The Marine Corps is looking for Marines to laterally move to more than a dozen positions in an effort to boost retention.
The move is laid out in Marine Corps Administrative Message 365/25 for Marines who have yet to reenlist or if their primary military occupational specialty is closed.
Marines in their first or subsequent terms can apply for the following 12 specialties:
- Avionics/maintenance technician, unmanned aircraft system
- Unmanned aircraft mechanic, MQ-9
- Tactical air operations/air defense systems technician
- Tactical data systems technician
- Ground control station technician
- Explosives ordnance disposal technician
- ACV repairer/technician
- Amphibious combat vehicle crewmember
- Influence specialist
- Critical skills operator
- Reconnaissance Marine
- Counterintelligence/human intelligence specialist
Marines in their first term of enlistment can also apply for five other specialties:
- Low altitude defense gunner
- Criminal investigator agent
- Career counselor
- Marine Corps community services Marine
- Operational contract support specialist
Only Marines in their subsequent term of enlistment can apply for the following specialties:
- Information security technician
- Cyberspace warfare operator
- Career recruiter
In fiscal year 2024, the Marines had 1,014 lateral moves, which was a 20% increase from the previous year, according to the service’s 2024 Talent Management update.
An earlier August MARADMIN also established a voluntary early release option for Marines with an End of Active Service date on or before Sept. 30, 2025.
Todd South has written about crime, courts, government and the military for multiple publications since 2004 and was named a 2014 Pulitzer finalist for a co-written project on witness intimidation. Todd is a Marine veteran of the Iraq War.
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