FYI: USMC Captain Recognition Bonus (MarAdmin 611/08)

[Clux4]

Everyone claims the orders are from higher, that should not surprise you. So if you trace the many highers back to HQMC, my guess is that there is some SES somewhere that has a GREAT idea. Someone with ALOT of education and probably no......

I am actually sad when I have to pass the WORD to my Marines. The Marines one time thought I was making it. I really have to remind them that I am also following orders.
We breed men to be killers and to kill without questioning authority but yet we cannot trust them to make sound decisions when they FINALLY get the time to relax.

I tell you another thing that really pisses me off, it is the fact that the Sgt.Maj of the Marine Corps is pushing some of his POG-like policies. He decided that tattoo policies were not good for our CORPS and forced the CMC to pass policies against it. Who are we kidding? These men are killers!! Some of them cannot even re-enlist again because their tattoo is OFFENSIVE. Someone needs to get a grip!! Their complaint is that the tattoos misrepresent the Corps. And the gang related excuse is crap. You do not have to have a tattoo to be in a gang.

The one that really got to me was when the asked OIC's to start checking all the mails and care packages before we handed them to the Marines.

SELF DISTRUCTING; ONE POLICY AT A TIME

 

[Huggy Bear]

The big problem is that we as a society have started to value life to such an extreme, that a tragic incident which should be viewed as just that - tragic, is now thought to be able to be legislated/ruled out of existence. People forget that sometimes, shit happens.

Perfect example - my roommate from the Naval Academy would have had to ORM the shit out of his climbing Mt. Ranier, and the drive to and from. Didn't prevent some drunk assholes from deciding they were tired of shooting at street signs, and blowing his brains out while he was innocently driving back from successfully climbing Mt. Ranier.

Man. That just sucks. Sorry to hear it. I had to look it up. Here is a link if anyone is interested. RIP.

http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/skinkele.htm

 

[7562Driver]

No Effect On Renetion Bonus

Harrier Dude, Taking this $4k bonus will have no effect on further bonuses. That word came directly from the POC on the MARADMIN. I contacted him asking that question specfically and the response was no effect.

 

[phrogpilot73]

Harrier Dude, Taking this $4k bonus will have no effect on further bonuses. That word came directly from the POC on the MARADMIN. I contacted him asking that question specfically and the response was no effect.

Yes it will. If I remember correctly, you have to be within one year of your EOS to apply for the ACP bonus. And the ACP bonus has swung wildly from year to year (i.e. - it was ~$18K the year I got out, and the year after the implemented T/M/S break down, and Phrogs were down to $12K).

 

[7562Driver]

Under U.S. Code, Title 37, Chapter 5, Part 301b. Part b. (b) Covered Officers.--An aviation officer referred to in subsection
(a) is an officer of a uniformed service who--
(1) is entitled to aviation career incentive pay under section
301a of this title;
(2) is in a pay grade below pay grade O-7;
(3) is qualified to perform operational flying duty; and
(4) has completed any active duty service commitment incurred
for undergraduate aviator training or is within one year of
completing such commitment.

This bonus is it's own 1 year commitment. It is not an additional year added to our UPT commitment.

 

[Harrier Dude]

Under U.S. Code, Title 37, Chapter 5, Part 301b. Part b. (b) Covered Officers.--An aviation officer referred to in subsection
(a) is an officer of a uniformed service who--
(1) is entitled to aviation career incentive pay under section
301a of this title;
(2) is in a pay grade below pay grade O-7;
(3) is qualified to perform operational flying duty; and
(4) has completed any active duty service commitment incurred
for undergraduate aviator training or is within one year of
completing such commitment.

This bonus is it's own 1 year commitment. It is not an additional year added to our UPT commitment.

I'm not a lawyer, but having talked to MMOA about this, I'm almost certain that this will delay you getting the pilots bonus by a year. It won't mean that you aren't eligible for it ever, you'll just have to wait an extra year.

When I took the bonus I had to pay back my college money first (the $100/mo deal). If I didn't, I would have had to wait the extra 6 months to get the bonus.

If I were a Captain considering this, I would talk to Metro and get something IN WRITING saying that it wouldn't extend my obligation or delay my "big bonus. Otherwise you are trading $20K for $4K.

Be careful.

 

[Flash]

The one that really got to me was when the asked OIC's to start checking all the mails and care packages before we handed them to the Marines.

Checking them how? If that means opening mail, it is illegal. Orders from HQMC can't overturn US Code.

USPIS Jurisdiction and Laws

 

[HueyCobra8151]

Sorry, for the reading impaired could you point out where that link said anything about screening mail?

Most of those crimes listed are for instances of citizens wronging a postal worker or getting a postal worker to unknowingly commit a crime somehow...

 

[mmx1]

Sorry, for the reading impaired could you point out where that link said anything about screening mail?

Most of those crimes listed are for instances of citizens wronging a postal worker or getting a postal worker to unknowingly commit a crime somehow...

