OVERSEAS TOUR EXTENSION INCENTIVE PROGRAM (OTEIP)

R 251335Z SEP 26
MARADMIN 450/26
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC MRA//
SUBJECT/OVERSEAS TOUR EXTENSION INCENTIVE PROGRAM (OTEIP)//
REF/A/MSGID: DOC/DOW/20260521//
REF/B/MSGID: DOC/JTR/20260901//
REF/C/MSGID: DOC/CMC/20210510//
REF/D/MSGID: MSG/CMC MM/260929ZMAR09//
REF/E/MSGID: MSG/CMC MM/110719ZJUN99//
NARR/REF A IS DOWM 1315.21, VOL 2, MILITARY PERSONNEL ASSIGNMENTS:
OUTSIDE THE CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES DUTY AND DEPENDENT TRAVEL.
ASSIGNMENTS. REF B IS THE JOINT TRAVEL REGULATIONS (JTR). REF C IS
MCO 1300.8, PERSONNEL ASSIGNMENT POLICY. REF D IS MARADMIN 0202/09.
REF E IS MARADMIN 259/99.//
POC/MRA MMIB-3/EMAIL: [email protected]/TEL:703-784-9236//
GENTEX/REMARK/1. This MARADMIN provides clarifying instructions for
the Overseas Tour Extension Incentive Program (OTEIP). Marines
assigned Outside of the Continental United States (OCONUS), to
locations designated as eligible in paragraph 8 of this message, who
volunteer and are approved to extend their OCONUS assignment for a
period of at least 12 months, may elect one of the following three
incentives:
1.a. Financial Incentive - $2,000, paid in 12 equal installments of
$166.66 per month. This incentive is taxable unless otherwise
exempted, such as a combat tax exclusion.
1.b. A single and consecutive period of nonchargeable special rest
and recuperative (SR&R) leave not to exceed 30 days.
1.c. A single and consecutive period of nonchargeable SR&R leave not
to exceed 15 days and round-trip transportation at government expense
to the nearest continental United States (CONUS) port of entry (POE).
The CONUS is defined as the 48 contiguous States. A Marine that
extends for a period of 13 months or more may elect this incentive
and receive 5 additional days of SR&R, for a total period of 20
consecutive days. Government funded transportation and SR&R leave
are to be taken concurrently; execution of only one forfeits the
other.
2. Cancellation. Effective immediately, references (d) and (e) are
cancelled.
3. The OTEIP is separate and distinct from the in-place consecutive
overseas tour (IPCOT) leave travel entitlement. OTEIP and IPCOT
incentives are not interchangeable. More information on IPCOT may be
found in references (a) through (c).
4. The OTEIP provides an incentive for the Marine, not for the
Marine's dependents.
5. Overseas extensions are added to the end of a Marine's current
Rotational Tour Date (RTD).
6. Eligibility:
6.a. All Marines, of any MOS or paygrade, entitled to basic pay and
assigned to an OCONUS location listed in paragraph 8.
6.b. Marines must complete their initial tour, including previously
approved extensions. The initial tour length must comply with
reference (b) supplement "Tour Lengths and Tours of Duty OCONUS".
6.c. Marines must execute an agreement to extend overseas for a
period of not less than 12 months. Marines who execute multiple
extensions of less than 12 months, summing to a total of 12 months
or greater, do not qualify for the OTEIP.
6.d. If, during an overseas tour extension period, a Marine
becomes ineligible for further overseas duty, he or she will be
removed from the program.
6.d.1. If the ineligibility for further overseas duty is a result
of actions taken by or under the control of the Marine, entitlement
to any portion of the incentive not taken shall be lost. Payments
and SR&R leave/travel received prior to the removal from the program
will not be recouped.
6.d.2. If the ineligibility for further overseas duty is a result of
actions taken by the Marine Corps, then the entitlement to a prorated
financial incentive continues until the day of departure from the
OCONUS location. Executed SR&R leave/travel conducted prior to the
ineligibility will not be recouped. Eligibility to execute SR&R
leave/travel shall be lost.
7. Execution:
7.a. Enlisted Marines will request an overseas extension via their
career counselor. Requests will be routed to CMC (MMEA) within the
Total Forces Retention System (TFRS). Approved overseas extensions
will state if the extension qualifies for the OTEIP, the number of
months of the extension, and the date of the new RTD.
