Marines now keep up to 75 leave days each year due to high op tempo

Marines now keep up to 75 leave days each year due to high op tempo
Cpl. Michael R. Whitnel

MARINE CORPS AIR STATION, YUMA, Ariz.(March 6, 2008) -- Beginning Oct. 1, Marines can keep 15 more days of leave on the books per year due to the Marine Corps' high operational tempo.

The change, announced in Marine Administrative Message 137/08, raises the maximum amount of leave a Marine can have at the end of a fiscal year from 60 to 75 days.

The change will let Marines to retain more leave so they have a better chance to use it.

Allowing more leave to be accumulated is a great idea with the high operational tempo of the Marine Corps, said Lance Cpl. Justin Henry, who handles leave administration here.

"I lost 12 days of leave. I came off recruiting duty for three years and deployed shortly after checking in here," said Gunnery Sgt. Robert Galan, operations chief with Yuma's Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 13.

A Marine shouldn't have to fill out a detailed official request just to get back the leave they already earned, said Galan.

The MarAdmin also notified a change to the Special Leave Accrual policy. SLA is leave a Marine may keep in addition to maximum accrued leave if they have served on a deployable ship, attached to a deployable operating force or served on other specific duties.

Marines will now have to serve 120 consecutive days, instead of 60, to qualify for SLA.

Additionally, Marines involved in direct support of predeployment training, such as exercises Desert Talon or Mohave Viper, or deployment work-ups restricting Marines from taking leave, not just increased work load, may apply for SLA.

Battalion or squadron commanders have authority to restore all or a portion of leave lost during the fiscal year if a Marine qualifies.

Ellie