Ahem, obstruction of correspondence? (18 USC 1702)

Whoever takes any letter, postal card, or package out of any post office or any authorized depository for mail matter, or from any letter or mail carrier, or which has been in any post office or authorized depository, or in the custody of any letter or mail carrier, before it has been delivered to the person to whom it was directed, with design to obstruct the correspondence, or to pry into the business or secrets of another, or opens, secretes, embezzles, or destroys the same, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.

There's a reason the SI's have you open the mail in front of them and not just open it a priori. I wonder if that was the intent of "screening" mail.

 

[tlord82]

Harrier Dude, Taking this $4k bonus will have no effect on further bonuses. That word came directly from the POC on the MARADMIN. I contacted him asking that question specfically and the response was no effect.

As I said earlier, this is true according to this year's ACP MarAdmin. It's a loophole that you could jump through to get both the 4k and the "big bonus" for the same year of service. However, how long do you think it will take for the powers-that-be to figure it out and close the loophole in future ACP MarAdmins?

I totally agree with Harrier Dude: get something from Metro stating that you will be able to receive ACP according to the current requirements before hopping on this train.

 

[7562Driver]

Thanks for the advice Harrier Dude. I'd hate to piss away 20k in a few years for 4k now. I guess I'll be making some calls tomorrow to verify what the POC said. I'll see if I can get the Adjutant and the S-1 to help out in the hunt too.

 

[Banjo33]

I'm not a lawyer, but having talked to MMOA about this, I'm almost certain that this will delay you getting the pilots bonus by a year. It won't mean that you aren't eligible for it ever, you'll just have to wait an extra year.

When I took the bonus I had to pay back my college money first (the $100/mo deal). If I didn't, I would have had to wait the extra 6 months to get the bonus.

If I were a Captain considering this, I would talk to Metro and get something IN WRITING saying that it wouldn't extend my obligation or delay my "big bonus. Otherwise you are trading $20K for $4K.

Be careful.

My S-1 called metro and he said the same thing 7562 said. It won't affect your ACP bonus (the year is tacked on at the end of your contract...basically when you say "OK, I've had enough, time to leave" the MC says "nope, you owe us 1 more year").

 

[Clux4]

Checking them how? If that means opening mail, it is illegal. Orders from HQMC can't overturn US Code.

USPIS Jurisdiction and Laws

Yeap. At first they wanted us to open them and I think Marines started complaining about that and so they changed that to having them open it then we inspect. Whichever the case, I ain't got time to sit around and have a PFC Joe open his mail.

Folks, if there is really a loop hole that you can make advantage of, go for it. Get it before they make corrections to the MARADMIN to close the loop hole. Get that thing in writting before you spend the cash.

Just to show you how bad the numbers are. A MARADMIN just came out offering language school seats as re-enlistment bonuses. For real, language school!! Are people screaming that bad to go to a language schools?

That has to be a hard on a young Marine. Get out or stay in and learn a language. (oh! by the way, he is on his way to Iraq for the 4th time)

 

[Flash]

Yeap. At first they wanted us to open them and I think Marines started complaining about that and so they changed that to having them open it then we inspect. Whichever the case, I ain't got time to sit around and have a PFC Joe open his mail.

The first is flat out illegal, the second treads into a gray area. They are lucky no one has complained to the right people yet.

 

[Harrier Dude]

My S-1 called metro and he said the same thing 7562 said. It won't affect your ACP bonus (the year is tacked on at the end of your contract...basically when you say "OK, I've had enough, time to leave" the MC says "nope, you owe us 1 more year").

"The end of your contract" is when you can get the "pilot bonus". How is this not going to affect when that is?

If my 8 year contact is up in May 2011, and I'm a Major (select) in May 2010, if I ask to get the "pilot bonus"........how are they NOT going to say "Sorry....you're not eligible for another year"?

I picture this conversation:

Me: "I want to take the big bonus now"

Monitor: "Sorry....you're not eligible for another year"

Me: "Why? It's been 7 years since my 8 year commitment started, and I can take the bonus a year out."

Monitor: "Yeah....but you took the $4K bonus two years ago. You have to wait another year until you can take the "pilot bonus"".

Me: "Hey, asshole.....you said that that wouldn't affect my pilot bonus!"

Monitor: "That was the last guy. Not me. And if you had read the MARADMIN closely (and interpreted it the way we do here at HQMC)...you would know that it extended your commitment by 1 year."

Me: "But the last guy said that I would still be eligible for the pilot bonus!!"

Monitor: "You will be. Just not for another year."

Me: "You lied to me!!!"

Monitor: "I didn't lie....the truth changed"*

You guys do whatever you want. I sincerely hope it works out for you, but it sounds like a shady-monitor-bullshit fuck job to me.

I'm afraid it'll come back to bite you later.

*Credit to Masterbates for this remark