7.b. Officers will request an overseas extension via a written
request to their PMOS monitor. Requests will be submitted via AA
Form and be endorsed by the first O-5 commander in the Marine's
administrative chain of command. Officers in the ranks of Lieutenant
Colonel and Colonel shall include an endorsement by the first O-6
commander in the Marine's administrative chain of command. If
approved, MMOA will provide the officer with an AMHS message stating
if the extension qualifies for the OTEIP, the number of months of the
extension, and the date of the new RTD.
7.c. The Marine is responsible for providing the RELM or AMHS
message to the applicable installation personnel administration
center (IPAC) for unit diary reporting of the updated RTD.
7.d. Marines approved for OTEIP will select their desired incentive
at the time they desire to execute the incentive, not at the time of
extension submission or approval. Once a Marine receives the first
installment of the financial incentive, receives a travel line of
accounting (LOA), or is credited the SR&R, the incentive is deemed
executed and may not be changed. Marines with previously approved
OTEIPs prior to this message who desire to change their approved
incentive will continue to request OTEIP incentive changes to CMC
(MMIB-3).
7.e. Marines requesting the government funded transportation and
15 (or 20) days SR&R incentive will request a funding LOA from CMC
(MMIB-3) at [email protected]. All travel must be
arranged through a Commercial Travel Office (CTO)/Distribution
Management Office (DMO), if available. Marines are encouraged to
submit requests to CMC (MMIB-3) no less than 30 days prior to their
desired travel date. Requests will include:
-AA form
-Endorsement from the O-5 commander or higher
-Approved RELM or AMHS Extension Approval
-CTO/DMO Cost Estimate for flight to POE
-CTO/DMO Cost Estimate to Alternate Location, if applicable
7.f. Periods of SR&R leave must be executed in a single and
continuous manner. SR&R leave shall not be split into multiple
periods. If the member elects to take a period that is less than the
full amount of eligible incentive days, any remaining SR&R leave is
forfeited. In cases when multiple OTEIP leave periods are requested
and erroneously approved, only one period is eligible for SR&R leave,
and all other periods will be charged as annual leave. OTEIP leave
will be processed through the Marine Online Leave and Liberty module
and include OTEIP approval documents as an attachment to the request.
7.g. Marines are to execute their OTEIP incentive during the
extension period. Incentives shall not be executed prior to the
effective date of the overseas extension. The effective start date
of the overseas extension is the day after the Marine's original RTD.
The overseas extension period ends the day of departure from the
OCONUS location via a permanent change of station (PCS), the
effective date of a new overseas extension, or the effective date of
an IPCOT. If a Marine failed to execute an incentive during the
extension period, a Marine may request payment of the financial
incentive within three years after the completion of the overseas
extension. This change is not retroactive; OTEIP incentives not
claimed during the extension period prior to the publication of this
message are not eligible.
7.h. OTEIP travel or SR&R leave may not be used in conjunction with
PCS or separation/retirement orders.
8. In accordance with reference (c), effective 1 November 2026,
Director, Manpower Management Division designates all OCONUS
locations, with the exception of the State of Hawaii and all
countries within the Marine Corps Forces Europe area of
responsibility, as eligible locations for the OTEIP. OTEIPs approved
prior to this effective date remain eligible for the available
incentives at the time of the OTEIP approval. Director, Manpower
Management Division will periodically reevaluate eligible locations
in accordance with staffing requirements. A MARADMIN will be
published when eligibility is updated.
9. Records Disposition. Approved overseas tour extension must be
filed in the Marine's OMPF. MMEA and MMOA will maintain records of
all overseas extensions approved under the OTEIP. The information
will be retained by MCC and will include the number of requests
received and the number of requests approved. Records of overseas
tour extension requests under the OTEIP, to include all supporting
documentation, will be retained by the CMC (MMEA) and CMC (MMOA) for
a period of two years. CMC (MMIB-3) will retain records of
appropriation data issued for the travel option for a period of five
fiscal years.
10. Release authorized by Lieutenant General William J. Bowers,
Deputy Commandant for Manpower and Reserve Affairs.//