authorize recruiting station commanding officers to effect the requested discharges. Reserve component entry-level status begins upon enlisting and terminates 180 days after the beginning of entry-level active duty training. Therefore, these discharges will be categorized as "uncharacterized entry-level separations." Under normal circumstances, these discharges do not require a DD 214, or discharge certificate (DD Form 256). The letter format in figure 4-3, page 4-65, will be the only correspondence used to effect an "uncharacterized entry-level separation."


MCO 1130.76D CONDUCT OF RECRUITING OPERATIONS (07 MAR 2017)

Source
MCO 1130.76D CONDUCT OF RECRUITING OPERATIONS (07 MAR 2017) (152 KB)